Chris Hedges

With the recent passing of Henry Kissinger and the current ongoing genocides in the Middle East I was drawn to read this Chris Hedges work from 2002. Sadly it is distressingly still relevant in every way today. His graphic telling of brutalities and overpowering repulsions of carnage suggest a pornographic attraction, which is one of the themes in this book about the personal impacts of being in war. Deep psychological effects are coupled with observations on propaganda campaigns selling wars to constituencies. He is well seasoned and carefully calculated in weighing his facts. His narrative is up close and personal. Yet the book is largely philosophical. Invoking literary references as well as other military sources, Hedges constructs a point of view that endures. In part this supports the man in the street perspective of how civilizations crumble into dust. While not offered as such it contributes at least little towards understanding how Israel and Hamas are hell bent on obliterating their homeland. This seems to be no middle ground and probably never has been, especially once at war.… (more)

A timely, thoughtful, and important work. The author doesn't lack evidence to support his thesis: one thing radical evangelical Protestants like to do (to their occasional detriment--witness Todd Akin and his fellow rape-denying Congressional candidates) is run their ignorant mouths. Oddly, this is a book that may suffer from a surfeit of supporting evidence, and I wonder if this might have made a better long-form magazine article.

On the other hand, this is Chris Hedges, one of the great American journalists, and I'm reluctant to second-guess him. If you're interested in--or frightened by--counter-Enlightenment projects in the American body politic, then this book is well worth your time.… (more)