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venturecrapitalism's review against another edition
5.0
I came to this book via [b:The Great Heroin Coup: Drugs, Intelligence, & International Fascism|3823528|The Great Heroin Coup Drugs, Intelligence, & International Fascism|Henrik Krüger|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1216606801l/3823528._SY75_.jpg|3867858] which highlighted the US federal and military collaboration with Southeast Asian juntas and dictators in trafficking heroin. The Washington connection offers a very clear and detailed perspective on how United States government and business interests facilitate dictatorial client states around the word, turning a blind eye to straight up genocides in favor of maintaining military and investment interests. It got a little repetitive at times due to the extraordinary consistency with which various "third world" states daring to seek a modicum of independence from American influence are violently repressed and the authors begin to sneak in a number of snarky asides, but I can hardly blame them for needing to comment on/cope with the endless recitation of atrocities. Two important themes are the complacency of the "free" Western press regarding what is clearly pro-American/client state propaganda or obvious falsehoods to anyone who looks into it for longer than a moment, and the utility of labeling populations Communist or Communist sympathizers when one needs a reason to oppress and slaughter them.
This was published in 1972 so it's obviously a bit dated, but as someone born decades after the Vietnam war ended, I really appreciated the contemporary critical view on an era that has since been overtaken by political mythology.
This was published in 1972 so it's obviously a bit dated, but as someone born decades after the Vietnam war ended, I really appreciated the contemporary critical view on an era that has since been overtaken by political mythology.
kevin_shepherd's review
4.0
Chomsky and Herman give a detailed accounting of the underbelly of U.S. foreign manipulation and intervention. Whether it’s Vietnam or Nicaragua or Iran or Thailand or Brazil or The Dominican Republic or a hundred other places—our sphere of influence is extensive, our hypocrisy is boundless, and our methodology is mind numbingly heartless.
“U.S. beneficence and good intentions are sustained assumptions abroad that sustain self-righteousness and self-deception at home.”
“U.S. beneficence and good intentions are sustained assumptions abroad that sustain self-righteousness and self-deception at home.”
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