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  The Invisible Soldiers - How...

  Ann Hagedorn

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  The urgent truth about the privatization of America’s national security that exposes where this industry came from, how it operates, where it's heading—and why we should be concerned. 
  Thirty years ago there were no private military and security companies (PMSCs); there were only mercenaries. Now the PMSCs are a bona-fide industry, an indispensable part of American foreign and military policy. PMSCs assist US forces in combat operations and replace them after the military withdraws from combat zones; they guard our embassies; they play key roles in US counterterrorism strategies; and Homeland Security depends on them. Their services include maritime security, police training, drone operations, cyber security, and intelligence analysis (as Edward Snowden has famously revealed). Even the United Nations employs them. 
  When did this happen? The turning point came when the US found itself in a prolonged war with Iraq, but without adequate forces. So the Bush Administration turned to the PMSCs to fill the gap. Private contractors and subcontractors eventually exceeded the traditional troops. The industry has never scaled back. 
  Ann Hagedorn profiles the members of Congress who recognize the dangers of dependence on PMSCs, but have been unable to limit them or even determine their true scope. She takes us to the exclusive club in London where the PMSCs were created, and she reveals the key figure in the evolution of the industry. She introduces us to a US Army general who studies new developments, such as PMSCs’ drone operations, and worries about PMSCs potentially fighting American troops. The Invisible Soldiers will inspire a national dialogue about a little-known international industry on which our security rests.

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  Walls of Words - How Boundaries...

  Thomas T. Taylor

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  Delve into the intricate dance of free speech in the United States. "Walls of Words" is not just another book about the First Amendment; it is a deep dive into the intricate boundaries that define our freedom of expression. With a rich blend of history, jurisprudence, and real-world examples, this book paints a comprehensive picture of how speech has been shaped, celebrated, and suppressed since the founding of America. 
   
  Ever wondered about the intentions of the Founding Fathers when they penned the First Amendment? Or how landmark cases over the centuries have redefined its interpretation? From the early American media's struggles with censorship to the rise of digital platforms, discover the evolution of speech boundaries and the forces that have constantly sought to redraw them. 
   
  But it doesn't stop there. In today's digital age, speech boundaries are more complex than ever. Dive into the thorny issues of cyberbullying, doxing, and the rise of disinformation. Understand when speech crosses the line into crime, from threats and extortion to false advertising and copyright infringement. And for those moments when you find yourself walking on the eggshells of culturally sensitive speech, this book offers guidance on navigating those murky waters. 
   
  Moreover, in a world where the line between private censorship and public responsibility is increasingly blurred, "Walls of Words" challenges readers to reflect on the ethical implications of speech boundaries. How do we balance tolerance with limitation? What role do private entities play in shaping the discourse? And as technology continues to transform the landscape of expression, what challenges lie ahead for the future of free speech? 
   
  "Walls of Words" promises an enlightening journey through the ever-evolving wall of words that defines our collective responsibility to uphold the spirit of free speech.

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  The Prince

  Niccolò Machiavelli

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  The Prince 
  By Niccolò Machiavelli 
  A timeless masterpiece on power, strategy, and statecraft, The Prince is one of the most influential political treatises ever written. First penned in 1513, Niccolò Machiavelli offers a bold and unapologetic guide on how rulers can acquire and maintain power, often advocating for pragmatism over morality. 
  With razor-sharp insights into human nature, deception, and governance, Machiavelli argues that a successful leader must be cunning, adaptable, and, when necessary, ruthless. From the necessity of fear over love to the art of war and manipulation, The Prince remains a vital read for politicians, strategists, and anyone seeking to understand the complex dynamics of power. 
  Whether admired as a manual for leadership or criticized as a blueprint for tyranny, The Prince continues to shape political thought centuries after its publication. This edition, translated by W.K. Marriott, preserves the clarity and brilliance of Machiavelli’s original work, making it accessible to modern readers."It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both."

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  The Church and Abortion - A...

  George Dennis O'Brien

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  This provocative book takes a critical look at what is increasingly viewed as the central political issue for Catholics—abortion. From pro-choice politicians being denied communion to Democrats being called "the party of death," for some of the most vocal Catholic leaders, the abortion issue often trumps all others. The author, a practicing Catholic who is against abortion in principle, believes the Church is on the wrong course with this issue, with grievous results for the Church and American society more broadly. He gives a brief history of abortion legislation, then explores the issue from legal, moral, and Christian perspectives, presenting compelling reasons why Church leaders and Catholics should stop trying to overturn Roe v. Wade and reconsider the issue.

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  The End of Imagination

  Arundhati Roy

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  Five books of essays in one volume from the Booker Prize–winner and “one of the most ambitious and divisive political essayists of her generation” (The Washington Post).   With a new introduction by Arundhati Roy, this new collection begins with her pathbreaking book The Cost of Living—published soon after she won the Booker Prize for her novel The God of Small Things—in which she forcefully condemned India’s nuclear tests and its construction of enormous dam projects that continue to displace countless people from their homes and communities. The End of Imagination also includes her nonfiction works Power Politics, War Talk, Public Power in the Age of Empire, and An Ordinary Person’s Guide to Empire, which include her widely circulated and inspiring writings on the US invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, the need to confront corporate power, and the hollowing out of democratic institutions globally.  Praise for Arundhati Roy   “The fierceness with which Arundhati Roy loves humanity moves my heart.” —Alice Walker, Pulitzer Prize–winning author and recipient of the LennonOno Grant for Peace Award   “Arundhati Roy combines her brilliant style as a novelist with her powerful commitment to social justice in producing these eloquent, penetrating essays.” —Howard Zinn, author of Political Awakenings and Indispensable Zinn   “Arundhati Roy is incandescent in her brilliance and her fearlessness. And in these extraordinary essays—which are clarions for justice, for witness, for a true humanity—Roy is at her absolute best.” —Junot Díaz, author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao   “One of the most confident and original thinkers of our time.” —Naomi Klein, author of No Is Not Enough and The Battle For Paradise   “Arundhati Roy calls for ‘factual precision’ alongside of the ‘real precision of poetry.’ Remarkably, she combines those achievements to a degree that few can hope to approach.” —Noam Chomsky, leading public intellectual and author of Hopes and Prospects   “India’s most impassioned critic of globalization and American influence.” —The New York Times

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  The Long Road to Baghdad - A...

  Lloyd C. Gardner

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  The diplomatic historian examines the ideas, policies and actions that led from Vietnam to the Iraq War and America’s disastrous role in the Middle East.   “What will stand out one day is not George W. Bush’s uniqueness but the continuum from the Carter doctrine to ‘shock and awe’ in 2003.” —from The Long Road to Baghdad   In this revealing narrative of America’s path to its “new longest war,” one of the nation’s premier diplomatic historians excavates the deep historical roots of the US misadventure in Iraq. Lloyd Gardner’s sweeping and authoritative narrative places the Iraq War in the context of US foreign policy since Vietnam, casting the conflict as a chapter in a much broader story—in sharp contrast to the dominant narrative, which focus almost exclusively on the actions of the Bush Administration in the months leading up to the invasion.   Gardner illuminates a vital historical thread connecting Walt Whitman Rostow’s defense of US intervention in Southeast Asia, Zbigniew Brzezinski’s attempts to project American power into the “arc of crisis” (with Iran at its center), and the efforts of two Bush administrations, in separate Iraq wars, to establish a “landing zone” in that critically important region. Far more disturbing than a simple conspiracy to secure oil, Gardner’s account explains the Iraq War as the necessary outcome of a half-century of doomed US policies.   “A vital primer to the slow-motion conflagration of American foreign policy.” —Kirkus Reviews

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