Pathology of Power FROM THE PUBLISHER
THE PATHOLOGY OF POWER traces the way national power enlarged and institutionalized, especially as the result of perceived external dangers. That power then spills over into other government operations, of which the surreptitious sale of arms to Iran and the funneling of funds to the Nicaraguan Contras are examples.
This book is written out of indignation and concern, because Cousins believes Americans are being defrauded in the name of national security, and decisions on the nation's military needs are being made by those who have the highest stake in the military spending.
"Relying on reports issued by the U.S. General Accounting Office that show billions in waste and fraud, Cousins questions whether agencies that can't protect the wealth and resources of the American taxpayer can be trusted to protect our national security." (B-O-T Editorial Review Board)
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
Cousins (The Healing Heart, etc.) returns to familiar concerns in this account of the ``collective madness'' of the arms race. Stressing that national security is often a guise that allows private contractors to earn huge profits in weapons-making, he examines the U.S. development of nuclear weapons since World War II, noting that even major military figures (MacArthur, Eisenhower) have sought alternatives to their use. Much of the book focuses on the widely reported dishonesty, mistakes and mismanagement of weapons-makers who profit from ``excessive and careless military spending.'' The U.S., Cousins warns, is now dangerously dependent on defense spending. He concludes by urging the strengthening of world institutions and the establishment of new forums to meet world problems. While offering little that is original, Cousins's lucid overview will doubtless appeal to his large following. (February 23)
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