Description
Book SynopsisReflects the place of the US in a world it has defined by 9/11, the war on terrorism, and the invasion of Iraq. This analysis considers the events and actions that have led America down the path of imperialism. Tracing the significance of September 11 in the course of American history, it explains the consequences for international order.
Trade ReviewStanley Hoffmann is America's wisest and most seasoned observer of transatlantic events. In Gulliver Unbound he delivers indispensable commentary on the hubris of America's imperial adventurism, the flaws in its approach to combating terrorism, and the future of the European-American relationship. -- Samantha Power, author of A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide, winner of the 2003 Pulitzer Prize and the 2002 National Book Critics Circle Award
Gulliver Unbound can be read in one sitting and contains a great deal of wisdom, not least of which is the observation, 'Iraq has become a trap for the Americans and a godsend for terrorists.' -- Chalmers Johnson * The San Diego Union-Tribune *
Throughout his distinguished career, Hoffmann has remained intellectually and personally bound to both America and France. In this engaging little book, he brings his accumulated wisdom and cosmopolitan sensibilities to bear on the current crisis in U.S.-European relations.... Full of insights—and worries. -- G. John Ikenberry, Princeton University * Foreign Affairs *
"A witheringly accurate critique of the hubris and folly of the Bush administration. Hoffmann is generally dead on target in his condemnation of the Bush administration, the conceptual idiocy of the 'war on terror,' and the wider chauvinism, ignorance, and Francophobia of the U.S. establishment and media. -- Anatol Lieven * American Prospect *
This little book, conceived and presented largely as a series of conversations between Hoffmann and a French former student, does not disappoint. Stanley Hoffmann's is a powerful and liberal voice in a post-September 11 American that has too often seemed bereft of such voices. * Political Science Quarterly *
Gulliver Unbound is an engrossing, critical, and provocative account of the factors that led the U.S. on the path of imperial adventurism particularly following 9/11, how this impacted U.S. relations with its NATO allies and with the rest of the world, and how it led to intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq. In conclusion, this is a splendid little book. It reflects the author's deep insight, erudition, and concern for humanity and for a sane international system. It is highly recommended for courses in international relations, comparative politics, and Middle East politics. * International Journal on World Peace *
Americans who wish to halt the drift toward imperialism should read this book. -- Robert O. Keohane, Princeton University
Table of ContentsChapter 1 Preface Chapter 2 The Franco-American Conflict Chapter 3 A New American Imperialism: Rupture or Continuity? Chapter 4 September 11: Divine Surprise? Chapter 5 Chronicle of a War Foretold Chapter 6 Gulliver Unbound Chapter 7 After the War: The Beginning (April 2003–September 2003) Chapter 8 The Trap (October 2003–August 2004) Chapter 9 The Future of the International System Chapter 10 Conclusion: The Dangers of Empire
