Here’s another book for the liberals on your gift list
Emma Sky has written a book entitled The Unraveling: High Hopes and Missed Opportunities in Iraq. A review can be found here, and it sounds fascinating, although I haven’t read it.
A British Oxford-educated progressive with extensive experience in the Middle East in what might be called the peace process (Palestine/Israel), Sky volunteered to advise in Iraq in the early days of the occupation, and then later during the Obama administration:
Although opposed to the invasion of Iraq, Sky volunteered to join the Coalition Provisional Authority and served as the Governorate Coordinator of Kirkuk from 2003-2004. From 2007-2010, Sky served as the Political Advisor to U.S. General Raymond T. Odierno when he was the Commanding General of Multi-National Corps ”“ Iraq and also as Commanding General of U.S. Forces Iraq.
According to the WSJ review of her book, Sky got the eye-opening of her life when she discovered that the US military she had previously detested and sneered at was worthy of deep respect. She got another when Barack Obama, a man she had fully and wholeheartedly supported, won the presidency and proceeded to let everything so hard-fought in Iraq “unravel.” Her word: unravel.
I saw Ms. Sky the other day on Fox News and she immediately caught my attention; I wondered who she was, because I didn’t know. I had missed word of her book when it first came out a month ago. As I said, I haven’t read it, so I’m not sure, but it seems to me that because of her background it might be the very thing to give to the Bush-bashing Obama-supporting liberals on your gift list.
Here is Emma, all dolled up in camo and body armor
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03267/emma_sky_1_3267548b.jpg
On the topic of another book by a possible former liberal: I’m in the middle of Power’s book, The Silencing. Not extremely well-written, and for myself a bit boring as all the tales she relates I already know about. But, the tone is down right conservative, and I’m guessing the intended audience is not us, but some of her fellow liberals. I think I see a “change” coming on.
In Politico, Emma Sky, an official and senior advisor in Operation Iraqi Freedom, laments (link) the progress and opportunities lost in Iraq due to Obama’s sharp deviation from Bush with an approach that favored Iran’s encroachment in Iraq.
In Slate, more (link) from Emma Sky.
I’m of mixed feelings regarding Ms Sky’s apparent “eye-opening” realizations. it would be more admirable if it weren’t far too little and far too late. I also can’t help but wonder if, had she the opportunity, she wouldn’t vote for him all over again.
Only a useful idiot liberal could have had an eye-opening realization that Obama was letting the gains in Iraq and the M.E. unravel. As he’d repeatedly and forthrightly stated prior to Nov. of 2008 that he would do so. Remember, even McCain warned of what an announced exit would lead to.
Only useful idiot liberals will be surprised when the full bill comes due for their election of a man who hates America.
“I do not believe, and I know this is a horrible thing to say, but I do not believe that the president loves America. He wasn’t brought up the way you were brought up and I was brought up through love of this country.” Rudy Giuliani
Speaking of Obama’s comments criticizing Christianity’s past at the 2015 National Prayer Breakfast; “You’ve got to be able to criticize Islam for the parts of Islam that are wrong. You criticize Christianity for the part of Christianity that is wrong. What the hell? What’s wrong with this man that he can’t stand up and say there’s a part of Islam that’s sick?” Rudy Giuliani
Those comments by Rudy Giuliani are entirely true and that, and that alone is what makes them unforgivable in the eyes of the left.
Add: Reminder that the humanitarian aspect of the US-led enforcement of the terms of the Gulf War ceasefire was not something tacked on by the Bush administration at the back end. UNSCR 688 was a cornerstone of our Iraq policy, along with the headlining UNSCR 687, from the outset of the US-led enforcement of the terms of the Gulf War ceasefire.
The Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 cited chiefly to Iraq’s humanitarian violations of UNSCR 688 and disarmament violations of UNSCR 687.
Emma Sky seems to be out of the traditional, starry-eyed British Arabist mold. At least, that’s what I get from this interview she gave Yale (where she’s a fellow at the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs) in 2013, and also from reading some of the preview of her book at Amazon. The book, by the way, is really a memoir; she’s the star.
And these two comments from that 2013 interview would seem to indicate she’ll not be changing her political colors any time soon:
I think any liberals on your list might just love the book.
Ann:
The interview I saw the other day with Emma Sky on Fox News (I can’t remember who was interviewing her) was extremely critical of Obama, and blamed him for the rise of ISIS, et al.
Ann: “even though America talks the language of democracy, there’s a rather large gap between rhetoric and action. Look at Obama’s Cairo speech he made in 2009 – it was fantastic.”
This is critical.
Sorry, but the only thing I want to give liberals is a knuckle sandwich.
Excellent Gift Suggestion, Neo. I gave several “The World Turned Upside Down” by Melanie Phillips to Lib colleagues for Christmas(2014) and David Mamet’s wonderful,”The Secret Knowledge” for Xmas ’13…This one and Kirsten Powers new book might just torture them further.
Loved “The Secret Knowledge.”
Emma Sky reminds me so much of the very proper, oh so compassionate, highly educated liberal women that seem to be in vast numbers here in the People’s Republic of Puget Sound. In fact her picture, linked by Paul Abarge, looks like the oh so proper, outdoorsy, highly educated liberal woman who lives a few houses down the block from us.
How can any western woman live in the ME and not notice that Muslim women are considered second class citizens in their culture? How can she believe that some kind of deal can be reached between the Muslims and Israel, when the Muslims regularly swear that they will wipe Israel off the map? What is wrong with the way these liberals perceive the world? Why was she surprised that the U.S. Army was a bunch of good guys? My God, we saved Britain and Europe from the Axis and the USSR. Why can’t they see that and recognize that the U.S has been and could be (except for Obama’s unexplainable inept/evil leadership) a force of for peace and justice in the world?
I quit drinking a few years back but I sure feel like I could use a couple of stiff martinis whenever I watch the news.