Boggs (Masters of War) argues that a militaristic ideology has been embedded in American history since the earliest crimes against the Native Americans, and tracks it historically through one war after another. Exploited by implicitly sinister elites since 9/11, this American strain, he argues, is now distorting our foreign policy and making "endless war" inevitable. Chapters argue that the U.S. military is grossly out of proportion to the country's size and economic shape; that the military has played a role in subverting democratic politics; and that the U.S. has long been in a struggle for global dominance. Two more chapters detail what Boggs sees as the U.S.'s "Culture of Militarism" and the "Crimes of Empire" it has perpetrated; the last wonders about "The Eclipse of U.S. Hegemony?" The author is a clear communicator of his polemical position, and his erudite apparatus provides a valuable resource for studying the history of anti-military scholarship in the U.S.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
The United States defends its militarism and imperialism by saying that it is trying to promote democracy. But the concept of democracy receives little critical scrutiny within American political discourse, and the postwar historical record reveals a pervasive legacy of U.S. support for military dictatorships and authoritarian regimes. In his brilliant new book, Carl Boggs weighs this and numerous other contradictions that foretell the demise of 'lone superpower.'
Imperial Delusions is the first book to deal comprehensively with the historical, economic, political, cultural, and criminal aspects of American militarism. (Johnson, Chalmers )
Imperial Delusions is a brilliant book. It is vintage Carl Boggs, perhaps even his best book to date.
Imperial Delusions shatters the myth of 'humanitarian' intervention, revealing it to be little more than dressed up imperialist war. It is a stinging indictment of U.S. foreign policy and the expansion and consolidation of the military industrial complex. Boggs reveals how the U.S. military has routinely targeted civilian populations as an integral part of its strategy, from the firebombing of Germany and Japan in WWII and dropping of the atomic bomb, to Vietnam's scorched earth, search-and-destroy, 'kill em all' strategies, to the shock and awe invasion and occupation of Baghdad.
Imperial Delusions is a text that students throughout the country need to read. In fact, it should be compulsory reading in our high schools and universities. (McLaren, Peter )
Imperial Delusions is a terrifyingly convincing portrayal of an aggressive, militarized state willing to risk everything in a historic bid for complete world domination. While not everyone will agree with Boggs’ controversial views, even the most skeptical reader will be swept away by the main force of his argument. Boggs shows how the American state, freed from the constraints of the Cold War, its influence augmented rather than diminished by globalization, has embarked on a reckless strategy that places it on a direct collision course with the rest of the world.
Imperial Delusions promises to redefine the debate over the uses and misuses of American power. (John Sanbonmatsu )
Carl Boggs's timely study of growing U.S. militarism is a must-read for all critical citizens. Insightful, passionate, and hard-hitting, this book is pervaded by its author's unwavering commitment to the democratic ideal. (Steger, Manfred B. )
The author is a clear communicator of his polemical position, and his erudite apparatus provides a valuable resource for studying the history of anti-military scholarship in the U.S. (
Pw Web Exclusives )
This collection of well-documented essays concludes that the resurgence of out-of-control militarism is in large part attributed to America's failure to confront a dark legacy of "imperialsim and empire building." (Helicher, Karl
Foreword Reviews )
Boggs has written a provocative, engaging indictment of U.S. militarism. (
Political Studies Review )
