by Zbigniew Brzezinski
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Product Description
America’s most distinguished commentator on foreign policy, former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski, offers a reasoned but unsparing assessment of the last three presidential administrations’ foreign policy. Though spanning less than two decades, these administrations cover a vitally important turning point in world history: the period in which the United States, having emerged from the Cold War with unprecedented power and prestige, managed to squander both in a remarkably short time. This is a tale of decline: from the competent but conventional thinking of the first Bush administration, to the well-intentioned self-indulgence of the Clinton administration, to the mortgaging of America’s future by the “suicidal statecraft” of the second Bush administration. Brzezinski concludes with a chapter on how America can regain its lost prestige. This scholarly yet highly opinionated book is sure to be both controversial and influential.
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Average Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 Short on Analysis, Long on Ideology, 2008-11-20
Candidly, I was hoping that Brzezinski would have dissected the flawed assumptions and misguided strategies of Global Leader III (Bush W). Such an analysis would have provided a nice framework for America to learn from her mistakes. Instead, Brzezinski appears to go on an anti-Bush tirade that is based solely on ideological differences of opinion. He repeatedly makes assumptions of cause-effect relationships that are highly questionable and in some cases, are factually incorrect. I give him 1-star because he does an OK job of itemizing the chronology of world events over the course of the last three presidents.
The final credibility was lost when I saw Brzezinksi's final report card for the presidents. He grades each of the presidents on 8 attributes of global leadership. But the lack of substantive explanation of the grades caused me to start losing faith in the book. More interestingly, Bush W. got the following grades from Brzezinski: 1-B, 3-C's, 2-D's, and 2-F's ... which according to Brzezinski, adds up to an overall final grade of an F. Huh?? The following 30 pages was something of an ideological rant that rapidly loses credibility if you're a reader interested in factual analysis.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Our Position Can Still Be Restored, 2008-11-11
After the fall of Communism, America was given a window of opportunity claims Zbig Brezezinski in his book Second Chance. The opportunity was for a grand leadership strategy allowing the United States to become the single supreme military superpower and use that position to increase trade, diplomacy and the spread of peace worldwide. Instead the first President Bush used his position to tighten bonds with the homocidal regime in Saudi Arabia, then Clinton made limited moves towards globalization and finally Bush junior arrogantly attacked the middle east outright. The opportunity was squandered but Zbig says that our position can still be restored with the right leadership. We have a second chance to influence the course of history towards a stable and less violent world. His plea is not one of imperialism but rather a rational and patient set of advances well within our capabilities.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
 Second Chance, 2008-10-28
This was a very good retrospective of the things that have happened. Zig provides the reader with lots of GREAT insight. The writing style negates my ability at least, to read it rapidly and comprehend the nuances of Zig's points. This makes it a book that makes you think for yourself. The last chapter of how to go forward I found fascinating in its practicality, comprehensiveness, and currency to the 2008 world situation. A great read for the layman trying to understand where we are as a nation and where we need to go in the future. Pray our new "leaders" read and heed.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Just the facts, ma'am -- please, 2008-09-26
This book is a useful brief summary of major diplomatic events since 1980. It shows that the years from 1980 - 2000 were far more crisis-driven and momentous than we who lived through them are likely to remember now. The chronologies that Brzezinski constructs and relies on are relatively detailed and complete, but do not of themselves point to any inevitable conclusions, as he seems to think. The factual discussion and historical narrative are illuminating. His analysis, however, is not. The book is marred irretrievably by his schoolmarmish finger wagging at the failure of each of his "students" to learn the lessons he's teaching them - anywhere from 30 to 7 years after the fact. One would never know, reading this book, that Brzezinski was a major figure in an utterly failed presidency (Carter's). Brzezinski comes across as intelligent but unrelievedly pedantic (like his former boss). As a narrativist and systemic thinker, he pales into invisibility next to Kissinger, Acheson, and other of his near contemporaries.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
This Man Has Great Influence on Foreign Policy and Relations, 2008-08-11
I believe Brzezinski still has a great deal of influence (maybe now more so than ever) on foreign policy and relations. Although I do not like most of his policies, it is extremely important to be aware of what he is proposing. As a speculator I try to be aware of if then macro economic scenarios.
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