Synopses & Reviews
Christopher Hitchens has been one of the most prolific and widely read writers on the current crisis in Iraq. This book is his polemic. What makes his pro-war argument particularly interesting is that Hitchens is a self-described "democrat, humanitarian, and radical" and thus makes a strange bedfellow for Bush. Now that regime change is inevitable, this book is Hitchens' take on why this war was the only just and moral act. It's his aim to instantly historicize the debate behind the war. We'll combine his existing writing with new text. In recent opeds he trashes anti-war arguments of his fellow liberals-in his trademark highly abrasive voice. Some examples are:
- His case for Regime Change
- His explanation that Yes this war is partially about oil and yes oil is worth fighting for
- His position that the US doesn't go after "all the other bad guys" because we have an obligation to be an interventionist, which isn't the same as being an imperialist
- His argument that inspections never did and never would work
- His case that past Iraqi aggression and the logical presumption of future ones make this war both a retaliatory and preventive measure
- His blistering attack of 1) France's hypocritical anti-war stance and 2) our hometown "potlucking peaceniks"
The book will be composed of both existing and new material: 50% will be his 22 essays written for Slate.com in which he trashes the anti-war arguments of his fellow democrats. 25% will be essays in response to various war related issues. These will include an essay from The Wall Street Journal on the hypocritical French anti-war policy, an article from Seattle Weekly in response to what Hitchens calls the "potlucking peacenicks" of the anti-war movement, and a piece on highjackers from The Nation. Finally, 25% will be all new material. This portion will include writing from during and after his recent trip to Iraq. In closing, Hitchens will reveal the public figures that spoke out either for or against the war, including Norman Mailer, the Pope, Jimmy Carter, and among others the Canadian Prime Minster, Hitchens will reveal what they said, and hold them accountable for what he considers highly inflammatory and irresponsible comments.
About the Author
Hitchens is a widely published polemicist, author of many books, and frequent TV commentator, "whom some consider the finest political essayist writing... today." (Washington Times) He writes for Slate.com, the Atlantic Monthly, Harper's, The Atlantic, Newsweek International, and the Washington Post, and is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair. Hitchens sometimes appears on Hardball with Chris Matthews, Charlie Rose, Uncommon Knowledge, and CSPAN's Washington Journal.