If you are one of those Americans who believe we are a perfect country and the moral leaders of the world, then this book is not for you. On the other hand, if you want to get a better picture of why it is that most of the world sees us as a bully nation and some of the major corruption in our government, then you will want to read this one.
Craig Murray was the British Ambassador to Uzbekistan during the time that the U.S. declared the "War on Terror" and attacked Iraq. The U.S. became allied with Uzbekistan which was being led by a dictator, Karimov. His regime was infamous for torture...especially of Muslims and political dissidents. As Ambassador, Murray tried to expose the corruption in the government, but ran into constant opposition from his government and the U.S. because they needed the military base the U.S. had established in Uzbekistan for staging attacks in Iraq.
At the heart of this book is whether it is ever appropriate or useful to use torture as a means of getting government and military intelligence. I feel extremely strong about this, now, after reading this insightful book. I highly recommend the book, but be prepared to become disillusioned if you are a starry-eyed American.
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