Lilvia Soto’s Lies of an Indispensable Nation is a powerful collection of poems and essays that shed light on America’s invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq under the pretext of ‘counterterrorism’. The poems explore the sorrows, inhuman treatment, death, and helplessness of those who were affected by the war, on both the American side and the Middle Eastern side. Parents lost their sons, daughters lost their lives and dignity, babies were snatched from the laps of their mothers, and families were broken apart in heinous ways.

It is widely believed that the invasion and war against terrorism began after 9/11, but in this book we learn that it was really started by Jimmy Carter back in 1979. Ever since then, U.S. presidents, one after the other, have been involved in keeping the war alive. This book shows readers that, while on the surface the war seems like a glorious attempt to curb terrorism, in reality it is fueled by selfish motives and is full of lies, bloodshed, and horror. 

The poems carry a deep sense of compassion for the victims of the war—the innocent citizens. Through these poems, the author critiques the jingoistic tendencies of ‘blue-blooded’ men, who declare wars and let others suffer. The words of the poems are simple, but they effectively capture the sadness, horror, and pain of loss through their cadence. 

The prose section of the book is replete with thorough research that gives readers a fresh perspective into this long-standing war. One of the most striking things is the parallel drawn between Mozart’s unfinished Requiem, and the American invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan—both are covered with lies and manipulations and are collaborative works of many.

Lies of an Indispensable Nation is a thought-provoking collection of poetry that uses incredible research to point a finger at our obsession with war, murder, and invasion in the name of maintaining peace.

Pages: 225 | ASIN: B0B34L8B8N