Party of Defeat: How Democrats and Radicals Undermined America's War on Terror Before and After 9-11

by David Horowitz, Ben Johnson

A nation divided in wartime invites its own defeat. Yet that is precisely how America is facing the global war on terror. In a brutally honest assessment, David Horowitz and Ben Johnson show that the American left, led by the Democratic Party, is waging a ferocious political war against its own government that has left our country more seriously divided than at any time since the Civil War. And the consequences could be disastrous.
In the fight against Islamic terrorists, America faces perennial questions that have become suddenly What is legitimate criticism of military policy in wartime? When does criticism cross the line and undermine the national interest? Democrats now routinely cross that line, Horowitz and Johnson show. Their candid and explosive reporting forces us to confront the consequences of these unprecedented attacks on the US war effort.
Examining the anti-war arguments of Democratic leaders like Al Gore and Nancy Pelosi, Party of Defeat reveals their fundamental misunderstanding of our enemy and an antipathy to the American cause going back to Vietnam. As radical Islam emerged in the 1970s, it found an ally in a left-wing establishment now thoroughly conditioned to blame America first. Our failure to confront the religious thugs who humiliated us in Iran encouraged the increasingly aggressive and deadly Islamist movement that eventually drew us into full-scale war.
Yet the cowardice and neglect of the Carter and Clinton years pale in comparison with the Democrats defection from the war in Iraq a war they first authorized then abandoned. This betrayal of our forces in the field has opened, incredibly, a domestic front in our country s fight for survival against an enemy fanatically devoted to our extermination.

Genres: Politics

197 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2008

About the author

David Joel Horowitz was an American conservative writer and activist. He was a founder and president of the David Horowitz Freedom Center (DHFC); editor of the Center's website FrontPage Magazine; and director of Discover the Networks, a website that tracks individuals and groups on the political left. Horowitz also founded the organization Students for Academic Freedom.
Horowitz wrote several books with author Peter Collier, including four on prominent 20th-century American families. He and Collier have collaborated on books about cultural criticism. Horowitz worked as a columnist for Salon.
From 1956 to 1975, Horowitz was an outspoken adherent of the New Left. He later rejected progressive ideas and became a defender of neoconservatism. Horowitz recounted his ideological journey in a series of retrospective books, culminating with his 1996 memoir Radical Son: A Generational Odyssey.

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book detailing the ways that the democrat party sabotaged the war on terror in able to garner political points, and how their posturing encouraged and enabled terrorism. A chilling look into the minds of the leaders of the democrat party, and how the country, and innocent lives meant nothing to them in pursuit of money and power. Also how the press aided and abetted the democrat party's efforts.

Chilling in the extreme.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Horowitz is back (he's a prolific author with 11 books published since the year 2000) and this time he's detailing the sundry ways that Democrats have undermined the current war effort, even after many of them originally supported it. It is carefully reasoned and heavily footnoted (23 pages worth) and avoids overreaching in its criticism.

In the closing pages he writes a good summary of the book's theme:

"Responsible criticism expresses policy differences without malice towards the soldiers implementing those policies or their commanders defending the national interest...Responsible critics do not paint public servants, such as General Petraeus, in the worst possible light over policy disagreements. Nor do they destroy the credibility of the commander-in-chief over policy differences. Responsible media do not recklessly promote the enemy's goals of transforming American malfeasances, such as Abu Ghraib, into monstrous war crimes. They do not reveal classified information and destroy national-security programs to achieve private agendas or [to] make a political point. Honorable legislators do not maliciously (and erroneously) accuse Marines of committing atrocities in advance of trial. And loyal citizens do not set out to sap the nation's war morale by making films such as Fahrenheit 9-11 that promote the conspiracy theories and propaganda of those who wish America ill."

[Winnifred · Rating 5 out of 5]

Politics is such a fascinating study of greed, betrayal and treason in the halls of Congress. It has always been going on but this book lays out the excesses of modern days. It is amazing that Democrats are the best at treason during recent wars while our servicemen are in harm's way. This book details how the deliberate security failures during the Clinton administration allowed 9/11 to occur. It also shows how the media - specifically the New York Times, Washington post and the LA Times revealed classified secrets which aided terrorist groups to obtain valuable information leading to the deaths of Americans. It also names members of White House staff who revealed classified data giving all details of our nuclear arms development to our enemies. An eye-opening account of one of the greatest political betrayals in American history: the unprecedented attack by leaders of an opposition party on a war they authorized and on America's commander-in-chief while America's troops were still in harm's way. All completely documented.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interseting how one can say they love the country but at the same time tear down a war that was originally supported and lied about being given false information in order to get their support. A history of how past Presidents dropped the ball allowing radical islam to be bold enough to think we were weak and decided to test our resolve. They found out that this President wasn't as ineffective as former Presidents when it came to the military. How the opposing party used the war as a political tool is appalling. They totally ignore facts leading up to the war but then to a liberal facts are something to be ignored unless they can be twisted to suit their cause and that cause does not necessarilyalways coincide with what is best for the country.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, it was a good book, but I think that it probably preaches to the converted. Someone, like myself who is familiar with the conservative arguements on the right or has read other works by Horowitz will know what to expect. Liberals will probably react in typical fashion, this book is unlikely to change any minds.