The Bubble of American Supremacy: Correcting the Misuse of American Power

Long known as "the world's only private citizen with a foreign policy," George Soros combines his razor-sharp sense of economic trends with his passionate advocacy for open societies and decency in world politics to come up with a workable, and severely critical, analysis of the Bush administration's overreaching, militaristic foreign policy.

Soros believes that this administration's plans abroad come from the same sort of "bubble" psychology that afflicted our markets in the late 90s. They have used a real fact, our overwhelming military supremacy, to create a deluded worldview, that might makes right and that "you're either with us or against us," in the same way that the recent boom used a real fact, the growth in technology, to lead to a delusion, the "new economy." .

Like the best of the books that have responded quickly to world events, The Bubble of American Supremacy, has a clear, intriguing, comprehensive thesis that makes necessary, and compelling, order of our seemingly disordered world.

Consider the background of Soros and Bush. Soros survived the Nazis and Communists in Hungary, got to the US in 1956 and had enough business acumen to become a billionaire. Bush is the son of Old Establishment money and political patronage who never earned a cent in his life, always relying on his Daddy's wealthy friends. Soros became rich by understanding the motivations and actions of others; Bush became president because political advisers Karl Rove and James Baker saw him as a pliant puppet,

Does that make either man a foreign affairs expert? No.

Soros' foreign expertise comes from the $500 million he spends every year to encourage genuine democracy around the world. Bush's policy comes from a narrow group of American Supremacist reactionaries who advocate a unilateralist approach which other nations may join but not influence. Therein lies the difference between the two: Bush has an America First policy, Soros advocates cooperative international solution.

Who is right? Well, in the world of business, Soros' ideas of cooperation instead of confrontation works well. He outlines his approach with an articulate skill in this book, criticizing the Bush mistakes and saying other nations can offer invaluable help. Soros is the modern equivalent of President Woodrow Wilson who created the League of Nations, a brilliant idea which failed due to American isolationism and its failure to counter aggression. Like Wilson, Soros believes in rational people making intelligent decisions.

In brief, it is the essence of his book. I recently re-read 'Common Sense' by Thomas Paine, the 1776 book that was the intellectual foundation for the American Declaration of Independence. Soros has written the modern international equivalent, as well-reasoned, eloquent and impassioned as Paine. However, there is a difference. Paine faced King George III, who may have been nuts but was obviously very astute. Today, America faces an amorphous irrational terrorism based on an utterly insane religious fundamentalism.

Events in Iraq, Afghanistan and other Mid-East countries may well have an impact on the 2004 election. The choice will be between American Supremacist in a "follow us or get ready to fight us" tactics or a policy based on American Leadership with a "we'll respect your views" type of consultation and cooperation.

Soros has been there. As a Jew in his native Budapest, he survived in the impact of the "Germany Above all Others" policy. He survived the utterly irrational communist fundamentalism. America made him vastly rich. He has been funding democratic programs in Europe since the 1980s. It's an incredible personal schooling on which to base his views.

The 2004 election debate will likely be on the economy, with foreign policy as the runner-up. Much of the talk show debate involves extremists screaming at each other; Soros offers an intelligent alternative to the current quagmire.


Powerful Mind From Finance Illuminates Murky Politics   September 29, 2004
C. Kurdas (Brooklyn, NY United States)
17 out of 18 found this review helpful

We all should be grateful to George Soros. After having worked hard for several decades and made a fortune, he could do anything he wants, go anywhere he likes. What he chooses is to use his wealth to help people around the world. In writing this book, he has spent his precious time to alert Americans to the dangers they face from their own government. Unlike many a pundit, Soros is not looking for personal gain or seeking political appointment. He is one of the most astute observers around, and a rare one who is not pursuing a personal interest.

Listen to Soros, folks. It is worth getting this book just to read his insights as to why Bush really went to war in Iraq and contrast the reality he presents to the misleading pap offered by the administration. Truth may be uncomfortable, but ignoring it gets one into bad messes. Soros predicted a quagmire well before many people realized the consequences of the ill-conceived foreign adventure. No surprise; he is well attuned to deception by powers-that-be.

From his early years in Hungary to his later efforts to help build civil society in Eastern Europe, he saw close up the horrors that have been inflicted by lying, lawless, thuggish governments. His concern that America is sliding in that direction deserves to be taken seriously. Bush partisans are demonizing Soros for his pains and attempting to smear him every which way they can. Americans can judge for themselves by reading this book.

People complain that Soros rambles in his writing or his arguments are not always clear or fully argued. Considering the grave issues at hand, stylistic quibbles sound petty in the extreme. And while Soros is certainly not the only writer on the topic, he brings to it an exceptional skill for analysis. One benefits from reading him whether he is analyzing markets or a war. In any case, this book is easy to read.



Eloquent and badly needed   January 16, 2005
Robin Orlowski (United States)
9 out of 11 found this review helpful

In this book, Soros argues that foreign policy under the Bush administration has failed because of an 'America first' philosophy. 'America first' public policies assume that we do not have to consider the impact on other countries when we make foregin policy and America should only think about it's own needs, especially in the very short-term. These strategies never worked for any president, but he zeroes in on Iraq policy to illustrate his point.

For instance the presumed next secretary-of-state Condoleeza Rice said the United States would punish countries which had not agreed with America's decision to invade Iraq. Because the evidence we used for this incursion was faulty and we have even publicly conceded there reaklly were no WMD's in Iraq, I am curious what Dr. Rice thinks punishing other countries will accomplish.

This book reinforced my perception that those countries will be loathe to join the Bush administration on any other project. They do not wish to voluntarily work with an administration living in a world where America believes that it can punnish independent nations for not wanting to use forged evidence to to kill their own troops. I honestly do not blame them either.

They may have the titles, but people inside the Bush administration lack the people skills which are needed for 21st century government. These officials still do not want to realize that team work and coalition building (both of which require accurate data) are essential for building a world that is both strong and safe.

Essentially creation of such a world requires adherence to the time-honored grade school adage: Do onto others as you would have them do onto you". Part of me honestly had hoped that such a phrase would not be over Bush's head.



A must-read -- and an easy read   August 19, 2004
D. Lipson (Wayne, PA United States)
11 out of 14 found this review helpful

The brilliance of this work is first in its brevity -- the directness and simplicity of its points and arguments. Second, Soros is convincing as he explains the basis for American neo-conservative policies, points out their consequences to date, and suggests the likely future if they continue to be pursued. Thirdly, Soros has standing to offer rational alternatives, and he does so without hyperbole. If you read only one political book, it shold be this one.


2004 election   January 15, 2004
Jan Noppen (USA)
70 out of 99 found this review helpful

I haven't completed reading G. Soros' book on the "Bubble of American Supremacy," however, I stood still in reflection hoping that the ratings of his book will reflect the 2004 election.

Few one star comments such as "frankensense" of New York represent a great deal of Americans that are ill-informed about feeling secure in this country and affable enough in believing this President's policy will lead them however torn in bigotry, insolence, misleading information, ignorance and prejudism, into a greater and better world. So vividly and falsely informed by this adminsitration, I am happy to see that "frankensen" represents only 1 star and two of 89 found his review helpful. Also, that people who think like "frankensens" exemplify the opiniated that rule with tyranical prowess, based on vengence and shrewd villification of hatred in order to solve our problems with war. Is that the reborn Christian he (Bush) lays claim to and all those righteous on the right who call themselves Christians?

Hopefully we can turn those four and five stars into election numbers.

I share Soros' vision that this supremacy is a bubble, but not about to burst yet, unless We The People, believe enough in a better world less dangerous than that of Mr.Bush's.

Which is different, the shrewd imminent danger of a tyrant and neo-con hawks in the White House, endangering the principles of democracy, or the Non-existence of imminence of WMD from Saddam Hussein? We didn't do anything about the Idi Ammins in Uganda, Liberia, Ruanda, Cuba... and the list goes on.

If foreign policy, jobs and health care, education, the environment and children left behind are not enough to wake up WE THE PEOPLE, I have my doubts about the ability of Americans to change their destiny and the United States as a Republic in the world!

Thank you Mr. Soros! Your philantropy towers Bush's demeaner!