10/23/2017
In this polemic against neoconservatism and American imperialism, Griffin (The New Pearl Harbor Revisited), emeritus professor of philosophy of religion and theology at Claremont University, argues that the 9/11 terrorists surpassed their own ambition to take on America by giving the U.S. pretext to sow chaos in the Middle East. Terrorist actions are crimes, not wars, Griffin explains, but proclaiming a “war on terror” allowed George W. Bush and Dick Cheney to beef up the military with nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, radar-evading fighter jets, and high-tech missiles that were of little use against al-Qaeda. The “Bush-Cheney administration,” as Griffin labels it, invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, spent trillions, and bungled both wars. Eschewing impartiality, Griffin inundates readers with articles, editorials, reports, and expert opinions to undergird his theses. Some of these theses are uncontroversial—for example, that all claims supporting the Iraq invasion were false. Some are believable, if debatable, as with assertions revealing neocon desires for regime change in Russia. Others are more controversial: the book’s second half parrots the supposed evidence that allegedly reveals that the twin towers collapsed due to controlled demolitions, probably engineered by Bush and Cheney. Griffin’s 9/11 trutherism derails what is an otherwise well-researched and solidly backed screed on the pervasive influence of neoconservative thought on America’s political establishment. (Dec.)
The United States and the world have changed in fundamental ways- entirely for the worse- since the events of September 11, 2001. In his new book, David Ray Griffin clarifies why and how this has happened, as well as why the official explanation of 9/11 could not possibly be true. If one is to read only one book to understand the world in which we now live, it should be this immensely important book.
Given Upton Sinclair's definition of fascism ('capitalism plus murder'), David Ray Griffin's extraordinarily well-researched and well-written book on the lies and crimes of the Bush/Cheney administration leads to an obvious conclusion: Never has it been clearer that 'American Interests,' as promoted by neocons, constitute the antithesis, the obliteration, of democratic principles, of the rule of law, and of hope for the future.
A clear, cogent, and scrupulously non-sensationalist and non-ideological presentation of the simple chronological historical and scientific facts, by one of our generation's most cogent and systematic thinkers. This book should convince any honest and objective person- with a political and scientific I.Q. above room temperature- that we Americans, along with the rest of the world, have been systematically lied to by the leaders of both of our major American political parties. We have been lied to not only about the facts concerning the American military invasions in the Middle East but also about the events leading up to, during, and in the aftermath of, the events of 9/11.
Sadly, this book is necessary. The US press won't cover it. From the first, David Ray Griffin contributed his scholarship (and his career!) to unmasking the Bush-Cheney administration for what it was. His latest account nails down a full indictment.
We seem to be condemned to living, for the foreseeable future, in a 9/11 world. In his latest book, David Ray Griffin meticulously documents how 9/11 may have provided a pretext to carry out pre-existing plans for the invasion of Afghanistan and the Shock and Awe attack in Iraq. Griffin takes us back to Bernard Lewis' framing of 'Muslim rage' as the perfect rationale- very appealing to Dick Cheney- to explain its hatred of the West as irrational. Griffin analyzes Cheneyism- militarism under a state of permanent war- as legitimizing the concept of Creative Destruction, or Manifest Destiny understood as bombing the Other into democracy. And Griffin projects us forward, documenting how the Bush-Cheney lies in Afghanistan and Iraq created the conditions for the Rule of Chaos as al-Qaeda in Iraq turned into ISIS/ISIL/Daesh. A must read.
When I was in the House of Representatives, I introduced Articles of Impeachment against George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Condoleezza Rice, because they lied about the events of 9/11 and took our country into what has become an interminable war. In this book, David Ray Griffin pulls the covers off the cover-up. As a nominal Catholic, I'm supposed to believe in miracles; but I will never believe in the Bush/Cheney/Rice miracles outlined by Griffin. Those 'miracles' are crimes orchestrated by dangerous neocons, who have irreparably harmed the U.S. and the world. Will Trump bend to the neocons, as did Obama? For newly-awakened global citizens, this is a must-read primer, which explains why the world has gone so wrong since 11 September 2001.
David Ray Griffin not only confronts our unspeakable history. He lays it out- from Bush and Cheney through Obama into the Trump administration and our teetering now on the edge of nuclear and ecological holocaust. Is the most critical origin of our terminal plight the transparent lie of 9/11? It is exposed here brilliantly by the incisive analysis of David Ray Griffin, who tells the truth needed for human survival. Will we hear and act on it?
In this polemic against neoconservatism and American imperialism, Griffin (The New Pearl Harbor Revisited), emeritus professor of philosophy of religion and theology at Claremont University, argues that the 9/11 terrorists surpassed their own ambition to take on America by giving the U.S. pretext to sow chaos in the Middle East. Terrorist actions are crimes, not wars, Griffin explains, but proclaiming a 'war on terror' allowed George W. Bush and Dick Cheney to beef up the military with nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, radar-evading fighter jets, and high-tech missiles that were of little use against al-Qaeda. The 'Bush-Cheney administration, ' as Griffin labels it, invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, spent trillions, and bungled both wars. Eschewing impartiality, Griffin inundates readers with articles, editorials, reports, and expert opinions to undergird his theses. Some of these theses are uncontroversial- for example, that all claims supporting the Iraq invasion were false. Some are believable, if debatable, as with assertions revealing neocon desires for regime change in Russia. Others are more controversial: the book's second half parrots the supposed evidence that allegedly reveals that the twin towers collapsed due to controlled demolitions, probably engineered by Bush and Cheney. Griffin's 9/11 trutherism derails what is an otherwise well-researched and solidly backed screed on the pervasive influence of neoconservative thought on America's political establishment.
Drawing upon his authoritative grasp of the big picture, Griffin lucidly cuts through the lies, deceptions and propaganda that have paralyzed the minds of so many. From 9/11 and the ensuing regime change wars, through to the terrifying dangers now posed by climate change, this work is an essential wake-up call for the people of the West. Everyone should read this, and then act upon what they have learned.
In this devastating critique of the enduring harm done by the Bush/Cheney presidency, Griffin provocatively links an informed account of American foreign policy failures to a definitive critique of the official version of the 9/11 attacks. All who regard themselves as responsible citizens should expose themselves to Griffin's arguments set forth so lucidly, persuasively, and imaginatively in this indispensable book.
Contrary to popular opinion, at least in liberal circles, America did not abruptly turn 'Orwellian' once Donald Trump set up his business in the White House- by which time that nightmarish transformation had already taken place. Although it arguably started on November 22, 1963, the transformation was completed decades later by the Bush-Cheney administration, using 9/11 to make this roughly democratic nation unmistakably like Orwell's Oceania, a lawless state devoted to eternal war, whose subjects have no real rights, and where words like 'freedom' and 'democracy' bear no relation to reality. The history of how Bush and Cheney pulled that off- and how Barack Obama continued it- is the all-important subject of this brilliant, necessary book by David Ray Griffin.
Griffin's Bush and Cheney is a detailed study of the successful efforts of 'Neoconservative' forces to take over US foreign policy in order to create a global empire, using the attacks of September 11, 2001, as a key lever. Griffin demonstrates that this Neocon agenda has shredded the US constitution and produced a foreign policy that is immoral, criminal, and quite literally insane. While Griffin focuses on the Bush/Cheney administration, he also shows how some of its worst policies were continued under President Obama. As a result, the United States has become the most serious threat to the future of humanity and life on our planet. If you read this book, you will want everyone around you to read it. A clear understanding of what America has become is critical to opposing the self-destructive direction in which we are headed.
If you believe that the willful destruction of the American Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, warrants a serious debate, the new finely-researched book by David Ray Griffin- Bush and Cheney: How They Ruined America and the World- is required reading. We tend to forget just how, under the climate of fear after the attacks of 9/11, the Bush Presidency in effect hijacked the nation and turned its war machine into a true 'weapon of massive destruction,' whose consequences haunt us today across the world in the form of ISIS and wars everywhere.
Griffin has done a great service by cogently explaining the events and agendas that shaped the Bush-Cheney years. The storylines, the propaganda, and the wars and constitutional destruction are as relevant today as ever, partly because they ultimately derailed the Obama era. The Bush-Cheney influence over domestic and foreign policy certainly disappointed and frustrated many Obama supporters, who had expected him to reverse course. Today, this influence frustrates Trump supporters who voted for an outsider to 'take back Washington' and give us a respite from perpetual warfare. Unless Americans understand the nature of the agendas and history of the Bush-Cheney regime, they cannot begin to perceive ways to alter this trajectory, one that leads directly to economic and environmental devastation and even nuclear war. A timely and necessary read for all Americans.
