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The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy And Its Geostrategic Imperatives 1St Edition Edition

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Zbigniew Brzezinski (Author)
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Zbigniew Brzezinski (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars 120 customer reviews
ISBN-13: 978-0465027262
ISBN-10: 0465027261
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Basic Books; 1St Edition edition (September 18, 1998)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0465027261
  • ISBN-13: 978-0465027262
  • Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 5.5 x 8.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (120 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #113,669 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsA Spine Chilling prediction of present circumstances.
By R. D. Smith on September 2, 2004
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
Like others offering their reviews, I rate this book very highly not because it is a real "page turner" or is particularly well written, but because of its cold Machiavellian analysis of the need to protect and expand the American Empire and what that means to the ordinary Joe and Jane Citizen.

Three things in this book made my blood run ice cold. The first is the complete absense of any sense of morality in the whole discussion. I do not mean that this is an *im*moral book, it is not a moral book, it is *a*moral in that there is literally no discussion whatsoever whether what is being proposed is RIGHT or should be done. That the recomendations to grow the American Empire are valid is simply assumed, not proven or even argued. The second thing was the whole discussion on how the political center of mass was Central Eurasia (i.e. the region between Turkey and Pakistan and between Iran and Turkmenistan) and how unlikely it was that we were going to be able to have a substantial presence in the region (in the near term) unless we have SOME PERL HARBOR CLASS EVENT to accelerate the populations willingness to accept the costs. Also, This Was Bad because it would delay our needed expansion. Then, just on cue, we have the 9/11 attacks, and dang if we don't end up with a Whole Bunch of military presence all throughout the heart of Eurasia... Coincidence? Makes one wonder. As if that is not enough, the book closes with a clear and unambiguous reference to the steps needed to get us to the One World Government of the New World Order.

Read it and weep because, as another reviewer stated, he is not predicting the future, he is *planning* the future. Coldly. Methodically.
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5.0 out of 5 starsA chilling account of Roman-style imperialism
By A Customer on January 3, 2002
Format: Paperback
This is how Brzezinski views the (supposedly sovereign) nations of Central Asia:
"The last decade of the twentieth century has witnessed a tectonic shift in world affairs. For the first time ever, a non-Eurasian power has emerged not only as a key arbiter of Eurasian power relations but also as the world's paramount power. The defeat and collapse of the Soviet Union was the final step in the rapid ascendance of a Western Hemisphere power, the United States, as the sole and, indeed, the first truly global power..."
"Two basic steps are thus required: first, to identify the geostrategically dynamic Eurasian states that have the power to cause a potentially important shift in the international distribution of power and to decipher the central external goals of their respective political elites and the likely consequences of their seeking to attain them;... second, to formulate specific U.S. policies to offset, co-opt, and/or control the above..." (p. 40)
- "...To put it in a terminology that harkens back to the more brutal age of ancient empires, the three grand imperatives of imperial geostrategy are to prevent collusion and maintain security dependence among the vassals, to keep tributaries pliant and protected, and to keep the barbarians from coming together." (p.40)
- "Henceforth, the United States may have to determine how to cope with regional coalitions that seek to push America out of Eurasia, thereby threatening America's status as a global power." (p.55)
- "America is now the only global superpower, and Eurasia is the globe's central arena. Hence, what happens to the distribution of power on the Eurasian continent will be of decisive importance to America's global primacy and to America's historical legacy." (p.Read more ›
9 Comments 135 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
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4.0 out of 5 starsDo strategists love their children too?
By D. Ghica on February 16, 2002
Format: Paperback
I read this book with disbelief. Brzezinski was for a long time a strategist, a political planner of the highest rank so I have to take him seriously. But I couldn't help but constantly wonder if the book is for real.
It displays an unabashed and unapologetic view of the U.S. as a world 'hegemon' (author's word) and divides the rest of the world in 'vassals' (author's word), rivals, 'pivots' and strategically irrelevant countries. Western Europe and Japan are the prominent members of the first category, Russia and China of the second. The pivots are the countries that have strategic choices important to the U.S., such as the Ukraine. United Kingdom is an (amusing) example of strategically irrelevance.
The book proceeds by systematically and often tediously analyzing case-by-case scenarios and what-ifs concerning the strategic impact of the policy decisions of the players (vassals, rivals and pivots) in four main theatres: Europe, Russia, Central Asia and the Far East. The analysis seemed rather un-principled to me but by the end I could discern some key points. The most important of them is that the U.S., despite is global hegemony cannot afford wars but it has to maintain its dominance by smartly playing the rivals against each other so that a major global rival does not emerge.
I think the book's shocking disregard of democracy and national self-determination is quite consistent with the way the American administration tends to act in international affairs. Unfortunately, the current administration does not seem to take the book's main advice regarding the need for America to avoid outright wars and to dominate through smart diplomacy.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsshe loved it. I have not gotten around to it ...

Bought this for my wife, she loved it. I have not gotten around to it yet. Zbig has a unique view of things!!

Published 5 days ago by PT1091966
2.0 out of 5 starsOVERRATED

OVER TOLD STORY THAT WE HEARD A THOUSAND TIME

Published 6 days ago by Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 starsFour Stars

Good book.

Published 12 days ago by Samuel
3.0 out of 5 starsCheckmate

“The Grand Chessboard” is a famous work on American geopolitical strategy, written by Zbigniew Brzezinski, who was national security advisor to President Jimmy Carter. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Ashtar Command
5.0 out of 5 starsMasterful understanding of the details; 20 years after, crystal ball...

This book is copyrighted 1997, two decades ago. My review is in two parts. First is an analysis of the last 20 years, analyzing what Brzezinski was projecting. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Graham H. Seibert
1.0 out of 5 starsI donot receive this book at all!!! ...

I donot receive this book at all!!!!!

Published 1 month ago by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Great book.

Published 2 months ago by Warren J. Williams
4.0 out of 5 starsGift Choice

Gift purchase

Published 2 months ago by Merry Lynn
5.0 out of 5 starsan excellent addition to my library

an excellent addition to my library, i plan to follow up and get more of his works and titles. excellent author, great content and physically the book is of great quality.

Published 4 months ago by Robert
4.0 out of 5 starsFour Stars

Good book in my opionon

Published 6 months ago by Joseph Weber

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