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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you've ever scratched your head and wondered how in the hell we've gotten ourselves into such a global mess, read this book!, November 6, 2006
Friends just gave me this book and I want to throw my arms around John Egerton and hug him with gratitude. Finally, finally, someone has taken all of the facts of this baffooning president and his miserable band of boy-ohs and called a spade a spade. His facts are impeccable, his sequencing strips all of the republican hooligans, rouges, and scheming thieves from their mysterious cover of rightousness and religiosity and makes it clear that the king has no clothes on. The book is funny as hell, and while it's a hoot to read it is deadly serious. I am ordering a dozen copies and am handing them out to everyone on my Christmas list. This is a gem. John Egerton for President! Read it! And then go out and vote damn it. I wish I could give it ten stars!!!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Humor Is Truth, January 17, 2010
As this reviewer wrote elsewhere, Mortimer Adler wrote that the tyrant does not fear the well reasoned treatise condemning tyranny because the tyrant knows most people will not read nor understand it. Yet, the tyrant greatly fears the well timed joke told by the town drunk. This is not to say that John Egerton is the town drunk. Yet, his book titled ALI DUBYIAH AND THE FORTY THIEVES is a clever parody of Bush I, whom he called Wimpbush,and Bush II, whom he called Fratbush. This review deals with this humorous book and will add commentary to what was not mentioned and what has happened since the year 2006 when the book was published.
Egerton began this book by making parodies of the names of political leaders. For example, Pres. Clinton (the Clintstones?) was named King Zip. The one US Supreme Court Justice was named william Inquest. Fratbush's first Attorney General is referred to as Johan Sackcloth. Former Vice President Cheney was renamed Dead Eye Dick Chaingang. Donold Rumsfeld was appropriately named Donold Remsfailed. Egerton used clever wry humor to compare what these politcos said compared to their complete policy failures and attempts to conceal these failures.
Egerton began with the 9/11 tragedy attacks by Osama Been Hidden who has yet to be captured. The book dealt with the complete failure to detect these terrorist attacks prior to that tragic day (9/11/2001) in spite of all the warnings from flight instructors in Florida and some government field officers. The failure to stop the attacks took place in spite of Sybil Edmonds' warning. Miss Edmonds was a government Arabic translator who sounded the alarm. She has since been silenced by a federal court order.
The book gave a good assessment of the tar baby wars in Western Asia (Iraq and Afghanistan). The Fratbush's comment that he "liberated" 50 million Iraqis was undermined by the realities. Egerton gave a good account of the bitter internal wars and violence between the Sunni and Shia factions (Islamic sectarian groups), the Kurds etc. Egerton mentioned the mass killings, chaos, etc. that resulted from the US invasion and Fratbush's empty phrase, "Mission accomplished." Egerton mocked the optimistic propaganda from Fratbush, Deadeye Dick Chaingang, etc. Egerton made wry comments about the needless loss blood and treasure. By the way, the Iraqi population is just over 31 million and not 50 million.
Egerton also undermined the notion that the US invasions were to protect freedom in the US. The undersigned cannot understand how officials defend freedom when, in late 2001, postal patrons were arrested in Chicago, Ill. for ordering stamps with the word Liberty rather than stamps with the US Flag. In 2003, a do gooder tattle tale reported a young man to the FBI for reading a book or monography that the do gooder did not like. The FBI actually visited the young man to report the incident and try to indimidate the lad about his reading habits. How this is defending freedom is beyond this reviewer's imagination. Yet, the terrorists who committed the 9/11 were under FBI survillance. Yet, the FBI let these terrorists board planes. Later 80 year old ladies were detained for having knitting needles.John Sackcloth announced on the House and Senate Floor that anyone who critisized Fratbush, Deadeye Dick Chaingang, etc. could be arrested and held in detention indefinately without due process. One must assume that this is defending freedom.
Egerton also had good parody between the major political parties. He used the terms Publicans and Sinners. The Publicans were the religious zealots who claim that God is on their side while the Party of Sinncers consists of anyone who disagrees with the Publicans greed and hypocricy. Egerton referred to one TV evangelist as Telly Tubby. Egerton cited Pat Robertson for claiming tax exempt status and money for "Faith Based" programs. Yet, Robertson who was cited for sending mining equipment to Africa for his diamond interests under the pretext of humanitarian aid. Egerton briefly mentioned the Publicans, the party of God, for adultry, same sex solicitation, etc. Yet, anyone who noticed the hypocrisy is condemend to the Party of Sinners.
The last sections of the book are sobering. Egerton mentioned that US jobs are sent to other countries by American CEOs who get government subsidies and tax exemptions for doing so. They get help for creating jobs-elsewhere besides the US. Egerton chided the Americans for losing their self respect and losing their soul as Americans. As a friend and Mr. Egerton noted, too many Americans are obese, flag waving thoughtess patriots who have lost their ability to think clearly and intelligently. Egerton sees the Americans as an empire in the stage of decline.
This book was first published in 2006. The undersigned hopes that Egerton or some enterprising historian will update this book. For example, a good parody could be made of the governor of South Carolina who said he would refuse unemployment benefits for the poor souls who are unemployed in his state. He claims to be in favor of "family values" whatever that means. Yet, on Fathers' Day of lst year (2009) he took a flight to Argentina meet his mistress at tax payers' expense. He claimed that he was on the Appalachian Trial, and the undersigned knows of some folks who actually beleived that this trial was in Argentina. Egerton could make a good parody of an eight year US child who has been on the do-not-fly list since the lad was two years old. Yet, the CIA (Can't Investigate Anything) and US embassy officials refused to stop a potential terrorist from boarding a flight to Detroit, Michigan. This is known as security. The undersigned hopes Mr. Egerton expands this book.
This book is a humorous relief to the depressing state of the US Empire and tragic economic situation. The book will not solve all the problems listed therein, but it is a welcome relief to the current crises that plagues too many Americans.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Puts Dubyiah in his place., August 30, 2007
Thorouhly enjoyable. Author has a great insite to the world today and a great sense of humor.
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