Gore Vidal, �Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace�
I certainly have mixed feelings about this one. The subtitle for this book is �How We Got To Be So Hated,� and the introduction details the Sept. 11 field trips into New York�s tallest buildings. To me, this says we�re about to look into the U.S. political process with foreign governments. Imagine my surprise to discover that it�s (almost) nothing of the sort.
In fact, what this book entails is a reprinting of some articles Vidal wrote for Vanity Fair and The Nation detailing his reaction and subsequent correspondence with Timothy McVeigh after the Oklahoma City bombing. Also included are 18 pages of new commentary about the other buildings that recently fell down and went boom, just so nobody can sue for false advertising. The information and perspectives that Vidal provides is interesting, but it�s not really living up to its title.
�Hey, wait a minute, Dean,� you say. �Why should there be a difference between foreign and domestic terrorism? Hatred against the U.S. government is similar, no matter if it stems from abroad or within the heartland.�
Your points are noted. Now sit down.
I�m not arguing that point. But, I say with emphasis, there is still something very slimy about this book. This was an obvious rush job to make some extra money off older efforts pertaining to an event in 1996, repackaged to sell in war conscious 2002 and beyond. It�s nothing short of war profiteering, something I�ll bet Vidal states he is against. And so it�s times like this that make me infinitely grateful that I got this at a used bookstore. Nobody is profiting off this shameless snowjob but my boss.
Which, I guess, means he�s a war profiteer.
