The Hubris Syndrome by David Owen
For many politicians, power seems to go to their head, and becomes a heady drug affecting every action they take. The Greeks called it hubris, where the hero wins glory, acclaim and success - but it is often followed by nemesis. David Owen suggests George Bush and Tony Blair developed a Hubristic Syndrome while in power. He provides a powerful analysis, looking at their behaviour, beliefs and governing style, in particular the nature of their hubristic incompetence in handling the Iraq War. Both of them, and in her last year in office, Margaret Thatcher, developed many of the tell-tale and defining symptoms. A statesman, politician and medical doctor, with personal knowledge of the war in the Balkans, David Owen has unique insight into Blair's premiership, including several meetings and conversations with Blair from 1996-2004. With his long political experience, Owen has written a devastating critique of the way that Bush and Blair manipulated intelligence and failed to plan for the aftermath of taking Baghdad. Their messianic manner, excessive confidence in their own judgement, and unshakeable belief that they will be vindicated by a 'higher court', have doomed what the author believes could have been a successful democratic transformation of Iraq.
Lord David Owen has been Foreign Secretary, leader of the Social Democratic party, and now a Crossbencher in the Lords. He was trained as a medical doctor, and has long been interested in the effect of ill health on heads of government. Among many books, he is the author of Balkan Odyssey, a powerful autobiography, Time to Declare, and a poetry anthology, Seven Ages.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781842752197 |
| ISBN 10 | 1842752197 |
| Title | The Hubris Syndrome |
| Author | David Owen |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Methuen Publishing Ltd |
| Year published | 2007-07-23 |
| Number of pages | 160 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |