The Book on Bush – “How George W. (mis)leads America"

By Eric Alternman and Mark Green* Penguin Books USA ISBN 0-670-03273-5
Reviewed by George Sanders

This very readable well-researched 400-page book examines in frightening detail the domestic and foreign policies followed by George W. Bush during his first term. It was published in August 2004 to promote an informed dialogue about the man and his policies before the 2004 elections.

The book contains many examples of broken Bush promises, exaggerated facts, downright lies and obfuscation. Just about every piece of 'justification' used in support of the war on Iraq would afterwards be called into question and nothing, so far, has really been confirmed as vindicated. ‘Certainly the claim still being used by Bush that the war is aimed at liberating Iraq and helping it to become the first Arab democracy, inspiring the Arab world to embrace Western values, appears to be less and less achievable.’

The book claims that ‘while Bush unabashedly continues to make misstatements and sleights of rhetoric, many Democrats and the media lack the coherence to call him on them. . . . The result, as we are seeing in the land of Iraq, and in the sea of red ink currently engulfing the (US) federal budget, is that by the time Bush has been disproven, we are stuck with the results of his ideologically-driven policies.’

The book raises very pertinent questions regarding the Howard administration's determination to remain committed to the war against Iraq and to Australia's alliance with the US in general.

*Eric Alternman, writes a media column in The Nation. Mark Green, is president of the New Democracy Project and a visiting lecturer at the New York University School of Law.