Delving into the concept of the United States as an empire, this investigation examines U.S. interventions around the world—from the Spanish-American War to the invasion of Iraq—demonstrating how they not only contradict the principles of both liberals and conservatives but also make a mockery of the Founding Fathers' vision for a free republic. In recent years, "blowback" and the enormous expansion of federal power have threatened the American homeland itself, curtailing the liberties these interventions were supposed to protect. This book, however, exposes the flaws of U.S. interventionism and advocates a return to military restraint.
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Editorial Reviews
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"A sober, hard-hitting critique and a cogent brief for why liberals and conservatives should reject an imperial role for America." -- Richard Betts, Director, Institute of War and Peace Studies, Columbia University
"Deserves the thoughtful attention of all Americans disturbed by the imperial pretensions evident in Washington since the Cold War." -- Andrew J. Bacevich, Professor of International Relations, Boston University
"Dr. Eland makes a persuasive case that current U.S. national security policy is actually undermining our security and civil liberties." -- Lawrence J. Korb, former Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Defense
"Impressively lucid, filled with careful research and highly insightful commentary, certain to satisfy concerned readers across the political spectrum." -- Ambassador Edward L. Peck, former Chief of U.S. Mission in Iraq
"The sobering antidote for the imperial wine that has impaired the judgment of American politicians since the Cold War." -- Harvey M. Sapolsky, Director of Security Studies, MIT
"Think a U.S. empire is desirable and viable? Read Ivan Eland’s insightful, essential book, and you will change your mind." -- Edward A. Olsen, Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval Postgraduate School
"[This] should greatly influence the debate in this country about how to restore a Constitutional foreign policy. Read this book." -- Chalmers Johnson, Author, --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
"Deserves the thoughtful attention of all Americans disturbed by the imperial pretensions evident in Washington since the Cold War." -- Andrew J. Bacevich, Professor of International Relations, Boston University
"Dr. Eland makes a persuasive case that current U.S. national security policy is actually undermining our security and civil liberties." -- Lawrence J. Korb, former Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Defense
"Impressively lucid, filled with careful research and highly insightful commentary, certain to satisfy concerned readers across the political spectrum." -- Ambassador Edward L. Peck, former Chief of U.S. Mission in Iraq
"The sobering antidote for the imperial wine that has impaired the judgment of American politicians since the Cold War." -- Harvey M. Sapolsky, Director of Security Studies, MIT
"Think a U.S. empire is desirable and viable? Read Ivan Eland’s insightful, essential book, and you will change your mind." -- Edward A. Olsen, Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval Postgraduate School
"[This] should greatly influence the debate in this country about how to restore a Constitutional foreign policy. Read this book." -- Chalmers Johnson, Author, --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Ivan Eland is senior fellow and director of the Center on Peace & Liberty at The Independent Institute. His articles have appeared in such publications as the Chicago Sun-Times, Newsday, and USA Today, and he has appeared on the BBC, CNN, Radio Free Europe, NPR’s Talk of the Nation, and World News Tonight. He is the author of The Efficacy of Economic Sanctions as a Foreign Policy Tool.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
47 of 54 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Eland challenges conventional wisdom about why so many people around the world dislike Americans--it's not who we are or what we believe, but how our government behaves. With specific chapters directed at both conservatives and liberals explaining how over-reaching US interventionism goes against their principles, there is something in this book for everyone.
24 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A direct, educated antithesis to the imperial warmongering of Kaplan and the like. A read that will interest anyone who is interested in preserving our declining democratic republic.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The author presents his position that the best U.S. government is the one that governs least and does not spend its resources building an empire. Presidents like Teddy Roosevelt, Wilson, FDR, Kennedy, Johnson, and Bush who spent a great deal of effort to expand the American Empire become the worst presidents in our history. The idea that we need an empire to push the battle lines farther from our shores is exposed as a hoax for the aggrandizement of the president in power. As the author so eloquently states, there is no reason for the U.S. to maintain its "great power" status, especially at the expense of its economy. Should we not learn from the case of the Soviet Union which fell because the obligations of its military empire were too great for its economy. The author posits; can it not happen to us?
The U.S. now has more than 700 military bases throughout the world, and maintains a significant position in NATO, an organization centered in Europe where the EU has the world's 2nd largest economy, but uses the US military as its security shield. Nice. And Japan uses us as their defense force while penetrating our economy and buying American domestic assets to our great detriment. Gee, the only thing made in America any more are its women and then increasingly by foreigners. But in the meantime we become the world's mercenary police force unfortunately paid by ourselves on behalf of others.
So the argument goes: we need Hawaii to protect the West Coast. Then Okinawa and Guam to protect Hawaii. Then Japanese bases to protect Okinawa. Then troops in South Korea to protect Japan and South Korea. Is there no end to this lunacy? I guess so -- only when we have troops all over the world to isolate any seemingly hostile country at its own borders. The problem, of course, is not only can we not afford this, it's that no other country agrees we need to do it. So by our own actions, we set ourselves up as the power to be defeated. And history proves that day will not be long in coming. Almost all empires have not lasted longer than 250 years -- (for us that would be 2039 at the latest.)
The author makes so many good points that it would take another book to recount them. But for example, he makes the case that Truman, Johnson and Bush I claimed the authority as President to take the U.S. into war. However, the pesky Constitution specifically states that the President is only the Commander-in-Chief, and that only Congress has the power to declare war. In addition, the people have the right to keep and bear arms for their own defense -- yet empire-mongering presidents have sought to eliminate that troublesome feature in the Constitution bit by bit to create subjects out of citizens. And on and on.
Everyone should read this book and ponder the ideas within. Author Eland has much to say, and there is much to learn here. The reader should not let himself be swept along by media propaganda to the downfall of the U.S. Even if I don't agree with all of the author's points, they still bear careful scrutiny and consideration. The reader will be the better for reading this work.
Highly recommended.
Oh, this review is based on the Updated Edition of 2008.
The U.S. now has more than 700 military bases throughout the world, and maintains a significant position in NATO, an organization centered in Europe where the EU has the world's 2nd largest economy, but uses the US military as its security shield. Nice. And Japan uses us as their defense force while penetrating our economy and buying American domestic assets to our great detriment. Gee, the only thing made in America any more are its women and then increasingly by foreigners. But in the meantime we become the world's mercenary police force unfortunately paid by ourselves on behalf of others.
So the argument goes: we need Hawaii to protect the West Coast. Then Okinawa and Guam to protect Hawaii. Then Japanese bases to protect Okinawa. Then troops in South Korea to protect Japan and South Korea. Is there no end to this lunacy? I guess so -- only when we have troops all over the world to isolate any seemingly hostile country at its own borders. The problem, of course, is not only can we not afford this, it's that no other country agrees we need to do it. So by our own actions, we set ourselves up as the power to be defeated. And history proves that day will not be long in coming. Almost all empires have not lasted longer than 250 years -- (for us that would be 2039 at the latest.)
The author makes so many good points that it would take another book to recount them. But for example, he makes the case that Truman, Johnson and Bush I claimed the authority as President to take the U.S. into war. However, the pesky Constitution specifically states that the President is only the Commander-in-Chief, and that only Congress has the power to declare war. In addition, the people have the right to keep and bear arms for their own defense -- yet empire-mongering presidents have sought to eliminate that troublesome feature in the Constitution bit by bit to create subjects out of citizens. And on and on.
Everyone should read this book and ponder the ideas within. Author Eland has much to say, and there is much to learn here. The reader should not let himself be swept along by media propaganda to the downfall of the U.S. Even if I don't agree with all of the author's points, they still bear careful scrutiny and consideration. The reader will be the better for reading this work.
Highly recommended.
Oh, this review is based on the Updated Edition of 2008.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Stunningly Clueless
This book is a mind-numbing set of specious one-sided arguments slamming American history and values. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Kenneth M. Sarocky
Informative, but very boring
This book was in no sense biased. Every fact in this book was well researched. But after reading one chapter in the book, I fell asleep. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Steve chung
Well-reasoned critique of American foreign policy
This is a book that members of Congress definitely need to read or perhaps listen to the warnings of the courageous Ron Paul. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Aaron
The U.S can be better than empire
Mr. Eland lays out persuasive arguments showing that the U.S. has been acting as an empire, particularity since 1950, rather than as the republic established in the U.S. Read more
Published on November 27, 2008 by B. Ward
Slanting conservative, but thoughtful nonetheless
http://www.mypatriotact.com/?page_id=7
Eland is Director of the Center on Peace and Liberty at the Independent Institute in California. Read more
Eland is Director of the Center on Peace and Liberty at the Independent Institute in California. Read more
Published on October 18, 2008 by C. Mayo
well structured arguments against empire
eland does a unique thing with this book - he deconstructs the imperialism argument from every perspective. so it really feels like he's not preaching to the choir. Read more
Published on May 3, 2007 by the brown hornet
Poor
The author has certainly convinced himself that in the 21st century the U.S. should think of itself as a plaintive island. Read more
Published on June 13, 2006 by David Blanton
Imperial Lies for War
As I said it for another book ("The New American Empire"), Ivan Eland's book "The Empire Has No Clothes" is also a great book to see through Bush's lies.
Now, George W. Read more
Now, George W. Read more
Published on December 20, 2005 by J. M. C.,
Good Idea
Some of the points are very well researched and discussed but then the author becomes a litte extreme by suggesting we should not bother to get involved with any world crisis... Read more
Published on October 25, 2004 by Rehnuma SHARMIN
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