My beloved Buddhism isn't spared Hitchens' wrath - and I sat back as a neutral and exclaimed "Wow, I didn't know that!" (yes, I really did become a neutral. I can't allow my 'beliefs' to cloud my reasoning). Buddhism needs a good verbal kicking (and those referred to in the book perhaps a literal one!). Just joking. I'm atheist and against all violence, but the perpetrators need to be held accountable!
I haven't read this book yet (it's on my list!) but I understand what you say about Buddhism, Ian. Learning to meditate has made a huge difference in my life, allowed me to give up antidepressants I had been on for 10 years. Studying Buddhist philosophy has taught, and is still teaching, me how to live at peace with myself and others, not just in action, but internally. So, I love the philosophy and find much of it is useful for achieving greater levels of physical and mental health which has been attested to in empirical scientific medical studies. Many doctors, nurses, and psychologists practice buddhist philosophy for this reason.
However, we cannot deny that there are also many schools of Buddhist thought and divisive factions have sprung up and sometimes even violence has occured in defending which is the "correct" one. In this way, Buddhism, is no different than other organized religions which sometimes prove to be more divisive than unifying. This doesn't mean there is no wisdom in Buddhism. It just means that people are pretty much the same everywhere, and their ego motives of being "right" often supersede the very objectives they claim to be trying to achieve. This is observable in every religion and also amoung scientists and academics if they are being totally honest.
I just take from it what is positive and useful and discard the rest. You can do that with Western buddhist psychology because it is rather informal and non-dogmatic. Belief in God not required. Nor is strict adherance to centuries of Asian tradition and ritual.
Cog