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A review by lindzlovesreading
War on Peace by Ronan Farrow
4.0
First off, I tend to read any kind of political non fiction as 30% bullshit. Not that I think fake news is an actually thing, it's more that I have never believed objectivity is something that is pure. Even in the days of Walter Cronkite, decisions on what the public needed to know as news still had to be decided. Do I think the free for all is better, not really, but objectivity has never been completely pure.
Now do I think that Ronan Farrow is a great reporter. Yes. He is to good at sourcing and researching for him not to be. So, I am going to say this book is 30% bullshit. And I really liked the book, like a lot a lot, it put a lot of big picture issues into focus. But he calls Richard Holbrook the Father he never had, so that is where he is coming from. And I cannot shake the feeling that Farrow will run for President one day. And I say this as the type of person who would vote for him.
The book is incredibly interesting, even if I am looking for hidden motives every where. As a global community have slid back into a 19th Century style diplomacy since 9/11. This by it's nature is very militaristic, and very much about the other. The more Conservative may deride Identity Politics of the Left, but they double down on it just as much but more in terms of what they think they are not. Which leads to Trumps dehumanizing language ... and I have gotten completely off point. Anyway, yes I agree that America is relying on it's military and the CIA for it's foreign policy. And War begets more War, because there has to be an extreme other, and enemy to fight. Even if they have to go and create it. And this is not just the present administration, it's just building on what has been developing previously.
Anyway, read the book. Farrow wears his bias on his sleave so you know where he is coming from. He has worked in the State department, he knows where to highlight objectivity and pure perspective. It's a smart book and even with the 30% bullshit one of the most even handed we will get in our interesting times.
Now do I think that Ronan Farrow is a great reporter. Yes. He is to good at sourcing and researching for him not to be. So, I am going to say this book is 30% bullshit. And I really liked the book, like a lot a lot, it put a lot of big picture issues into focus. But he calls Richard Holbrook the Father he never had, so that is where he is coming from. And I cannot shake the feeling that Farrow will run for President one day. And I say this as the type of person who would vote for him.
The book is incredibly interesting, even if I am looking for hidden motives every where. As a global community have slid back into a 19th Century style diplomacy since 9/11. This by it's nature is very militaristic, and very much about the other. The more Conservative may deride Identity Politics of the Left, but they double down on it just as much but more in terms of what they think they are not. Which leads to Trumps dehumanizing language ... and I have gotten completely off point. Anyway, yes I agree that America is relying on it's military and the CIA for it's foreign policy. And War begets more War, because there has to be an extreme other, and enemy to fight. Even if they have to go and create it. And this is not just the present administration, it's just building on what has been developing previously.
Anyway, read the book. Farrow wears his bias on his sleave so you know where he is coming from. He has worked in the State department, he knows where to highlight objectivity and pure perspective. It's a smart book and even with the 30% bullshit one of the most even handed we will get in our interesting times.