Markos Moulitsas, the Berkeley-based founder of the progressive Daily Kos political website, is speaking tonight at 7 p.m. at Books Inc on Fourth Street about his new book, American Taliban (subtitle: “How war, sex, sin, and power bind Jihadists and the radical right”).
The book has had a mixed reception, even from some media that would normally be sympathetic to Moulitsas’ argument. Jamelle Bouie at The American Prospect had a particularly harsh review:
Given the subject matter and his own influence, Moulitsas is sure to find a large audience forAmerican Taliban. This wouldn’t be a problem if the book were a careful comparison of populist nationalist movements, highlighting similarities, underscoring differences, and generally documenting points of congruence between the U.S. conservative movement and populist nationalist groups around the world. But it isn’t.
Like Liberal Fascism, American Taliban is another entry in the tired genre of “my political opponents are monsters.” Indeed, Moulitsas begins the book with the Goldbergian declaration that “in their tactics and on the issues, our homegrown American Taliban are almost indistinguishable from the Afghan Taliban.” And he fills the remaining 200-plus pages with similar accusations.
You can make up your own mind after hearing Moulitsas tonight.
