Sands of Empire : Missionary Zeal, American Foreign Policy, and the Hazards of Global Ambition review:4 stars (Good History, But A Difficult Read) - Merry's primary point is that President Bush's emphasis on "Missionary Democracy" is both naive (a recent Russian poll found 53% opposed Democracy, with only 22% supporting) and likely also counterproductive.

Most of the book covers various theories of history in an effort to build a foundation for analysis of Iraq. However, the book could have instead simply focused on an overall history of Iraq - a "nation" made up of people more loyal to their historic tribes than any overall nationalistic spirit. Thus, Sunni's are likely to relinquish centuries-long control, and the Shia's will not give up their dream of a government dominated by higher clergy; meanwhile, the Kurds want nothing to do with either group. Merry believes that the Bush team failed to think about the likely outcome of deposing Hussein - fragmentation, and should have first listened to experts before proceeding. The result was that the U.S. was surprised to not be greeted as liberators, but instead as occupiers.

Merry concludes that the U.S. in a cultural "war with Islam." Few others refer to it as such; however, our non-stop insensitive actions (eg. establishing a large, permanent base in Saudi Arabia, support/bias for Israel, prisoner abuses, invading Iraq) antagonize countless passionate Islamic followers and seem to steadily make the situation worse.

So why the messianic zeal for spreading Democracy? Apparently because Bush et al believe that Democracy guarantees stability and peacefulness. Apparently our leaders never read the history of WWII - Hitler was democratically elected, and look what happened next! Meanwhile, in our fervor to "spread the Gospel of Democracy," America's military is becoming increasingly spread out over the globe, and looks more and more imperiali4 stars (Thougtful prescriptions for maintaining Western Civilizations...er...that's us, America!) - It's hard to think that people would argue too much with this book's prescription for a thoughtful and cautious American foreign policy, based on continued strength and the sustenance of the Republic, not empire or even political conversion of the globe. Merry is a batten-down-the-hatches conservative, somewhat in tune with Patrick Buchanan, although even less of an isolationist and without the cultural and moral absolutism.

Key to his thesis is that this good thing that we have, this Western civilization, is in something of a decline when we look at the big picture. It is paramount that we nurture it carefully, and try to see it last as long as possible. That seems to be a good idea, even if he's wrong about the decline. He has nothing but disdain for American multiculturalism. We ARE the best. But he thinks in terms of civilizations, not just political states, cultures or races. The dangers of interventionism (in Balkans, Africa, Middle East) are respective of our standing amongst the other civilizations especially.

The conclusion is that, although the Bush administration, guided by a convenient alliance of "defend-America-by-spreading-democracy", Neocon gadfly intellectuals and the more traditional hawks, along with Liberal Interventionist thinkers has made exactly the wrong choices after 9-11, it is certainly not too late for the right changes to come into effect. My summary of his prescription:

1. Unify and re-strengthen Western Civilization by befriending "old" Europe all over again.
2. Support Russia and China as balancing interests against Islam. Don't play tricky political games with China. They may be the next hegemon, but at least they have not openly expressed the desire to destroy the West.
3. Continue to launch military attacks if necessary, but only in response to terrorism against us, or against states that are truly nurturing Islamic terrorists. Death from above, maybe. But no more occupations! Islamic civilization is the enemy, not terrorism.
4. Encourage the growth and strength of pivotal Islamic core states, like Turkey and Iran. Since states with organized government, not necessarily democratic ones, are the key to slowing down the Islamic revolution. We need states that will be naturally restraining of Islam. The clock is probably ticking on the Saudis (although we've been thinking that for a while!)
5. Globalization isn't going to do it all. The markets aren't everything. The world may modernize, but it won't westernize. Culture is hugely important. Especially Islamic culture.
6. Limit Muslim immigration to the west.5 stars (America is NOT the center of the universe) - This excellent book makes clear that American democracy is not right for every country specifically because every country is unique. As president and Publisher of Congressional Quarterly and a former Wall Street Journal reporter, Robert Merry is closely acquainted with government trappings.

Even European democracies have cultural nuances from the American model. Attempting to require conformity to 'our' way of doing things only engenders suspicion, distrust, and then hatred. We should then not be surprised when the nations rebel against 'Colonial Democracy' or why. Our desire to control other countries earns us the moniker of 'bully'.

Those people only want the right to have their own nation run by their own cultural values, a standard which had ironically founded America. Our 'missteps' in the middle east actually provide further justification for the anti-American sentiment; we are then living up to what their culture previously had said about American democracy and Americans.

Reading this book I thought about the 1960's cold war. We were then-attempting to convince 'third world' nations that embracing American democracy was the right move for security and prosperity. We became locked into the Vietnam War because our then-government did not want Southeast Asia to have a communist form of government. We were also condescending to those nations because we earnestly had believed that America knew what was best for everybody else in the world.

Sadly, I must concede that the current administration (including a PhD Secretary of State) has not absorbed those lessons--or read this book. Merry explicitly writes about the current fiasco in Iraq and the Middle East, but he invokes American and world histories to demonstrate the ultimate timelessness of his thesis.

Sands of Empire : Missionary Zeal, American Foreign Policy, and the Hazards of Global Ambition Features:
Author: Robert W. Merry
1989-
Foreign relations
History - General History
Imperialism
International Relations - General
Intervention (International la
Intervention (International law)
Military policy
Political Science
Politics/International Relations
United States
United States - 20th Century
Current Events / General

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