Against Us

ABC News journalist Jim Sciutto explores rising anti-American sentiment across the Muslim world in this 2008 analysis based on extensive interviews and research. Through conversations with students, doctors, activists, and even members of militant groups, the book examines how U.S. foreign policy has affected perceptions of America in nine Middle Eastern countries. Drawing from his post-9/11 reporting experience in the region, Sciutto presents candid accounts from diverse voices including an Afghan student, an Egyptian political prisoner's wife, and a Lebanese Christian Hezbollah supporter. The work incorporates historical context and polling data to track shifting attitudes toward the United States across different segments of Muslim society. The book examines how anti-American views have spread beyond extremist groups to moderate Muslims and pro-democracy advocates, suggesting broader implications for U.S. influence and security in the region. Rather than focusing solely on religious fundamentalism, Sciutto frames this growing opposition as a form of cultural and political resistance.

Most readers found Jim Sciutto's "Against Us" informative but repetitive. Many noted its value in explaining modern threats from Russia, China, and Iran through real-world examples and insider perspectives. Readers appreciated: - Clear breakdown of adversary tactics and strategies - First-hand reporting and expert interviews - Focus on cyber warfare and new technologies - Accessible writing style for complex topics Common criticisms: - Rehashes news stories without adding new insights - Too much focus on well-known events - Lacks depth in proposed solutions - Some perceived political bias in analysis Ratings: Amazon: 4.4/5 (168 reviews) Goodreads: 3.9/5 (287 ratings) Specific reader comments: "Good primer on modern threats but doesn't go deep enough" - Goodreads reviewer "Important information but feels like collected news articles" - Amazon reviewer "Best parts are the original interviews and lesser-known incidents" - Amazon reviewer

The Perfect Weapon by David E. Sanger Documents how cyber warfare and digital espionage have become primary tools for nations to attack adversaries without traditional military confrontation.

Active Measures by Thomas Rid Chronicles the history of disinformation campaigns from the Cold War through modern cyber operations.

This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends by Nicole Perlroth Investigates the cyber weapons arms race and the global market for zero-day vulnerabilities.

War Without Rules by Robert Spalding Examines China's strategy of unrestricted warfare through economic, technological, and political means.

The Shadow War by Jim Sciutto Maps the hidden battlegrounds where Russia and China challenge American power through unconventional warfare tactics.

🔹 The author conducted over 100 face-to-face interviews across nine Muslim countries, including Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, to gather perspectives for this book. 🔹 Jim Sciutto spent nearly two decades as ABC News' Senior Foreign Correspondent before becoming CNN's Chief National Security Correspondent and co-anchor of CNN Newsroom. 🔹 The book reveals that anti-American sentiment increased significantly among educated, middle-class Muslims who previously had positive views of the United States - a demographic shift that surprised many analysts. 🔹 The research for "Against Us" was partially funded by a prestigious Edward R. Murrow Press Fellowship at the Council on Foreign Relations. 🔹 The book's findings challenge the common post-9/11 narrative that anti-American sentiment was primarily driven by religious extremism, showing instead that U.S. foreign policy decisions played a major role.