Thucydides in the Desert.

The essay explores why and how Thucydides has been used by the Bush administration to justify the war in Iraq and why, beyond this, he has become an interlocutor in current debates over American foreign policy. In what ways is he relevant and how can make sure relevance does not reduce the complexity of the text to him to specific policy prescriptions or allow him to be "used" for partisan purposes rather than be useful as a possession for all time. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]