World Famous Comics: Second Chance: Three Presidents and the Crisis of American Superpower
Second Chance: Three Presidents and the Crisis of American Superpower
By: Zbigniew Brzezinski Publisher: Basic Books Average Rating: Binding: Hardcover Format: Bargain Price Label: Basic Books Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 240 Publication Date: March 05, 2007
America’s most distinguished commentator on foreign policy, former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski, offers a reasoned but unsparing assessment of the last three presidential administrations’ foreign policy. Though spanning less than two decades, these administrations cover a vitally important turning point in world history: the period in which the United States, having emerged from the Cold War with unprecedented power and prestige, managed to squander both in a remarkably short time. This is a tale of decline: from the competent but conventional thinking of the first Bush administration, to the well-intentioned self-indulgence of the Clinton administration, to the mortgaging of America’s future by the “suicidal statecraft” of the second Bush administration. Brzezinski concludes with a chapter on how America can regain its lost prestige. This scholarly yet highly opinionated book is sure to be both controversial and influential.
Just the facts, ma'am -- please This book is a useful brief summary of major diplomatic events since 1980. It shows that the years from 1980 - 2000 were far more crisis-driven and momentous than we who lived through them are likely to remember now. The chronologies that Brzezinski constructs and relies on are relatively detailed and complete, but do not of themselves point to any inevitable conclusions, as he seems to think. The factual discussion and historical narrative are illuminating. His analysis, however, is not. The book is marred irretrievably by his schoolmarmish finger wagging at the failure of each of his "students" to learn the lessons he's teaching them - anywhere from 30 to 7 years after the fact. One would never know, reading this book, that Brzezinski was a major figure in an utterly failed presidency (Carter's). Brzezinski comes across as intelligent but unrelievedly pedantic (like his former boss). As a narrativist and systemic thinker, he pales into invisibility next to Kissinger, Acheson, and other of his near contemporaries.
This Man Has Great Influence on Foreign Policy and Relations I believe Brzezinski still has a great deal of influence (maybe now more so than ever) on foreign policy and relations. Although I do not like most of his policies, it is extremely important to be aware of what he is proposing. As a speculator I try to be aware of if then macro economic scenarios.
DR. BRZEZINSKI GETS IT and TELLS IT! A COURAGEOUS and REFRESHING TRUTHTELLER WHO CARES DEEPLY FOR AMERICA & WORLD PEACE. Please read this book before you rate it. If you have read it and you care about America's safety and image, then a 5 star rating is what this book is and should be. If you care NOTHING about America's safety and image, then you are probably one of those 1 or 2 star raters. To you I say: "Put America First!" Read the book, or reread the book and let it sink in. Thank you Dr. Brzezinski for looking out for America first, World Peace and; very, very clearly bringing this to USA/World attention. Wow! Highly recommended; you will read it in one sitting. Absolutely Superb!!!
Subjective doesn't mean bad I would like to remind everyone that this book by its very nature is a subjective work, and this the author readily admits within the very text of this book. Unfortunately there is no nationally recognized rubric with which to judge presidents that we can use to accurately assess the accomplishments and failures of each president. This means that more than likely everyone who reads this book will find something in it they vehemently disagree with, whether they loved the book and gave it 5 stars or hated it and gave it 1. I myself enjoyed the book and found plenty I disagreed with, but just because there were aspects of his critique that I disagreed with doesn't mean I am going to disregard the work in its entirety.
The author has the credentials to give this assessment legitimacy, and his assessment seems balanced and void of any political malice. The author has written a sincere book that should give any reader something to think about, and hopefully the next president will have something to think about as well. This is a brave work that the author must have known would bring hard criticism from certain spheres, but the author chose to write it anyway. I think the we are all better for it.
Last Chance Not much to get excited about here. This is an evaluation of the last three US presidents (apparently Zbig was ok with the secret Iran-Contra wars during the Reagan administration). Brzezinski is Mr. Foreign Policy and his politics are as Machiavellian as...well...Machiavelli. Without Zbig, there would have been no Russian invasion of Afghanistan, no Mujihadeen, no OBL, and no al qaeda. So you tell me, how good a foreign policy advisor is he? This book was apparently written because Zbig is unhappy with George W. Bush. He isn't unhappy with George W. Bush because of the high crimes and misdemeanors as described under Kucinich's 35 ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT on June 9, 2008. Nope, it appears that Mr. hc. and m. George W. Bush hasn't committed enough crimes. Is this because the US hasn't YET attacked Iran, Syria, North Korea, CHINA for Christ's sake? Let's face it people. The world would be such a nice and peaceful place if Mr. Brzezinski would move back to Poland. Unfortunately, he's about to re-enter the national stage, most likely as National Security Advisor again, where all crimes are in the shadows and coverd up. Lord have mercy.
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