Beyond Peace

This is not light reading, but is interesting if you are a politics wonk or are interested in what Nixon thought was next for the US after the end of the cold war. You may want to break it up a little, I had to force myself to slog thru the last chapter or so after reading too much at one sitting.

Though Richard Nixon was a lifelong Republican, warts and all, he remains an intelligent, knowledgeable, important figure in the fields of international affairs and foreign policy. When he speaks about China, the world listens. When he speaks about Russia or the Soviet Union, the world listens. The world community, on the whole, is less attuned to correlating the man with the supposed image brought about by the Watergate scandal than most Americans. Consequently, they have lived out the Watergate fantasy most Americans would like to permanently attach to and besmirch Nixon's legacy. History has shown, as much as this book stands as a testament, that Richard Nixon was larger than Watergate and was responsible, either in part with Henry Kissinger and a cabinet of able-minded personalities or in whole, for a great many political and global accomplishments. Nixon's main charge here is that the domestic affairs of America may do more to sink its dominance as the leader of the free world than it will to propel it into the leadership in the coming twenty-first century. America's true challenge as a global dominating force and as a people will not be during wartime but, rather, during a time of peace when we have no one to fight but ourselves. His charge remains poignantly clear in 2004: If we have no foreign enemy to fight, we look toward each other with that same malice. Nixon's insightful analysis as a former president and perhaps the greatest foreign policy president of the 20th century make his work here absolutely qualified and essential to any reader with an interest in political science or governmental affairs.

Nixon, despite his personal demons, was perhaps the most intellgent president in the last 50 years; his iron grasp of foreign and domestic policy is a breath of fresh air in our polerized nation. Unlike many of today's politicans, Nixon understood that only a America that is strong at home and abroad can be an effective America. Nixon is an effective writer that defines the issues, presents the opposing side and then crushes them with his. The book opens with his views on foregin policy: build an alliance with the Russians, keep trading with China and allow its outdated communist government to collaspe, open relations with Cuba, isolate Iran and other rouge nations and help the thrid world.Nixon voices that the US, not the UN, should lead the world in progress and should never look for a permision slip (as thepresident said in the State of the Union). The End of the cold war brought a unquie chance to remake the world beyond peace; history will show that this was wasted with short sighted socialict policies and a hands off approach to world affairs that lead to our war on terror today.He then explains that America needs less but more effective goverment. Today, we are heading down the road to a more socialist America- there are calls for a national health care system, demands for the goverment to throw more money at pusedo communist programs. Ironically, he says, it seems that Russia and the thrid world are becoming more pro west than we are.Nixon was a no nonsense leader and knew what was and is best for America. It is sad though, that our nation almost as divided today as when he was president. A house divided shall not stand though, and America needs today a strong stand in the name of freedom. I've got a feeling that Bush read this and Nixon's other great work, no more Vietnams.

Nixon, having been well educated and well traveled relays to the reader what he thinks about America's domestic issues and it's place in international affairs. Subdivided into major, relevant topics concerning our everyday lives. An elightening read to say the least