Book Review: IMPERIAL HUBRIS (Anonymous)

In 2002, a curious little book titled Through Our Enemies’ Eyes came out which presented a wealth of information on Al Qaeda and became a New York Times bestseller, perhaps unsurprisingly given its uncanny insider knowledge and topical interest. Its author was credited as “Anonymous,” which you would expect to register some intrigue among literary circles as to the identity of this new and remarkably successful writer, but for some reason, little mainstream mention has been made of it, or its follow-up tome, Imperial Hubris, which seems odd when a book like, say, 1996’s Primary Colors sent journalists scrambling to expose the man behind the pseudonym.

Regardless, the author has just recently been revealed as Michael Scheuer, 22-year CIA veteran and chief of the Bin Laden Unit at the Counterterrorist Center, whose work is also referenced in The 9/11 Commission Report. This year he announced his retirement from the Company, which is what prompted my renewed interest in the latest of his books.

As the title suggests, Imperial Hubris argues that the U.S. War on Terrorism is more evidence that we’re acting more and more like an arrogant empire that rules through force and hypocritically claims the moral high ground at the same time. We could be said to be having our cake, eating it too, and then telling everyone who disagrees to shut their ignorant cake-holes. To many, though, George Bush appears to be the Emperor with no clothes. Scheuer warns that by insisting on inaccurately labeling our enemies “terrorists,” and refusing to call them what he says they are, insurgents, our Commander and Chief is perpetuating the illusion that our foes are disorganized, irrationally suicidal haters of modernity who are incapable of a sustained theater of war. The breakdown in semantics, one might surmise, mirrors the military’s tactical breakdown. The very term “terrorist,” a loaded buzz word if there ever was one, is also one whose definition differs depending on who is being asked. Consult the army’s official manual, for example, and it’s “the calculated use of violence against civilians to intimidate, induce fear, often to kill, for some political, religious or other end,” which Scheuer might point out is not unlike our “counterterrorism” methods. Some noted political writers like Howard Zinn have gone so far as to say that war is terrorism, but if there’s one thing we might agree on, it’s the need for a universally-accepted definition, if that’s possible. And while this reviewer is dreaming, may I suggest that once we decide this war is over and we start prosecuting war criminals, we try for once to define “war crimes,” an arguably redundant oxymoron, as something other than a description that just excludes all U.S. actions during the war from being illegal (Nuremburg Trials, I’m looking in your direction). Come to think of it, since we haven’t Congressionally declared war on the Islamic world, officially-speaking, maybe a better title would be “Conflict on Terrorism”?

To be fair, Imperial Hubris’ polemic is not entirely apocalyptic, and the book succeeds for the most part at being accessible to all open-minded readers. Even the most dedicated, however, could be forgiven for feeling a little bogged-down while trying to absorb some of the book’s more lengthy lists of Taliban groups, leaders, and the connections therein. And Scheuer’s CIA allegiance comes through explicitly at least once, when he eviscerates the FBI for taking a “law-enforcement approach” to the matter at hand, while saying that, if we were really serious about eliminating the 9/11 perpetrators, we should engage in a “Sherman-like” annihilation of the Islamists who threaten us. Hardly the words of your typical leftist, but this (largely rhetorical) argument seems to be part of his greater plea to stimulate a national dialogue over the current situation, which Scheuer finds sorely lacking. According to the man himself and your government’s foremost expert on him, here’s why Osama Bin Laden hates America:
1. U.S. support for Israel and indifference to Palestinians
2. U.S. troops on the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq and Afghanistan
3. U.S. support for tyrannical governments and countries that oppress Muslims, like Russia, India and China
4. U.S. pressure on Arabs to keep oil cheap

Scheuer also chronologically details every major clash on the Afghan front up until the book’s publishing. That the average citizen must look to the literary world for such information is perhaps telling of how our media has been increasingly failing in its duties as of late.
Overall, the author bravely presents readers with hard facts based on his experience and, while you may find yourself disagreeing with his conclusions or suggestions, he challenges you to form your own opinion based not just on his, but all, available perspectives. And this, in a democratic society, should always be welcome.
-Andy Gately, ‘04