Containment: Rebuilding a Strategy Against Global Terror

by Ian Shapiro

Book Overview

In this powerfully argued book, Ian Shapiro shows that the idea of containment offers the best hope for protecting Americans and their democracy into the future. His bold vision for American security in the post-September 11 world is reminiscent of George Kennan's historic "Long Telegram," in which the containment strategy that won the Cold War was first developed.

The Bush Doctrine of preemptive war and unilateral action has been marked...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0691137072
• ISBN13: 9780691137070
• Release Date: February 2008
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Viable Alternative

Shapiro presents a rational, concise, and morally consistent alternative to Bush's foreign doctrine of aggression and the Democrat's barren response. Supported by illustrations of former foreign policy successes and blunders, his proposal to rekindle the Cold War strategy of containment to fit a post 9-11 environment is apt and well worth consideration. Moreover, his prose, sprinkled with wit and metaphors ("Triangulation's centrol flaw is that it is good tactics but bad strategy. In the short run it can deliver as promised, but as soon as your opponent realizes what you are doing, politics becomes about shifting the goalposts."), turns what could be a dry subject into an engaging read.