Product Description
Homeland Security: Principles and Practice of Terrorism Response is the definitive resource on all aspects of homeland security, including incident management, threat assessment, planning for and response to terrorism and other forms of violence, the federal response plan, and weapons of mass effect. Ideal as a textbook for college-level homeland security courses or as a training text for first responders and government officials, Homeland Security: Principles and Practices of Terrorism Response explains key concepts of national security and applies them to real-world operations. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

A good overview, but lacking detail
Dirty Dealing reads more like a 2-day introductory seminar on money laundering.It covers the basics.I was looking for more detailed information regarding the machinations of multi-jurisdictional offshore structures related specifically to viaticals.Didn't find that here.

Useful introduction but needs more work
Money laundering is the engine behind the ever expanding scourge of global organised crime. After reading this book one has an appreciation of the magnitude of the problem and a basic understanding of the mechanics behind laundering. Money laundering is conceptually fairly simple. As Lilley confirms there have been developed no truly new vehicles for money laundering since the early days when criminals washed their proceeds by mingling them with clean money from businesses with high cash turnovers such as launderettes. The internalisation of the business environment, the proliferation of sophisticated financial instruments, the speed of new technology (fax, the internet), and the removal of (intra-EU) border controls are factors that contribute to the widening repertoire of launderers, going beyond banks to include the global world of business. Despite this surface complexity it appears that schemes remain variations on a few basic old themes. These methods encompass surprisingly simple mechanisms as hard cash deliveries and invoices for fictitious consultancy services to complex multi-jurisdictional offshore structures. Anonimity (of false identity) is the pivotal element in all. Complicity of high-level officials and decision-makers and lax oversight procedures from financial institutions help tremendously in lowering the transaction costs for criminals (and increasing them for law enforcement). Reining in money laundering is - given the geographical scope of the dealings, the seamless meshing with the legal economy, the superficial diversity of schemes, and the enormous volumes of cash involved - a significant challenge. It relies to a large extent on a "soft" approach, sensitising banks, businesses and their employees to take personal responsibility in reporting suspicious transactions. Opportunism and greed make this very hard to do.

Lilley's book reads like a kind of consultancy report, suitable for quick access to the facts (insofar as known) but it is not a great literary treasure. Sometimes it looks more like a dressed-up powerpoint presentation, with lists of bullet points to summarise key facts. There's a fair amount of repetition as well. I guess the book could be quite easily condensed to two thirds of its present volume. Surprisingly, Lilley discusses some of the better known laundering setups - such as the black market peso exchange system, or the Bank of New York case - very summarily. A book such as Nick Kochan's The Washing Machine does a better job here.

Common to much of the laundering literature is the paradoxical feeling that, although laundering is conceptually simple (despite the occasional technical complexity), it remains hard to grasp exactly how the washing ties into the criminals' business models. For example, why exactly are "International Business Corporations" the key laundering vehicles for drug traffickers? What other instruments to they use? What other criminal entrepreneurs make use of IBCs? A simple typology of laundering mechanisms - derived from a few basic operational principles and linked into logic of various type(s) of illicit business - could be of great help here. Maybe the authors are hard to fault as the details of these setups are probably not even known or privy to criminal investigators. The suggestion to draw up a clear typology may also run counter to Lilley's assertion that "laundering is just as likely to be a self-perpetuating cycle or continuum as opposed to a clearly definable process with a discernible beginning and conclusion." Despite this assertion it seems still a good idea to systematise the book's ideas in a few clear conceptual frameworks.

Lilley's book is useful as a broad, general survey of laundering (and terrorist financing, which is of a different nature), but one will have to read further afield to get a better understanding for how laundering and trafficking mesh in creating viable, criminal business models. I'd give the book 3,5 stars.

Strongly recommended reading for students of economics, criminology, and global terrorism
The fully revised and updated third edition of Dirty Dealing: The Untold Truth About Global Money Laundering, International Crime And Terrorism by global crime expert Peter Lilly is an informed and informative study of international corruption and crime as resulting in over two trillion US dollars being siphoned for illegal purposes every year. Introducing readers to a methodical and documented account based upon expertly researched information and analysis, Dirty Dealing provides a progressive basis for comprehending the global funding of international terrorism, major national and international organized criminal groups, the impact of the internet and "cyber laundering", and international anti-money laundering strategies for all types of corporate and multinational businesses. A seminal work of considerable scholarship and insight, Dirty Dealing is very strongly recommended reading for students of economics, criminology, and global terrorism.

Highly Recommended!
The subtitle of this book promises the "untold story" of dirty international financial dealings. That's not quite what it delivers, because the book compiles already-published accounts, public reports and Congressional testimony, and adds to them. Given that money laundering involves drug dealers, terrorists and slavers, the book has some titillating asides about sex, violence and filthy money. Author Peter Lilley explains precisely how money laundering works, including an introduction to the practices and techniques that have proven most successful. While praising the author's reportorial depth, we note one dilemma that emerges from such thoroughness: we hope this book doesn't fall into the hands of someone who wishes to take up money laundering but is unsure how to proceed. Business people who want to avoid being victimized should take particular note of the chapter discussing well-known checks-and-balances, controls and best practices. ... Read more

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Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, scholars and policy analysts in national security have turned their attention to terrorism, considering not only how to prevent future attacks but also the roots of the problem. This book offers some of the latest research in terrorism studies. The contributors examine the sources of contemporary terrorism, discussing the impact of globalization, the influence of religious beliefs, and the increasing dissatisfaction felt by the world’s powerless. They consider the strategies and motivations of terrorists, offering contending perspectives on whether or not terrorists can be said to achieve their goals; explore different responses to the threat of terrorism, discussing such topics as how the United States can work more effectively with its allies; and contemplate the future of al-Qaida, asking if its networked structure is an asset or a liability.

The essays in Contending with Terrorism address some of the central topics in the analysis of contemporary terrorism. They promise to guide future policy and inspire further research into one of most important security issues of the twenty-first century.

Contributors: Max Abrahms, Daniel Byman, Erica Chenoweth, Audrey Kurth Cronin, Renée de Nevers, Mette Eilstrup-Sangiovanni, Hillel Frisch, Calvert Jones, Andrew Kydd, Sean M. Lynn-Jones, Elizabeth McClellan, Nicholas Miller, Assaf Moghadam, Michael Mousseau, Rysia Murphy, William Rose, Paul Staniland, Robert Trager, Barbara Walter, Dessislava Zagorcheva ... Read more

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Funding Evil: How Terrorism is Financed—and How to Stop It, by terrorism expert Rachel Ehrenfeld Ph.D., uncovers the clandestine and sinister ways that Islamic terrorist groups finance their global network. From innocent-looking American businesses that serve as fronts for terrorism to joint efforts with established groups in organized crime, terrorists have grown increasingly savvy in ways to bolster their financial power.Dr. Ehrenfeld’s investigation also details how these undetected billions are spent to methodically bring about chaos and destabilization in American society.Funding Evil shows how money fuels terrorism and offers realistic and provocative strategies for winning the war on terror. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Exposes the hypocrisy of the financiers, and the willful blindness of our leaders
Rachel Ehrenfeld has hit it out of the ballpark. In this well-written book, she clearly and convincingly lays out not only the known facts (Saudi financing of terrorism) but also ties it all together, demonstrating that we ignore the financing of madrassas, our universities, and numerous Muslim organizations in our own nation at our peril.

It is easy to lose sight of how these innocuous-seeming things reverberate later with devastating results, and perpetuate the presence of terror in our lives. Even more importantly, it demonstrates the need to address ALL of these elements in our counter-terror efforts, and why we need to demand that our leaders stop ignoring these activities through strong and coherent policy and enforcement. The added element of the partnership of terror organizations with narcotics and with the many nations who permit their activities completes the broad picture of the dangerous nature of our enemies.

She clearly and eloquently lays it all out; demonstrates the relationships between these diverse groups, the convoluted paths they follow to their own destructive goals, and shows us why we need to act upon them all, and why not doing so keeps us in danger.

There is a good reason why she was sued by Saudis in the UK to prohibit the publishing of her book there. Not lost on us is the fact that only the First Amendment allowed her to publish it here, and this is why we must continue to defend ourselves from this plague which would eliminate even that right.

A true wake-up call for ourselves and our leaders!

Funding Evil?
A waste of space, with out of date (for 2002) information concerning the IRAwho by 2002 had decommissioned, also bas info on African diamond trade,plus a heavy Zionist bias. Not worth the money, and after the Turner Diaries the worst book that I have ever purchased from the U.S.NOT RECOMMENDED buy something else. Rated zero stars."Ghostrider" [I have been to Afghanistan, most of the Arab world :Iran,Iraq,Egypt, Libya, Saudi, Kuwait; South and Central America, mainly the no-tourist places, as well as "Red" China (c 1976) and a few "nasty" places in Africa, (in no special order) Senegal, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Angola.

Know what fuels the World Wide Jihad
This book is a must read for those who wish to know how the Islamists are financing their Hard and Soft Jihad within all western nations. This book should be made obligatory reading in all Western Universities and Government Departments.

Dr. Ehrenfeld has gone out on a limb to report these insidious activities that occur on a daily basis within ALL our societies, by an ideology whose main goal is to subjugate and conquer our free and democatic nations.

I recommend this book to those who wish to know how the enemy, that we are now being forced to confront, not only in our own backyards but globally, operates.

Truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth
If a Saudi royal is spending millions on muzzling the author of this book, you better believe it has some good stuff inside!This is a must-read for any non-Muslim, and it is important to purchase this book to support the brave, idealistic, sacrificing author, who is in the same righteous league as other heroes like Robert Spencer, Andrew Bostom, Ibn Warraq, Ali Sina, Walid Shoebat, Brigitte Gabriel, Bat Ye'or, and a few others.Buy a copy for yourself.If you have a relative or friend who works in any capacity for DHS, buy him or her a copy, too.This is especially important because of infiltration of Muslims into our government (read also Infiltration by Paul Sperry), as evidenced by the recent termination of Stephen Coughlin, a key Pentagon specialist on Islamic law and jihad, as a result of Muslim pressure by Hesham Islam and the terrorist front groups CAIR and ISNA.

Essential reading
Funding Evil will arm you with enough knowledge to see the outlines of the jihad strategy to spread sharia and Dar al Islam around the world. It is dense with enough detail to make it a vital reference, yet engaging and readable for mainstream audiences. It ought to be available in every library in America and the West.

Scanning the book, it's not hard to see why libel tourists such as Khalid bin Mafouz want it squashed and sue to keep it out of your hands. He appears on page 22 accused of dropping tens of millions of dollars directly into terrorist bank accounts. He appears on page 39 dropping funds into the bank accounts of "charities" that are in turn known supporters of Hamas and al Qaeda. His family turns up throughout the book funding various causes that just happen to funnel money to terrorist groups. The book certainly either defames or defines his character. Given the fact that other authors have researched bin Mafouz's finances and found similar financial connections and transactions, it's more likely the latter. So he sues.

Dr. Ehrenfeld's fight against libel tourism will set free speech precedent for decades to come. If she succeeds, courts outside the US will not be able to punish authors whose books are published in the US but sold internationally via Amazon and other online outlets. If her fight fails, then Khalid bin Mafouz will use his billions to come after other American authors who expose how terrorism is financed and fueled by wealthy Saudis and others who appear to be trying to buy their way into paradise by funding worldwide homicide bombing. And he'll come after US reporters, columnists and bloggers too. Her fight is our fight and your fight too.

Funding Evil is essential reading. With a foreword by former DCI James Woolsey and a critique of the 9-11 Commission report as well as details on terror financing and support for the legal jihad that reach right into the Saudi royal family, Funding Evil is indeed a book that the Saudis don't want you to read. ... Read more

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An interdisciplinary investigation of the phenomenon of terrorism in its political, social, and economic context as it has occurred throughout the world from the nineteenth century to the present. ... Read more

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The second edition of the award-winning Mass-Mediated Terrorism features a new chapter on public opinion and is updated with analyses of the Iraq war, increasing terrorist attacks abroad, and subsequent counterterrorism measures. It also includes new information on Al-Jazeera and the use of the Internet in terrorist efforts. Using U.S. cases and incidents abroad, Brigitte Nacos explores the use of political violence for the sake of publicity, media coverage of counterterrorism policies and its effect on political decision making, and the impact of new media. Mass-Mediated Terrorism offers a blueprint both for effective public information and media relations during terrorism crises as well as for ethical news coverage of major terrorism incidents. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

eye open for the use of media by terrorist
well writen & gives a comperhansive idea about the history & now days of the reletionship between the media & the terror. it's not the best but it complete your knowledge about the subject. i enjoyed it very much.

Definately worth reading
This book brings into focus how the media is being used by radicals and what needs to be done by those defending America to use the media to counter the successful use of the media by radicals and their supporters.

shallow, misleading and blatently biased
This book redefines the term shallow with every page you read.It gives a ridiculous definition for terrorism that conveniently excludes acts of terror perpetrated by states.Somehow, only "Islamic" and "leftist" groups are called terrorist, with the unavoidable exception of the Oklahoma bombers.The book is riddled with misconceptions, false assumptions and non sequitur conclusions. It just offends your intelligence... not worth your time or money. ... Read more

Product Description
The second edition of this celebrated textbook provides nurses and nurse practitioners with the most current, valid and reliable information available.Disaster Nursing will help them to acquire the knowledge and skill set they will need to keep themselves, their patients, and families safe during any disaster event.

Each chapter has been researched, reviewed by experts and matched to the highest standards; for preparing health professions students for terrorism, disaster, and public health emergencies.

This textbook will provide nurses with:
* a heightened awareness for disasters and mass casualty incidents
* a solid foundation of knowledge (educational competencies)
* a "tool box of skills" (occupational competencies) to respond in a timely and appropriate manner.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great up to date text!
This text was required for my grad school Crisis Management and Emergency Preparedness nursing class.It has been a great resource and a nice addition to the comprehensive overview needed for understanding this field of study.

Great Service
Disaster Nursing and Emergency Preparedness for Chemical, Biological and Radiological Terrorism and Other Hazards, 2nd Edition

I had a great experience with Amazon.I received my product as indicated and in great condition.I would highly recommend this site to anyone if they need to purchase books for anything.Great and awesome service provided and on time.Thank you.

A good guide to have at home, too
Needed the book for grad school.It was in good shape and easy to navigate.Even though the class has ended, I am keeping the book at home as a guide for emergencies.I am not a nurse, so it is a great reference manual.I am also becoming FEMA-certified, so the book's topics make it easy for me to understand the continuing education material by both FEMA and the Dept. of Homeland Security. ... Read more

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"I know of no more incisive, detailed assessment of the growing threatof mass destruction terrorism than America's Achilles' Heel. Thisoutstanding book is essential reading for anyone with a serious interestin American national security." -- U.S. Senator Richard Lugar

Nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) weapons delivered covertly byterrorists or hostile governments pose a significant and growing threatto the United States and other countries. Although the threat of NBCattack is widely recognized as a central national security issue, mostanalysts have assumed that the primary danger is military use by statesin war, with traditional military means of delivery. The threat ofcovert attack has been imprudently neglected.

Covert attack is hard to deter or prevent, and NBC weapons suitable forcovert attack are available to a growing range of states and groupshostile to the United States. At the same time, constraints on their useappear to be eroding. This volume analyzes the nature and limits of thecovert NBC threat and proposes a measured set of policy responses,focused on improving intelligence and consequence-managementcapabilities to reduce U.S. vulnerability.

More information is available at our book-of-the-month site. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

AAH rewiew
I needed this book for a class I am taking, however, I would have read this book just for pleasure,I finished it before the class even started

Systematic, thorough, detailed, very solid...
In a very good way, I got more than I bargained for by reading this book.While seeking a solid source to inform myself on the "nuts and bolts", policy implications, and development of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), I continued to come across this title.Expect some dense and intense reading; there is not a wasted word here.The book focuses exclusively on the covert delivery of a nuclear, biological, or chemical weapon against an American target, exploring possible methods, limitations, locales, preventive measures, and consequences.This book will considerably broaden the knowledge of any first-timer looking into WMD and likely provides substantive material for discussion among policy makers and experts in the field.

The Complete Guide to Understanding Bioterrorism
I picked up this book as a research tool for a paper.Not only did I find the book to contain everything I needed, I became so enveloped in the reality of what I was reading that I couldn't put it down.A fan of TomClancy novels, this book describes the harsh reality that we live in, whiledetailing both the strengths and the weaknesses of the US response tobioterrorism.A must read for those with an interest in national securityissues. ... Read more

Product Description
Readers need to be aware more than ever before of the increased number of threats this country faces. Introduction to Homeland Security: Understanding Terrorism with an Emergency Management Perspective provides important and up-to-date information about terrorism, terrorist behavior, homeland security policies and dilemmas, and how to deal effectively with threats and the consequences of attacks. This book provides a foundation that spans the readily apparent chasm between the disaster and homeland security communities. Its focus on terrorism may help to educate those who do not yet understand the need to prepare for this significant threat. Its concentration on emergency management will remind homeland security officials that reinventing of the wheel is not only unnecessary, but problematic. Introduction to Homeland Security will be useful to scholars, students, and practitioners interested or involved in homeland security and emergency management. ... Read more

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Baudrillard sees the power of the terrorists as lying in the symbolism of slaughter—not merely the reality of death, but in a sacrifice that challenges the whole system. Where previously the old revolutionary sought to conduct a struggle between real forces in the context of ideology and politics, the new terrorist mounts a powerful symbolic challenge which, when combined with high-tech resources, constitutes an unprecedented assault on an over-sophisticated and vulnerable West. This new edition is up-dated with the essays "Hypotheses on Terrorism" and "Violence of the Global". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

"There's an end to all your talk about the virtual-this is something real!" (p.28)
The violence of the real, or the reality of violence is the only thing power understands. Confronted with suicides, the system (indeed any system) begins to mimic suicide, ultimately committing itself to its own suicide.
I won't pretend to understand all of this great writer's words. Partly because my understanding of French is limited. Partly because I have only read a translation. And lastly because I have been fed oh so many Americanisms.
This is a good intro into exploring possible interpretations and misunderstandings embedded in our conceptions of the "World". Reading it has helped me to begin to demystify the political concept of Terrorism, especially its connotations within the virtual world of media discourse.
"To the point that the idea of freedom, a new and recent idea, is already fading from minds and mores, and liberal globalization is coming about in precisely the opposite form-a police state globalization, a total control, a terror based on 'law and order' measures. Deregulation ends up in a maximum of constraints and restrictions, akin to those of a fundamentalist society." (p.32 from the unrevised edition)
I would also recommend "The Transparency of Evil: Essays on Extreme Phenomenon" (1993) by Jean Baudrillard.

falsely profound and profoundly false
About 9/11, B writes, "At a pinch we can say that they did it, but we wished for it. . . . We are far beyond ideology and politics now. . . .
As if the power bearing these towers suddenly lost all energy, all resilience; as though that arrogant power suddenly gave way under too intense an effort: the effort always to be the unique world model."

Despite the silliness of these ideas, here and there B does make an interesting point.But the book exists primarily to exhibit B's cleverness rather than to illuminate terrorism.

America
Well, this is a very short book. If you arte not familiar with Baudrillard's academic social theory and philosophical works, much of the commentary may come across as superficial, cynical or just plain odd. The unreferenced paraphrasal of Clauschwitz's formula (earlier inverted by Foucault), the references to 'symbols' and death as 'sacrifice'; none of this will make any sense unless you have read Symbolic Exchange and Death, or Signs and Simulations, and like those english journos who reviewed 'The Gulf War did not take place' with similar ignorance, if you take it only at that level you will miss the whole point, and look like a stupid arse.

Sacrifice referes to his thesis in symbolic exchange and death that the only resistance to the 'system' is suicide, building on the third volume of Marx's Capital; so that dead labour now outweighs living labour, we all live in a world of death, the only refusal is to stop the system killin us.

As the editor of the edition of 'The Gulf war did not take place' that I read showed; many people criticsed Baudrillard comparing him to a classical 'enlightenment' thinker like Noam Chomsky. But this edition then had a quote by Chomsky in the intro where he said it wasn't a 'war' because that conventionally meant two sides fighting against each other. Similarly, Baudrillard's point that we have all imagined the collapse of american empire; in a couple of different places in his work on US foreign policy Chomsky talks about the war mongers in Vietnam and what they said about the 'VC', hypothesising what they would have done if the VC had launched attacks in downtown New York.

Besides which, why should Baudrillard have to explain himself to you in any case? If we can't see through the oxymoronism of a 'War on Terrorism' we deserve to blown up in densly populated city centres like the sheep we are.

America
Well, this is a very short book. If you are not familiar with Baudrillard's academic social theory and philosophical works, much of the commentary may come across as superficial, cynical or just plain odd. The unreferenced paraphrasal of Clauschwitz's formula (earlier inverted by Foucault), the references to 'symbols' and death as 'sacrifice'; none of this will make any sense unless you have read Symbolic Exchange and Death, or Signs and Simulations, and like those english journos who reviewed 'The Gulf War did not take place' with similar ignorance, if you take it only at that level you will miss the whole point, and look like a stupid arse.

Sacrifice referes to his thesis in symbolic exchange and death that the only resistance to the 'system' is suicide, building on the third volume of Marx's Capital; so that dead labour now outweighs living labour, we all live in a world of death, the only refusal is to stop the system killin us.

As the editor of the edition of 'The Gulf war did not take place' that I read showed; many people criticsed Baudrillard comparing him to a classical 'enlightenment' thinker like Noam Chomsky. But this edition then had a quote by Chomsky in the intro where he said it wasn't a 'war' because that conventionally meant two sides fighting against each other. Similarly, Baudrillard's point that we have all imagined the collapse of american empire; in a couple of different places in his work on US foreign policy Chomsky talks about the war mongers in Vietnam and what they said about the 'VC', hypothesising what they would have done if the VC had launched attacks in downtown New York.

Besides which, why should Baudrillard have to explain himself to you in any case? If we can't see through the oxymoronism of a 'War on Terrorism' we deserve to blown up in densely populated city centres like the sheep we are. ... Read more

Product Description

While Mossad is known as one of the world's most successful terrorist-fighting organizations, the state of Israel has, more than once and on many levels, risked the lives of its agents and soldiers through unwise intelligence-based intervention. The elimination of Palestinian leaders and militants has not decreased the incidence of Palestinian terrorism, for example. In fact, these incidents have become more lethal than ever, and ample evidence suggests that the actions of Israeli intelligence have fueled terrorist activities across the globe.

An expert on terror and political extremism, Ami Pedahzur argues that Israel's strict reliance on the elite units of the intelligence community is fundamentally flawed. A unique synthesis of memoir, academic research, and information gathered from print and online sources, Pedahzur's complex study explores this issue through Israel's past encounters with terrorists, specifically hostage rescue missions, the first and second wars in Lebanon, the challenges of the West Bank and Gaza, Palestinian terrorist groups, and Hezbollah. He brings a rare transparency to Israel's counterterrorist activities, highlighting their successes and failures and the factors that have contributed to these results. From the foundations of this analysis, Pedahzur ultimately builds a strategy for future confrontation that will be relevant not only to Israel but also to other countries that have adopted Israel's intelligence-based model.

Customer Reviews (6)

An excellent book
This is an excellent book, because in a mere 149 pages we learn the complete history of the Israeli experience fighting terrorism from the pre-state days of 1918 to the present. Author, Ami Pedahzur, is not just another cheerleader who chants that "the IDF/Mossad are the best," instead he shows the Israeli experiences, lessons learned, warts and all. He reminds the reader that terrorism is not a major threat to the national security of the state of Israel. He argues that Israel has relied too heavily and to it's detriment on reprisals which have led to an escalating cycle of terrorism. He writes that instead Israel should expend more resources hardening itself as a target of terrorism. He concludes that Israel should spend more of it's military and intelligence resources protecting itself from real threats to its national security such as Iran and the rise of radical regimes. If I can find fault with the author, it is that he did little to discuss the underlying cause that fueled terrorism against Israel, namely that for nearly fifty years the Palestinians were a state-less people. And that by the time Israel finally deigned to negotiate with the PLO, the conflict had already given birth to even more blood thirsty terrorist organizations, such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

Maybe the greatest lesson to be learned by the US from the Israeli experience is that Hamas besides being a terrorist organization is "first and foremost a social movement that runs a ramified system of charity and relief institutions." And that because of this Hamas was able to win 76 out of 132 seats in the 2006 elections. If the US continues to lose this 'Jihad of the hearts and minds,' as some have called it in impoverished Muslim countries that we may intervene in militarily in the future, even invade. We may find ourselves wading into even more quagmires from the "Stan," countries of the former Soviet Union to as far away as Indonesia.

Finally, for those whose appetite for more on the subject has been whetted by this slim volume I would heartily recommend the title, Israel's Secret Wars by Ian Black, which covers much of the same material, but goes into much greater detail.

The Intersection of Politics and Violence
Modern governments, by their very nature and complexity, are fragmented into numerous agencies, sub-agencies, divisions, subdivisions, groups and sub-groups.As a result, governmental responses to emergencies tend to be slow and subject to internecine disputes, especially when called upon to deal with high-profile events such as terrorist attacks. Each counter-terrorism (CT) agency or military unit has its own specific jurisdiction and incentive to leverage its power by controlling the flow of information and by demanding or angling for preferential designation of responsibilities. To maintain perspective, be aware that the lack of coordination among CT agencies is an old problem that dates back well before 9/11/2001. The CT issue is further compounded by citizen pressure on politicians and the need to "do something": witness the reactive and ineffectual nature of the US TSA to "shoe" and "underwear" bombing attempts.These and related topics are examined in detail in this book.The success of the "military model" of CT is contrasted with the "defensive" and "reconciliation" models.Israel has chosen the military model and the author, Ami Pedahzur from the University of Texas, contends this approach is a failure.

The book begins, appropriately enough, at the beginning: pre-Israel 1936 in the "Arab Revolt".The evolution of Israel's CT doctrine is then traced chronologically to the near-term present.Abundant examples, some of which have appeared elsewhere (e.g., Black and Morris in "Israel's Secret Wars") comprise the majority of the text. Each "vignette" serves to illustrate the author's theses, which are: 1)."Institutionalization means cumbersome bureaucracy and lengthy response time", 2). The "culture" of military units operates against nimble adaptation to the protean manifestations of terrorism, 3). Present organizations are ill-equipped to deal with the "sub-state actors" who currently dominate the "microwarfare" environment, 4). The military model has been manifestly unsuccessful as a CT response and 5). Terrorism "does not pose a threat to national security...although it has psychological impact."The entire argument is nicely diagrammed in Figure 1.4 in the "introduction" and salient issues are addressed in the conclusion.

Overall, this is a cogently argued and concisely written book.It is a worthy addition to the Columbia "Studies in Terrorism and Irregular Warfare" series. There is, however, one point that this and other similar books fail to make:that is, under the constraints (if you choose to call them that) imposed by current civil and democratic societies, a genuinely draconian, ruthless policy of eradication (always one CT option) cannot be effected.Take, for example, the destruction of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria lead by Rif'at al-Assad, the late President's brother.First, on 7 July 1980, the Assad government passed a law making membership in the Brotherhood punishable by death. Next, the regime practiced indiscriminate, collective punishment: after an attack on soldiers stationed in Aleppo, the Syrian security services executed 80 residents of a nearby and convenient residential block. In April 1981, after a failed terrorist attack on an Alawite village near the city of Hama (the Alawites being the ruling religious sect), the Syrian military executed about 400 of Hama's inhabitants, chosen randomly among the male population over 14 years old.Finally, to deliver a message that could not fail to be understood, entire neighborhoods of Hama, the Brotherhood's base, were leveled by Syrian artillery and the ruins bulldozed. Supposedly, the death toll from the campaign against the Brotherhood took between 150-200,000 Syrian civilian and Brotherhood lives...but the Muslim Brotherhood ceased to be a threat to the regime. "Hama Rules", as this draconian approach is neatly phrased in Israel.

So, leaving aside the patently unacceptable "Hama Rules" approach, what can be done?Pedahzur advocates a combination of the reconciliation and defensive approaches and, when a "police action" is needed, it should be done by the police, not by elite military units whose expertise and training are fashioned to other ends.Is he right?There are various ongoing laboratory tests to prove or disprove his ideas...the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan and others will all serve as the basis for further monographs and manuals.Only time and geopolitics will tell.However, Pedahzur makes one point which modern secular publics will never accept.That is terrorism is not a strategic national threat. Bruce Hoffman makes the point that, "Terrorism is where politics and violence intersect in the hope of delivering power."Thus, there will always be aggrieved groups who choose this approach to achieving control.Once the public has accepted the notion that terrorism, by its very nature, may be minimized but not eradicated, perhaps a more rational approach can be adopted, here, in Israel and elsewhere. The combination of reasonable defensive measures with some effort to effect a modus vivendi (reconciliation, in other words) and appropriate police action might be, as the author suggests, the sophisticated approach to dealing with this pernicious problem

Occupation, what occupation?
There are a number of interesting aspects to this book.While the author eschewsdiscussion of the moral context of its anti-terrorism efforts, their amoral character is revealed by the vignettes he recounts of individual attacks/responses.The author provides unintended revelations of Israeli indifference to Palestinian life.Notably missing in this book is any recognition that Israel is an occupying power.The utility of these Israeli "lessons" are mostly limited to those intending to retain control over subject populations. I imagine similar thinking took place under the apartheid regime in South Africa.

For a book discussing the struggle against terrorism it is odd that the author waits until the final chapter to define the terrorist threat. At this point, he does state that the threat Israel faces"... can rarely be considered a threat to national security.In most cases, its main effect is a sense of insecurity within the civilian population." If actions to instill insecurity are terrorism then Israel's policies toward the Palestinians certainly meet that definition.Its actions in Gaza show this policy is continuing and accepted as legitimate by the Israeli people.

In terms of its organization, the author begins by briefly describing the three basic "approaches" to dealing with terrorism: war, criminal justice, and reconciliatory.He then uses a series of case studies to examine the effectiveness of Israeli actions. He chronologically organizes his case studies.The author describes Palestinian attacks while scrupulously avoiding addressing any precipitating Israeli actions nor does he address the context of the Occupation. He skips over significant issues like the use of terrorism by Jewish terrorist groups both before and after the establishment of the state.In fact,Israeli terrorist leaders (e.g.Begin and Shamir) were elected as Prime Ministers. Also absent are the 1956 Suez War, the twenty-year Israeli occupation of Lebanon and the continuous efforts by Israel to suppress Palestinian political expression.

While the author describes (in the context of terrorist attacks) how Israeli actions have led the Palestinians to adapt, he ignores how Israel has consistently undermined the development of legitimate Palestinian political leadership.The Israelis have kidnapped, imprisoned and killed Palestinian leaders.Israeli policies of settlement, blockade and economic subjugation coupled with the treatment of Palestinian leadership as irrelevant, have played a large role undermining the legitimacy of these leaders.

My problem with the book is basically its obliviousness to moral issues.The protection of its citizens is a legitimate role for any state.Treating a subject people as an enemy is not.The author implicitly accepts the continuing Occupation as an Israeli necessity. He explicitly accepts torture as a tool; he views criticism of it as a "hobbling" (see page 103).

I found a number of his characterizations of Israel actions to be troubling.Two of the more egregious examples are the acceptance of the excuse of "hurrying" for the deaths of 69 Palestinians in an attack by Israel's Unit 101 (led by future PM Sharon) and the assertion that "an Israeli shell"killed 102 Lebanese civilian refugees at a U.N. compound in Qana.As usual, it is inconceivable to him that Israelis would kill innocents except by mistake.

As his case studies are based on interviews with Israeli policy makers, former intelligence community members and senior military officials they are presented from an exclusively Israeli point of view.Many of the descriptions read like after action reports.Israelis are noble defenders of democracy and the Jewish people; Palestinians are murderous ciphers.But I forget, it is not politically correct to judge Israelis as if they were citizens of a normal state.His deference to the Israeli security apparatus is evident throughout the book. In addition to the aforementioned support for torturers, he also explicitly states his sympathy for the "feelings and fears" of the members of the covert agencies.

Is there merit to the book?Like the work of some of the modern Israeli historians he provides rich detail but can only see the events through Israeli eyes. A critical examination of the events he describes reveals a callousness toward Palestinian life.

I give the book three stars because it provides facts about certain Israeli actions.It also provides insight into the attitudes of those involved in the "security services." Through the case studies we see that Israeli leaders, aware of the state's overwhelming strength,choose to use military power over other options even when they might be more effective. Evidently the author considers Palestinian resistance to be motivated by simple unthinking hatred for Israel.The occupation and the methods used by Israel to subjugate the occupied are irrelevant. This is the problem with Israeli thinking.The continuing demonization of the Palestinian people makes reconciliation ever less likely.

Wow! The best of the best indeed.
I will not reveal the info in those readings; I just said that the author, a political extremism and terrorism scholar from Israel and a former IDF soldier has found a great correlation in the Israeli counterterrorism doctrine that you will need to fine by yourself in the book.While making his point he reveals so much valuable information about the Palestinian/Israeli/Hezbollah conflict that the book is turn into a handbook by accident.

excellent, highly recommended
A really great read that examines the Israeli response to security threats from the PLO, Black October and Hamas.The author emphasizes the lack of communication and aggressive competition between branches of the Israeli security services resulting in unsuccessful operations.The book follows the Israeli policy of assasinatons, clearly maping out the deaths of random Black October and PLO members, and addressing the failed attempt to assasinate Khaled Mishal.Despite the author being Israeli, and the title using "terrorists" I was pleasantly suprised that there is absolutly no bias, and in fact the author is highly critical of Israeli policy.The major flaw of the book is that the final chapterattempts to remedy the terrorist threat by recommending the implemention of a new structural organization of the Israeli intellegience and secret service operations.It would have been nice for the author to instead address the underlying problem, that the Palestinians need a homeland so that they no longer find it necessary to struggle, resist and attack Israeli targets.Instead the author suggests a 'band-aid' solution, which left me shaking my head.

I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
In TERRORISM AND WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND DISRUPTION, Brigadier General (Retired) Russell Howard and Dr. James Forest have collected original and previously published seminal articles and essays by scientists, academics, government officials, and members of the nation’s security and intelligence communities. The editors and several of the authors write from practical field experience in nonproliferation and counterterrorism efforts. Others have had significant responsibility for developing government policies to address the threat of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. The contributors include a majority of the significant names in the field including Bruce Hoffman, Brian Jenkins, Jonathan Tucker, Rohan Gunaratna, David Franz, Richard Betts, William Rosenau, and David Albright.

Unit One of the book introduces key terms and addresses important strategic and policy debates. Authors explain how the new forms of terrorism affect the post-9/11 security environment and introduce the notion that weapons of mass destruction could give terrorists short-term, asymmetric attack advantages over conventional military forces. Unit Two offers detailed accounts of the characteristics, availability, and dangers of specific types of WMD, along with four case studies that associate theory with practice—an important feature of this volume. Unit Three deals with past, present, and future national and international responses to—and defenses against—the threat of WMD terrorism. And in the final section of the volume, authors predict future WMD threats and seek to draw on past events and mistakes in order to identify lessons and strategies for the future.

Appendices include a primer on bioterrorism and fact sheets on chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological terrorism. ... Read more

Product Description
Terrorism and the Maritime Transportation System gives an alternative definition of terrorism and how we should be postured to fight against it in today's world. After a four-year survey, we have an inside look from the voices of law enforcement, intelligence, security and emergency management personnel. This book discusses areas of the Maritime Transportation System that are unheard in the news, yet challenges the security of our nation. Are we prepared? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Singapore port terror attack could be worse than Lehman collapse
In an April 15th 2010 interview, the brilliant Anthony Davis, author of the bestselling book "Terrorism and the Maritime Transportation System" speaks exclusively to Defence IQ's Bryan Camoens on the economic impact of a terrorist attack on Singapore's port.
Anthony is the Founder of the Homeland Security Group and publisher of the Homeland Security Reports, read worldwide by the law enforcement, intelligence, security and emergency management communities. "Terrorism and the Maritime Transportation System" made it to the bestseller list for 60-weeks straight. For the full article click [...]
Terrorism and the Maritime Transportation System

TERRORISM AFLOAT
Terrorism and the Maritime Transportation System by Anthony M. Davis (USCG Ret.) gives some good basic insight to the lay reader as to the extensive responsibilities of the USCG, and the astronomical job they have of protecting the coast lines, and various water ways that are incumbent upon safety and economic trade within this country.

Mr. Davis basically gives the reader a "thumb-nail' sketch of various scenarios regarding possible terrorist/ criminal attacks on various vessels and the entire maritime infrastructure.Many of these scenarios are built upon certain historical catastrophes and events that helped to lay the present foundations for possible future responses to assaults on the maritime system.

The book reads more like a specialized text for a USGC or, Law enforcement related seminar rather than the general public.Much of the information within this book is of a very basic nature.I'm sure the author did not want to give out "too much specialized information" on this topic for obvious reasons, especially after 911.

However,Mr. Davis gives enough information for the reader to at least, appreciate the overall complexity of this particular industry and its massive problems looming in the dark holds of these potential floating steel bombs.

His writing technique is more class-room orientated than I would have liked, but the subject matter and potential repercussions of terrorism in the maritime transportation system is enough to... leave the reader sitting in a cold sweat.

Despite the author's Federal Bureaucratic make up ( I too was one), and writing style...he has none the less, exposed our real "Achilles heel." If something is not done to help protect this vital area then, we are flirting with an ultimate disaster that may just totally whitewash the 911 attacks by comparison!

Understand How Our Country is At Risk & Being Protected
My wife suggested I read this book. I am glad I did. So much goes into understanding how our country is protected and needs to be protected.

The author is very knowledgeable as he was a former maritime investigator and a prior maritime intelligence officer. I trust what he says in his book.

This book helped me understand exactly what we are up against when it comes to criminals and terrorists.

I highly recommend this book to people so they can understand what is all involved in protecting our country.

Fascinating
They say that farewarned is forearmed, and if that's the case, then Anthony Davis' book is a fantastic weapon in the continuing goal to protect ourselves. He tackles so many things I never would have even begun to consider. It was hard for me to stop reading this book.

Excellent Education We Need to Read to Protect Ourselves
"Terrorism and the Maritime Transportation System Are We on a Collision Course?" by Anthony M. Davis USCG, Ret. is an interesting book on the challenges our law enforcement and other agencies have to keep the USA safe.

The book describes the agonizing steps the officers have to go through to determine if the incident in question is a crime or a terrorist act.

The book will educate you on the new laws passed due to terrorism.

Anthony M. Davis does a wonderful job explaining why the Middle East does not get along with the Jewish people. The fact may surprise you that it is not about religion.

The book further describes all of the work we as a nation need to be doing to keep ourselves protected. There are so many areas that terrorists could threaten our citizens.

I am glad I read this book to further educate myself. We as citizens of the USA need to be aware of what is going on to keep ourselves safe. I suggest you read this fascinating and educational book. Then writing our congressmen to make the necessary changes to keep our families safe!

Brilliantly written to easily read and understand. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

reaction to 9/11 leaves the US poorer and less secure
The fact of the matter is the US government's response to the 9/11 attack was disfunctional.This is the only book I am aware of that covers that response from a financial angle.We still know relatively little about how the attacks were financed or the economic results of US efforts to disrupt or stop terrorist financing.This book focuses on evolution and growth of Islamic finance as no other book I am aware of and does so in a clear way.Napoleoni is right to ask if shifts in capital flows and the government's obtuse tunnel vision about the consequences of policies contributed to the financial crisis of 2008-2009.Napoleoni shows in this book a compelling circumstantial case that they did.

A Year Late (In English) and a Forecast Short
This is an English translation from the original Italian published in April 2009 and the passage of time has not done the author any favors. Much of the book is an anti-Bush polemic that is unlikely to sound new to anyone who has followed European Center-Left and Left commentary on our former President.

As to the specifics on how we got into the ongoing economic crisis and what to do about it, the author offers primarily her conclusions about the economic and security impacts of that President's policies without sharing her supporting analysis or fundamental data.She does present a number of interesting ideas and suggestions, and I suspect may be correct in her recommendations for reform of the West's financial institutions which include borrowing some ideas from Islamic financial thinking.

In 2010, I would recommend that this be read as part of a diversified portfolio of contemporary economic and security works but would not recommend relying upon this book alone to either understand or mend our current economic situation. ... Read more

Product Description
A domestic terrorist attack evokes a violent and oppressive response from the U.S. government... a labor dispute ends in violence... a young boy lies dying of a rare disease with no hope in sight. When the conflict focuses on a small town in West Virginia, Ken Murphy, Iraq veteran and Lieutenant Colonel in the West Virginia National Guard, must find a way to protect his family and community in a world turned upside down. In a future America terrifying to behold, Republic evokes the specter of civil war in a world that is simultaneously familiar and changed beyond recognition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (45)

Great Story
This was a great story that really kept my attention.My disappointment is related to grammar.Did ANYONE proof read this manuscript before publishing?

Patriots and Traitors
In a political science class many years ago we discussed the primary difference between patriots and traitors. It boiled down to one simple fact: those who won were the patriots, since they write the history books.

Republic is one of those books that enables the reader to place philosophical issues at variance with individual lives.Told through the daily interaction of one particular family, Republic builds toward the dramatic climax of a brief, ill-fated civil war.There is never any consideration that the rebellious state will succeed in its mission to leave the ties that bind it to the United States, but the point is well made that it is possible for one's country to have left them, rather than the other way around.

The personal family tragedy, especially one particularly heart-rendering scene of a father and his dying six year old son, is emotion racked and poignant.Probably the best scene of this subject I have read.

As an author myself, with similar political themes the subject of my writing, I found Republic an outstanding read.Well done, Sheehan-Miles.

Gordon Ryan

Sadly, Not Too Far from Where We Are Now
I'm sorry, but I have to take issue with the reviewers who say that this book is not realistic.The fact of the matter is that your Federal Government is already committing the abuses that are dramatized in this book as sparking a rebellion in West Virginia. They are listening to your cell phone conversations and following your activities on the internet.They are arresting and detaining people without cause, warrant or trial.Any rational dissent will earn you the label of "nut case," or "tea bagger."From my standpoint, the only unrealistic aspect of this book was that the people depicted in it recognized that their freedoms were being trampled and decided to do something about it.Most Americans simply remove their shoes, walk through the full-body scanner and chew their cuds like so many cattle walking to the slaughter house.The concepts of State's Rights and Individual Rights are not the products of some Neo-Con Conspiracy.They were absolutely critical to Thomas Jefferson and other Founding Fathers and represent the only path that will lead our country from its impending moral and economic bankruptcy.This book offers an entertaining and thought-provoking perspective on events that are unfolding today.

Not bad, but too unrealistic
The story had promise, but I found it too unrealistic to really enjoy. It was also very dark and depressing.

It's not realistic to have the Feds taking over the country, breaking multiple laws as they go, and only West Virginia standing up to them. Although the amount of civic ignorance in this country is dismaying, we still have a large majority that will stand up and protest too much government abuse and control. Take the Tea Party movement for limited government and fiscal responsibility for example. Or the fact that 22 other states are following Arizona's lead in protecting our borders when the elite class refuses to do their duty. I also have a strong personal belief that most of our men and women in uniform would not stand by and participate in illegal and unConstitutional acts.

I also hated the ending. Not just for the sad events, but the way that the reader is left hanging about what happened to some major characters. Does the author plan a sequel?

On the good side, I liked the characters and found their stories interesting, if depressing.

If there were a sequel that portrayed most of the other 49 states waking up to the events in West Virginia, and that showed what happened to Al and Valerie, I would probably read it.

Just Didn't Do It For Me
I really wanted to like this book but it just didn't do it for me.The premise is interesting but the events leading up to the climatic ending just don't seem real to me.As other reviewers have stated, this sort of speculation requires immense detail to be believable and it just doesn't exist here.I thought the characters were fleshed out very nicely but much of what happens to them is just not believable.

I should mention that I live in the panhandle of WV where much of the story takes place and overall feel of the story is just too unrealistic.The people, the atmosphere, etc., are just not described realistically enough for me.

And the last thing that made me uncomfortable was this whole secessionist behavior.I've heard enough of that "states rights" teabag BS over the last year to sour my whole feeling on it.We had one civil war already and the states lost.Nothing is going to convince me that the outcome will ever be different.And yes, I know the book was written before all the teabag screaming started.


I hope the author continues to pursue alternate history because he has a flair for it and I'd probably try another title or two should they get written. ... Read more

Product Description
This book charts a path through the outpouring of efforts to understand and explain modern terrorism, by asking what makes terrorism different from other forms of political, military action; what makes it effective; and what can be done about it. It unravels complex central questions such as whether terrorists are criminals, whether terrorism is a kind of war, what kind of threat terrorism represents, how far media publicity sustains terrorism, and whether democracy is especially vulnerable to terrorist attack. It examines the historical ideological and local roots of terrorist violence, and the success of specific terrorist and anti-terrorist campaigns in the more distant as well as the recent past. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Helpful and at times insightful
Charles Townshend has written a helpful introduction to the subject of terrorism.He begins by discussing the definition of terrorism, a task more difficult than it might seem.He indicates that terrorism is often a matter of perspective since one person's terrorist is another person's freedom fighter. There are also questions about what counts as an act of terrorism.Do intentions and goals make some acts terrorist?Can a line be drawn at the kind of victims selected for a terrorist act?Townshend looks at some laws that define terrorism, USA and British law (as I recall).Even here we encounter problems because these laws could be applied to the actions of nations themselves.In my view, state terrorism is inadequately addressed in this book; I suspect because Townshend lacks a useable sense of what it might be.Yet I think that state terrorism is the easiest category of terrorism to define as well as the most pervasive form of terrorism in the world.

Townshend provides many historical examples of terrorism.They are all well chosen.He discusses the origins of terrorism in history: viz., the first terrorist groups, the philosophical patrimony of "propaganda by deed," assassination as terrorism and the terrorism during the French Revolution.He also explores different types of terrorism: revolutionary, nationalistic and religious.He ends by discussing counterterrorism as a strategy and correctly mentions the dangers inherent in such an approach.Townshend apparently believes that democracies will always be hampered in their responses to terrorism because of their high regard for human rights.Yet Townshend doesn't often discuss the many ways the "great democracies" have employed terrorism, either directly or through proxy forces, sometimes resulting in massive casualties, particularly in the third world nations.Although the western democracies might have a public relations problem in using terrorism, they certainly don't lack the aptitude.

If you want to read a short introduction to the topic of terrorism, then this will do...at times quite well.

babble
Ivory tower stuff, not worth your time. A real, "How much fluff is in your bellybutton" kind of book. The most poor "Short Intro." book I have read. ... Read more

Product Description
Since its formation in 1932, Saudi Arabia has been ruled by two interdependent families. The Al Sa’uds control politics and the descendants of Ibn Abd al-Wahhab impose Wahhabism—a violent, fanatical perversion of the pluralistic Islam practiced by most Muslims. Stephen Schwartz argues that Wahhabism, vigorously exported with the help of Saudi oil money, is what incites Palestinian suicide bombers, Osama bin Laden, and other Islamic terrorists throughout the world.

Schwartz reveals the hypocrisy of the Saudi regime, whose moderate facade conceals state-sponsored repression and terrorism. He also raises troubling questions about Wahhabi infiltration of America’s Islamic community and about U.S. oil companies sanitizing Saudi Arabia’s image for the West. This sharp analysis and eye-opening expose illuminates the background to the September 11th terrorist attacks and offers new approaches for U.S. policy toward its closest ally in the Middle East. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Very Disappointing
From the preface forward, Schwartz spins a tale that would have the believer swallow the nonsense that Wahhabists are hijacking this peaceful religion called Islam (submission). He misses few opportunities to insult conservatives and even compares Christians who embrace the fundamentals of Christianity as similar to Wahhabism (p. 79). There must be some value to this work, but it is disheartening to wade through the muck contained in this book to find an occasional gem.

A must read for every man, woman and child that is not Muslim...

The Two Faces of Islam: Saudi Fundamentalism and Its Role in Terrorism

This is by far, the best book on Islam I've read to date. I have read a number of other books on Islam, but this is the most unbiased and comprehensive book on the history and development of Islam available at this time.

The author went to great lengths to explain the turmoil in the early stages of this religion and how the different sects within Islam developed. He details the fanatical details of Wahabiism and how modern extremists can be linked to the Saudi Wahabi cult.

The author has an extensive background on the history and development of Islam. I think the fact that Mr. Schwartz is a Jew with a thorough unbiased opinion of a religion that has been at odds with his faith for centuries adds legitimacy to this book. Mr. Schwartz highlights Mohammed's teachings with regard to tolerance toward the believers in "The Book", better known as the Bible to Jews and Christians. Mr. Schwartz takes the reader on a journey through 1600 years of Islamic history along with the how's and why's the different sects developed.

I would recommend The Two Faces of Islam, to all non-Islamic men, women and adolescents. I believe this book will help everyone to better understand the fastest growing religion in the world.

Our future depends on understanding; this book will provide some of the much needed groundwork required for a better understanding into the psyche of the moderate and fundamentalist Muslim.

Misleading and mendacious
The author's suggestion that pre-Wahhabist Islam had been peaceful, and the Ottoman Empire tolerant, is a fallacy better understood in the context of his own conversion to Islam. Mr. Schwartz is known among his co-religionists as Suleyman Ahmad and has an eccentic entry on >jews-for-allah.org< about his relgious experience. This is essential information about the author and his agenda. It is unfortunate that it is missing from the blurb or from the book itself.

Insightful, well researched, and disturbing
In "The two Faces of Islam", Stephen Schwartz locates the primary source of fanatically intolerant Islam in the world today, finding its origin in the Wahhabi denomination, which is the official religion of Saudi-Arabia. This version of Islam, Schwartz argues, was imposed on Arabia by naked force, and maintains its power by official suppression of all other Islamic traditions. Then, in recent decades, the Wahhabi supremacists have launched a massive campaign, backed by Saudi oil wealth, to export and impose their uniquely intolerant fundamentalism onto every Muslim community in the world. In contrast to this, Schwartz highlights resistance to the Wahhabis from other Muslims, be they devotees of Sufi mystics or ordinary believers in many nations, who stress compassion and forgiveness as primary values.

This excellent book has many conclusions, but perhaps this is a good one to mention: "Western reporting uniformly treats opponents of the Saudi regime as fanatical, anti-Western theological extremists bent on replacing the existing order with one inspired by bin Laden or Khomeini, and therefore inconcievably worse. Some prominent opposition elements are clearly aligned with extreme Wahhabism and even serve as apologists for bin Laden ... [But] In reality, while religious dissidence will doubtless be the source of future upheavals in all three peripheral provinces, none of these communities [the mainly Shia Eastern Province, the Hejaz western coastlands around Mecca and Medina, or the Najran and the Yemani borderlands to the south] are extremist in their outlook or their probable demands. All of them mainly seek to replace Wahhabi rigidity with the pluralism and spirituality of traditional Islam." (p.273)

Main Points Are Well Taken
The main thesis of this book, that the Saudi elite seem to be our friends on the surface while encouraging fundamentalist extremism behind the scenes, should be very clear to everyone with a brain by now. Schwartz shows plenty of evidence of how the Saudis and Wahhabism effectively have been deceiving the west with some very frightening results around the world. That's the main message of the book and it's right on target.

Other parts of it are a lot harder to swallow. He seems to think Iran is pretty harmless, which seems ridiculous given the latest elections and the nuclear bid. Without giving any evidence, he asserts that Bush really wants to start putting the pressure on the Saudis and do the right thing while it's Cheney that's really to blame for the continued whitewashing by our government of the Saudi role in terrorism. Last I checked, Dubya's still president and he's to blame if steps aren't being taken to really alter our relationship with the Saudis. ... Read more

Product Description

September 11, 2001 saw the deadliest attack ever launched on American soil, leaving us asking questions such as: Why did God permit such a thing to happen? Was the attack a divine judgment or was it merely an atrocity perpetrated by the forces of evil? How can human beings be capable of such diabolical savagery in the name of religion? And what is the right course of action for our government to take?John MacArthur points us to the Bible for answers to these and many other questions arising out the recent atrocities.He educates readers to the roots of the conflict, linking the religious and political issues that underlie the current turmoil to the Old Testament.

Customer Reviews (8)

Real Victory of Jihad
John MacArthur is the Pastor of Grace Community Church in the San Fernando Valley, CA and the author of numerous popular Christian books. After the 911 attacks the author wrote this book to help Christians understand the roots of the conflict between Islam and the rest of the world.
This is not a book that offers an exhaustive study of Islam, but was written to encourage Christians in a time of Islamic terror and war. It is a small book (116 pages) and was given for edification and is not a robust apologetic against Islam.

The book covers:

- The Biblical perspective on war
- Who was behind the attacks of 911
- A starting discussion on the problem of evil
- Where real hope comes from.

This is a firm, simple, and clear introduction to Islamic terrorism and what is the rightful response of nations and Christians.
One Way to God: Christian Philosophy and Presuppositional Apologetics Examine World Religions

short, sweet, and biblical...
as usual, john macarthur writes about these subjects biblically and concisely.very interesting subject matter and very relevant to our culture today.also talks about the death penalty in light of the Bible, which is really interesting.i highly recommend reading this book- it's a short, easy read.

Give ear to MacArthur...He speaks the truth...
I have read this book now a number of times, I have studied the Muslim faith on my own on more than a few occasions, and I have read the Koran - If Pastor John was lying - I would be the first to admit it. But I have never heard Pastor John distort the doctrines of any false religion. He is one of the world's most notoriously meticulous Biblical scholars, and his inquisitive nature and honest study habits have caused him to expose the truth behind Muslim terrorism, Muslim jihad, and what the Word of God has to say about both.
I would caution any future reviewers of attacking a man who is so fastidious with making sure he is correct on his interpretation of a single Biblical passage, when you have not studied the needed material to make an educated statment about a book. It exposes ignorance and creates even futher confusion - which I do not believe either side would want on this important issue.
As far as the content of this book is concerned - the author does not make any statements about the truth behind Islam without offering the reader supplementary evidence for his cricism of the religion from Muslim sources themselves. Pastor John also does this with Roman Catholicism and especially with the Charasmatic movement in such books as "The Gospel According to Jesus", "Faith Works", and "Hard to Believe". Every statement is backed by facts.
What are the facts in this book? Pastor John exposes the fact that Jihad is not only recommended but commanded of every true Muslim and that the only way to enter into paradise and enjoy eternal carnal indulgence is to die in that struggle. Without dying in "holy war" - a Muslim cannot be sure of ever entering into the kingdom of paradise. He makes the point that most of the young Muslim men are deceived into this heresy by older imams who encourage their youth to shed the blood of innocents - especially Jews.
I would also not be doing my job as a reviewer of Pastor John's work if I did not also warn you about his study of the life and character of the False Prophet Mohammed. It is extensive, well researched, and of a high level of understanding. It will probably cause an Arab Muslim to question the man who he has believed had spoken on behalf of the false god Allah - and rightly so. A man seeking after truth would not want to praise a so-called prophet who was a racist, polygamist, pedafile (his youngest wife married him at the age of nine - her name was Aisha), and most of all - a weakminded individual swayed easily by the mind of one of his wives when trying to determine if his spiritual revelations were truly angelic or demonic. (By the way, Mohammed was in a state of utter despair when trying to determine whether angels or demons were speaking to him - the "angels" tortured the poor man and put a terrible amount of fear into his mind. Only by having one of his wives decide for him that the revelations were angeleic did he continue to be the false prophet of this infamous false religion) -a sad response to a sadly sinful life.
One reviewer has questioned the identity of Pastor John's intended audience. I have to confess that I have had the same doubts. The probable reason for this is because it is intended to be an historical and biblical insight into the inner history and working of the faith of those behind the deaths of our loved ones on the part of Christians, while at the same time educating the non-Christian audience. Most of the author's other books are obvious as to their target audience. This one is intended for both believers and non-believers - and yes, time after the 9/11 attacks did play an important role and for good reason. What merit is there in producing a book of answers when the public is no longer asking the targeted questions?
I have to say that this book is well-researched, well-structured, and most of all - well-written. Islam is NOT a loving religion. It is a religion of spread, conquer, and make war. Take into account the following quotes from the Koran which Pastor John includes in his book.
"Allah is an enemy to infidels." (2:92) "Fight for the cause of Allah." (2:245) "Allah loves no infidel." (2:276) "O Believers! Take not the Jews or Christians as friends. They are but one another's friends. If any one of you takes them for his friends, he surely is one of them!" (5:56) "Fight then against them until strife be at an end, and the religion be all of it Allah's. (8:40) "Kill those who join other gods with Allah wherever you shall find them; and seize them; besiege them, and lay wait for them with every kind of ambush: but if they shall convert, and observe prayer, and pay the obligatory alms, then let them go their way." (9:5) You can find more of these quotes on pages 46-48 of the book.
The heresy of Islam and the desire to shed of blood of innocents by Muslims is overwhelming - matched only by their cowardice, I fear. So in the light of the Bible, and history, and my desire to see the truth proclaimed, I recommend this five-star book.

Forgive me, for I am a sinner.....
I don't know any of the men who flew those planes into the Trade Center towers. Never met them. Even if I did, I would have no right to pass judgment on them. And when I say judgment, I'm referring to their hearts. I can't judge their hearts. John Macarthur can't judge their hearts. Only God can judge their hearts. What's my authority for such an unpopular statement? The Bible. When I read my Bible, I see many times the command to look inward, to judge your own actions and sins. To remove the plank from your own eye. Likewise, a nation must look inward and judge its own actions and sins. We have many foreign policies that cause people of the world to suffer. People who live in disadvantaged parts of the world. They don't have supermarkets and shopping malls and good medicine and 100 different kinds of candy bars... They have hunger, they have poor schools and poor medical facilities. They have dictators that we have supported. But they also have oil. And as John Macarthur stated in his book, "Desires for pleasure and self-fulfillment are what motivate people to wage war."

America's hands are not clean in this. We as a nation are not blameless, are not sinless. Don't get me wrong, the people who died on 9/11 were innocent victims. Don't get me wrong, the hijackers commited terrible mass-murder. But some of the victims blood is on us all: the government officials who enacted selfish foreign policies, and those of us who benefit from those policies. That means you and me folks, every one of us who want our oil to drive our nice cars and complain because it costs $.50 a gallon more this month. John Macarthur never once mentions any of OUR failed/selfish/uncaring/ungodly foreign policies in his book. He says we are 100% blameless. That's a lie. And if you think that I'm referring to that Michael Moore movie, I'm not. I've never even seen it. It's just a movie. There are lots of movies. Movies are for entertainment. But there are other ways to find out the truth. We don't get allot of the truth in this country. Not from our media. Our media is for entertainment. It's for making us feel better. If we really knew the price that we pay (the price that the rest of the world pays) for the high standard of living that we enjoy, I think our 100 different kinds of candy bars wouldn't taste quite as sweet.

So how do you find the Truth? It says in the Bible: "Seek and you shall find." Seek with an open heart. Oh, and don't get all of your information from one source. If you really feel the desire to judge a "terrorist," I suggest you fly out to the middle east and talk to one first. Ask him how many loved ones he's watch die. Ask him about the ruthless dictators he's had to suffer under, because the United States decided that said dictator would be a good ally.

I think of the verse, "To whom much has been given, much will be required." Listen folks, we, as the people of the free and democratic United States of America, have been given much. Democracy, high standards of living, health-care, human rights, shopping malls, candy bars... And lots and lots and lots of guns and bombs. Much is now required of us. Much thoughtfulness, much care, and yes, much forgiveness, before we start bombing the hell out of another impoverished part of the world.

Very simplistic. A real Christian would not write this.
Since 911 I have read several books dealing with the surrounding issues. When I picked this up I was hoping for something more balanced. MacArthur's viewpoint is Muslims are committing violent acts because that is what their religion teaches them. If this is the case can we blame Christianity for the violent acts of Christians (for example, IRA, UVF) and why is it that the vast majority of practicing Muslims are not violent? Believe me, atheists make the same kinds of charges against Christianity and religion in general that MacArthur makes about Islam, using the same disingenuous techniques.

MacArthur takes Koranic verses out of context, including historical context, to make his point. One could also take Biblical verses out of context and portray the Bible as a book that encourages hate and violence. For example, most Muslims don't believe in viirgins in heaven. This is an interpretation of extremists Muslims (mainly Wahhabis, Deobandis and Salafis) rather than the mainstream. By using the most extreme interpretations of the Islamic faith he has portrayed his own anti-Islamic biases.

When Christians falsify Islamic history, the life of Muhammad, and the Koran to suit our prejudices and biases we are violating our own faith, which teaches us to treat our neighbor the way we want to be treated. I wouldn't want my faith attacked and misrepresented, therefore I will not do the same to others. Considering that Christian South America has the highest rate of terrrorist attacks every year I feel that MacArthur is seeing the speck in his neighbor's eye while ignoring the beam in his own.

If you want bias and a superficial treatment of the issue of the current chaos in the Muslim world you will like this book. If you want an intelligent, scholarly explanation, I suggest you read the works of Ahmed Rashid, David Fromkin's A Peace to End All Peace, Hamid Algar's Wahhabism: A Critical Essay, and Israelis and Palestinians by Bernard Wasserstein. ... Read more

Product Description

An intriguing introduction to a notorious and disturbing international phenomenon, The Terrorism Reader draws together material from a variety of experts, clearly explaining their opinions on terrorism, to allow understanding, conjecture and debate.

David J. Whittaker explores all aspects of terrorism from its definition, psychological and sociological effects, legal and ethical issues to counter-terrorism. This Reader illustrates the growth and variety of terrorism in an original way with a series of case-studies from four continents including:

• the Taliban and the al-Qaida terror network, and George W. Bush's war against terrorism
• ETA and Spain
• the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
• the Liberation Tigers in Sri Lanka
• the IRA and UFF in Northern Ireland
• the Shining Path in Peru.

This new edition also includes a case study on events in London in July 2005, fully updated chapters on the conflict in the Lebanon in 2006, and two new chapters on terrorism and ethics, and terrorism and the law.

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent read for basic terrorism studies
As a phd student focusing on terrorism this book was a good basis for beginning study. It is well written and contains many helpful links and furhter reading. It would be the ideal course book for an undergraduate studying international relations with a focus on terrorism. In parts it seems to lack any specific detail in important areas but overall it is an excellent beginner book. The information boxes are an added bonus and explain terms that may not be as well known to people just beginning theit study. Anybody with an interest in the topic of terrorism will learn a lot from this book. Overall I would find it well written and well laid out but somewhat basic for anyone who has previous knowledge in the area of terrorism. ... Read more

Product Description
Terrorism and Homeland Security: An Introduction with Applications provides a comprehensive overview of terrorism, public and private sector counterterrorism, and "all hazards" emergency management. The book presents national, state, and local perspectives and up-to-date information, including the reorganization of the Department of Homeland Security, the renewed Patriot Act, and intelligence reform. A wide range of issues are discussed, including such topics as the effectiveness of terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, the measurement of terrorism, victims of terrorism, privatization of counterterrorism, the "code war," the merging of life safety and public safety, the Katrina disaster, the role of the military, preemptive force, Homeland Security and national security versus due process models, pandemics, and wars of globalization.It emphasizes practical issues handled by senior government officials, private sector executives, security practitioners, and a variety of first responders.

Terrorism and Homeland Security provides theory from several disciplines, offering explanations of problems and countermeasures to assist both practitioners searching for answers, as well as students seeking to put theory into practice.Applications at the end of chapters use assessment center and red team techniques to help the reader develop analytical and decision-making skills in the context of understanding the mindset and planning processes of terrorists.An essential resource for both students and professionals, Terrorism and Homeland Security addresses sensitive issues, asks controversial questions, and offers solutions to differentiate law, policy, and plans from reality.

* Learning objectives and key terms outline chapter content and highlight important topics.
* Scenarios are placed at the beginning of each chapter to explain concepts and relate theory to practice.
* "Reality Check" sections and critical thinking boxes help the reader to formulate alternative perspectives on issues and events in order to seek creative and improved solutions to problems.
* Discussion questions at the end of each chapter reinforce content and provide an opportunity for the reader to review, synthesize, and debate the key issues.
* Web links at the end of each chapter provide direction for additional resources, information, and research. ... Read more