They Eat Puppies, Don't They?: A Novel, by Christopher Buckley

I don't know that there's anyone writing political satire today as funny as Christopher Buckley.  As in some of his prior novels, in They Eat Puppies, Don't They? Buckley takes on the the world of Washington lobbyists.  In this case, Bird, lobbyist for a huge defense contractor, is tasked with drumming up anti-China sentiment.  He recruits Angel Templeton, a (super hot) super-hawk at the Institute for Continuing Conflict, who is more than willing to foment a bit of strife between superpowers.  Together they bring the U.S. and China to the brink of war, much to the delight of Bird's employer.

When you read Buckley, you sincerely hope that Washington isn't so full of hapless leaders, cynical lobbyists, and selfishly motivated bureaucrats.  But then you read the Washington Post and realize, well, Buckley's not that far off. . . .  Buckley's story telling is laugh-out-loud funny and scarily accurate.  The story itself peters out about 2/3 of the way through and fizzles at the end, but it's definitely worth a read.