A Republic, Not an Empire by Patrick Buchanan

Whatever the merits of Buchanan’s arguments may be, and I believe they are considerable, this book is a refreshing trip through American history. His arguments for non-interventionism seem particularly wise and prescient in light of the fact that this book was written before the Iraq War. And he has caused me to think of World War II in a different way and to reappraise the judgments of Roosevelt and Churchill, who are almost universally regarded by historians as heroes. I agree with him that globalism is leeching away America’s economic strength and sovereignty, but I wonder if it is really possible to turn back the clock and put the genie back in the bottle. This is the third political manifesto by Buchanan I have read, and together his books have had a profound impact on my political thinking, particularly as regards foreign and economic policy. I hope other thoughtful conservatives are reading him as well.