SummaryFrom the author of the prophetic national bestseller
Blowback, a startling look at militarism, American style,
and its consequences abroad and at home In the years after the Soviet Union imploded, the United
States was described first as the globe's "lone
superpower," then as a "reluctant sheriff," next as
the "indispensable nation," and now, in the wake of 9/11,
as a "New Rome." Here, Chalmers Johnson thoroughly explores
the new militarism that is transforming America and
compelling its people to pick up the burden of empire. Reminding us of the classic warnings against militarism—
from George Washington's farewell address to Dwight
Eisenhower's denunciation of the military-industrial
complex—Johnson uncovers its roots deep in our past.
Turning to the present, he maps America's expanding empire
of military bases and the vast web of services that
supports them. He offers a vivid look at the new caste of
professional warriors who have infiltrated multiple
branches of government, who classify as "secret" everything
they do, and for whom the manipulation of the military
budget is of vital interest. Among Johnson's provocative conclusions is that American
militarism is putting an end to the age of globalization
and bankrupting the United States, even as it creates the
conditions for a new century of virulent blowback. The
Sorrows of Empire suggests that the former American
republic has already crossed its Rubicon—with the Pentagon
leading the way.
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