From Newsweek, a series of articles on What You Need to Know Now, including Fareed Zakaria on the War Against Radical Islam; Robert Samuelson on the biggest threat to the US economy; Steven Levy on Broadband Penetration; and Howard Fineman on Election 2008.
From Dissent, a symposium on exporting democracy: What have we learned from Iraq? Daniele Archibugi, Seyla Benhabib, Paul Berman and others respond. This is not a 1938 encore: The idea that liberals are appeasing Islamism as once they did Hitler is a dangerous delusion. As the Romans: An interview with Cullen Murphy, author of Are We Rome? More on The Pentagon: A History by Steve Vogel. The Specialist: An article on Robert Gates and the tortured world of American intelligence (and part 2).
Bye, Bye, Miss American Empire: Which way out of the current mess? Turn left (or is it right?) toward the Green Mountains and explore the patriotic territory of succession. A review of Storming the Gates of Paradise: Landscapes for Politics by Rebecca Solnit (and more). A review of Way Off the Road: Discovering the Peculiar Charms of Small-Town America by Bill Geist.
The coal, hard truth: Written almost 90 years apart, a pair of muckraking books neatly frames the messy debate over the consequences of the "dirty rock" – and its stubbornly prominent role in our future. Tim Flannery fears global warming will reach a tipping point beyond which recovery will be impossible. Nicholas Lezard urges us to start acting on the recommendations of Heat (and an interview with George Monbiot). On the eve of his Live Earth global concerts, an exclusive interview with Al Gore on climate change, George Bush and whether he'll run for president in 2008.
Anxiety in the Land of the Anti-Immigration Crusader: Economic worries and cultural differences fuel anger over immigration in Colorado. Benjamin Barber's Consumed makes Chris Petit ponder the perils of consumerism. A review of Richistan: A Journey Through the American Wealth Boom and the Lives of the New Rich by Robert Frank. Hedge Clipping: John Cassidy on trying to get rich on the cheap. The Man Who Sells the Moon: Dennis Hope has made $9 million selling space "property".
