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This "article" is a book review. The author of the review is trying in 1200 words to give the reader of this review a sense for what the 400+ page book is about -- not to present a compelling and penetrating argument for any particular point of view.

This means I don't like book reviews on HN, that's like paywall but worse.

It's the Economist. Quotes like this are par for the course:

"..in Iraq and Syria, where what used to be called the civilising hand has proven incapable of stemming the bloodshed."

I read it for the data (in this case the stated facts about the book being reviewed) and try to filter out the editorializing.

Before you get angry, you probably need to read the other 404 pages of the essay.

it's a book review.