Dreaming War: Blood for Oil and the Cheney-Bush Junta

New York: Nation Books, 2002. Paperback. Very Good. Long before the events of September 11, Vidal's place was secured as a prol ific preacher against America's imperialist policies. At age 76, he uses hi s exceptional talents to produce bound collections of his controversial ess ays and op-eds. However, this latest creation lacks the eloquence and grace that previously distinguished him from other writers in their attempts to uncover the hidden truths within our American republic. Vidal calls for a m ore thorough investigation into the response, or lack thereof, from the "Ch eney-Bush junta" on September 11 and purports that corporate greed and Amer ican imperialism have been the driving themes behind our new war on terror. He explores the oil connections that Osama bin Laden's family established with Bush during his tenure as an oil magnate in Texas and implores us to p robe further into America's real interest in conquering Afghanistan. Accord ing to Vidal, America's media elite perform the government's dirty work by spreading disinformation-including about Vidal himself-to the general publi c. As a result, Vidal spends much of this book refuting attacks from the ma instream media that portray him as anti-American, although his unabashed st yle gives readers final say in drawing their own conclusion. Regardless, fa ithful fans of Vidal will revel in his relentless adoration of Jeffersonian ideals and courageous dissection of the evil roots of American foreign pol icy.