The Dark Side by Jane Mayer, conservative author

[Psychoblues]

Ms. Mayer withdraws nothing. C-Span covered her comments quite well. She is honest, complete and hides her opinions. Here's a Random House take on the book:

ABOUT THIS BOOK
A dramatic and damning narrative account of how America has fought the
"War on Terror"

In the days immediately following September 11th, the most powerful people in the country were panic-stricken. The radical decisions about how to combat terrorists and strengthen national security were made in a state of utter chaos and fear, but the key players, Vice President Dick Cheney and his powerful, secretive adviser David Addington, used the crisis to further a long held agenda to enhance Presidential powers to a degree never known in U.S. history, and obliterate Constitutional protections that define the very essence of the American experiment.

THE DARK SIDE is a dramatic, riveting, and definitive narrative account of how the United States made terrible decisions in the pursuit of terrorists around the world-- decisions that not only violated the Constitution to which White House officials took an oath to uphold, but also hampered the pursuit of Al Qaeda. In gripping detail, acclaimed New Yorker writer and bestselling author, Jane Mayer, relates the impact of these decisions—U.S.-held prisoners, some of them completely innocent, were subjected to treatment more reminiscent of the Spanish Inquisition than the twenty-first century.

THE DARK SIDE will chronicle real, specific cases, shown in real time against the larger tableau of what was happening in Washington, looking at the intelligence gained—or not—and the price paid. In some instances, torture worked. In many more, it led to false information, sometimes with devastating results. For instance, there is the stunning admission of one of the detainees, Sheikh Ibn al-Libi, that the confession he gave under duress—which provided a key piece of evidence buttressing congressional support of going to war against Iraq--was in fact fabricated, to make the torture stop.

In all cases, whatever the short term gains, there were incalculable losses in terms of moral standing, and our country's place in the world, and its sense of itself. THE DARK SIDE chronicles one of the most disturbing chapters in American history, one that will serve as the lasting legacy of the George W. Bush presidency.

Much More: http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl/9780385526395.html

Give a good read and consideration. You will not regret the effort!!!!!!!!!!

[emmett]

Ms. Mayer withdraws nothing. C-Span covered her comments quite well. She is honest, complete and hides her opinions. Here's a Random House take on the book:

ABOUT THIS BOOK
A dramatic and damning narrative account of how America has fought the
"War on Terror"

In the days immediately following September 11th, the most powerful people in the country were panic-stricken. The radical decisions about how to combat terrorists and strengthen national security were made in a state of utter chaos and fear, but the key players, Vice President Dick Cheney and his powerful, secretive adviser David Addington, used the crisis to further a long held agenda to enhance Presidential powers to a degree never known in U.S. history, and obliterate Constitutional protections that define the very essence of the American experiment.

THE DARK SIDE is a dramatic, riveting, and definitive narrative account of how the United States made terrible decisions in the pursuit of terrorists around the world-- decisions that not only violated the Constitution to which White House officials took an oath to uphold, but also hampered the pursuit of Al Qaeda. In gripping detail, acclaimed New Yorker writer and bestselling author, Jane Mayer, relates the impact of these decisions—U.S.-held prisoners, some of them completely innocent, were subjected to treatment more reminiscent of the Spanish Inquisition than the twenty-first century.

THE DARK SIDE will chronicle real, specific cases, shown in real time against the larger tableau of what was happening in Washington, looking at the intelligence gained—or not—and the price paid. In some instances, torture worked. In many more, it led to false information, sometimes with devastating results. For instance, there is the stunning admission of one of the detainees, Sheikh Ibn al-Libi, that the confession he gave under duress—which provided a key piece of evidence buttressing congressional support of going to war against Iraq--was in fact fabricated, to make the torture stop.

In all cases, whatever the short term gains, there were incalculable losses in terms of moral standing, and our country's place in the world, and its sense of itself. THE DARK SIDE chronicles one of the most disturbing chapters in American history, one that will serve as the lasting legacy of the George W. Bush presidency.

Much More: http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl/9780385526395.html

Give a good read and consideration. You will not regret the effort!!!!!!!!!!

Since this is not really a book review but merely another place to bash Bush and you have done that here, I will offer the alternative about what I will think about his legacy. You are right about the war. However you did not point out the double depreciation that small businesses under 250,000 gross like mine at the time were allowed to claim on equipment. Without it, we would have become one of the many (87% of all) businesses that failed in the first three years. We had no start up capitol, no funding of any kind and that tax break helped ensure our survival. Eventually, our company provided jobs for 27 people, if you count their dependants and children over 75 people benefited from this who would have been in unemployment lines or burdening our health care system at emergency rooms.

You gotta see the whole picture...........let's see, how do you say it.....don't cha know.

[Psychoblues]

I did not in any way even mention gwb in this post, emmett. You gotta quit smokin' that stuff?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!? Not a book review? Read it again?!??!??!?



Since this is not really a book review but merely another place to bash Bush and you have done that here, I will offer the alternative about what I will think about his legacy. You are right about the war. However you did not point out the double depreciation that small businesses under 250,000 gross like mine at the time were allowed to claim on equipment. Without it, we would have become one of the many (87% of all) businesses that failed in the first three years. We had no start up capitol, no funding of any kind and that tax break helped ensure our survival. Eventually, our company provided jobs for 27 people, if you count their dependants and children over 75 people benefited from this who would have been in unemployment lines or burdening our health care system at emergency rooms.

You gotta see the whole picture...........let's see, how do you say it.....don't cha know.

What did you think about the book, cowgirl?

[hjmick]

That is not a book review. It is a synopsis (call it a "blurb" if you like) of the book issued by the publisher, it is intended to hype the book and garner interest to increase sales. Because it is issued by the publisher, it is intentionally favorable in the hope that book stores will order larger quantities thus boosting the sales numbers. For a review of the book, one must seek out the book section of a major newspaper or magazine. For an honest review, well, odds are you won't find one of those because you would first need to find a publication that holds no bias against the current administration and it's policies. I think we can all agree that that would be difficult at best. Furthermore, after perusing some of her work (articles, op-eds, books, interviews) I think it is a bit of a stretch to refer to her as a "conservative author." While she does appear to be honest, or at least earnest, in her writing, she strikes me as more liberal than conservative, and she is definitely the darling of the far left blogs. Now, if you meant that she is an author who writes about conservatives, then kindly disregard my last two sentences.

[Psychoblues]

She claimed to be a conservative, a Republican and a former staff member of a conservative administration in the C-Span interview, hmjick. It may surprise you but I also claim to be conservative on particular topics. On others I am 100% lefty and damned well PROUD of it!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the distinction, hmjick. I'll keep that in mind!!!!!!!!!!

[hjmick]

She claimed to be a conservative, a Republican and a former staff member of a conservative administration in the C-Span interview, hmjick. It may surprise you but I also claim to be conservative on particular topics. On others I am 100% lefty and damned well PROUD of it!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the distinction, hmjick. I'll keep that in mind!!!!!!!!!!

I confess that my doubts about her conservative credentials are based solely on my own perusal of an admittedly small sampling of her work and her 1994 screed against Clarence Thomas as well as the subject of her most recent tome. I will admit that my judgement of her conservative nature (or lack there of) may be off target.

As for reviews vs. synopsis, I draw the line only because of the years I spent in the family business... booksellers. Before the days of the warehouse stores and the spread of the big name chain stores, my family owned a bookstore.

For what it's worth, the reviews of Mayer's book in the New York and Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle were all glowing.

[Psychoblues]

I buy all my books from independent shops, hmjick. I have found them very helpful, informative, entertaining, available and not at all unreeasonable in price. The Borders and B&N's and others could kiss my butt years ago.




I confess that my doubts about her conservative credentials are based solely on my own perusal of an admittedly small sampling of her work and her 1994 screed against Clarence Thomas as well as the subject of her most recent tome. I will admit that my judgement of her conservative nature (or lack there of) may be off target.

As for reviews vs. synopsis, I draw the line only because of the years I spent in the family business... booksellers. Before the days of the warehouse stores and the spread of the big name chain stores, my family owned a bookstore.

For what it's worth, the reviews of Mayer's book in the New York and Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle were all glowing.

FWIW, I really do appreciate the distinction, hmjick!!!!!!!!!!! Also, I have not read the entire book yet but so far I haven't been disappointed. She is a very good writer and appears to me to abide the responsible creed of the investigative journalists by telling the truth!!!!!!!!!!!!! So far in the book if she has a political bent she doesn't reveal it outright. But, as do you, I have my suspicions.