Product Description
In America’s battle against al-Qaeda and their allies, the goal of the Navy SEALs is to be the best guns in the fight—stealthy, effective, professional, and lethal. Here for the first time is a SEAL insider’s battle history of these Special Operations warriors in the war on terrorism.

“Down range” is what SEALs in Afghanistan and Iraq call their area of operations. In this new mode of warfare, “down range” can refer to anything from tracking roving bands of al-Qaeda on a remote mountain trail in Afghanistan to taking down an armed compound in Tikrit and rousting holdouts from Saddam Hussein’s regime. It could mean interdicting insurgents smuggling car-bomb explosives over the Iraqi-Syrian border or silently boarding a freighter on the high seas at night to enforce an embargo. In other words, “down range” could be anywhere, anytime, under any conditions.

In Down Range, author Dick Couch, himself a former Navy SEAL and CIA case officer, uses his unprecedented access to bring the reader firsthand accounts from the warriors in combat during key missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Couch creates a pulse-pounding, detailed narrative of the definitive engagements of this war, while painting an unusually intimate portrait of these warriors in the field. The performance of the SEALs in difficult, changing environments—in the heat of the Afghan desert, in the snow-packed Hindu Kush, on the high seas, and in the urban chaos of Baghdad—has been nothing short of extraordinary. The SEALs, coordinating with other American forces, the CIA, and foreign special operations units like the Polish GROM, have once more shown their genius for improvisation and capacity for courageous action in leading the fight against this new and vicious enemy.

The first battle history of its kind, Down Range is a riveting close-up of some of America’s finest warriors in action against a deadly foe.



Also available as an eBook


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Disappointing
I am a great supporter of our military people but find this work by Mr. Couch to be little more then a puff piece hardly worth the time to read. The Seals are a well trained force who don't need or deserve the gratuitous treatment that Mr. Couch provides in this book.

Great Read!!!
Anyone wanting to read this book should absolutely read Warrior Elite & The Finishing School before reading this.I have seen several reviews speaking poorly of the author because he doesn't reveal some kind of classified information in this book.There are two main reasons this type of criticism should never be written.The first is that revealing classified information will get you a very quick trip to federal prison.The second and to me more important reason is that he is writing a book about some of the most elite and greatest warriors the world has ever known.To reveal any classified or sensitive information could & probably would put these great warriors at greater risk than they are already in.To do so is not only irresponsible but outright cruel to these great warriors and there families who pray for there safe return.This book is a great read though.

God bless our troops
Good first time read, but check out The Warrior Elite also by Captain Couch.
PS, God bless the Families of Michael Murphy, Matthew Axelson, and Danny Dietz

Down Range Review
Personally I would have enjoyed more reports of actual action involvements. Although there were numerous reporrts of Seal involvements the narrative,for me , became slowed down and complicated by the frequent acromyms and description(s) of command decision chains. Am looking forward to strarting "Chosen Soldier" next

Humbling to Read About Such Dedicated Service
Apart from being exciting and informative,it is impossible to put down this book without the utmost respect for the men serving our country (and indeed all of mankind) in the world's most dangerous places.This is real, these men are heroes, and we must all hope that they succeed in their missions.Clearly, we couldn't put our hopes in any better warriors. ... Read more

Product Description
A fascinating, well illustrated and thoroughly documented response to the relentless anti-Christian propaganda that has been generated by Muslim and marxist groups and by Hollywood film makers.As Karl Marx declared:"The first battlefield is the re-writing of history!""Slavery, Terrorsim and Islam" is an eye opening, positive and practical handbook to empower you to respond effectively to the challenge of Islam today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

The cost of information?
This book is very informative and has brought much to light for me.However, i was charged $33.94 for a $15.00 paperback, that I received from naturalenergyworks.net.When I saw the amount I was charged I assumed I would be receiving a hardcover textbook.I have submitted an e-mail to naturalenergyworks.net, and am awaiting a reply.It's been about a week now, and I still have not received an answer.

Islamic history
I often see black people professing Islam as them religion of choice.They might think again if they read this book.It relates how historically the blacks were ravaged, killed sold into slavery by the millions by Islamic raiders in Africa.This book was certainly an eye-opener.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0958454981/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_title
Allows one to see the salvery issue in a whole different light.
80% of the slaves went to the Middle East and the EU. 15% to the Caribean and only 5% if slaves ended up in the USA....Facinating.

A complete and honest publication about the threat of Islam
If you were to invest in one book about Islam...this is the one. I started researching about the Muslim belief system in earnest since 911. I have read books and viewed media and have come to the knowledge that Islam is a religion that will not be satisfied until it has world dominance. This book tells the whole truth about Islam. It comes from the perspective of Peter Hammond, a white African, who has lived among the oppression of the Islamic belief system. He himself has been imprisoned and threatened with his life for his speaking out of this truth through 'Frontline Fellowship' the name of his agency. This book explains the history of what was actually the first crusade, the brutality of the slave trade with interesting facts about America's involvement. It describes in great detail about the types of terrorism used to force people into the Islamic belief system. It tells of the destruction of whole countries and peoples once Islam has gained the seat of power in government. My only complaint is that when I wanted to buy more copies of this book from Amazon there was only one used copy for $460!?!? I then went to Frontline Fellowship's website and found they have brand new editions of this book for $10 a piece!!...Amazon, what's up with that?

An Insight to Islam's Slave Trade
"Slavery, Terrorism, and Islam" is now in its second edition.
Although written from a Christian Missionary perspective, the text is useful for secular analysts researching a civilizational force on the march.

Unlike the academics who debate whether a clash of civilizations is even in progress, Hammond, writes from the perspective of one decisively engaged in that civilizational fight.

His area of emphasis is Africa, Nigeria and the Sudan. He starts with the strategic perspective (Islam as a doctrine) and drills down to specifics: Islam's hostilities with the non-Islamic world in general and Christianity in particular. He specifically addresses jihad, women's issues, slavery, and the strategies and techniques of modern day Islamic expansion.Significantly, although this text is written from a religious (Christian) perspective,there is abundant material for secular researchers dissecting an aggressive ideology.

Hammond, who is located in Africa, brings a remarkably fresh perspective on the issue of Slavery.At a time when Slavery is assessed as an American birth defect with the finger of political correctness pointing at Washington as a slave owner, Hammond reminds usthat Muhammad, the founding father of Islam, was a slave owner, and that under Islamic stewardship, slavery becamea highly developed, civilizational-level, industry that, over 14 centuries, drainedAfricaofan estimated 140 million people.Islam was the procurement and trafficking institution for 15th Century Spain, 16th Century Portugal, 17th Century England, and 18th Century American slavery and was a self-producing consumer of slavery throughout the Islamic world into the 21st century. Hammond reminds us that slavery was formally abolished in Saudi Arabia only in 1962 and yet continues in the 21st century (See "Slave: My True Story", by Mende Nazer describing her 1992 capture and 2002 escape).

Slavery, Terrorism and Islam is a slim volume that is an invaluable desk reference and primer for analysts addressing Islam as an ideological force. The contents of Hammond's second edition is described below.

"Slavery, Terrorism, and Islam" by Peter Hammond

Contents

1. The Scourge of Slavery
Contrasts in Captivity
The Absence of Arabic Abolitionists
The pagan Origins of Slavery
The Christian Roots of Liberty
The Islamic slave Trade
An eyewitness Account
Christian Slaves- Muslin Masters
The European Slave Trade
The American Slave Trade
The African Slave Trade
Wilberforce's War
Set Free to Serve Christ
Livingstone's Travels
A Trade in Human Misery
Sharia Law and Slavery
Slavery Today
The Law of Liberty
2. Uprooting Terrorism.
Terrorism's Missionary Vision
A Global Agenda
"Africa for Islam"
Understanding Jihad
Ouranic Roots of Jihad
The Benefits of Jihad
Sharia and the House of War
The Many Faces of Jihad
Jihad and "The Crusades"
Jihad and Colonialism
Jihad and Slavery
The Sudan Connection
Jihad Against Christians
A Christian Response
Preparing for Eternity
3. Resisting Sharia in Nigeria
Christians Persecuted
The Islamic Agenda
"All the Christians Must be Shot"
Churches Burned, Christians Murdered
Africa's Largest Nation
Missionary Heritage
Turbulent Times
Spectacular Church Growth
Great Needs, Great Opportunities
The Free Market in Nigeria
Driving on the Other Side
Market Place Airports
Contrasts and Queues in an Oil Rich Country
Dynamic Churches
Supporting Tyrants
Slaughter Under Shari'a
Resistance in Jos
Christian Courage in Gboko
Between Cross and Crescent
4. Jihad- Islamic Holy War
5. Islam According to the Reformers
6. The Sources ofIslam
The Authority of Islam
Arabian Sources of the Quran
Jewish Sources of the Quran
Christian Sources of Islam
Zoroastrian Sources of the Quran
Egyptian Sources of the Quran
How the Quran was Revealed
Evaluating the Quran
Conclusion
7. Muhammad, the Caliphas and Jihad
Muhammad
The Miraj
The Hijrah
Jihad
Assassinations
Mass Murders and Mass Rapes
The Polygamous Prophet
The Caliphas
Muslim Massacres
"The Bloodiest Story in History"
"Unfinished Business"
Spain Under the Moors
The Pact of Umar
The House of War
Churches Demolished, Pilgrims Persecuted
The Crusades are launched
Antioch Liberated
To Jerusalem
The Crusaders Take Jerusalem
Saladin and Richard the Lionhearted
The End of the Crusades
Dynasties, Decadence and Decline
The Fall of Constantinople
"The Blood Levy"
The Tide Turns
Corruption and Cruelty
A New Wave of Muslim Massacres
The Scandalous Alliance
The Forgotten Holocaust
Slaughter in Smyrna
The Curse of Neutrality
"An Unmitigated Cultural Disaster"
Intellectual Dishonesty
Sharia in Saudi
Jihad Seeks to Conquer Our Souls
8. Women in Islam
Polygamy Degrades Women
The Example of the Caliphass
"Temporary Marriages"
"Deficient in Intelligence"
"Capricious" and "Corrupting"
Physical Abuse of Women
Selling Children
Female Mutilation
Discrimination Under Saudi's Sharia
Stoning to Death a Victim of Rape
Death of a Princess
Judicial Gang Rape
Raped in the Name of Allah
Murder in the Family
Burned Alive in Afghanistan
Battered in Saudi Arabia
Forced Back Into a Burning building
Abuse, Assault and Blaming the Victim
Serial Polygamy
A Taboo Subject
9. The Challenge of Islam
Points of Agreement and Contradiction
Historical Errors in the Quran
Faith and Practice of Islam
10. Comparing the Bible With the Quran
11. Challenging Muslims
12. Guidelines for Muslim Evangelism
General Guidelines for Muslim Evangelism
The Gospel and Abraham
13. Slavery today and the Battle over History
14. Muslim Evangelism in Universities
Ministering to Muslims
Terrorism Defended
Suicide Bombing Justified
Firsthand From Sudan
A Testimony of Salvation in Christ
Only a Muslim Can Quote from the Quran
The Atheist Holocaust
Evangelizing Muslims
15. The Crusades and Jihad
What Preceded the Crusades?
Myths and Misconceptions
The Merciful Saladin
What did the Crusades Achieve?
A Reaction to Jihad
Defensive Wars
Thinking the Unthinkable
Christian Love and Self Sacrifice
Against All Odds
A Judgment of God
Learn to Discern
Who Cares About Geography?
This is a True Story- Only the Facts Have Been Changed
Twisted Theology
Insults to Intelligence
Crusade Against Christianity
Entertainment or Exploitation?
The Facts of History
Logistics and Economics
There's More to Life Than Money
The Missing Jihad
Muhammad vs. Christ
Jihad vs. The Gospel
16. The End of Islam
Muslim Myths
Just the Facts
A Trail of Destruction
"The Bloodiest Story in History"
Spain Under the Moors
Carnage in Constantinople
The Forgotten Holocausts
Intolerant and Inconsistent
Intellectual Dishonesty
Double Talk
Divisions and Dissension
Changes in the Quran
Destroying Qurans
Many Versions
Islamic Racism
The Islamic Slave Trade
Christian Roots in Africa
Africa's Agony
Cultural Disaster
Plundering Progress
Tyrants Overthrown
More Defeats for Islam
Shaking Foundations
The Threat of Freedom
A1. (A1= Appendix 1) Glossary of Islamic Terms
A2. Who's Who In Islam
A3. Proselytizing To Peace- Jihad In Action
A4. The Spread of Islam According to Islamic Sources
A5. Percentage of Muslims by Country
A6. Population Density of Muslim
A7. Muslim Population by Country
A8. Muslim Growth Rate
A9. Military Spending vs. National Prosperity
A10. Churchill on Islam
A11. Death Threats From Muslim Extremists
Muslim Mob at Missions Week
Hostile Phone Calls
Death Threat Fatwa By Fax
Expect to be Shot on Sight
Freedom of Speech Under Fire
Freedom of Religion Threatened
Who is Being Intolerant?
Too Controversial
Telling the Truth in Love
Where is This Going to End?
Blame the Victim
Tolerating Intolerance
The Great Commission is our Priority
Reaching the Unreached
A12. Islamic Attacks on Christ and the Bible
Regarding the Bible
Concerning Jesus
Mocking the Deity of Christ
Regarding Christians, Their Faith, and Teachers,
an Absurd Picture is Presented
Muslim's duty
And How we Can React
A13. Reformation or Islamisation
Europe is in Danger of Falling to Islam
The Blessings of the Gospel
Another Generation
Aborting Europe
The Turkish Connection
Eurabia
Europe is Being Targeted by Islam
Rejecting God's Law
Aborting Her Future
What is the Solution?

... Read more

Product Description
"With its unusual emphasis and sometimes surprisingly personal tone, this may become the definitive Kaczynksi volume."—Publishers Weekly

This is a radically new interpretation of the life and motives of the infamous Unabomber. Alston Chase's gripping account follows Ted Kaczynski from an unhappy adolescence in Illinois to Harvard, where he was subject not only to the despairing intellectual currents of the Cold War but also to ethically questionable psychological experiments. Kaczynski fled academia to the edge of the wilderness in Montana, but Chase shows us that he was never the wild mountain man the media often assumed him to be. Kaczynski was living in a book-lined cabin just off a main road when he formulated the view of the world that he used to justify murder. Through Chase's compelling narration of the planning and execution of Kaczynski's crimes, we come to know a thoroughly cold-blooded killer, but one whose ideas were uncannily close to those of mainstream America. Originally published in hardcover as Harvard and the Unabomber. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Useful as a Textbook
This book is useful as required reading for college students if the professor would like to help get the students past the trivial debates about whether Ted Kaczynski was a serial killer, ecoterrorist, or what.Far too often, attempts at criminological writing reduce to an essay on a "How crazy were they?" and this book helps correct that, making sense out of an episode in American history which frequently baffles explanation. For a taste of the author's writing, one should look for much of the same writing easily found on the web as a series of articles in The Atlantic.

An American Terrorist
A Mind for Murder is a compelling look into what contributed to the creation of the monster known as the Unabomber. It begins in the earlier years of Kaczynski and logs personal event and how these events contributed to his psyche as a murder when he grew. One of the most compelling insights in the book is how he is thought to be insane and a madman. Kaczynski Knew what he was doing and did not what to be declared as insane because his environmental/anti-technology cause would be thought a joke. He took a plea bargain in order to keep the defense from declaring him mentally unstable. I was a amazed at the book and the great insight and detail it portrayed. If you are interested in Domestic Terrorism this is a must read.

Well Done
Mind for Murder is an excellent book by Alston Chase. This book has two main components to it. The first component deals with the life and demise of Ted Kaczynski. The author gives us descriptions of Ted's early years as a child, his high school years, and spends a great deal of time expounding on Ted's time spent at Harvard.

In the author's description of Ted's early years we our shown Ted grew to despise his parents pressuring him to excel academically. His resentment was especially strong toward his father who seemed to remain aloof and somewhat nihilistic till he committed suicide. Ted also resented his mother Wanda because he felt she intentionally subjected him to psychological abuses as a child. These feelings seemed to stay with Ted and even grow as Ted embarked on his college career.

The second component of this book is a cultural analysis that centers around the time period Ted would have been at Harvard and proffers reasons why Ted and others in our modern times have felt the need to resort to terrorism. The author explains how Universities like Harvard used to place a strong emphasis on liberal arts education. Education that was paired with moral virtue. This way of thinking is found in the thoughts of the ancient Greeks who thought reason had to be bound with moral virtue. However, in the 1950s with World War II just having ended and the Cold War looming the universities seemed to adopt the stance of logical positivism. The idea that if something isn't scientifically verifiable it has no meaning. In other words, moral judgments are just the cultural attitudes of the time. Ted would have encountered this line of nihilistic thinking at Harvard. Is it any wonder in later years he would adopt and expound his personal philosophy to mean any ends justified the means? This is especially poignant considering moral judgments to Ted seemed to be just a bunch of efforts at psychological control by the system.

Chase later gives us insightful details of how Ted was used at Harvard by Henry Murray for a psychological experiment. Ted and some other Harvard students at the time were participants in an experiment to submit these persons to dreadful psychological interrogation experiments. The Govt. at this time was very concerned with finding out how to treat or even coerce political prisoners into doing what they wanted. Even going so far as to study and try to learn how to keep the masses under control. Chase gives us historical insight into the Govt. intentionally trying out "new" drugs like LSD on college students, prison inmates, and anyone else it so fancied because surely the Russians had a secret "mind control" drug like this to coerce confessions out of POWs. Ted resented his being tested (even if he was being paid for it) and came to view the techno-industrial system as guilty of imposing unnecessary suffering on the masses. Mind control, feeling like a cog in the machine, depression, irritability, lack of leisure, pollution, were all some of the things Ted blamed on the techno-industrial system. The only way to stop these unjust grievances was to lash out against the system. Even killing if necessary which is just what Ted did.

This is a sad book in some ways but it's a more important work in many other ways. It tells what happens when value gets subjugated below reason. It tells how the culture suffers when ideas like deconstructionism, logical positivism, and structuralism so permeate our culture that nothing has any meaning. Until academics and the culture in general start accepting the fact that reason is only half the puzzle; there is always yin with yang, objectivity with subjectivity, and mind with matter in any accurate depiction of reality. Until we understand these principles and adopt a more holistic approach to reality we are perhaps bound to repeat these same mistakes-the devaluing of society to utter meaninglessness. Worst of all, the suffering of innocents by acts of terrorism and the dependence on antidepressants will continue to be a prominent part of life.

Necessary
Though Chase does seem to suffer a need to attack what he views as the outcome of "value-free" education, I do not think the book suffers as much from this insistence as does the previous reviewer.In fact, there is much to be gained from such a study.

Chase's book is an admirable study of both the Unabomber and the postwar currents that converged to contribute to the making of the Unabomber.Thankfully, Chase is wise enough not to offer excuses for Kaczynski's actions, but his research into what made Kaczynski "tick" provide a believable backdrop and a necessary antidote to the popular misconception of the Unabomber as a madman devoid of reason or motive.

And rather than finding fault with Chase's attempt to tie the Unabomber's actions and theories to those of other "terrorist" groups, I found his arguments convincing, especially in regards to the pervasiveness of the positivistic, supremely rational curriculum of Western universities and the devaluing of the humanities.

We need more thinkers and researchers like Chase who are willing to make us question our kneejerk reactions to men who make us as uncomfortable as Kaczynski.

Superficial and obsessive
This was a terribly disappointing book. Author Alston Chase's description of the psychological experiments which Kaczynski was subjected to at Harvard is disturbing, and he makes some interesting connections between the manipulation suffered by Kaczynski and his subsequent rage at 'systems of control'.

But this potentially valuable insight gets lost in Chase's superficial and obsessive recounting of what he views as a social crisis bought on by 'value-free' education and philosphy. In the process, Chase condemns both academia and those who revolted against it, post-war society and those who pointed out it's failings, the US government and those who would try to move beyond a nation-state. By the end of the book, Chase has variously described Kaczynski as somehow representative of deep-ecologists, anti-globlization protestors, and even islamic fundamentalists (who, whatever their other problems, would not seem to be suffering from a 'value-free' education), all of whom (along with multiple other groups that the author doesn't like) are indiscriminately labelled 'terrorists'. ... Read more

Product Description
From award-winning journalist and combat veteran Michael Hirsh comes the thrilling inside story of the Air Force's pararescue operations in Afghanistan. The first journalist to be embedded with an Air Force combat unit in the War on Terrorism, Hirsh flew from Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, with the 71st Rescue Squadron to their expeditionary headquarters at a secret location in Central Asia. Unparalleled access to the PJs, as well as to the courageous men and women who fly them where they have to go, often under enemy fire, allowed Hirsh to uncover incredible stories of courage. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Not impressed
I wanted to read this book in order to learn about PJs and CROs, whether it be training, every day activities when deployed or not, and stories about the worst-case-scenarios when they are ultimately called to do their duty. These things are sort of included in this book, but Hirsh should have titled this, "Some observations about recent missions in Afghanistan". A large percentage of this book had nothing to do with pararescuemen. At one point Hirsh spent over five pages talking about one of the helicopters attempting to fuel with a fixed-wing aircraft. While I think it's necessary to know how some of the personnel got into the predicaments they were in, Hirsh went into vigorously boring details that were irrelevant to writing a book on pararescuemen. I understand that Hirsh was upset at the inadequacies of the U.S. commanders, but he failed to stay within the scope of his own book. On top of all that, Hirsh's commentary is vapid and vague, hardly a job well done from a writing standpoint. I got the impression that Hirsh was so impressed with his ability to collect information on various missions that he wanted to include every detail, and I found this extremely irritating. It's like reading a basic physics book that has three chapters on the human reproductive system. The stories are enough to garner proper attention because they are about fighting Americans, but Hirsh does not do a good job of storytelling or depicting the life of a PJ or a CRO.

A view of a unique unit with a unique mission
The book is a fast enjoyable read.I've gone through it several times, and usually knock it out in a couple of days, mainly because I just can't put it down.Several rescues are covered in the book, as well as a bit of background about the selection and training of PJ's.If you're looking for a reference book, or a book dealing specifically with the combat roll of PJ's this might not quiet be it.If on the other hand you're looking for a book giving a lot of details on what they've actually been used for in the GWOT, then this is a great book.

A Great Book, That Hands out a Bit of Message
This book is excellent, and describes all of the events in explosive detail. My only problem was in it's suggestive conclussions. The government is called to blaim for a lot of decissions that were made on the auther's part without considering all of the information: the author does a little too much complaining in that respect.

The good news that most of the media deems not fit to print
Hirsh has written a lot of books about the military, some better than others, but this book has a lot of interesting personal stories about brave men on very dangerous missions in places where the fight against the Islamists have taken the best and the brightest that the USA has to offer.
Hirsh's writing is not necessarily the best, but at least he doesn't get in the way of the story, and accurately depicts the dedication of America's men of the pararescue jumpers "PJ's" units who serve "that others might live."

Unlike the character assassins now serving in the US Senate whotasted a couple skirmishes of combat and ran away as fast as they could fake enough Purple Hearts to leave after a couple of months, these men fight year after year, trying to take the war to the enemy that hates the West and all it stands for.

This isn't a great book, but the subject matter is something that seldom sees any ink or airtime, with the possible exception of Fox.

If you don't know anything about PJ's or their mission, you can do worse than reading this book.

Enthralling
An excellent book.Even as an English major, I very rarely have found myself so unwilling to put down a book.An unexpected surprise was that Hirsh encompassed the entire rescue team, writing not only of the PJs, but also of the pilots, crew, combat controllers, and commanders.If you have little interest or experience with the military, you may find the technical aspects a bit heavy at times, but I personally had no difficulty; truly, I appreciated the detail and immersion in the subject matter.Thrilling.Enthralling.Delightful. ... Read more

Product Description
When Terrorism Strikes Home: Defending the United States focuses on the impact of the war on terrorism upon individuals, society, and government. It examines how the war on terrorism has affected first responders such as police and fire departments, how it has transformed local and state government planning and how it has defined a new relationship between state and federal government.The author focuses on three specific areas: changes in the operation of government agencies-especially those first responders that are part of the criminal justice system; changes in Americans' perspective on constitutional rights; and the capacity of the government and criminal justice system to respond to international acts of terrorism and keep Americans safe.The text addresses the response of the government to challenges of immigration control, the threat of a terrorist attack using weapons of mass destruction, the threats to aviation and cyberterrorism, and the need for intelligence reform. ... Read more

Product Description
A penetrating analysis of the hidden political, economic, and religious agendas behind the September 11 attacks and the war, with an emphasis on Afghanistan’s history and the U.S.-led globalization process that has impoverished and angered much of the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Nothing we don't know now
Perhaps in the immediate aftermath of September 11, this was a book that was a shock to those who read it, but 5 1/2 years on it's all nothing new.
In fact, the book has the feel of being hurridly thrown together at times, which is perhaps why it never seems to hold a consistant argument. And while it does raise some valid points about US foreign policy that could be built upon, Parenti instead often goes of on tangents that seem more like small rants.

the missing pieces to parts of the puzzle
excellent and brilliant, all points are backed by hard fact and proof. For those not knowing what to beleive in this day and age, stop listening to jingoistic corporate-media blitherings and take the time to step back and read this book. Parenti unabashedly and unapologetically deals the truth clearly and concisely. Many oppose him but thats no suprise to me: "The men the American people admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men they detest most violently are those who try to tell them the truth." ~ H.L. Mencken

The terrorist Trap
Required reading for History class and now need to write a paper

Absolutely Brilliant
The moral of the story is as follows: Every tragic event that occurs is quickly utilized in the name of political advantage.
The book describes various changes that have taken place since 911 which would have not occurred otherwise and are not known to the general populous. The transition is then made to the wars in Afganistan and Iraq, which follow as a natural consequence. Reasons for these wars are also given. Parenti's logic is so strict that is impossible to find a fault in it. References are provided for all the statements that are made.

Parenti is about hard truths....
I'm thankful that there are writers like Mr. Parenti who are willing to tell the truth about why the world works like it does. He's not a conspiracy theorist, as some allege. However, he logically explains that a powerful minority of the Earth's population has similar self-interests, thus creating a system that skews policies, economies, and laws in their favor.

September 11 was an opportunity for the world to wake up and change course toward a cooperative and peaceful future. Instead, the Bush administration, the oil/fossil fuels industry, and the military/weapons industry steered us toward more of the same old mistakes, arrogance, and ignorance. Mr. Parenti clues us in on who benefits from walking down the same road we've been so many times.

Incidentally, Oliver North never mentioned bin Laden in his Iran/Contra testimony, as a previous reviewer asserts, and this bit of right-wing mythology is well-debunked at snopes dot com (http://www.snopes.com/rumors/north.htm). ... Read more

Product Description
UNDERSTANDING TERRORISM: GROUPS, STRATEGIES, AND RESPONSES, 3/e is fully updated and brings together today’s most crucial lessons and discoveries for analyzing terrorism and terrorist strategies, and defining effective countermeasures. It brings together both theory and practice, helping students realistically assess threats; understand terrorist acts and their impact; and examine police and governmental responses. This Third Edition reflects today’s latest trends, including an escalation of suicide bombings, increased terrorist sophistication, the decline in state-sponsored terrorism, terrorist resistance in Iraq, and the evolution of antiterrorism legislation. It also presents new coverage of hardening targets, anti-terrorism technology, and international cooperation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Understanding terrorism
The book came to me with the binded end all torn up. The book did not look new since it did not come in a protected envelope when it was mailed to me. ... Read more

Product Description
For Kyle Simms and Jason Lanford, the discovery of a roadside-bomb tutorial will prove a seminal event, changing every aspect of their lives from that moment forward. Posted to an extremist website, the meticulous schematics hint at a new era-one in which the daily death and destruction previously confined to the third world is to be brought to the American heartland.

A mere touch of the sticky silk is all it takes and the two find themselves drawn into a world so foreign, both literally and figuratively, that they are forced to reassess everything they previously understood about the history of Western Civilization and the global war on terror.

The Martyr's Prize tells a tale of American exceptionalism, paying homage to the heroism and professionalism of our Special Forces and Counterterrorism communities while delivering a profound message-the alarming non-fiction groundwork, already in place and presented in the actual words of our enemies, for the future subjugation of the West. This plan, to bring about the elimination of all belief systems beyond their own, is at once spellbinding and horrifying in the face of its likely success. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

sophomoric
Writer has talent , but not yet ready for prime time.
I suspect the author is quite young, which may explain the irritating overuse of vulgarity, and imprecise usage of some words, and just plain rambling. All this is distracting, making it hard to continue to the finish of the book. In short, this writer needs a good mentor, and perhaps a little more education/training in the English language. A thesauras might help. There is some talent here that needs direction, or it will be wasted.

A Fictional Reality
We all need a wake up call and this book rings a big bell. This new and skillful author captures the realities of US and intertional terrorism in a captivating and entertaining format..unlike anything I've seen in this genre. Our "leaders" know and choose to ignore and the public chooses not to know: a perfect environment for Islamic terrorists. "Political correctness" has led to "political ineptness." I have recommended this book to everyone in my address book. The usefull idiots may never wake up, but the rest of us have a lot of work to do. Hope to see more from Brooks William Kelley.

Excellent and riveting read
Mr. Kelly delivers a gripping novel with actual events/facts thrown in.It's a gripping read and highlights the importance for all of us to pay attention to the things happening around us.

Others have said if you enjoy Vince Flynn and Brad Thor you'll enjoy this book, I would definitely agree.Mr. Kelly is definitely an up and coming author and someone to watch.I'm looking forward to his next book.

Give it a read, you won't regret it.

The Martyrs Prize
Well, all of the reviews so far have pretty well hit it dead on! This is a GREAT book from an author that is new to this genre. It does remind me of all the"usual" authors, Brad Thor, Vince Flynn, etc.....however, this author seems to have a better way of conveying the story on a more believable basis...death by political correctness! Anyway, he left us a "hook" for a sequel.....and darn it, I for one cannot wait!

I look foreward to the next in this series
A better than excellent first offering from this author.
Clever and well timed, both in story and the deep respect for the reader, by the author.
There is no... "He slammed the new clip into the barrel and blasted his way out the ambush with his silenced Krinkov revolver"
The author either knows weapons or has bought a drink and tapped the brain of someone who does.
It reads comfortably and abandons the infinite number of stupidities found in every trash TV drama and many of the alleged "action"
books the American public are exposed to, as "entertaainment".
As for the next novel in this series,....well,... I'm waiting. ... Read more

Product Description

Ami Pedahzur and Arie Perliger, world experts on the study of terror and security, propose a theory of violence that contextualizes not only recent acts of terror but also instances of terrorism that stretch back centuries. Beginning with ancient Palestine and its encounters with Jewish terrorism, the authors analyze the social, political, and cultural factors that sponsor extreme violence, proving religious terrorism is not the fault of one faith, but flourishes within any counterculture that adheres to a totalistic ideology.

When a totalistic community perceives an external threat, the connectivity of the group and the rhetoric of its leaders bolster the collective mindset of members, who respond with violence. In ancient times, the Jewishsicarii of Judea carried out stealth assassinations against their Roman occupiers. In the mid-twentieth century, to facilitate their independence, Jewish groups committed acts of terror against British soldiers and the Arab population in Palestine. More recently, Yigal Amir, a member of a Jewish terrorist cell, assassinated Yitzhak Rabin to express his opposition to the Oslo Peace Accords.

Conducting interviews with former Jewish terrorists, political and spiritual leaders, and law-enforcement officials, and culling information from rare documents and surveys of terrorist networks, Pedahzur and Perliger construct an extensive portrait of terrorist aggression, while also describing the conditions behind the modern rise of zealotry.

Customer Reviews (1)

Good Material -
The authors, considered experts on terrorism, begin with a short review of terrorism in ancient Israel (Jews in Judea carried out stealth assassinations against their Roman occupiers), and then summarize numerous terrorist acts by Israeli Jews from 1948 to 2007. Included are the acts of terrorism against British soldiers and the Arab population in Israel's early quest for independence, the assassination of Count Folke Bernadotte (U.N. appointed mediator in the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1947-48), Baruch Goldstein's massacre(entered a Hebron mosque in 1994 while wearing his army uniform and opened fire - killing 29 and wounding 150), the 1995 assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin for his support of the Oslo Accords, the 2002 attempted bombing of a Palestinian girls' school, and additional terrorism acts. Studying these acts and interviewing 'retired' perpetrators, they conclude that religious terrorism is not a 'one-faith phenomenon,' but rather flourishes in any totalistic ideology.

The authors concluded that more than 90% of Jewish terrorists are men, 51.3% unemployed, 56.9% single, and 82% under the age of 27. Members have experienced a sense of crisis, typically a personal loss or assault to their core beliefs. They also contend that resolution of territorial conflict between Israelis and Palestinians would usher in a new era of terrorism, as Jewish terrorists would likely turn to even more extreme objectives, such as removal of mosques on the Temple Mount.

"Jewish Terrorism in Israel" is a well-balanced examination of the topic. There were 309 Jewish terrorist attacks in Palestine and Israel from 1932-2008 - too many to list in their entirety. However, there are some strange omissions, such as the 50,000-some ideological Jewish occupiers of the West Bank. Another is the 1948 Deir Yassin massacre when 120 Zionist paramilitary groups killed at least 107 in the Palestinian-Arab village. Further, the authors failed to mention that Bernadotte had released thousands of Jews from concentration camps only a few years prior to his assassination.

Clearly, the time has come to end the violence on both sides. ... Read more

Product Description
Includes a new Afterword

Finalist for the Council on Foreign Relations Arthur Ross Book Award

One of the world’s foremost authorities on the subject of suicide terrorism, the esteemed political scientist Robert Pape has created the first comprehensive database of every suicide terrorist attack in the world from 1980 until today. In Dying to Win, Pape provides a groundbreaking demographic profile of modern suicide terrorist attackers–and his findings offer a powerful counterpoint to what we now accept as conventional wisdom on the topic. He also examines the early practitioners of this guerrilla tactic, including the ancient Jewish Zealots, who in A.D. 66 wished to liberate themselves from Roman occupation; the Ismaili Assassins, a Shi’ite Muslim sect in northern Iran in the eleventh and twelfth centuries; World War II’s Japanese kamikaze pilots, three thousand of whom crashed into U.S. naval vessels; and the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, a secular, Marxist-Leninist organization responsible for more suicide terrorist attacks than any other group in history.

Dying to Win is a startling work of analysis grounded in fact, not politics, that recommends concrete ways for states to fight and prevent terrorist attacks now. Transcending speculation with systematic scholarship, this is one of the most important studies of the terrorist threat to the United States and its allies since 9/11.

“Invaluable . . . gives Americans an urgently needed basis for devising a strategy to defeat Osama bin Laden and other Islamist militants.”
–Michael Scheuer, author of Imperial Hubris

“Provocative . . . Pape wants to change the way you think about suicide bombings and explain why they are on the rise.”
–Henry Schuster, CNN.com

“Enlightening . . . sheds interesting light on a phenomenon often mistakenly believed to be restricted to the Middle East.”
–The Washington Post Book World

“Brilliant.”
–Peter Bergen, author of Holy War, Inc. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (53)

Insightful study of suicide terrorism, but not wholly convincing
"Dying to Win" is the catchy title of Robert A. Pape's thorough study of suicide terrorism and its background. By compiling and making use of a large number of statistics about suicide attacks as a method of terrorism and/or warfare by non-state actors, Pape has been able to draw some important and significant conclusions about the background and meaning of this phenomenon. Most importantly, he emphasizes that 1) suicide terrorism is not specifically a product of Islam; 2) it is not undertaken, even in majority-muslim countries, mainly by the most intensely religious; 3) it correlates not with religious fundamentalism, but with nationalist movements against foreign occupation and oppression. Based on these facts, and analysis of the biographies of major suicide terrorists and their organizations, Pape suggests that we should see the phenomenon as the final weapon of choice of nationalist organizations. Although often using religious differentiation as a source of nationalist ideology and recruitment, these essentially nationalist groups are very weak against the military power of their opponents and are forced to choose this method to do maximum damage or simply give up. As a result, the average suicide bomber, if there is such a thing, fits not the profile of the crazy loon or the suicidal loner, but rather the profile of the educated working class or professional lower middle class political activist - in other words, the constituency of virtually any broad political movement, in particular left-wing ones.

Pape makes his case well and much of it is highly convincing. It is especially important to disprove the notion that suicide terrorism is an entirely new phenomenon and that it is 100% correlative with fundamentalist Islam. In fact, as Pape shows, in the suicide terrorism campaign against the Israeli occupation of South Lebanon in the early 1980s, a majority of the actual volunteers were from left-wing organizations and secular backgrounds, even though Lebanon is a (small) majority muslim country. As the author's dissections of the known biographical facts about suicide bombers show, it is not possible beforehand to estimate who will become a suicide bomber, nor is there usually some major trauma or event that causes them to 'switch' to a willingness to give up their life for the cause. This makes any counterinsurgent strategy based on the notion that one can identify and eliminate suicide bombers before they undertake the attack completely pointless, and it greatly limits the use of profiling for security reasons.

Not all of the book is entirely persuasive, however. Although I think Pape is right that suicide bombing is an ultimate weapon of the weak in national liberation struggles (or ones seen as such), it is a bit of a stretch to fit Al Qaeda into a 'nationalist' pattern. Pape notes that the point of Al Qaeda is precisely to unite the different local sunni Islamist struggles in the respective countries of the Middle East and North Africa, but the pan-Arabism and pan-Islamism of Al Qaeda have only very weak support and cannot really count as coherent and popular enough to work on behalf of a sunni Arab 'nation' at this time. What is also interesting in that context is that Pape ignores entirely the small suicide bombing campaign of the Turkish Communist group DHKP-C, which had already started its suicide bombings before the first edition of this work was published (so presumably was known) and which explicitly profiles itself as opposed to Turkish nationalism. I think therefore that a better framework, although very similar, is to see it not as a weapon of nationalism as such but more broadly anti-imperialism. That allows it to include not just direct perceived occupation and oppression by a foreign entity, as in the case of Palestine or the Tamils, but also campaigns where the issue is not a nation-state to be but rather a sense that an existing nation is being controlled by foreign imperial entities (as in the Turkish case) or a multiplicity of nations are made puppets in this way (as for Al Qaeda). This preserves Pape's basic framework, which seems to me correct, but I think increases its explanatory power.

The last chapter contains a series of recommendations for American national security strategy based on Pape's analysis. This is an odd mixture of the wise and the foolish. The author very sensibly underlines the importance of withdrawing as much as possible all American combat troops from the greater Middle East, because they are the number one cause of resentment against America in the nations where suicide bombers disproportionately come from - it is much more rare to see them from nations which do not have American troops on them. At the same time, however, Pape does not at all mention American support for Israel, which surely is about equal a source of irritation in that part of the world; even if it does not immediately produce suicide bombers the way American 'occupation' does, it surely greatly increases the appeal of Islamism and nationalism generally and aimed against America in particular. This is all the more true since the United States otherwise is acceptably popular in the Middle East, because of the relative freedom of its citizens and laws compared to their own. Since Pape is a student of John Mearsheimer, one would expect the 'Israel connection' to not be overlooked. It also strikes me as rather bizarre that Pape stresses the importance of building border walls and stricter immigration controls in the United States itself as a short-term solution against the already existing terrorists-to-be. His own book exactly makes it clear that one cannot predict or profile a suicide attacker with any real meaning, all the more since neither socio-economic background nor religious affiliation of itself can be succesfully used for this purpose. At most one could 'profile' relatively well-educated working class people from the Middle East and other war zones, but there are so many people who potentially fall in this category that only a complete shutdown of tourist visas and the like could have the desired effect, and the cure would be much worse than the disease. In any case it may be the somewhat dubious nature of the last chapter is because the author sees it as his task to formulate a strategy to "defend America's core interests" in it, such as occupying nations in order to safeguard the flow of oil to the United States, whereas I have no interest whatsoever in defending 'America's interests' or those of any other nation (in fact, it is by no means clear that nations actually have interests).

This is an excellent and must-read analysis of the nature and background of suicide terrorism since 1980, but one would do well to take the author's conclusions somewhat skeptically.

Solid research, warped conclusions
Now that Tamil war is over, who else is doing suicide attacks other than Islamic bombers? Nobody. Also, if suicide attacks are all about removing occupying forces, please explain the spate of Taliban attacks in Pakistan in fall 2009. This book's argument is dated and wrong headed. With regard to NY Times article of 10/15/09, how can the US fight cave dwelling Taliban/AQ fighters from the sea and air only, and not the ground? Research seems valid, but to call suicide terror logical is warped. Effective maybe in the short term, self-defeating for sure. Logical, no way. All who have tried are losers. Just ask the Kamikazes or Tamil Tigers.

Good study but hardly all the answer
I thought this book was a good study but some of his arguments overstated.

What the writer did was make a database of suicide attacks. He then analysied them to make a pattern. This is a form of analysis that I do like. His results, I found surprising.

The writer's argument is that suicide terrorism is a weapon in the arsenal of many organisations. That suicide terrorists are not a malcontent. Finally the tactic is developed by a weak force to fight back.

He identifies three main conditions that encourage suicide terrorism. The region is perceived as occupied, that this perceived occupying power is a democracy and this perceived occupying power has a different religion.

His definition of occupied is if it is perceived that existing government in an area would not survive if not for another power, then that power is the occupying one. An example would be say you thought the Iraq government only survives because of the US, then US is to you the occupying power in Iraq.

He further argues that most suicide terrorism are not Islam and that such attacks to continue need popular support from the locals.

Finally the writer is dubious on whether suicide attacks as a strategy works. When he goes though all the so-called successes that this tactic is suppose to have gained, he found it accomplished little.

The book certainly gave me much food for thought but I do agree with much. However one advantage I have is that I am reading this book in 2009, so I have more data then he does to examine.

Since he did his study, we have seen in the West suicide bombing in London and Bali. Neither which fit into his theories as neither London nor Bali is under foreign rule.

I found his discussion on Al-Qaedabeing motivated by US troops in Saudi Arabia because they are an occupying power doubtful. If all US troops there which are not many suddenly left the Arabian government there, I doubt the government there would fall.

Nor is it as clear-cut as he suggests that suicide attackers are not malcontents.A recent US 2007 study in Afghanistan found that 80% of the suicide attackers there had physical or mental disability. Most came from a poor part of society. Nor are they there admired by their society.

A French film-maker who recently interviewed many failed suicide attackers and their families reported that they were generally young people with many complexes, including an inferiority complexes. They lacked developed personality and were impressionable idealists. They constantly battle against their own death anxiety. He felt they were principally motivated by religious conviction.

Of course there are conflicting studies and his examples of such people are valid

Finally I do not agree with his solution of withdrawing troops. These troops do encourage suicide actions but they also do much good. In fact, the only example he shows of a non-Muslim organization the Tamil Tiger that practiced this tactic was defeated by a massive assault of the Sri Lankan military. Later in Iraq much of these suicide attacks were reduced by the US surge. Similarly in Israel most of these attacks were stopped by a combination of fences, police and military assaults.

Having said this, I still feel it is a good book with many good points one that I hope politicians thinking of sending troops into a region will consider.

If updated for 4 years of events since Pape wrote it...
[...]
For those not inclined to read the article above, entitled "Obama's Inheritance: Al-Qaeda in Retreat", it details the al-Qaida leaders eliminated in the course of the Bush administrations much maligned and misnamed "war on terror" and the fall in popular support for al-Qaeda and Muslim extremism in Islamic countries and populations. The results? Not only have many of al-Qaeda's leaders met their virgins, many of those who remained in the jihadist movement and much support has turned against the organization. Popular opinion in most of the Middle East has dramatically turned against jihadism, extremist Wassabism, and life under fundamentalist Sharia law.

Pape's thesis is that the presence of foreign troops fuels nationalism, manifested as suicidal terrorist jihadism in Muslim nations. He specifically cites Israel's occupation of Lebanon and the US presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. Also included in his analysis is the Tamil Tiger movement in Sri Lanka, which appears oddly anomalous and gratuitous, as the only non-Muslim organization practicing suicide terrorism in modern times. Its inclusion against the multitude of Islamic extremist groups employing suicide terrorism seems only intended to show that suicide terrorism is not a uniquely Muslim pathology. Ironically, the Tamil Tigers lonely anomalous example seems to prove the opposite.

The evidence of the last 4 years drastically undercuts that thesis. US troops are still in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet the level of resentment that, according to Pape, should result from occupation (the presence of infidels in the Umma al-Islam), has subsided. Iraq under Nouri al-Maliki has stabilized. And even the Tamil Tigers are now defeated and Sri Lanka is peaceful.

Hindsight is 20/20, and Pape's thesis would have appeared far more plausible from the vantage point of 2005 than it does at present. That's why I give the book 2 stars.

Pape's inclusion of the ancient Israeli Sicarii of the 1st centuries BC and AD, along with Japanese Kamikaze from WW2 and the Shiite Ismaili (Assasins) of the 11th century as examples of pre-cursor suicide terrorist movements seems gratuitous. What do an ancient movements with no modern antecedents have to do with the thesis, except that this group was Israeli? It seems only to serve as a device to morally stain modern Israel and Jews as equally susceptible to the same tactics used so ubiquitously by their Muslim extremist enemies.

For that reason, I believe, as some allege in these reviews, that Pape's analysis is deliberately skewed and conclusion is reached to prove a preconceived notion about occupation, especially with regard to American and Israeli policies in the Middle East. It tinges the analysis with the whiff of anti-semitism, since the historical background in the preface seems of little purpose in the service of proving his thesis. However, it is not provable that Pape has that preconception.

Even if Pape is guilty of designing his analysis to fit preconceptions, "Dying to Win" can be viewed as a plausible historical analysis and thesis. Nonetheless, in light of subsequent events, the book should be close to discredited today.

Understand What Terrorism is...
This book has brought an enormous amount of understanding to the true causes of terrorism around the world. This book is a must read for anyone wishing to write or understand these problems from an intellectual position. ... Read more

Product Description
Taking an unbiased approach, this book offers a lens into the history and status of terrorism around the world. Written from a global perspective, it addresses different regions of the world and the terrorist groups that originate there. Featuring new maps and photo art, this edition clearly shows students where terrorism exists and how prevalent it is today. Its systems approach explores various elements of terrorism, terrorists, and their motives and its wide range of current topics make the text suitable for all disciplines and points of view.  ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Poorly Written
This textbook has the focus you expect from a high school research paper.The only difference is that the authors of Terrorism Today use elevated language and esoteric, arcane references, so uncovering any points in this book is extremely laborious at best.Most of it is nothing more than a series of polysyllabic ramblings.One of the most upsetting aspects of it is that the authors make outrageous claims about the motives and psyches of various groups, but they don't back up their claims, and they're obviously not psychologists.I generously gave it two stars because it does contain well hidden bits of information here and there; good luck finding them.

Terrorism today
The Terrorism Today: The Past,The Players, The Future (3rd Edition) was a great buy for me. Due to taking classes on line my text books are usually e-books. I do not have the time to sit in front of a computer and due my reading assignments, so instead of printing out the chapters I save money by buying a hard text book from Amazon, I use it for my assignments and keep it for future referances.

Informative
This is a hard book text.It was easy enough to get through and very informative.

the 3rd edition is MUCH better than previous editions
The negative reviews for this book are not off-base; however they seem to apply to an earlier edition of the book.The 2nd edition of this book had a lot of flaws that the authors needed to fix.In particular, the oddest vocab words were selected for study, there were certain glaring omissions (such as a detailed discussion of the Iraq war, for a book published in 2004!), and very awkward writing.

I've gotten a chance to peruse the 3rd edition, and most of these mistakes are cleared up.The ridiculous end-chapter questions are gone, the vocab words make more sense, and their coverage has been extended in places, and mercifully reduced in other places (such as the countries that don't have any terrorist problems).

Their approach (in both books) has one huge strength: if you're looking for a terrorism text that covers the subject from a comparative politics perspective, the book is almost unique in this respect.It doesn't treat terrorism as something that's just a Middle East or Muslim thing, but covers terrorism on every corner of the globe.Granted, the Middle East should recieve a lot of coverage in the subject of terrorism, and Simonson and Spindlove don't skimp out.However, many other terrorism texts begin AND end with the Middle East, which in my opinion, is the wrong way to go.

Educated people wrote this???
This book is the worst textbook I have ever read. Most of the ideas are not clear, and the authors jumped from one topic to another and back again. They threw in references to things that most people probably can't recall and didn't bother to explain them.

The review questions for each chapter are fairly ridiculous. The answers may or may not be in the chapter, and they either ask something too obvious or something that really doesn't matter. And then at times it seems that the authors couldn't figure out what else to ask, so they asked the same thing and worded it differently. The best part is that the review questions aren't specific so when the authors were talking about one country out of ten they mentioned in the chapter, they say, "that region," and then let the reader figure out what they're talking about. It was also lovely to figure out what they're made up terms in the questions were talking about because they failed to mention them in the text.

The sad thing is that this is the second edition of this book. I really can't see why it got published again. Some topics refer to events as late as 2002, while other topics weren't updated so the authors talk about what might happen in 1998 or 1999. And maybe it's just me, but using the 1990 World Book Encyclopedia as a reference several times is somewhat disappointing.

... Read more

Product Description
Recent attacks in Oklahoma City, at the World Trade Towers, and at American embassies in Africa demonstrate the horrifying consequences of a terrorist strike. But as technological advances make weapons of mass destruction frighteningly easy to acquire, a revolution is occurring in the very nature of terrorism--one that may make these attacks look like child's play. In The New Terrorism Walter Laqueur, one of the foremost experts on terrorism and international strategic affairs, recounts the history of terrorism and, more importantly, examines the future of terrorist activity worldwide. Laqueur traces the chilling trend away from terrorism perpetrated by groups of oppressed nationalists and radicals seeking political change to small clusters of fanatics bent on vengeance and simple destruction. Coinciding with this trend is the alarming availability of weapons of mass destruction. Chemical and biological weapons are cheap and relatively easy to make or buy. Even nuclear devices are increasingly feasible options for terrorists. And with the information age, cyber terrorism is just around the corner. Laqueur argues that as a new quasi-religious extreme right rises, with more personal and less ideological motivations than their left-wing counterparts, it is only a matter of time before the attainability of weapons of mass destruction creates a terrifying and unstable scenario. From militant separatism in Kashmir to state-sponsored extremism in Libya and ecoterrorism in the West, The New Terrorism offers a thorough account of terrorism in all its past and current manifestations. Most importantly, it casts a sober eye to the future, when the inevitable marriage of technology and fanaticism will give us all something new to think about.Amazon.com Review
The use of violence to achieve political goals stretches all the way back to biblical times, and Walter Laqueur outlines its long practice in these pages. Yet his main concern is with the 21st-century threat of "megaterrorism": "What we know about past ages of barbarism is frightening enough," he writes. "The consequences of aggressive madness in the age of high technology and the era of weapons of mass destruction may well be beyond our imagination." Along the way, he offers a fascinating sociology of terrorism; its practitioners, for instance, tend to come from the educated middle classes (although this is far from a hard-and-fast rule). Also, terrorists rarely believe their actions will allow them to seize political power. Instead, they aim to provoke specific responses from their targets, such as lighting an international conflict. Although it is hardly a how-to book, The New Terrorism describes what it takes for terrorism to succeed--Laqueur's list of essentials includes careful planning, an ability to improvise, small units of operation, the anonymity of large urban areas, and ready sources of money. The book is full of rich observations, and there probably isn't a more knowledgeable source on the subject than Laqueur, who has written several books on European and Middle Eastern history and military analysis. His mild pessimism is troubling, but perhaps warranted. Terrorism is about to become even more terrible. --John J. Miller ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Fortunately not yet
Its always a pleasure to read a Walter Laqueur book, not only are you promised a well written book but some interesting discussions.

In this book he discusses terrorism and the Arms of Mass Destruction. Something that I am sure is coming but not fortunately not yet.

The problem with weapons of mass destruction is that chemical warfare is not very effective. Biological is unclear. No one has done much in it and it can effect everyone. Nuclear is probably out of the reach of a terrorist organization unless it can steal a bomb. What response would a nuclear blast give if released? Who knows? Look at the response that 911 caused.

Anyway to use nuclear weapons you need a safe house to keep them. Once the authorities know you have one they will be looking for it. You also probably need a few. One to blow up to show that you have a bomb and can use it. Another to maybe use. If they use it what would be the result?

Not to say a terrorist who wants a bomb is not be feared as it has been stated, "I don't fear a person that wants many nuclear bombs but I do fear the person that wants only one bomb."

Interestingly Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda are not mentioned at all although he was already active. The book just came out just a bit to early in 1998.

One point I wished he had discussed more, is what motives would a terrorist organization have to use such weapons. Many countries today have such weapons and yet they don't use them. Maybe terrorist would be similarly affected for example before 911, the leaders ofal Qaeda discussed but rejected attacking a nuclear power station as a target. The reason is that it would have a unclear result. It was seen as too dangerous.

Anyway in this book we are given some interesting history and is certainly a good read.

Stops short of 911
This book is little more than a rehash of high-profile terrorist attacks in the 20th century with very little insight into the forces that inspired them.Mr. Laqueur covers the gambit from the far right to the far left, with some discussion of the American "survivalists" and the "eco-freaks" that will go to any length to drive their points home.Laqueur seems more comfortable dealing with the Far Right extremists, as his research seems to be strongest in this regard.He seems on shaky ground when dealing with environmentalist terrorism, unsure of the various splinter groups that have adopted extreme actions in recent years.

His digressions into the literature that may have inspired such groups seem absurd at times, talking about James Bond supervillains and noting Edward Abbey's The Monkey Wrench Gang, which was a dark comedy on environmental terrorism.However, he discusses more pertinent books such as The Turner Diaries, which supposedly inspired Timothy McVeigh in attacking the Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

Probably the best chapter is Terrorism and History.Again, there is nothing new but he provides a good encapsulation of terrorism down through the centuries, noting the historic origins of suicide bombings which have sadly become the favored tactics of extreme Islamicists today. He ends by delving into the apocalyptic potential of terrorists should they get their hands on nuclear, chemical or biological weapons of mass destruction, but there is nothing very solid here.More of the doomsday scenarios we have grown accustomed to.

What I found sorely lacking was any attempt to deal with the political conditions that have given rise to the current wave of terrorism, such as the United States' and Britain's overextending foreign policy.Instead, the book is really nothing more than a collection of newspaper stories that will provide the reader with a general survey of terrorism and its threat to American foreign policy.

READ THIS FIRST
As a practicing Odinist, I find this book to be extremely persecuting. Because of this author, and many like him i might add, many people are misled to think that all Odinists are White Supremacists, which just is not true. I think authors, like this pud, should be more wary in there choice of words and make it known with even the vaguest acknowledgement that a small faction of Odinists is of an Aryan mentality. I had to say my piece in defense of all my indiscriminate Odinist sisters and brothers in the world, so farewell.

Apologia pro vita "The New Terrorism" sua
I keep thinking I've fread a different book than the ones that other people review. The History of Terrorism is one of those books. This book was fantastic, and it suffered from few to none of the problems attributed to it below.

I admit to being baffled by one other review in particular. Being fairly well versed in Baader-Meinhoff lore, and I couldn't find a single un-superficial problem with Laqueur's account of them, although I did like Laqueur's 1987 book "The Age of Terrorism" better than this book as far as the Red Army Faction goes. But these are small potato problems, and don't lead me at all to the conclusion our German friend had. I think it very significant that he did not bother to note a single "innacuracy".

The other criticisms are either utterly beside the point or approaching the absurd. The worst were the spurious definitional demands. Until it was taken up by dogmatists, terrorism clearly meant non-state, irregular violence. It was only the needs of left-rhetoric that expanded the view of terrorism to include what states do, which intelligent people might think is called "war" and "repression". I can think of no reason to include The US and Isreal except for dogmatic purposes: if we were to include Isreal, why would our German friend not include Cuba? The clear answer is this is an ideological agenda and not a serious rejoinder for an expansive notion of terrorism. Essentially, the other reviewer doesn't like the US or Isreal from political contacts and is saddened from a lack of political agenda on the part of Mr. Laqueur.

And if by some possibility our other reviewer friend does not mean some simple anti-American or anti-Isreali bias, then his main problem is that this book is an American writer writing from an American perspective on terrorism. Contrary to what mister Colberg believes, it is not a crime to have an American perspective.

The last point is most substantive, and wqhere Mr. Laqueur is most right and his other rewviewer is most wrong- the vast majority of terrorists throughout ages have clearly been unremarkable people. This is what makes the phenomenon so interesting- the notion that terrorism is part of some corner in human nature. I give to you the 19 unremarkable folks who took down the World Trade Center as an example. I don't think our other reviewer friend realizes quite how well Joseph Conrad defined the standard terrorist or why his characterization has survived so long in the minds of people who think about terrorism.

This was a fine book. Please buy it.

Very disappointing
If you read only one book on terrorism, make sure it's not this one - to change the statement made by former CIA director James Wollsey somewhat. The list of shortcomings of this book is so long that it'd hardly worth the effort to mention them all here - see also the other reviews.

The information in this book doesn't appear to be very thoroughly researched (e.g. I am German and a lot of what Mr Laqueur write about what he calls the Baader-Meinhoff gang - which is actually only the first generation of the RAF - is simply wrong). What's more, it is amazingly superficial. How can you for instance reject the claim that terrorist are "unremarkable people" (Maxwell Taylor and Ethel Quayle in "Terrorist Lives") by quoting Joseph Conrad, a novelist? Mr Laqueur only needs to look at studies on e.g. Nazi death squads to see how those people who killed thousands of Jews in fact were what you'd call unremarkable people. On and on goes the list of shortcomings.

On top of that, to make a political statement, Mr Laqueur's definition of what terrorism is excludes states like Israel (with a long history of state-sponsored terrorism) and the US itself (ditto - take for instance the US war against Nicaragua which, according to the international Court of Law, was pretty much state-sponsored terrorism). One could at least expect that an author who examines terrorism would look at all the different meanings the word "terrorism" has - as the ruler of Syria said the other day those Palestinian terrorists are freedom fighters for him. One might reject that but it has to be mentioned in a book which claims it is dealing with terrorism. ... Read more

Product Description
The greatest danger facing the world today, says Alan M. Dershowitz, comes from religiously inspired, state sponsored terrorist groups that seek to develop weapons of mass destruction for use against civilian targets. In his newest book, Dershowitz argues passionately and persuasively that global terrorism is a phenomenon largely of our own making and that we must and can take steps to reduce the frequency and severity of terrorist acts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (33)

Not a useful contribution to the debate on how to beat terrorism
The American civil rights lawyer Alan Dershowitz is a liberal who is also a defender of the US and Israeli states. This tension between rights and force puts him into contradictory postures.

So, as a defender of the US and Israeli states, he writes of terrorism, "We must commit ourselves never to try to understand or eliminate its alleged root causes." This is to assume that `our' cause and governments are perfectly just. But whether US and Israeli policies have helped to cause terrorism is a question of fact, and the evidence is that US policy towards the Middle East has helped to cause terrorism.

It has also been unjust, which of course does not excuse the terrorists. To identify a policy as unjust does not entail support for righting the injustice through terrorism. So we can agree with him that "no cause - no end - justifies resort to the unacceptable means of terrorism."

He discusses torture mainly in his chapter 4, what we should do in the ticking bomb scenario, not in chapter 3, on what he imagines an amoral state would do, in which he gives just one page to discussing torture. Throughout chapter 4 he puts the case for allowing torture. He has a 7-page section on the case for, but no section on the case against. He writes of `numerous instances in which torture has produced self-proving, truthful information that was necessary to prevent harm to civilians'. What on earth does `self-proving' mean? But when he tries to prove this crucial point of his argument, he cites just one case where, he writes, torture elicited `information that may have foiled plots ...' So his best, his supposedly clinching, case rests on a mere `may have' - hardly conclusive proof. In the real world, there have been no examples of the `ticking bomb' scenario. If there had been, he would surely have cited them.

He writes, "In Israel, the use of torture to prevent terrorism was not hypothetical; it was very real and recurring. ... the extraordinarily rare situation of the hypothetical ticking bomb terrorist was serving as a moral, intellectual, and legal justification for a pervasive system of coercive interrogation." This undermines his whole rationale for allowing limited, legalised torture - it never stays limited. Yet despite recognising that Israel's illegal occupation of territories acquired by war has led to widespread and systematic torture, he persists in supporting the occupation and even calls for further collective punishments of the Palestinian people.

He not only defends Israeli state terrorism but US state terrorism too, backing (as do both John McCain and Barack Obama) the illegal US sanctions against Cuba, the main victim of US state terrorism. Cuba has suffered more than 40 years of terrorist attacks launched unchecked from Miami.

Clearly, present Israeli policies are not working, but Dershowitz's solution is to urge Israel to be even harsher. But the more violence the Israeli government has used, the more violence its civilians have suffered. More Israelis were killed when Sharon was Prime Minister, 2001-6, than in the 1967 War.

When (not if) Dershowitz's policy does not work, will he admit its failure and accept what most of the rest of the world accepts - a two-state solution? Or will he say that the repression should be even harsher? His proposals have no limits - they promise only endless occupation, more wars and worse oppression.

Similarly, attacking Iraq has made us all less secure and strengthened the radical Islamic terrorist movement. The US state's bellicose response to the 9/11 atrocity was not only dishonourable and unethical, given the cruel suffering it has inflicted on thousands of innocents, but also imprudent in the extreme because it was bound to produce as much hatred as fear, as much burning desire for reprisal as quaking docility.

Dershowitz advocates some sensible policies to counter terrorism - effective border control systems, deportation of illegal immigrants and use of face recognition technology at airports. He rightly opposes President Bush's unprecedented authorisation of secret military trials of American residents suspected of terrorist offences, because, as he notes, to put justice under the chain of military command is to end justice. Yet he also supports introducing ID cards, which are notoriously unreliable, expensive and ineffective.

The war on terror is bound to fail when conducted, as it has been so far, against the rule of law and outside the constitution. To `go around the law' when combating terrorism is to regress to collective punishment. Waiving the rules does the work of terrorists: it creates a world where violence breeds violence - where terrorism breeds torture and torture breeds terrorism. This will not be a safer world.

This book is great!
This book is insightful and well written. Obviously anything written by Alan Dershowitz is going to be amazing, but I found that I share a lot of his views. Before reading this book I felt that terrorism works because our global community rewards it. I continue to feel that way, but I now know of historical instances to back it up.
The depth of story he tells about the reign of terror the Palestinians have led makes me so much more aware. All I hear about today is the war in Iraq, but this book shows that Iraq is not the beginning. It also shows that terrorists get ideas from fellow terrorist organizations.
I feel that this is an important book to read because of the vivid explanations of some of the world's most heinous acts of terror. The book explains how you can prevent terror, how it started, and how to be more aware even if it is not in the news. If you are someone who likes politics, world history, or would just like a general understanding of the intentions of terrorists, this is the book for you.

It works alright...
Terrorism (the use of fear to persuade and manipulate the masses) works due to the efforts of people like Dershowitz.

When ordered to guard the oil pipelines being aimed in Israel's direction one doesn't need a man who makes his living protecting murderers to explain the ways in which terror works.

- J

Torture is Good for the Commonweal
Noted civil libertarian Alan Dershowitz joins forces with noted civil libertarian Dick Cheney in "Why Terrorism Works" and calls for the "judicious" use of torture when dealing with our enemies. According to the Dershowitz/Cheyney school of interrogation, if a foe's testicles are crushed in a vice- a "sterile" vice-then he will tell all. What he will tell is whatever the testicle mashers want to hear so that they will stop mashing his testicles.The good professor has evidently forgotten the hoary old legal chestnut about one drop of ink polluting the whole bottle of milk, usually cited by the trial lawyer asking for a mistrial because a witness has blurted out inadmissable evidence in front of a jury. Torture is wrong, morally and constitutionally. A wee bit of it applied to really bad people is still wrong.

Unfortunately more true today than when the book was published
The main thesis of this work is that the international community rewards Terrorism. A good part of the examples presented relate to the tremendous success Palestinian terrorism has had in moving the international community to applaud and reward terror. Today Terrorism is thriving on many different fronts, most of which have some connection with a discontented Islamic group of one kind or another.
Since this book was written we have not seen the international community forcefully take a stand in support of the US in its effort to move Iraq to a democratic future. Instead the Sunni terrorists who are daily murdering their fellow Muslims are rewarded by the support, clandestine or otherwise, of Arabcountries.
The Palestinians, who have done more for international terror than any other people, have just been given the prize of having Jews removed from Gaza. Their reaction was the burning of synagogues and promises that they will war against Israel until they have destroyed it completely. For these kind actions they were treated as usual with kid gloves by the Western Media, which has an ambivalent attitude towards terror.
Dershowitz in this book makes recommedations for American policies including the introduction of identity- cards, which he hopes will stem future acts of terror.
Most experts however believe that the cat is already out of the bag, and that the US is filled with sleeper cells , ready to produce the next great mass horror. Let's pray this is not true, and the terrorists have been trying, and have not succeeded to this point.
One more point in this rambling review. The US war on terror is compromised by its support of the Saudi Regime. The Saudi Regime has cultivated Wahhabi Islam which is the main source not only of the Osama Bin- Laden way of thought but of most of the radical Islamic terror in the world. The US has not known how to deal with the Saudi problem. And now has a great threat in terror coming from Iran, the threat of nuclear terror.
Dershowitz does not outline the full range of problems confronting the West in confronting Terror. But he does show how Terror has paid, and has not been stopped.
Unfortunately, if the Western world does not learn to do better against this scourge, all of human civilization , and the worlds of freedom which so many of us have been fortunate to have known all our adult lives, will be severely threatened in the future. ... Read more

Product Description
A chilling analysis of the constitutional costs of the new war on terrorism, from two leading experts.

Tracing the history of government intrusions on Constitutional rights in response to threats from abroad, Cole and Dempsey warn that a society in which civil liberties are sacrificed in the name of national security is in fact less secure than one in which they are upheld.

In a vivid and important critique of our government's response to threats —real and perceived —from communists in the 1950s, Central American activists in the 1980s, Palestinians in the 1990s, and now Islamic terrorists in the twenty-first century, two leading constitutional scholars warn that many of our government's anti-terrorism efforts sacrifice civil liberties without effectively protecting national security.

James X. Dempsey, former assistant counsel to the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights, and David Cole, a law professor and leading civil liberties lawyer, contend that in its response to the attacks of September 11, the Bush administration has already repeated many of the worst mistakes of the past, and is unlikely to make Americans more secure. By comparing recent anti-terrorism measures to law enforcement abuses of the past, the authors make a compelling case against the 1996 and 2001 Anti-Terrorism Acts, both of which offer the FBI far more latitude than is necessary or desirable in a free society.

A new chapter includes a discussion of domestic spying, preventive detention, the many court challenges to post-9/11 abuses, implementation of the PATRIOT ACT, and efforts to reestablish the checks and balances left behind in the rush to strengthen governmental powers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

This Book Lacks Real Solutions
This book appears more to be an alarmist than pointing out a real solution to what the author considers as a growing problem.Since 2001 PATRIOT Act, the main problem civil liberities activists have is monitoring international calls from suspected terrorists.If this is all the problems these people have including the author, other than speculating what might happen, then there is no real problem with the 2001 PATRIOT Act that's going to take the average American's liberities away.

Rest in Peace Bill of Rights...slain by the Patriot Act
Government response to 'terrorism' is not new; we have previously understood that in 'times of war' civil liberties were suspended (supposedly for the national good). We also know that times of panic (Joe McCarthy) had also prompted otherwise reasonable people to abandon their civil liberties for the now-familiar promise of 'national security'.

Yet, what is new about the post 9/11 climate is the depth of these anti-terrorism policies and the general public's apparent willingness to sacrifice their freedom inexplicably to receive 'security'.

Whether it is the terror alert 'color' of the day, or the list of people who can/cannot fly on planes, national security could instead be used as a tool to generate even more fear...or a weapon to attack political dissenters.

A government effectively stifling criticism of its policies as `being for the terrorists' is allowed to do whatever it wants to citizens whenever it wants. Reminiscent of Nazi Germany, people who still attempt to critique government policy (including the Patriot Act) quickly find themselves labeled as an enemy of the state.

It is significant that the first edition of this book was published after the Oklahoma City bombing. Everybody had agreed this event was a national tragedy, yet the government did not use it as a battering ram to dismantle citizen civil liberties and/or eliminate people whom they have disagreed with. By focusing on case specifics, the Clinton administration found the people who were responsible for that incident (two disgruntled veterans from America's heartland!).

Sharply contrasting, the measures taken in response to 9/11 demonstrate excess and paranoia. "Homeland security" permits the Bush White House to target ANYBODY it does not like.

How else to explain why Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D MA)'s name has repeatedly turned up on the nation's no fly-list, despite a public service career whose length easily exceeds that of many "Homeland Security" officials themselves?

And then there is the issue of increased FBI surveillance to 'combat' terrorist threats. Again, because the FBI had spied on dissenting groups until Hoover's death, there is a strong case that this same government agency will not ethically be able to conduct impartial investigations today.

It is indeed a sad day when we want the rest of the world to be democratic but cannot bring ourselves to have similar conditions inside this same country. The greatest causality of the war on terror is the American Bill of Rights.

Great book, but scary to think about, post-9/11 study.
This book gives a frightening look at how post-9/11 paranoia and the aftermath of that horrific event have lead to the diminution of civil liberties in the U.S..The passage of the so-called "Patriot Act(s)" will not only make ethnic groups (particularly Arab/Muslims, given that 9/11 was perpetrated by members of that ethnic group) [a] cause to worry, even Americans may be, if their views don't match the current Administration's views, subject to loss of constitutional rights.[The ACLU would have a field day about this, if the premise of the book is true.]It is an important book to read and should be read by everyone who thinks that their civil liberties are unable to be violated by the government.(Conservatives will call this book nonsense, but most of us [moderates and liberals] will find the book an eye-opening study of overreaction and paranoia, by the government, as a result of 9/11.

6 years older , but none the wiser...
This edition is an updated version of the authors earlier book written in the wake of the 1996 Anti-Terrorism Act. Remember that Act? That was the one passed in response to Oklanhoma City and gave "sweeping new powers" to federal authorities, so that such a horrible act of terrorism, would never, ever, never, never happen ever again!

Now with 9/11 and the "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism" (U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T) Act (how much time, do you suppose, does it take to come with these acronyms?), the authors are back with a critical look at a drive towards what has very little to do with counterterrorism and quite a bit to do with increasing and centralizing power.

In the past 12 months we've had proposals for a national ID card, a missle defense system, legalized torture, suspension of writ of habeas corpus, a "homeland security" infrastructure that is heavily reliant on security technologies of dubious value. Basically the only thing that has changed that would have prevented the 9/11 are locked Cabin doors and the newfound general awareness that "cooperating with the hijacker" might not be the best policy for passeners.

Also along the way, a steady trickle of stories of missed opportunities, ignored warning and frustrated investingations have come out regarding the FBI and others to use the powers they already do have.

The bulk of the book deals with FBI misdeed during the Cold War and proposes an unfashionable counterrorism strategy that emphasizes the responsibility of actors, not ideology. Basically, trying to treat terrrorism as a crime not as war.

The proposals are a little narrow. Terrorism of the sort represented by al Quaeda is international, not just national. The fight against it will share more with racketeering and global criminal networks. And a world court is needed. I'm not sure if dealing on a purely "case-by-case" basis will do the trick.

Nevertheless, the authors have offered a well reasoned case and in the current climate when we are asked to give up so much with only the assurance of "trust us" we would do to heed their call. ... Read more

Product Description
Terrorist organizations have been able to market mass murder under hysteria’s banner of alleged martyrdom. But when it comes to understanding Islamic suicide terrorism in particular, there is much more to it than martyrdom. In this groundbreaking book, Nancy Kobrin dismantles the psychological dynamics of suicide terrorism to help the reader gain a new perspective on one of the most destructive forces the world has witnessed to date.

Until now, no one has explained why the mother-child relationship is central to understanding Islamic suicide terrorism. The Banality of Suicide Terrorism exposes the very ordinariness of one of the deepest yet most poorly understood causes of the suicide bomber’s motivation: a profound terror of abandonment that is rooted in the mother-child relationship. According to Kobrin, this terror is so great in the would-be suicide terrorist that he or she must commit suicide (and mass murder in the process) in order to fend off that terror of dependency and abandonment. Suicide terrorists seek a return to the bond with the mother of early childhood— known as maternal fusion—by means of a “death fusion” with their enemies, who subconsciously represent the loved (and hated) maternal figure. The terrorist’s political struggle merely serves as cover for this emotionally terrifying inner turmoil, which can lead down the path of ultimate destruction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

horrible and disappointing
Not the most profound work on this subject, the author frequently misses their mark. After having read some of her interviews in the media, I should have probably known better but the source of the publication is a think tank and not an academic press which tells you much about the quality of the book.

The Banality of Suicide Terrorism
I agree with one of the author's premises that women are devalued in Islam and are victimized too readily. To explain terrorism mainly from the psychoanalytic perspective, however, is quite dangerous, as it emphasizes the causality of terrorism from the terrorist's relationship with his mother. The explanation of suicide terrorism is considerably more complex. While psychotherapy, in general, is a helpful mental health treatment modality, especially when also taking into account biochemical/genetic factors, the specific psychological theory of psychoanalysis has been disproven for decades by research in determining human behavior. Human behavior is influenced by many social, environmental, and genetic factors and cannot be explained by, for example, displaced rage against the mother. Suicide terrorism is probably the most dangerous threat to humanity and to the future of our civilization. It is irresponsible to use a highly subjective theory to explain and rationalize the despicable act committed by extreme religious fanatics of mass murdering innocent civilians.

The relation between islamic terrorism, psychoanalyze and the Borderline DSM IV diagnostic
I have been deeply interested in reading this book.
First to appeal to me, Doctor Kobrin shows deep analyzing insights
and sensitivity to some very important societal issues.

After reading this book, it may sound very reasonable to believe
that Islamic suicide bombers share some symptoms with Borderline Personality Disorder.
Borderline diagnostic seems to point to a sense of a psychological black hole
that may be caused by an early emotional sense of abandonment between mother and infant
that are very deep and frightening for any infant victim.
One of the only way to sustain this lifelong terror is to act it out through a very destructive rage.
Islamic girls are abandoned by their family and their entire society
in the way they are made ashamed of their own body, identity, and sexuality.
Those women are the black holes, hidden behind veil and burkas.

In quoting Doctor Kobrin, the terrorist is not in contact with the terror inside but has
become her/his own terror in projecting it outside onto victims.
This is, I believe, one among other truly fascinating ideas inside this book.

I also admire many different other ideas, the huge research work
and also all the different knowledge exchanged with different helpful and insightful persons
that this book reflects throughout.


Laurence

A fine survey for any college-level psychology or social issues library
The Banality of Suicide Terrorism: The Naked Truth About the Psychology of Islamic Suicide Bombing belongs in any library strong in terrorism issues and science. It explains how the mother-child relationship is key to understanding Islamic suicide terrorism, analyzing the psychology behind terrorist suicide actions. A fine survey for any college-level psychology or social issues library.

The Banality of Suicide Terrorism
The writings of Dr. Kobrin was courageous to say the least.The in depth knowledge that she brings to light is a lesson for all those that either want or need to know about the inner mind of the middle eastern terrorist.It is hard for a western mind to fully grasp how a male is reared in the middle east but she brings this to light better than anyone thus far.I, personally benefited from reading this book. ... Read more

Product Description

This handbook introduces the reader to the field of terrorism investigation. Describing how terrorists operate and how they differ from other criminals, it provides an outline of how terrorism investigations should be conducted. By helping investigators to develop skills and knowledge, this guide helps them to prepare prosecutable cases against terrorists.

Customer Reviews (2)

Outstanding work by the expert
Dyson has used his vast experience to help law enforcement officers solve terrorist crimes, something they have become more involved with since 9/11.He walks a novice through investigative techniques with which they may not be familiar and helps an experienced officer through other more technical topics.This book should be a part of every police library and used as a text in teaching potential officers in criminal justice programs around the country.Thanks Mr. Dyson for your years of service and for this excellent book.

Nice book
Item shipped quickly.I thought I ordered the second edition, but it turned out to be the first.I don't know whose fault it was, probably mine I am so abscent minded. ... Read more

Product Description

The Definitive Handbook on Terrorist Threats to Commercial Airline and Airport Security

Considered the definitive handbook on the terrorist threat to commercial airline and airport security, USAF Lieutenant Colonel Kathleen Sweet’s seminal resource is now updated to include an analysis of modern day risks. She covers the history of aviation security and compares current in-flight security practices with those of other countries.

Covering Transportation Security Administration changes in security, policy, and training regulation since 9/11, this authoritative reference:

• Discusses a broad range of aviation terrorist incidents
• Considers aviation security in the present geopolitical climate
• Addresses cargo and passenger security
• Determines how security considerations are factored into business processes
• Details new regulations for the TSA
• Contains an instructor’s manual with test bank
• Documents the history of aviation security
• Includes extensive background information on various terrorist groups

In addition to cargo and passenger security, the text looks at airport and aviation business practices and how security considerations are factored into business processes. The first edition quickly became required reading for air service operators and airport management training programs. This edition is certain to follow suit.

Customer Reviews (7)

Great seller
The seller is great shipped fast got the book in 2 days. also in great condition. Looks new thank you.

Poorly written
The author really needs anew editor.Grammar, spelling, and factual errors, as well as several inconsistencies are spread throughout the book.

Aviation and Airport Security
Product arrived in excellent condition and ahead of the expected delivery date.Great Service.Would highly recommend.

Teacher
I used this book for a course as there was little to choose from and without reading the entire book it looked solid.I was wrong.The author states something as fact in one chapter only to counter it in another.It reads like a rambling narrative, lacks basic organizational formating and contains misspellings etc. etc.I will not use it again which amounts to me having to completely redo all of my previous test, lectures etc. but it would not be fair to the student to keep it.The students complained alot about the textbook.They where right it made my job difficult since I had placed my faith in textbook only to find it was not up to standards.

One of the worst written textbooks ever...
I have to agree with the Book Reader's review of this book. This book was required for a Security class that I am currently taking, and what a disappointment this book is! It is extremely difficult to read. There is so much repetitive information that if taken away from the book, the book can easily become half its current size. There is no fluidity of the information provided, which also makes it quite difficult to follow. There are quite a few grammatical and punctuation errors. Considering the author's credentials, I was expecting a great deal more out of this book, and I am greatly disappointed! ... Read more

Product Description
Trotsky and Zizek on revolutionary violence.Written in the white heat of revolutionary Russia's Civil War, Trotsky's Terrorism and Communismis one of the most potent defenses of revolutionary dictatorship. In his provocative commentary to this new editionthe philosopher Slavoj Zizek argues that Trotsky’s attack on theillusions of liberal democracy has a vital relevance today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

defense of equality
this was Trotsky's bout with one-time Marxist Karl Kautsky, representative of Social-Democracy,revolution,the affinity for parliamentarian incremental change through bourgeois means; ballot-boxes, sitting sovereigns, capital comforted with safety nets, and the context here is Soviet Russia was waiting(isolated) for assistance from the German Revolution to happen which just eroded away with the murder of Rosa Luxemberg, curious that the word "terror" has magnetized itself around it new multi-dimensional meanings,the media has done wonderful work bundling the word "terror" with anything resembling opposition, I doubt if Israeli apparatchiks could speak on TV without utilizing the word a few dozen times, to define, fears fears-of-fears,Unknown-Knowns-Fears,Known-Knowns, the Rumsfeldian epistemology,still there is some marvelous reflections here from Trotsky on the Paris Commune,the balance of power in the shape of the globe circa 1920; the paradigms of power and the next thread in its evolution, Kautsky simply wanted to preserve, the Known-Knowns,without seeking to face those monstrous Un-Knowns, he didn't have a sensibility for such dangers, Trotsky did up to a point,but was blind of his own fate, yet here there is good analysis of the reality of aftermath Soviet situations prior to the Stalin Thermidor was to take root,a vastly involutarily trained endoctrinated marxologist himself I suspect Zizek is looking for cognitive "threads"in shapes resembling Badiou-ian " Truth" nodes, "Events" which can illumine a path perhaps simply to more discussions on youtube within the world un-evolving postpoltical context, with bio-politics, and the neo-liberal order at the helms stirring the ship with their own cognitive maps. Zizek is good at what he does, and leaves out the residue of rhetorical hatreds you still odiously find on the Left,fighting self-defeating battles merely to hear one's own voice, I like to recall the old RCA white putchee dog, staring mindlessly into vinyl playing speaker cone; "What's this?" like the Left does today for things they refuse to explain, Zizek has a Wotan-like spirit in these Verso writings assignments assembling his theoretical "Walkure" to assist him; ... Read more

Product Description
Trotsky and Zizek on revolutionary violence.Written in the white heat of revolutionary Russia's Civil War, Trotsky's Terrorism and Communismis one of the most potent defenses of revolutionary dictatorship. In his provocative commentary to this new editionthe philosopher Slavoj Zizek argues that Trotsky’s attack on theillusions of liberal democracy has a vital relevance today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

defense of equality
this was Trotsky's bout with one-time Marxist Karl Kautsky, representative of Social-Democracy,revolution,the affinity for parliamentarian incremental change through bourgeois means; ballot-boxes, sitting sovereigns, capital comforted with safety nets, and the context here is Soviet Russia was waiting(isolated) for assistance from the German Revolution to happen which just eroded away with the murder of Rosa Luxemberg, curious that the word "terror" has magnetized itself around it new multi-dimensional meanings,the media has done wonderful work bundling the word "terror" with anything resembling opposition, I doubt if Israeli apparatchiks could speak on TV without utilizing the word a few dozen times, to define, fears fears-of-fears,Unknown-Knowns-Fears,Known-Knowns, the Rumsfeldian epistemology,still there is some marvelous reflections here from Trotsky on the Paris Commune,the balance of power in the shape of the globe circa 1920; the paradigms of power and the next thread in its evolution, Kautsky simply wanted to preserve, the Known-Knowns,without seeking to face those monstrous Un-Knowns, he didn't have a sensibility for such dangers, Trotsky did up to a point,but was blind of his own fate, yet here there is good analysis of the reality of aftermath Soviet situations prior to the Stalin Thermidor was to take root,a vastly involutarily trained endoctrinated marxologist himself I suspect Zizek is looking for cognitive "threads"in shapes resembling Badiou-ian " Truth" nodes, "Events" which can illumine a path perhaps simply to more discussions on youtube within the world un-evolving postpoltical context, with bio-politics, and the neo-liberal order at the helms stirring the ship with their own cognitive maps. Zizek is good at what he does, and leaves out the residue of rhetorical hatreds you still odiously find on the Left,fighting self-defeating battles merely to hear one's own voice, I like to recall the old RCA white putchee dog, staring mindlessly into vinyl playing speaker cone; "What's this?" like the Left does today for things they refuse to explain, Zizek has a Wotan-like spirit in these Verso writings assignments assembling his theoretical "Walkure" to assist him; ... Read more

Product Description
We live in an age when love and power have become virtually interchangeable.Intimate Terrorism isa profound and beautifully written explorationof this condition that draws from psychology,literature, popular culture, current events, and the author's own therapeutic practice to examine the contemporary crisis of intimacy--and suggestwhat we all might do about it. In doing so itoffers one of the most probing readings of theAmerican psyche in years. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Brilliant
Michael Vincent Miller cuts through the muddle of idealization and societal expectations of romance to the essence of love and the power struggles that underlie it.He's a rare writer--one who is able to simultaneously be accessible and intellectual, literary and low brow, deftly weaving together literary allusions and pop culture trends.This book opened my eyes and has helped me cut through delusions about love and appreciate my partner.Stick it out to the end--the epilogue offers hope.Very highly recommend.

Well Worth A Careful Reading
This book may have saved my marriage.It is not the easiest read in the world: Unlike many pop psychology books on relationships, Intimate Terrorism probes the depths of its subject.It brought me a whole new understanding of how anxiety casts shadows upon our most important close relationships and how this can lead to endless power struggles.The book does not offer any quick solutions, but it makes an eloquent plea for the development of awareness, humor, and empathy.

Nothing we really don't already know
This book was below my expectations considering such a topic as intimate relationships and the such. It's a decent read, if it were simplified. It seems the author tries to outdo himself with his penmenship. What it boils down to is that love is power, but then again, everything centers around power and some of the things that might perk your interest is stuff we really already know anyway.

This is not a handbook! ;)
For those of us who believe that great loves and partnerships are life's most valuable treasure ... this can be one hell of a scary book;) He does a great job of pointing out the pitfalls built in to our modern concept of a "R-R-R-Relationship" (capital and quotes emphasized).You will recognize the symptoms and patterns he points out in society as a whole, in your family, your friends,and (painfully) even yourself.He's so brutally pessimistic in tone he doesn't leave much hope.However, looking at things with eyes wide open, as they are, is the first step toward recognizing these obtacles and pitfalls within ourselves (in my opinion) ... and thats our best chance of taking responsibility for it and changing it.This is where the hope lies.As long as you don't let it depress you (lol) ... this one is a must read.Besides,his metaphors are hilarious:they rule:)He loses a star for the pessimism - he could lighten up a tad ...

Author falls short of his goal
The title of this book looks promising to readers who are interested in studying interpersonal psychology, and the book claims in particular to deal with the effects that previous abuse can have on a relationship.Butthe author falls far short of his stated goals.The pages are sparselygilded with common-sense pop psychology, and these "discoveries"are "supported" by contemporary cases from the media; only ahandful of cases are recycled throughout the book.Plenty of quality booksexist on this book's alleged subject; seek out those books and don't botherwith this lightweight. ... Read more