In this right-wing critique of American policy towards the Middle East, the author boldly declares at the outset that the "enemy" is "Islam itself, as expressed by the life and teachings of Muhammad, as witnessed by the sociopolitical and religious movement that the Prophet unleashed against Judeo-Christian civilization, as upheld by contemporary Sunnis and Shi'ites around the world." Almost all of his criticisms of past and present US policy flow from this not particularly nuanced idea. Thus the blunders of US policy include the alleged failure of Jimmy Carter to adequately support the Shah of Iran when he was overthrown by the 1979 Islamic revolution, the "betrayal" of Saddam Hussein as he fought his war with Iran, the waging of the first Gulf War to protect the Saudis, the ignoring of the possibility of nuclear materials falling into Muslim hands, the siding with Muslims during the Balkan wars, and the failure to crack down on immigrants. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)