The Point of Departure: Diaries from the Front Bench (Paperback)

by Robin Cook (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Cook made headlines last spring as one of those who resigned from Tony Blair's cabinet in protest over the coming Iraq war. There's a lot in this diary of the past two years about his growing feelings against the war, his objections largely based on belief that Saddam didn't have any unconventional weapons and that the links between Saddam and Osama bin Laden were tenuous at best. As Cook puts it, the need for war because Saddam had unconventional weapons "might have carried more credibility if both the US and then the British governments had not been together in it up to their armpits in creating that capacity in the first place." Cook also repeats what are now familiar arguments: specifically, that the policy of containment was working, and that nonmilitary intervention would have been more effective. He's generally respectful and polite toward Blair describing him as the most successful Labor leader in recent years but he calls supporting the war "the wrong choice for Britain." His are familiar arguments, but Cook expresses them well and offers a dash of much-needed humanism in a polarized world. He also offers a pragmatist's vision for the future intended as a prescription for non-Blair leftists. Unfortunately, he does not follow through enough on the title's promise-the book fails to stick to the point. Cook spends too much time discussing British parliamentary reform, a topic unlikely to find much resonance among American readers. But those interested in what a principled British politician who opposed the war in Iraq has to say about that war will want to take a look.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
No, this is not another medical-thriller by Robin Cook. This Robin Cook is a British politician who resigned his cabinet post in March 2003 in protest over Britain's involvement in the impending war on Iraq. Cook, who served as Tony Blair's foreign secretary and (later) leader of the House of Commons, was one of Blair's close friends and confidants. His book, the bulk of which is taken up with extracts from diaries spanning the two-year period leading up to his resignation, provides a wealth of information for political junkies. American readers may not be able to follow all the references to British politics and politicians, but the heart of the book will be familiar to everyone: the period immediately preceding Cook's resignation, when he found himself in ideological conflict with his friend and prime minister. Following the chronological diary entries, Cook appends an essay in which he comments on the war in Iraq and expresses his view that the United Kingdom was roped into participating in the conflict by Blair's single-minded support of President Bush. Finally, the text reprints Cook's resignation speech, which was received with the House of Commons' first-ever standing ovation. The book offers one man's story, one man's opinion, but it presents a persuasive case that Britain went to war over the objections of the majority of its citizens. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books (August 2, 2004)
• ISBN-10: 0743483774
• ISBN-13: 978-0743483773
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
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• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,407,160 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)