In this stunning book, Edward Herman and David Peterson examine the uses and misuses of the term "genocide." The duo convincingly argues that the term has been heavily politicized and used in the United States by government, journalists, and academia to stigmatize the actions of states and political movements that are in some way contrary to the interests of American imperialism. In contrast, the term "genocide" is rarely used when the perpetrators are allies of the United States or its own. A special set of exceptionalist rules applies to some cases, such as American aggression in Vietnam, Israel's oppression of the Palestinians, the American war in Iraq, and many others. Different rules apply to other cases, such as Serbian aggression in Kosovo and Bosnia, the murders committed by America's enemies in Rwanda and Darfur, Saddam Hussein, or any act of Iran. With its meticulous and voluminous documentation, this book is a damning incriminating evidence that exposes the deeply rooted and effective propaganda system aimed at deceiving the public and promoting the expansion of a brutal imperialist system.