Clear & Present Safety The World Has Never Been Better & Why That Matters to Americans

An eye-opening look at the history of national security fear-mongering in America and how it distracts citizens from the issues that really matter

What most frightens the average American? Terrorism. North Korea. Iran. But what if none of these are probable or consequential threats to America? What if the world today is safer, freer, wealthier, healthier, and better educated than ever before? What if the real dangers to Americans are noncommunicable diseases, gun violence, drug overdoses--even hospital infections? In this compelling look at what they call the "Threat-Industrial Complex," Michael A. Cohen and Micah Zenko explain why politicians, policy analysts, academics, and journalists are misleading Americans about foreign threats and ignoring more serious national security challenges at home. Cohen and Zenko argue that we should ignore Washington's threat-mongering and focus instead on furthering extraordinary global advances in human development and economic and political cooperation. At home, we should focus on that which actually harms us and undermines our quality of life: substandard schools and healthcare, inadequate infrastructure, gun violence, income inequality, and political paralysis.

In this compelling examination of the history of foreign policy fear-mongering, two national security experts explain that America faces no serious foreign threat, including from terrorism; that the world is safer and better than ever; and that the real threat to our lives and quality of life is at home.