Allies: The U.S., Britain, and Europe in the Aftermath of the Iraq War

by William Shawcross

Book Overview

The Cold War certainties that had seemed so fixed in the 20th Century were overturned by the war in Iraq. Saddam Hussein's Republican Guards were the battlefield victims of a brutally quick war of shock and awe. No less shocked and awed were some of America's former allies: "old" Europe, large blocks of the UN, and half the G8 nations suddenly found themselves outside the chain of command and influence.

Bush, Blair, and their allies were driven...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1586483471
• ISBN13: 9781586483470
• Release Date: July 2005
• Publisher: PublicAffairs
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Strange New World

This informative book is not a narrative of the Iraq war but a series of observations on how the international community confronted evil after 9/11 and an analysis of history since the end of the second world war. Shawcross explores the stresses and strains upon international co-operation and diplomacy since that atrocity and the much more dangerous world it ushered in, revealing inconsistencies and hypocrisy in the foreign policies of certain nations. He also asks how the international community can best deal with criminal states, tyrants and terrorists. Chapter One looks at the global nature of the threat, the proliferation of dangerous weapons, failed states and the Arab World. That is a backward region without good governance, political rights, civil liberties or a free media. This section discusses Iraq under Saddam in brief, including the 1991 war, UNSCOM, the IAEA, Iraqi deception and propaganda, the later inspection regime UNMOVIC and Oil-for-Food. Sanctions were eroded and many countries co-operated with Saddam who rewarded the families of suicide bombers in the Palestinian territories with $25 000 for the murder of Israelis. Chapter Two discusses President Bush and PM Blair, their religious views and their shared concepts of right and wrong. He considers Bush as being closer to Reagan than the first President Bush. Here Shawcross also explains NeoConservatism, its prominent personalities, viewpoints and media like Commentary, the The Wall Street Journal opinion page and Weekly Standard. He dissects the Euro intelligentsia and their immature anti-Americanism and hysterical Bush Derangement Syndrome. Also see Anti-Americanism by Jean-Francois Revel in this regard. The concept of pre-emption is also considered in this chapter. Europe has proved itself incapable of standing alone against totalitarianism in the 20th century, as discussed in Chapter Three which looks at the world since WW2, the formation of the EU and the role of France in particular. UN failures in Rwanda in 1994 and Bosnia in 1995 led to genocide. The USA was forced to intervene in Kosovo in 1999 and after 9/11, in Afghanistan. The EU has a collectivist outlook and its political elites have always aspired to make it a counterbalance to the USA. Shawcross points out Jacques Chirac's friendship and collaboration with Saddam and the role of Gerhard Schroeder in Germany. Both leaders fostered a climate of anti-Americanism. Good riddance to them. The next chapter charts the collapse of consensus in the build-up to the war in 2002, with discussion of UN Resolution 1441, the attitude of European elites (The "cicadas" as Oriana Fallaci called them), Old versus New Europe and the principled stand of some liberal intellectuals like Vaclav Havel and Adam Michnik. Shawcross gives credit to Tony Blair for articulating the necessity for Saddam's removal very well. In the next chapter he shows how wrong the mass media were, especially in their doom-laded predictions of millions of r

an expat's bible

as an American living in Europe this book provides a condensed summary of the politics and events surrounding the Iraqi war. I recommend it as a balanced exposition that puts the decisions into historical context.

Once again, Shawcross is superb ! ! !

Once upon a time, during the US war in Vietnam, Shawcross scooped the world media by reporting on the bombing of Cambodia under the secret orders of President Richard Nixon. Naturally, Nixon was furious. Until then, no one knew about the bombing except the Cambodian people, the Pathet Lao, the Viet Cong and most everyone else in the region. Shawcross told the American people. The truth infuriated Nixon. Well, he's done it again. Conservatives will hate this book, because Shawcross deftly points out the long litany of US stupidity that put Saddam Hussein in power, armed him and built up his regime. Maybe they can impeach him. Liberals will hate this book, because he uses devastating details to justify the military destruction of the Hussein regime. Maybe they can impeach him. Intelligent readers will love his writing. Similar to his stories about the secret bombing Cambodia, Shawcross has a fondness for facts. It makes for grim reading, then and now. But, life is never perfect. We can't get perfect omelettes every meal; sometimes we have to settle for scrambled eggs. The underlying theme is basic, simple and utterly relevant to this year's US elections, "The responsibility on America and its allies is immense. The only certainty is that they must succeed. The alternatives are too terrible to contemplate." In simplest terms, Shawcross amply demonstrates how all Iraqis lived in terror from the threat that weapons of mass destruction might be used against any region courageous enough to rebel. Hussein had a choice; to comply fully with UN inspection demands and reveal himself as a bully without weapons, or stall the UN and hope it would go away and the Iraqis would be left living in fear of his savagery. One of his most troubling assertion is that "US President George W. Bush polarizes. Richard Nixon did the same through his career, as did Margaret Thatcher. It is a matter of style and substance. The Bush presidency has created almost unprecedented tensions between Europe and the United States." True enough. Only a fool would argue otherwise. It's a sound argument for not re-electing Bush -- provided a "really nice guy" with a "great big smile" can be found to faithfully implement Bush's policies. His most troubling example is a quote from a February 1998 speech by President Clinton who asserted, "If we fail to respond today, Saddam, and all those who would follow in his footsteps, will be emboldened tomorrow by the knowledge that they can act with impunity, even in the face of a clear message from the United Nations Security Council, and clear evidence of a weapons of mass destruction program." Clinton couldn't act. The sheer hatred of him by Republicans in Congress, and many of those now in the Bush administration, focussed on a little Jewish girl with kneepads rather than an Iraqi dictator with ambitions to terrorize the MidEast. The past is done. The issue now is whether the current hatred of Bush will derail what Clin

Once again, Shawcross is superb ! ! !

Once upon a time, during the US war in Vietnam, Shawcross scooped the world media by reporting on the bombing ofCambodia under the secret orders of President Richard Nixon.Naturally, Nixon was furious. Until then, no one knew about the bombing except the Cambodian people, the Pathet Lao, theViet Cong and most everyone else in the region. Shawcross told the American people. The truth infuriated Nixon.Well, he's done it again. Conservatives will hate this book, because Shawcross deftly points out the long litany of US stupiditythat put Saddam Hussein in power, armed him and built up his regime. Maybe they can impeach him. Liberals will hate thisbook, because he uses devastating details to justify the military destruction of the Hussein regime. Maybe they can impeachhim. Intelligent readers will love his writing.Similar to his stories about the secret bombing Cambodia, Shawcross has a fondness for facts. It makes for grim reading, thenand now. But, life is never perfect. We can't get perfect omelettes every meal; sometimes we have to settle for scrambledeggs. The underlying theme is basic, simple and utterly relevant to this year's US elections, "The responsibility on America andits allies is immense. The only certainty is that they must succeed. The alternatives are too terrible to contemplate."In simplest terms, Shawcross amply demonstrates how all Iraqis lived in terror from the threat that weapons of massdestruction might be used against any region courageous enough to rebel. Hussein had a choice; to comply fully with UNinspection demands and reveal himself as a bully without weapons, or stall the UN and hope it would go away and the Iraqiswould be left living in fear of his savagery.One of his most troubling assertion is that "US President George W. Bush polarizes. Richard Nixon did the same through hiscareer, as did Margaret Thatcher. It is a matter of style and substance. The Bush presidency has created almostunprecedented tensions between Europe and the United States." True enough. Only a fool would argue otherwise. It's a soundargument for not re-electing Bush -- provided a "really nice guy" with a "great big smile" can be found to faithfully implementBush's policies.His most troubling example is a quote from a February 1998 speech by President Clinton who asserted, "If we fail to respondtoday, Saddam, and all those who would follow in his footsteps, will be emboldened tomorrow by the knowledge that theycan act with impunity, even in the face of a clear message from the United Nations Security Council, and clear evidence of aweapons of mass destruction program."Clinton couldn't act. The sheer hatred of him by Republicans in Congress, and many of those now in the Bush administration,focussed on a little Jewish girl with kneepads rather than an Iraqi dictator with ambitions to terrorize the MidEast. The past isdone. The issue now is whether the current hatred of Bush will derail what Clinton could have done in 1998, or whethergreater wisdom w

balanced perspective

I bought the book in order to read 'the other view' because I was very much opposed to the invasion of Iraq. It's not often that 'the other view' can change my mind on an issue of which I am very certain but this book managed to make me rethink quite a few of my objections to the war in Iraq. I particularly enjoyed the author's dissection of the motives and machinations of France and Germany, especially in light of their having been the beneficiaries of the Marshall Plan - and its resultant prosperity. They came across as very selfish, self-serving ingrates - a point of view I hadn't considered before reading the book. As well, the clearly anti-American stance of both countries and their obstructionist politics are revealed in all their damaging and self-serving glory, along with the author's analysis why, no matter the reasons, it is fatal to the world community future.The book is easily readable and short but contains a balanced perspective on the mistakes the US has made along the way coupled with the long history of Iraq's brutal dictatorship. The book makes the case that, in spite of the lack of found WMD, the war in Iraq was not only necessary but humane. I find myself in the uncomfortable position of agreeing with the author's view - though I am neither a Republican nor any fan of the Bush administration.I gave the book 5 stars because of its readability, balanced view and the author's list of consulted resources and in spite of the many typos the book contains. Was the editor sleeping on the job or was this a 'rush to print'?At any rate, I highly recommend this book for two reasons:1. Read by the people who already agree with the invasion of Iraq, it will give them cogent material to support their view and,2. Read by the people who disagree with the invasion of Iraq, it'll give a more balanced perspective and just might change a mind or two.Finally, the book makes clear a fundamental truth that no matter what the reasons for the invasion, it is clearly the moral and ethical responsibility for the world community to support successful reconstruction of Iraq and ensure a free future for all of its citizens.