The Pre-Emptive Empire

This book is a scathing account of George W. Bush's America before and after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Saul Landau delves into the erosion of civil liberties and the proliferation of empire under the guise of pre-empting the scourge of terrorism. He reveals how Bush protects 'his' terrorists - those who perpetrate violence against Cuba, and to whom he owes his presidency. He also examines how Bush has appointed former officials to high level posts in his cabinet despite their membership in a conspiracy to sell weapons of mass destruction to Iran in the 1980s. In 'declassifying' Bush's Empire, Landau dissects a post 9/11 world where deference to patriotism obliterates debate in Congress and the media. How can the notion of empire happily co-exist with the notion of a republic? In times like these, as dissenting voices are stifled and the public are denied access to the facts about their own security, Landau shows how democracy itself is under threat. He asks whether the already fragile world economy can survive in the new 'security' culture of the post-9/11 world.