Mike Evans, The Final Move Beyond Iraq: The Final Solution Whilc the World Sleeps (Lake Mary, FL: FrontLine, 2007). Softcover, 345 pages. Reading Level Grade 12. Contains an index.

Mike Evans is a New York Times best-selling author and a frequent journalist on network television and radio. The cover of the book suggests that book stores place it in the religion or Christian life section. However, with the exception of the first two chapters and a rare reference to the Bible or two the book is mostly political in content.

Mike Evans advocates what might be termed a “neoconservative” viewpoint, that is, that the war in Iraq is necessary and the terrorism should be fought vigorously around the globe. The book seeks to show that liberal agendas are endangering America both morally and physically.

I finished reading the book roughly at the same time as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was invited to speak at Columbia University. I found that there were interesting parallels between Columbia University President Bollinger’s introductory remarks and this book. Bollinger introduced Ahmadinejad in a most humiliating way. Despite that fact that the university extended the invitation and Ahmadinejad is the head of state of a large country, Bollinger saw fit to insult him. In somewhat a similar manner Evans spares little polemic when discussing liberal leaders. For instance, this is a statement about Jimmy Carter:

In his post-White House years, James Earl Carter is still a pompous howler bent on blackening the United States wherever he’s allowed to travel as an ambassador of “good will.” (bold by me, p. 145) 

Insults exchanged among non-believers is one thing, however, insults among professing Christians is another matter, if I read the Bible correctly (Matt. 5:22, Col. 4:6). Evan’s rhetoric undermines the moral high ground that he is seeking to achieve. Don’t misread me here; my point about civility and giving due respect does not mean an advocacy for Ahmadinejad or liberal agendas. Rather, I am pointing out that there are better ways to forward discourse and advocate for change. Evan’s treatment of his adversaries greatly weakens his arguments.

The title of the book is somewhat misleading. Leaving aside the verbal jabs, most of the book is a recollection of American policy starting with Ronald Reagan up to 2007. There is very little given as the final solution. Only after thumbing through the book several times did I finally figure out what might, just might be Evans’s advocated solution. On pages 192-193 Evans proposes a U.S. military base in Erbil and full financial support of the Kurds. This would lead to a “push . . . from the north to the south, with the Iraqi Kurds doing the pushing.” Evidently Evan’s believes that a Kurdish rule of the nation would be more peaceable.

The last third of the book—containing interviews and documents—is the most fascinating portion of the book. Frankly I was very interested in the two letters written by Ahmadinejad (Appendix A and B). Both letters are evangelical in nature and seek to convert the readers (President Bush and the people of America) to Islam. The choice of words, the references to people in the Koran and Bible, and the religious-philosophic thought give insights to another culture. Both letters have opened up to me a richer understanding of the Muslim faith. That aside, however, reconciling the words of peace in the letters with the repressive government of Iran is something this reader was unable to achieve.

Reviewed by Terry B. Ewell, September 2007.