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Robert Fisk - Pity The Nation

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  • 18-12-2006 10:56pm
    #1
    philologos
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,479 ✭✭✭✭


    I'm not sure if this is the right section for this. But has anyone read Pity the Nation by Robert Fisk, and if so could I just hear your thoughts on it.

    I'm just in the middle of the 3rd chapter at the minute and I have to say I'm getting a real feel for the book and his style of writing kinda lures you into the social and historical situation that Lebanon and indeed the Middle East in general has been through over the past few years.

    just looking for a few thoughts on it :)

    *if theres another thread if you could kindly post a link to it it would be appreciated*


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    #2
    boidey
    Registered Users Posts: 161 ✭✭boidey


    I have reread it several times now and probably will read it again. It shows how foolish and weak American policy was, what absolute bastards the Israelis were.
    It shows how a tolerant multicultural society was torn apart by extremism. Extremism from Israel, Iran and Syria. Fisk tells of encountering his 1st hezbollah fighter and thinking they would be going nowhere fast.
    He pulls no punches on the deaths of Barett and Smallhorn, 2 irish soldiers serving with the UN and murdered by Israel and the subsequent Israeli propaganda backlash.
    The chapters on the chatila massacres by the militias that were armed funded and controlled by Israel describe crimes against humanity and leaves me in no doubt that Ariel Sharon is as much a war criminal as Milosevic.
    Now some 20 years later the problems are still with us.
    Pity the Nation is one of those books that can leave you feeling both sad and very angry


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    #3
    philologos
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,479 ✭✭✭✭philologos


    boidey wrote:
    He pulls no punches on the deaths of Barett and Smallhorn, 2 irish soldiers serving with the UN and murdered by Israel and the subsequent Israeli propaganda backlash.

    I just read that bit. Menachem Begin was the founder of the Irgun so his presidency was just showing us what a monster he really was. That Jerusalem Post article was rediculous though.


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    #4
    Esmereldina
    Registered Users Posts: 444 ✭✭Esmereldina


    Jakkass wrote:
    I just read that bit. Menachem Begin was the founder of the Irgun so his presidency was just showing us what a monster he really was. That Jerusalem Post article was rediculous though.


    This is one of those books I've been meaning to read for a long time... along with Fisk's huge history of the middle east book (can't remember the exact name now). I have it sitting on my desk under a pile of about 10 others (!). Will have to start reading it soon, and I'll let you know what i think then :cool:


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    #5
    philologos
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,479 ✭✭✭✭philologos


    The Great War for Civilisation, I have it on my desk atm for after I read Pity the Nation. A rather hefty read but it its written in the same style as Pity the Nation I'm sure it will be just as interesting to read


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