Zbigniew Brzezinski

Forty years ago we had a wave of books, with titles such as "The God That Failed," exposing the totalitarian nature of Soviet Marxism. This book is the first of a new wave laying bare the failure not just of the Marxist-Leninist faith but of the communist system. Zbigniew Brzezinski writes in an almost triumphalist vein about the failings of communism.

On a day in which nearly 100 bodies attested to Iraq's unbridled violence, Democrats stepped up their response to President Bush's policies, with former national security advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski calling the war "unwinnable." Iraqi officials announced they had found the bodies of 60 men, some of whom had been shot in the head after being tortured, over the previous 24 hours. They said there was no single massacre or mass execution.

Former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski warned U.S. officials Thursday against starting a war with Iraq, saying it would lead to a protracted conflict, with victory possible only at great cost. "If we pursue a policy of liberation of Kuwait and of destroying Iraq, it would cost much blood," Brzezinski said. "We can say we can bomb them, and maybe that will crack their morale. . . . If their morale doesn't crack, fighting could last three to four weeks, maybe four to five months.

John Allen, cyclist-county employee: "The Grand Chessboard" by Zbigniew Brzezinski (BasicBooks). "Brzezinski argues that the U.S. should be globally active on the Euro-Asian continent, but he has a very Eurocentric way of looking at global strategy. Combined with the book's dense prose, this makes for a slow but fascinating read." **** Susan Celentano, social worker: "Housekeeping" by Marilynne Robinson (Farrar, Straus and Giroux).

Former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski said Sunday that the release from internal exile of Soviet dissident Andrei D. Sakharov is evidence of a major shift in Soviet policy, a development he said could lead to increased instability in that country.

John Allen, cyclist-county employee: "The Grand Chessboard" by Zbigniew Brzezinski (BasicBooks). "Brzezinski argues that the U.S. should be globally active on the Euro-Asian continent, but he has a very Eurocentric way of looking at global strategy. Combined with the book's dense prose, this makes for a slow but fascinating read." **** Susan Celentano, social worker: "Housekeeping" by Marilynne Robinson (Farrar, Straus and Giroux).

On a day in which nearly 100 bodies attested to Iraq's unbridled violence, Democrats stepped up their response to President Bush's policies, with former national security advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski calling the war "unwinnable." Iraqi officials announced they had found the bodies of 60 men, some of whom had been shot in the head after being tortured, over the previous 24 hours. They said there was no single massacre or mass execution.

It is easy to understand why "Game Plan" is a must-read these days in the White House and the Pentagon. The sanitized, metaphorical language of this guide to outsmarting the Russians makes a nuclear attack or two sound like fun--just one move in an elaborate Yuppie board game. What's better, Americans are assured that this is a game they can't lose, provided they play with the requisite machismo.

Power in America today is what sex was in Victorian Britain: a primal, life-shaping force shrouded in denial and hypocrisy. This is true in domestic affairs when it comes to subjects like class, race and wealth; it is equally true in international relations, a field in which few Americans think, and even fewer write, clearly and frankly about the nation's international role.

A senior official in the Polish Interior Ministry charged that a pro-Solidarity exile group in Belgium has links with the CIA and receives advice from Americans, including AFL-CIO President Lane Kirkland and former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski. The Brussels-based exile group accused Polish authorities of basing their charges on forged documents.

Power in America today is what sex was in Victorian Britain: a primal, life-shaping force shrouded in denial and hypocrisy. This is true in domestic affairs when it comes to subjects like class, race and wealth; it is equally true in international relations, a field in which few Americans think, and even fewer write, clearly and frankly about the nation's international role.

Former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski warned U.S. officials Thursday against starting a war with Iraq, saying it would lead to a protracted conflict, with victory possible only at great cost. "If we pursue a policy of liberation of Kuwait and of destroying Iraq, it would cost much blood," Brzezinski said. "We can say we can bomb them, and maybe that will crack their morale. . . . If their morale doesn't crack, fighting could last three to four weeks, maybe four to five months.

Forty years ago we had a wave of books, with titles such as "The God That Failed," exposing the totalitarian nature of Soviet Marxism. This book is the first of a new wave laying bare the failure not just of the Marxist-Leninist faith but of the communist system. Zbigniew Brzezinski writes in an almost triumphalist vein about the failings of communism.

Former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski said Sunday that the release from internal exile of Soviet dissident Andrei D. Sakharov is evidence of a major shift in Soviet policy, a development he said could lead to increased instability in that country.

It is easy to understand why "Game Plan" is a must-read these days in the White House and the Pentagon. The sanitized, metaphorical language of this guide to outsmarting the Russians makes a nuclear attack or two sound like fun--just one move in an elaborate Yuppie board game. What's better, Americans are assured that this is a game they can't lose, provided they play with the requisite machismo.

The difficulty with trying to read President Bush's lips these days is that he seems to be speaking out of both sides of his mouth. One side proclaims him to be a man of peace while the other side trumpets a call to arms. It's not possible to negotiate a peaceful settlement when unconditional surrender is made a precondition. That leaves nothing to negotiate. Bush would do well to listen to Zbigniew Brzezinski (Commentary, Dec. 6). His opinion makes good sense. The President, however, seems bent on following in the footsteps of Lyndon Johnson.