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Hegemony or Survival : America's Quest for Global Dominance (The American Empire Project) (The American Empire Project) | 
| Author: Noam Chomsky
Category: Book
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Avg. Customer Rating:  273 reviews
Sales Rank: 198506
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Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.5 x 1
ASIN: B000A6U2GQ
Publication Date: September 1, 2004
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Amazon.com
Noam Chomsky is considered the father of modern linguistics. In this richly detailed criticism of American foreign policy, he seeks to redefine many of the terms commonly used in the ongoing American war on terrorism. Surveying U.S. actions in Cuba, Nicaragua, Turkey, the Far East and elsewhere over the past half a century along with the modern American war in Iraq, Chomsky indicates that America is just as much a terrorist state as any other government or rogue organization. George W. Bush's 2003 invasion of Iraq drew worldwide criticism, in part because it seemed to present a new philosophy of pre-emptive war and an appearance of global empire building. But according to Chomsky, such has been the operating philosophy of American foreign policy for decades. Opponents of the Bush administration's tactics consistently point out how the American government supported Saddam Hussein for many years prior to the 1990 invasion of Kuwait (pictures of Donald Rumsfeld shaking Saddam's hand are easy to come by) as a means of pointing out how the United States is happy to fund despots when it's in American interests. But Chomsky, armed with extensive historical notation, takes this notion further, arguing how the repression of other nations' citizenry is, in fact, the very reason Americans support certain foreign leaders. The charges made throughout the book are severe, as are the dire consequences he posits if current trends are not reversed, and Chomsky is no more likely to make friends or gain supporters from the mainstream now than he's ever been. But Hegemony or Survival is relatively dispassionate. Instead of relying on camp or shock value or personal attacks as some of his contemporaries have done, Chomsky drives his well-supported points steadily forward in an earnest and highly readable style. --John Moe
Product Description
"Reading Chomsky today is sobering and instructive . . . He is a global phenomenon . . . perhaps the most widely read voice on foreign policy on the planet." -The New York Times Book Review
An immediate national bestseller, Hegemony or Survival demonstrates how, for more than half a century the United States has been pursuing a grand imperial strategy with the aim of staking out the globe. Our leaders have shown themselves willing-as in the Cuban missile crisis-to follow the dream of dominance no matter how high the risks. World-renowned intellectual Noam Chomsky investigates how we came to this perilous moment and why our rulers are willing to jeopardize the future of our species.
With the striking logic that is his trademark, Chomsky tracks the U.S. government's aggressive pursuit of "full spectrum dominance" and vividly lays out how the most recent manifestations of the politics of global control-from unilateralism to the dismantling of international agreements to state terrorism-cohere in a drive for hegemony that ultimately threatens our existence. Lucidly written, thoroughly documented, and featuring a new afterword by the author, Hegemony or Survival is a definitive statement from one of today's most influential thinkers.
Download Description
The United States is in the process of staking out not just the globe but the last unarmed spot in our neighborhood-the heavens-as a militarized sphere of influence. Our earth and its skies are, for the Bush administration, the final frontiers of imperial control. In Hegemony or Survival, Noam Chomsky investigates how we came to this moment, what kind of peril we find ourselves in, and why our rulers are willing to jeopardize the future of our species.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 268 more reviews...
 CHOMSKY IS OUR WATCHDOG WITH ONE EYE CLOSED June 15, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
America needs Noam Chomsky (even with his faults) because America has an abundance of proles who hang out down in Plato's cave watching the shadows on the wall and building their belief systems based on those shadows. If it wasn't so sad, I would almost say it's amusing to observe these proles as they slowly and gradually receive information contrary to those shadows, like the revelations in Scott McClellan's book that just came out in June, 2008. But a much bigger punch gets delivered by Mr. Chomsky ever so often, as he writes book after book on the terroristic foreign policy of the US. People choose to dismiss Chomsky because his assertions are not repeated in the mainstream media (as if the government-controlled mainstream media would bite the hand that feeds it). Chomsky is undeterred. He cites country after country, in the Western Hemisphere and abroad, where US foreign policy has murdered thousands of innocent people, and he leaves no confusion in his wake about the US being a major state-sponsored terrorist nation. It's a sad realization that the virtuous constitutional republic we all learn about in the schools is just a big lie. But cold hard truth is always depressing, isn't it (have you stepped on the weight scales lately?)? For those of you who don't understand why the US gov't is this way, simply look no further than Mr. Chomsky's subtitle: "...America's Quest for Global Dominance". But while Mr. Chomsky is willing to villify the US in foreign matters, he won't touch American-sponsored DOMESTIC terrorism. Why? Can you say...book sales???
 Reading ANY Chomsky Book, it occurs to the Reader: how many new Terrorists did Chomsky's anti-Americanism actually create?!?!?!? April 16, 2008
4 out of 26 found this review helpful
Chomsky is the Father of Lies; this is the derogatory brand with which he will be referred to throughout my scathing criticism of a review of his propaganda-book, Hegemony or Survival. Reading any anti-American--and variously pro-terror, pro-Palestinian, pro-communist, pro-radical Islam--screed from Chomsky subjects the reader to murderously extreme bias, one-sidedness and oftentimes manipulation of the facts. Before reading any propaganda work by Chomsky, the reader will do himself a huge service in realizing that Chomsky is 100% biased against the US, the War on Terror, capitalism...while concurrently exhibiting feral favoritism for terrorists, dictators, socialists/communists, government subsidies, and Arab extremists!!!! As such, Chomsky is an advocate of the hazardously radical far-left, and this in and of itself isn't a problem because Chomsky cannot help being afflicted with liberalism/secular progressive disease, etc.. However, he's intellectually dishonest as he never divulges that he has a clearly glaring agenda.
The Father of Lies' easily discreditable argument in Hegemony is summed up henceforth: the US is so blackened in its evil nature that it pursues foreign policy not to help people or for its national interests, but to subjugate people under its control via terrorism and enormities. This mendacious imitation of an argument by the Father of Lies is based on radicalized prejudice against the US; you'd already have to be indoctrinated with anti-American animosity to take anything he writes at face value. An additionally sinful weakness of the Father of Lies' presentation is that Hegemony--like virtually all his "books" (read: recruitment tools for terrorists)--fails to present arguments based on either logic or trust. He almost 100% bases his deceitful imitations of arguments on emotion--the emotionalism of irrational, America-hating ideologues!!!! This charge is 100% verified when we examine the woeful sources the Father of Lies uses. In his notes, he exclusively either uses only HIS OWN, previous books or the radicalized and unfair opinions of ideologues who share his same anti-Americanism, working at liberal papers like the NYT, LAT or Boston Globe, or anti-American ideologues in academia.
The Father of Lies is exaggeratedly and indefensibly rumored to be a master at linguistics. However, when we analyze the definition of linguistics, we see the Father of Lies is 100% overrated and in reality only a low-minded thug who manipulates the semantics of the quotes of public figures he despises!!!! Linguistics is defined as the study of the nature, structure and variation of language including semantics, phonetics and phonology. In Hegemony--as he furiously does with his other "books" of anti-American recruitment--the Father of Lies seemingly does this by excruciatingly quoting people at length. Yet, what the intellectually honest reader (not a laughingstock, indoctrinated liberal with anti-American ideology) will notice is that he doesn't fairly analyze the quotes of people he targets. Instead, the Father of Lies manipulates, takes out of context, or generally forges the true meaning of what those quoted figures have said!!!! Additionally, another black eye for the Father of Lies is that he's not much of a legitimate author: half his "books" are overflowing with context-less quotes he pilfered from other sources.
For example, in Chapter 8, the Father of Lies charges the US with falsifying the certainty they needed in order to justify war with Afghanistan post 911. He quotes FBI director Mueller as saying, during Senate testimony, that the US government merely believes that the idea to plan the 911 attacks originated from Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. The Father of Lies dishonestly stresses the word "believe" to insinuate that the US government wasn't sure about where the 911 planning emerged. However, the verb "believe" also can be defined as having confidence in the truth or value of something. Through that definition, it irrefutably sounds like Mueller's Senate testimony was in fact credible and not just mere opinion!!!! However, the Father of Lies totally distorts Mueller's use of the word "believe"; that's how devious he is.
Furthermore, Hegemony earns lots of demerits due to factual corruption. For instance, regarding the liberation of Iraq by Bush, the Father of Lies has the nervy audacity to misbehave as the late Hussein's apologist by crediting Hussein for directing oil profits to internal development!!!! This is the only part of the sanctions program the Father of Lies applauds, yet we now know that Hussein was taking massive kickbacks to the tune of several billions from an unwary UN, totally destroying Chomsky's whitewashing of Hussein!!!!
Another egregious evildoing by the Father of Lies is through his overwhelming partisanship against the Israelis. Chomsky fanatically believes the Israelis are the terrorists, and he berates them for the accidental killings of Pali civilians, building of the wall to constrict suicide-bombing Arabs, and the annexation of purportedly Pali lands. However, Chomsky AGAIN conceals the terrorist misconduct from Palis which necessitate Israel's reaction of self-defense: the Pali-instigated terrorism of cowardly targeting Israeli women and children and NEVER abiding by peace agreements.
relevant and engaging March 21, 2008
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
Noam Chomsky's books are not bedside reads. He is tough, writes like a cat in water, throws facts at you from every direction, and expands your mind with his erudition.
Although this book is one of his most readable, it still has all of his trademarks; his laconic style, dry wit, strident tone.
There is a shift in emphasis in Hegemony Or Survival, from strictly domestic and foreign policy issues, to issues of human survival. In our over-heated, globalized world, Chomsky thinks it a very likely possibility that humanity will destroy itself. This could happen due to environmental catastrophe or nuclear annihilation.
It is to Chomsky's great credit that as the sociopolitical milieu changes, his lens changes. Don't get me wrong, Chomsky spews plenty of venom on our foreign policy. It is just that Chomsky has broadened his focus. No longer can we look at these issues in isolation. Our policy choices in the next 20 years could determine the fate of humanity. Now a skeptic might think this concern to be a bit over the top, but Chomsky- ever the rationalist- is not known for hyperbole. This suggests that we seriously consider his analysis.
Anyone who is concerned with the state of the world would help themselves a great deal by reading this book. Even if you are very conservative, it would not hurt to expand your horizons. Chomsky is a serious academic- unlike Hannity et el.- and as such, he is a force to be reckoned with.
I must mention the one thing that Chomsky seems to do in all of his books that rubs me the wrong way: splice up other peoples' quotes.
A typical example (though made up by me):
"At the far left you have Walzer who states that the U.S. has to spread "its humanity" to other nations, so that they can see our "benevolence" and our "good intentions."
This is irksome. Walzer's original quote may have read:
"The U.S. would be advised to spread its humanity to other nations. Unfortuantely however benevolent our citizens, and no matter our good intentions, we are an imperial power. Only the emperor cannot see this."
I am not accusing Chomsky of misrepresentation. I just wish he would use a narrative style. There is no need to parse pundits' quotes like he does. It really serves no purpose. In fact, it gets in the way.
The above aside, there is no doubt that Chomsky is the best and the brightest on the left.
 A thoroughly enlightening work that raises some serious questions March 20, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
Noam Chomsky in this book offers an amazingly compelling account of historical events to justify his main theses, as well as insight that would befit even the most informed American. His theses are that America is singularly bent on global hegemony and utter domination, and that it prioritizes this objective with such brazen religiosity--not dissimilar in intensity from American perceptions of so-called "Islamofascists"--that it may ultimately be ruinous to mankind as a whole, provoking an arms race of unprecedented proportions, including the likely participation of "terrorist" groups (aside from the United States).
This mission, by itself, may not bother some (in fact, many would hold this to be a noble objective, using a twisted logic of malignant ethnocentrism), until one considers the historical implications that all point to catastrophic consequences but which cannot even begin to fathom specific results. Nothing of this magnitude (mostly because of the technology involved) has taken place before in the history of mankind. This is especially worrisome, though it is highly unlikely that even with such empirical proof staring it in the face, the oligarchy ruling with ostensibly democratic pretexts in this country would recognize its application or relevance to "them" and act accordingly. For history has a disturbing trend of repeating itself.
Chomsky also demonstrates the particularly unnerving paradigm that constitutes prevailing American foreign policy for the past half-century: that of blatantly patronizing or simply disregarding the resolutions and rulings of international law-making and arbitrating bodies, flagrant violations of treaties, and abstention from or veto of critical UN votes in clear pursuit of its hegemonic aspirations. This attitude of patent arrogance pervaded many empires of times past and so does it in the current administration, as well as most of its post-Wilsonian predecessors.
Without divulging of the contents of the book in what is supposed to be a generalized review, I unequivocally recommend "Hegemony or Survival," as it offers an edifying, if highly disconcerting, glimpse into the disturbing trends that our "freedom-loving" country has and continues to pursue. Whatever your political inclinations, read as objectively as possible, for the many machinations, subtexts, and acts of direct, absolute, and heinous contradiction with moral and historical principles you discover within are meticulously substantiated with fact and plainly irrefutable.
Vicious anti American propaganda March 10, 2008
5 out of 21 found this review helpful
It is said that there are lies, damn lies, and statistics. I would say that there are lies, damn lies, and Noam Chomsky. I will say that much: the book is well written, and gives you the notion of intelligent discussion.
However, let's look at two of the propositions brough by Chomsky, both in chapter 3, "The new era of enlightment".
First, that the U.S intervention in Kosovo was both negative (ethnic cleansing started only after the bombing campaign) and out of egoistic reasons (to keep the American and NATO deterrence power). It is plausible enough. I did not double check the facts, and it is conceivable it is correct.
Second, he floats a theory that figthing hard drugs in the U.S is in order to keep the blacks poor and without political power (tell it to Barack Obama). Should we ask Chomsky for forgivness for arresting those poor, underprivileged drug dealers?
This persuaded me that Chomsky is not an author (with regards politics). He is a propagandist, and his only purpose is to persuade gullible people of how terrible the U.S is (and perhaps accumulate money in the meantime). The truth does not come into this. His only difference from Franz Goebels is that he uses higher words.
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