Title

Terrorism and tyranny : trampling freedom, justice, and peace to rid the world of evil

Description

"In Terrorism and Tyranny, Bovard casts yet another jaundiced eye on Washington and the motives behind protecting "the homeland" and starting a controversial, unprovoked war with Iraq. Do you think that you’re safer now that the Federal Government has a Homeland Security czar? Think that your civil liberties and privacy are still intact? Think again on both counts. For Bovard, the Bush administration’s war on terror all comes down to a trampling of personal liberty that is more effective in winning elections than it is in protecting Americans. From airport security follies that protect no one to increased surveillance of individuals in their public and private lives to the dishonest, abusive roundup of detainees, the war on terrorism is taking a toll on individual liberty, and no one tells the whole story better than James Bovard."--Jacket.

Identifier

1128852

1403963681

Creator

Bovard, James

Source

Brian Lamb Booknotes Collection

Gift of Brian Lamb, 2011.

Catalog record

Language

eng

Date

2003

Program air date: November 2, 2003

Publisher

Palgrave

George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections & Archives

Text

Transcription of Annotations
Notes on front endpapers reflect the author’s opinion of President Bush - his glorification of the military, his decision to go to war against Saddam a year before it began, the warning he received about an impending attack from Osama bin Laden in August 2001. Also noted is Wolfowitz’ view that there was a 10 to 50% chance that Saddam Hussein was involved in the 9/11 attacks, and two examples of the government’s spying on American citizens - Carnivore, an e-mail surveillance system, and Magic Lantern, a virus that would allow the FBI to record every keystroke anyone makes. Other notes record the author’s statement that historically governments have been by far the greatest enemies of freedom, include the breakdown of the vote on the Patriot Act in both the House and the Senate, and mention that more FBI agents are involved in the war on drugs than in fighting terrorism. This statement is part of the notes: "License for tyranny: many countries take the lead of 9/11 for getting tough with laws to supposedly fight terrorism." -- Annotations by Brian Lamb in the margins and underlining of pertinent phrases throughout the book. -- Examples: p. 51: "In July, the CIA issued a confidential warning regarding Osama bin Laden: "Based on a review of all-source reporting over the last five months, we believe that UBL will launch a significant terrorist attack against U.S. and/or Israeli interests in the coming weeks. The attack will be spectacular and designed to inflict mass casualties against U.S. facilities or interests. Attack preparations have been made."" -- p.60: "Apparently, as long as the president was not pre-notified of the specific names and addresses of the hijackers and the dates and flight numbers of their intended attacks, the administration could claim it received no warning." -- p. 322: "Bush’s rhetoric on America as a force for freedom is impossible to understand without considering his assertions on America as the greatest force for goodness in the world."..."There is no doubt in my mind that this nation will prevail in this war against terror, because we’re the greatest nation, full of the finest people, on the face of this earth." -- p. 349: "Since 9/11, Bush often seems blinded by the glare from his own halo. The moral self-adulation at the heart of the war on terrorism is a danger both to America and the world."

Subject

"Terrorism--Government policy--United States"

"War on Terrorism, 2001-2009"

"Civil rights--United States"

"United States--Politics and government--2001-2009"

"United States--Foreign relations –2001-"

Relation

Original Booknotes interview

Rights

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