The Abominable Empire

"Whatever we think we know about the US foreign policy, Rogue State makes it clear that we don't know nearly enough," said Norman Solomon, author of The Habits of Highly Deceptive Media, while describing William Blum's famous book "Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower" (2001).

What might appear to be just another U.S. basher with an unimpressive cover-page, Rogue State is a heavy rock hurled towards Imperialism with full power by a conscious citizen of U.S.A. William Blum, with the help of concrete exhaustive evidence and thorough argument, draws out a revealing picture of the role played by U.S. subsequent to World War II. Starting from the U.S. invasion in Greece in latter half of 1940's, Blum vividly presents the crimes committed by U.S.A. against the people of the world, including their own citizens, which entails, amongst others, gross human rights violations, support of dictators, bombings, torture, use of biological and chemical weapons, assassinations, kidnapping, looting, eavesdropping, drugs trade, suppression of national movements, protections of war criminals, and support of apartheid in South Africa. Ironically as ever, according the ruling class of U.S.A, their actions in various corners of the earth are propelled by the "force of peace and freedom, for democracy and security and prosperity."(Clinton, 1996)

This book faces a very noticeable short-coming, i-e., it misses on the events following the September 11 for it was published in 2001. With the initiation of the "War on Terror" the criminal role of USA is becoming more highlighted. The incidents of invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, the issues involving treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and Abu-Gharib, the attack of Israel on Lebanon, are unveiling new faces of the devilish character of U.S.A. in our time.

Nevertheless, given this short-coming, Blum's work is a substantial reply to the a-historical argument that postulates that the post-9/11 world is different. Uncle Sam has been roaming around protecting this planet from "International Communist Conspiracy" and "Terrorism" under his self-assumed role as the "world's policeman" consistently for more than the last fifty years. While performing her "responsibilities", U.S. inflicted hunger, misery, death, and war on the innocent masses thought out the world.

William Blum effectively demonstrates that imperialism is an epidemic, which if not curtailed and treated properly can result in destruction of the whole of mankind. I will strongly recommend the readers to read this book as soon as possible.