Power Trip:
U.S. Unilateralism and
Global Strategy After September 11

John Feffer, Editor

A concise dissection of the new U.S. unilateralism, Power Trip is the first book-length critique of this fundamental shift in U.S. foreign policy to consolidate and extend U.S. global control. Exploring the transformation of U.S. foreign policy begun by the Bush administration when it took office in 2001 and implemented with greater ease and heightened zeal after September 11, Power Trip introduces the cast of characters responsible for the new U.S. power trip and wrestles with the consequences of the new trends in U.S. foreign policy.

In Power Trip, editor and Foreign Policy In Focus advisory committee member, John Feffer, collects the work of leading legal, geopolitical, and cultural analysts in one comprehensive volume.

Feffer participated in an online forum answering questions put to him by Washington Post Online's readership on August 13, 2003. The book also received a glowing review in the August 24, 2003 edition of The Oregonian.

Table of Contents:

Preface by Barbara Ehrenreich
Introduction by John Feffer
Chapter One: How Things Have Changed by Tom Barry (excerpts of this chapter are available as FPIF Special Report, "The U.S. Power Complex: What's New")
Chapter Two: The People by Tom Barry and Jim Lobe (excerpts of this chapter are available as FPIF Special Report, "Men Who Stole the Show")
Chapter Three: The Policies

Resources by Michael Klare
Military by William Hartung
International Law by Jules Lobel and Michael Ratner
Foreign Economic Policy by Mark Weisbrot
Intelligence by Mel Goodman (excerpted in "What is to be Done with the CIA? A History of Flawed Intelligence" in CounterPunch on July 19, 2003)
Culture by Noy Thrupkaew

Chapter Four: The Archipelago of Evil

Central Asia by Ahmed Rashid
Middle East by Stephen Zunes
Africa by Martha Honey (excerpted in "Bush and Africa" in CounterPunch on July 4, 2003)
Latin America by Coletta Youngers (a revised excerpt of her chapter is available as an FPIF Special Report)
Asia by John Gershman (an excerpt of his chapter is available as an FPIF Special Report)

Chapter Five: The Response by John Feffer
Chapter Six: How Things Should Change by Miriam Pemberton and John Feffer (appeared as "An Alternative to Empire" on AlterNet on June 25, 2003)
Afterword by Susan F. Hirsch

Order securely online directly from the IRC, and pay $14.95 plus $3 shipping, or by mailing your order to PO Box 4506, Albuquerque, NM 87196, or calling 505-388-0208.

Praise

The current team in Washington is acting like fanatics, tearing up treaties and ignoring old alliances in pursuit of a new and dangerous doctrine of preemption. Every day in Washington, spineless politicians marching in lockstep with their special interest patrons auction off our national interest to the highest bidder. As a result, our government by, for, and of the people is going, going, gone! POWER TRIP powerfully details this sorry state of affairs and, even more importantly, suggests what we can all do to start moving America back in the right direction.

ARIANNA HUFFINGTON,
author of Pigs at the Trough: How Corporate Greed And Political Corruption Are Undermining America

POWER TRIP is an important book. It provides an insightful analysis of the evolution, execution, and potential repercussions of the Bush administration’s hard-line foreign policy doctrine since September 11th. It examines how the U.S. is losing its moral standing in the world and squandering international sympathy created in the wake of 9/11. This book warns readers that the Bush administration’s imprudent policies today could make our country less safe in the future.

CONGRESSMAN DENNIS KUCINICH (D-Ohio)

These are times for despair over the suffering that the U.S. military has inflicted on people in Iraq and elsewhere. But these are also times for rejoicing over the budding global movement for peace and justice that is challenging U.S. militarism. And these are times for educating ourselves so we can build our movement with intelligence and foresight. POWER TRIP gives us the critical road map we need to understand where those in power would like to take us, and how we can veer off that dangerous course to build a kinder, gentler nation and planet.

MEDEA BENJAMIN,
cofounder of Global Exchange and Code Pink: Women for Peace

Finally, here’s a book which demonstrates authoritatively that a foreign policy based on the American values of fairness, compassion, and justice is a policy that best serves the interests of America. It’s beautiful to see that what’s good for our hearts is also good for our wallets and security.

BEN COHEN,
cofounder of Ben & Jerry’s and
president of TrueMajority.org