From the Publisher:
The aerial attacks on the Pentagon and
the World Trade Centre, a global spectacle of unprecedented dimensions,
generated an enormous volume of commentary. The inviolability of the
American mainland, breached for the first time since 1812, led to
extravagant proclamations by the pundits. It was a new world-historical
turning point. The 21st century, once greeted triumphally as marking the
dawn of a worldwide neoliberal civilization, suddenly became menaced. The
choice presented from the White House and its supporters was to stand
shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism or be damned.
Tariq Ali challenges these assumptions, arguing instead that what we have
experienced is the return of History in a horrific form, with religious
symbols playing a part on both sides: 'Allah's revenge,' 'God is on Our
Side' and 'God Bless America.'
The visible violence of September 11 was the response to the invisible
violence that has been inflicted on countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan,
Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Palestine and Chechnya. Some of this has been the
direct responsibility of the United States and Russia.
In this wide-ranging book that provides an explanation for both the rise of
Islamic fundamentalism and new forms of Western colonialism, Tariq Ali
argues that many of the values proclaimed by the Enlightenment retain their
relevance, while portrayals of the American Empire as a new emancipatory
project are misguided.
Tariq Ali is a writer and filmmaker. He has written over a dozen books
on world history and politics, five novels and scripts for both stage and
screen. He is an editor of the New Left Review and lives in London. |
