Book Description
From the best-selling author of Black Hawk Down comes a riveting, definitive chronicle of the Iran hostage crisis, America’s first battle with militant Islam. On November 4, 1979, a group of radical Islamist students, inspired by the revolutionary Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini, stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran. They took fifty-two Americans hostage, and kept nearly all of them hostage for 444 days. In Guests of the Ayatollah, Mark Bowden tells this sweeping story through the eyes of the hostages, the soldiers in a new special forces unit sent to free them, their radical, naïve captors, and the diplomats working to end the crisis. Bowden takes us inside the hostages’ cells and inside the Oval Office for meetings with President Carter and his exhausted team. We travel to international capitals where shadowy figures held clandestine negotiations, and to the deserts of Iran, where a courageous, desperate attempt to rescue the hostages exploded into tragic failure. Bowden dedicated five years to this research, including numerous trips to Iran and countless interviews with those involved on both sides. Guests of the Ayatollah is a detailed, brilliantly re-created, and suspenseful account of a crisis that gripped and ultimately changed the world.
Customer Reviews:
The First "War On Terror" (or should have been)........2007-09-28
This book provides an excellent explanation of the crisis, which partly cost Jimmy Carter the election and where America should have conducted its first "War On Terror" (perhaps, that would have dealt with the current "president" of Iran and the others with him sooner, rather than later, and he wouldn't have come to the U.S.). True, the U.S. shouldn't have let the Shah in, but it wasn't right for the "students", including the current "president" of Iran to take people hostage. I applaud all those who stood up to these thugs, and Bowden gives great detail. He also provides excellent notes and descriptions of what happened to the hostages, after their release. I have my own thoughts about what should have happened, after our people arrived safely in the U.S., but I won't go into them here. Suffice it to say that if anyone wants to understand why we are having the troubles we are with Iran, read this. I wouldn't have wanted to have been in former President Carter's position. I think it was a betrayal, after what the hostages went through, that the U.S., in the succeeding administration, did "deals" with these people, and admitting this "terrorist thug" [Ahmenejad] into our country recently; a former hostage taker, but this is an example how our political system works. [Sometimes, we're our own worst enemy.] Anyway, an important book.
War on Terror.......2007-09-20
The author is correct in his use of the term "inapt" for the phrase "war on terror." It was indeed inapt prior to 9/11 and certainly was not in use in 1979. But it's appropriate use since 9/11 means that finally after nearly 30 years we are taking the threat seriously and have finally begun to wage this necessary war.
Good book, heavily biased.......2007-09-14
An excellent blow by blow account of the Iranian hostage crisis. Bowden's bias knocks a star off. He basically sides with the hostage takers--describing them as just a bunch of goofy misguided kids engaged in mere horseplay. The hostages weren't tortued and beaten that bad, and plus they "mistakenly" referred to their captors as "ragheads." How ignorant! Perhaps Bowden thinks they should have stayed there a little longer just to make up for such transgressions?
In an attempt to make Jimmy Carter look competent, he wisely spends little time on the President's futile attempts to resolve the crisis--keeping the focus on the hostages themselves. But it's still a factual account--and the facts don't lie; Carter was a horrible negotiator. It was only a year into the crisis he figured out what "contingency" meant. Bowden's sly parallel of Ronald Reagan with the Ayatollah at the end of the book is also not lost.
Well-written and thought-provoking.......2007-09-06
What more could there be to say about a crisis that happened a quarter century ago? As it turns out, there are some very important things to say about it, and Mark Bowden's masterful history of that crisis says them.
First, this is an absolutely first-rate "you are there" account of what the American hostages went through as Iran descended into chaos and near madness after the ouster of the shah. You will literally feel their anger, fear, and depression, and you will feel their pride when they can defy or denigrate their captors, even fleetingly. However, you will feel the smugness and religious certainty of their captors, too. Make no mistake: Bowden clearly sees the American diplomats as victims of an outrageous act; there is no moral relativity here.
Second, the book is thought-provoking in ways I didn't expect. The ostensible trigger for the crisis was the decision by the US to admit the shah to this country for treatment of the cancer that would eventually kill him. However, that decision was sold to President Carter by his Secretary of State, Cyrus Vance, who in turn was sold on it by Henry Kissinger and David Rockefeller. As the years roll on, it's interesting how many disastrous US foreign policy decisions come back to Kissinger.
Further, the CIA was no better then at understanding and predicting events in the Islamic world than they are now. Shortly before the crisis erupted, the agency reported that the religious radicals would soon be relegated to the background there, so the US could deal with an emerging secular state with confidence. In reality, the country degenerated into a hurricane of religious nuttiness that soon swept aside all of the secular leaders. Quite literally, no one at all was really in charge of anything in Iran, and that's the reason the crisis dragged on for over a year.
This brings us to the role of President Carter. Nearly everyone felt at the time that he was too weak and vacillating to resolve the crisis. Not so; he tirelessly attempted to find a way to deal with the situation, but every attempt failed when the connection at the Iranian end fell apart. No one could have done much more, which is why presidential candidate Ronald Reagan continually criticized Carter, but never offered a word of explanation about what he would do.
The failed rescue attempt was blamed on Carter, too, but as Bowden makes clear, it had little chance of succeeding, mostly because the equipment available at the time was inadequate, and the situation was impossible. Even if Delta Force had made it to Tehran, it's likely that most or all of the hostages and rescuers would have died in the operation. Carter and the troops deserve credit for daring the attempt, even in the face of near-certain failure.
This book is must reading as the authoritative account of the first battle in the war with the "Islamofascists." And it's worth reading as a rich account of the courage that the hostages and their would-be rescuers displayed in very trying circumstances.
Excellent telling of the Iran Hostage Crisis.......2007-07-10
For those interested in history and especially the history of the relationship between Iran and the U.S., this book is essential. This book is well written, fine storytelling, and appropriately detailed without belaboring the point. Probably the best one source history of the hostage crisis. Some may find it a little too charitable to President Carter, but it appears to be a fair portrayal.
Book Description
One womanÂ's story of why she left the culture of Islamic Jihad to support American liberty and tolerance
Why are so many Muslims embracing jihad and cheering for al-Qaeda and Hamas? Why are even the modern, secularized Arab states such as Egypt producing a generation of angry young extremists?
Nonie Darwish knows why. When she was eight, her father died while leading Fedayeen raids into Israel. Her family moved from Gaza back to Cairo, where they were honored as survivors of a “shahid”—a martyr for jihad. She grew up learning the same lessons as millions of Muslim children: to hate Jews, destroy Israel, oppose America, and submit to dictatorship.
But Darwish became increasingly appalled by the anger and hatred in her culture, and in 1978 she emigrated to America. Since 9/11 she has been lecturing and writing on behalf of moderate Arabs and Arab-Americans. Extremists have denounced her as an infidel and threatened her life.
In this fascinating book, she speaks out against the dark side of her native culture—women abused by Islamic traditions; the poor and uneducated mistreated by the elites; bribery and corruption as a way of life. Her former friends and neighbors blamed all the their troubles on Jews and Americans, but Darwish rejects their bigotry and calls for the Arab world to make peace with the West.
The only hope for the future, she writes, is for America to continue waging its War on Terror, seeding the Middle East with the values of democracy, respect for women, and tolerance for all religions.
Customer Reviews:
Awesome autobiography and cultural analysis.......2007-10-17
Now They Call Me Infidel is a gripping narrative of the author's journey from the upper echelons of Egyptian society to a staunch defender of the West. Like Ayaan Hirsi Ali's Infidel, the book is part autobiography and part analysis of a severely dysfunctional culture. Unlike Ayaan, Darwish is not against the Muslim religion per se, focusing mainly on the destructive aspects of polygamy. This primitive practice harms women, men, the family and ultimately the whole culture.
She further examines the nature of modern Arab society showing how the ruling classes exploit religion in order to advance their oppressive agendas. Darwish confirms the existence of the pervasive Antisemitism that Hirsi Ali observed as a child in places like Saudi-Arabia. For examples of the Anti-Jewish hatred in the mainstream Arab press, please consult Peace: The Arabian Caricature of Anti-Semitic Imagery by Arieh Stav.
On a 2001 visit to Egypt, she noticed the illiteracy, anger and unemployment amongst ordinary people. They blame all of these problems on Israel, obviously brainwashed by the Egyptian media. There is a lack of self-criticism in Arab culture - a taboo against criticizing the family, religion or their leaders. But there's no denying that the constant drumbeat of propaganda against Israel and the USA emanates from, and has totally corrupted the educated segments of Egyptian society.
Observing how many Muslim immigrants do not appreciate Western values, the author warms against radicalism on campus and in mosques funded by petrodollars. Long ago she became aware of the two-faced behavior of Islamist radicals in the West: they speak soothing words to the clueless Western mass media whilst spewing forth hatred in their sermons and the Arab media. To Darwish, the terrorists are pirates who are intent on robbing Western democracies of their soul. She dismisses the misleading portrayal of Jihad as a "personal spiritual struggle," stating bluntly that it has always meant a religious holy war against non-Muslims.
There are many beautiful moments in the book, like her account of experiencing Christian worship for the first time, and her moving description of a visit to Israel and how it altered her perception of that brave little country. And this is the most important message of the book; for Nonie, the most valuable reward of moving to the USA was religious freedom and learning to love: "I had turned from a culture of hatred to one of love." May she be blessed.
Because They Hate: A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America by Brigitte Gabriel
The Caged Virgin: An Emancipation Proclamation for Women and Islam by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
The Force of Reason by Oriana Fallaci
Light in the Shadow of Jihad: The Struggle for Truth by Ravi Zacharias
Londonistan by Melanie Phillips
Menace in Europe: Why the Continent's Crisis Is America's Too by Claire Berlinski
Unholy Alliance: Radical Islam and the American Left by David Horowitz
While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam is Destroying the West from Within by Bruce Bawer
An Informative Perspective.......2007-09-15
If you're like me, you might know very little about Mideastern culture and life. This book is a highly readable and personal account of one woman's life, experiences and views on Muslim culture. I'm enjoying it; she puts a "human face" on this part of the world and it's issues.
Eye-opening insights into the causes of Islamic extremism........2007-09-11
The author grew up in Egypt under Nasser's dictatorship, but later moved to America. Her father was an Egyptian military officer killed in Gaza by Israel because he organized raids to cause mayhem inside Israel. She reports on the problems in Egypt and Gaza, and on the government and religious propaganda which is polarizing the Islamic world to the point of Jihad. This is an eye-opening read, and it gives insight into how difficult it will be to ever correct this problem.
EXCELLENT BOOK.......2007-09-01
THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO TRULY UNDERSTAND HOW THE MIDDLE EAST FEALS ABOUT AMERICA AND WHY. NONIE DARWISH IS A VERY BRAVE WOMAN AND I THANK GOD SHE HAD THE GUTS TO WRITE THE TRUTH.
Now They Call Me Infidel: Why I renounced Jihad for America, Israel and the War on Terror.......2007-08-25
This is an excellen book for those seeking to understand Arab Muslim perspectives. The culture is based on a background, history and value system entirely foreign to our way of thinking. The author relates her life from early childhood, through her school years and early adulthood living first in Gaza then Cairo. She is from the upper middle class, the daughter of a high ranking military officer who is martyred. She describes what it is like to be a woman in the arab muslim world. She raises the issuesleading to a lack of trust both within the society and in relation to other societies. She discusses the inner thinking and the daily propaganda regarding Israel. She also gives important information on the Arab view of Palestines role in the conflict. She distinguishes between the radical Islamic movements and moderate Islam. She notes the purpose and intent of fundalmentalist Islam is the eventual overtaking the world. She discusses how this is being taken to countries throughout the world to bring about this change. We need to understand those with whom we are dealing. This is a book that is easy to read, direct and highly informative.
Book Description
Now the inspiration for the CBS Television drama, "The Unit."
Delta Force. They are the U.S. Army's most elite top-secret strike force. They dominate the modern battlefield, but you won't hear about their heroics on CNN. No headlines can reveal their top-secret missions, and no book has ever taken readers inside—until now. Here, a founding member of Delta Force takes us behind the veil of secrecy and into the action-to reveal the never-before-told story of 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-D (Delta Force).
Inside Delta Forece
The Story of America's Elite Counterterrorist Unit
He is a master of espionage, trained to take on hijackers, terrorists, hostage takers, and enemy armies. He can deploy by parachute or arrive by commercial aircraft. Survive alone in hostile cities. Speak foreign languages fluently. Strike at enemy targets with stunning swiftness and extraordinary teamwork. He is the ultimate modern warrior: the Delta Force Operator.
In this dramatic behind-the-scenes chronicle, Eric Haney, one of the founding members of Delta Force, takes us inside this legendary counterterrorist unit. Here, for the first time, are details of the grueling selection process—designed to break the strongest of men—that singles out the best of the best: the Delta Force Operator.
With heart-stopping immediacy, Haney tells what it's really like to enter a hostage-held airplane. And from his days in Beirut, Haney tells an unforgettable tale of bodyguards and bombs, of a day-to-day life of madness and beauty, and of how he and a teammate are called on to kill two gunmen targeting U.S. Marines at the Beirut airport. As part of the team sent to rescue American hostages in Tehran, Haney offers a first-person description of that failed mission that is a chilling, compelling account of a bold maneuver undone by chance—and a few fatal mistakes.
From fighting guerrilla warfare in Honduras to rescuing missionaries in Sudan and leading the way onto the island of Grenada, Eric Haney captures the daring and discipline that distinguish the men of Delta Force.
Inside Delta Force brings honor to these singular men while it puts us in the middle of action that is sudden, frightening, and nonstop around the world.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
wisdom in defeat and humility in victory.......2007-07-12
David Mamet, in my edition of this book, now more than three years old, long before 'The Unit' came along, writes at the beginning:
"The great military novels have about them an ineffable air of sadness. [They] seem, both in scenes of combat and in the scenes of rest, depictions of a life heightened to the plateau of regret, longing, and loss. The great military memoirs, similarly, are a record of loss and its transmutation into compassion. [...] in Eric Haney's Inside Delta Force, we are welcomed into the curious, moving and persuasive philosophy of the soldier trying to find wisdom in defeat and humility in victory."
It's a comment that reflects the spirit of the contents, and which ultimately translates into the very cool TV series based on the book. I also admit, quite without shame that the characters of 'Phantom Strike Team' in my novel 'Fontaine' were definitely inspired by this account, which I found fascinating and quite un-put-downable; much like Michael Durant's 'In The Company of Heroes'.
I have no idea how 'real' and 'true' the things depicted here are, because I have no real evidence to back up whatever I believe. However, I would like to think--possibly wishfully, but why not?--that Orwell's 'rough men [who] stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm' aren't just a bunch of thugs, who just like to shoot people, but that they are like those guys; that they are grounded and have a sense of purpose, and that Mamet's comments are on the mark.
Again, without evidence for the 'truth', whatever that may be, I cannot tell; but I choose to think that Haney has done more than just show them in the best light; that even in the harsh light of day, it all basically holds true.
How Delta Came to Be.......2007-07-09
I read a few other reviews of this book before buying it and find they were accurate. Haney tells about how Delta force came to be in interesting detail. The people that submit themselves to the Selection process really can only truly truly want the job. If you watch or have seen any episodes of "The Unit" you can see where story plot lines came from, but don't expect any detailed past mission stories.
Excellent book........2007-06-08
As usual, the same excellent quality and service that I have come to expect from Amazon. Book was great and recommend it to anyone thats interested in this type of stuff. Great compliment to "The Unit".
Best 1st Person Spec.Ops. Account I have Read to Date.......2007-05-19
I initially was drawn to this book after seeing it credited as the inspiration for CBS's drama "The Unit". (I'm a sucker for marketing, huh?) This book was to be the first in a long line of military non-fiction works that I read recently and for me it's still one of the best. Haney isn't the GREATEST writer in the world but his style works well for the subject matter at hand and thankfully lacks some of the irritating macho-ness that plagues many other ex-military authors. What made the book great for me was the fact that because Haney was a recruit in Delta as opposed to one of the organizers, there is a sense of mystery and the unknown as he chronicles his progress through Selection and his early days in the unit. I also read Charlie Beckwith's book on Delta and thought this was the better read. The only thing I didn't like about the book was that Haney retired so many years ago that you are left wanting to know more about current ops, but that's not a criticism of the book itself, simply a lament on my part. Overall I'd highly recommend this to anyone interested in learning more about what drives these incredible individuals.
Excellent book. .......2007-05-18
Great read. I spent 28 years in the Army, many of them at Bragg and retired in 2003. Mr Mercer's comments about what he believes are fact and fiction as it pertains to the contents of this book are inaccurate and I would recommend he go back and do his research correctly this time.
Book Description
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author Ron Suskind takes you deep inside America's real battles with violent, unrelenting terrorists -- a game of kill-or-be-killed, from the Oval Office to the streets of Karachi.
You may think you know what the "war on terror" is.
But to know it truly, you must read this book.
Suskind has written a riveting work of narrative nonfiction, filled with exclusive, historically significant disclosures that will echo across America and the world.
What is the guiding principle of the world's most powerful nation as it searches for enemies at home and abroad? The One Percent Doctrine is the deeply secretive core of America's real playbook: a default strategy, designed by Dick Cheney, that separates America from its moorings, and has driven everything -- from war in Afghanistan to war in Iraq to the global search for jihadists.
The story begins on September 12, 2001, the day America began to gather itself for a response to the unimaginable. Ultimately, that reply would shape the nation's very character.
Suskind tells us what actually occurred over the next three years, from the inside out, by tracing the steps of the key actors -- the notables, from the President and Vice President to George Tenet and Condoleezza Rice, who oversee the "war on terror" and report progress to an anxious nation; and the invisibles, the men and women just below the line of sight, left to improvise plans to defeat a new kind of enemy in an hour-by-hour race against disaster. The internal battles between these two teams -- one, under the hot lights; the other, actually fighting the fight -- reveal everything about what America faces, and what it has done, in this age of terror.
Who is actually running U.S. foreign policy? Is there an operational cell, armed with WMDs, inside the United States? Have some of the world's most dangerous terrorists -- including leaders of al Qaeda -- been caught and accidentally released? Can America prevail in this struggle against enemies who are patient, ingenious, certain, and have clear tactical advantage?
With his unparalleled access to senior officials, past and present, Ron Suskind -- author of The Price of Loyalty, the most revealing book yet written on the Bush administration -- finally answers the questions that keep Americans awake at night.
And in this startling book, he reframes the debates that roil the globe.
Customer Reviews:
Inaccurate information makes conclusions suspect.......2007-09-20
The present administration misled the american public regarding the presence of weapons of mass distruction (WMD) in Iraq.
Suskind alleges that George Tenent, former chief of CIA, knew nothing about the misrepresentation. This seems to be incorrect.
This inaccurate reporting makes other conclusions Suskind reaches suspect as well.
Fascinating.......2007-09-06
As someone who originally supported the Iraq war, I very much appreciate this book. It's insightful and engaging, well-researched and thoughtfully written. If you're undecided or lean toward the conservative and want to hear a good anti-war argument (as well as an analysis of the state of the government and its intelligence or lack thereof) that isn't just empty mud-slinging or hoaky conspiracy theories, then I highly recommend this book.
A strong book about what were facing in the post 911 world........2007-09-04
I'd recommend this book for anyone who wants to find out how the internal dynamics of the Bush WhiteHouse operate in the post-911 world. The author also gives us a better understanding of what our intelligence and law enforcement agencies are also having to face in the post-911 world. If the author is right and I think he is in many regards we are not really much safer now than we were on September 10th, and Al Qaeda is poised to strike again. I recommend that anyone interested in this title also read the 911 Commission Report.
AmBUSHED.......2007-08-28
Suskind makes a strong case that being smart doesn't mean you can't be president. After reading The One Percent Doctrine and another Suskind book, The Price of Loyalty about Paul O'Neill, I am more than ever convinced that we have a C- GPA graduate of Yale in the White House and we deserve what we get.
So much for exchanges of opinion in the Oval Office. I must say, however, that Suskind has done a thorough job of researching the way policy is adopted and implemented, even though Cheney comes out looking like the mad Rasputin.
I recommend you read The Price of Loyalty because this time, it GETS PERSONAL with Paul O'Neill and puts the frosting on Bush's obvious mantra, "My mind is made up. Don't confuse me with the facts."
Signed,
Ashamed Utah Republican
Mostly Blowing Smoke.......2007-07-26
Unlike some other reviewers, I found this book unfocused and lacking a central theme. It bounces all over time and the world without tying the pieces together.
Perhaps I am just naive and unimaginative in not identifying Bush bashing and Cheney chasing as a good central basis for a largely fictional plot.
That is the other great problem with this book. I guess Suskind is trying to copy Bob Woodward in writing a tell all book without identifying source material. If you compare his description of supposedly secret events with his with the author's index, there is little correlation. Suskind attributes his sources as "Many former officials with the CIA, the FBI, the White House" and others in the US government. But we accept the claims of an author who seems to have such a political bias?
If you are a committed Bush hater, the answer is obviously yes. This must be great reading and confirms what you have suspected all along.
For those who might be interested in having a more solid feel to the information you are reading, this book will be disappointing.
Book Description
In this book the author uncovers the cause of global violence that the established media would rather you ignore. He reveals why the threat of violent jihad is growing daily, despite our recent victory in Iraq.
Customer Reviews:
USA - Ignore the evils of Islam at your peril.......2007-07-07
I have read all of Robert Spencer's books and they are all right on as to documented facts. He is on the hit list of most major Islamic organizations because they know he speaks the truth and his facts and sources are on record. I didn't have a clue as to the dangers to the civilizied world of Islam until 9/11. After 9/11 I did extensive research on all aspects of Islam and what I found greatly concerned and scared me. Just recently in Rome, Ga., a small town north of Atlanta, the authorities uncovered a Islamic terrorist cell in a mosque in Rome. A friend and I tried to get permission to attend a mosque in North Atlanta to find out what is being preached by the Imams, but were told we could go on a sanctioned tour but not attend a service. I fear that most of the USA mosques are condoning terrorism against the infidels. Otherwise why won't they let us attend their services? And why don't you hear from "moderate Muslims" about the evils of terrorism? You can attend any other religious service in the US without any restrictions?
DISTORTION .......2007-05-04
A POORLY WRITTEN BOOK,WITH MULTIPLE DISTORTIONS AND QUOTATIONS INTERPRETED TO CONFORM TO A POLITICAL AGENDA.MUSLIM TERRORISM IS A SERIOUS THREAT WE ALL MUST BE CONCERNED ABOUT,HOWEVER THE HISTORY OF VIOLENCE AND ASSAULTS ON OTHER COUNTRIES IS NOT PARTICULAR TO ISLAM. ISLAM IS NOT JUST A RELIGION,IT IS A POLITICAL RELIGIOUS AND ECONOMIC IDEA.THE AUTHOR'S ""research"WAS SELECTIVE AND IT IS EVIDENT FROM THE FIRST FEW PAGES HIS ONE SIDED PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS ABOUT ISLAMIC AND WORLD HISTORY IN GENERAL.
Evidence to make the case: Islam is not all about peace .......2006-12-03
Robert Spencer assembles in lawyer-like fashion evidence (there is so much of it that in places it seems like repetition) from the Koran (and other Muslim publications) and from Islamic history -- to make the case that there is, even today, real power (the Bible does not have the same kind of power today) in these ancient writings -- and these Holy Words are a source violence. The actions of the West are not the main cause of the problem.
Without pressure from the outside the essence of the Koran (found at the end part of the Koran, according to the author) would still call on Muslims to strive for Islamic expansion. And force is justified in the many different kinds of situations.
This book should be required reading..by all the Leftist who hate America.......2006-09-28
As an activist who is concerned about the slow death of one of the greatest democracies in the world, this book says why. Unless people understand that we are fighting an enemy, who uses the very freedoms of democracy to destroy it, we are doomed. Everytime I hear about another effigy burning, cars being torched, Churches and Synagogues painted with Swastikas, and the constant "anger" of the Muslim world, I am baffled as to how most of the world either just does not understand, or we live in a world filled with stupid people. We are facing the greatest threat to our life as we know it. Our freedom to travel without fear, to go to work in a tall office building, to congregate in a tourist spot outside of the USA, and freedom to speak without worrying about "anger". As Salman Rushdie said ot our dinner honoring five Muslims who decry the Jihadist radicals and the silent majority, Muslims today need "anger management" and western democracies need to read Robert Spencers books. If we live under the laws of Sharia, typing reviews online like this, and buying books, uncensored, will only be a part of past history. I would like the ability to read, write, speak, and live free, and enjoy others to do the same. Thank you Robert.
An Interpretation of Islam.......2006-05-30
The book starts by explaining how the Quran is translated and how some parts supersede others. This alludes to a dynamic document. This author highlights that the term "jihad" does not refer to a war, but a struggle, and that this definition doesn't appear to change. Jihad is a struggle that will no end until Islam is the supreme religion.
By explaining this, the author quotes many, but without a firm background in this field, we would have no idea who these people are. Is the reader to assume that the people quoted are credible? Although he quotes Edward Said and Noam Chomsky, I wasn't really familiar with most of the people, so I really can't say. The author did have a habit of saying that whenever someone speaking for Islam was quoted saying anything violent or anti-American, then he was "quoted out of context." The author leads to believe that they aren't credible and are changing their story. Towards the end of the book, the proverbial shoe is on the other foot, but he feels we have to accept that his side really was quoted out of context. This turned me off a bit.
The author does bring up a point that I found intriguing, and this was the idea of dhimmitude. Evidently, the Quran says that conversion to Islam must be voluntary. However, Jews and Christians would be required to pay a tax and accept being treated as second-class citizens. Whether this is true or not is merely a good reason to explore the Quran.
The tone of the book seems to be a bit too right-leaning and borderlines baiting. Nonetheless, this book does spark study and discussion.
Book Description
This book examines the rise of religious extremism in Pakistan, and analyzes its connections to Pakistan Army's policies and the fluctuating U.S.-Pakistan relations. It includes profiles of leading Pakistani Jihadi groups with details of their origins, development, and capabilities based on interviews with Pakistani intelligence officials, and operators of the militant groups. The book contains new historical materials on Operation Gibraltar (1965 War with India), conspiracy behind General Zia-ul-Haq's plane crash in 1988, a botched military coup by fundamentalists in army in 1993-4 and lastly about how General Musharraf handled the volatile situation after the 9/11 attacks. Besides General Musharraf's detailed profile, the book evaluates the India-Pakistan relations vis-à-vis the Kashmir conflict, and Dr. A Q Khan's nuclear proliferation crisis. The book offers predictions for Pakistan's domestic and regional prospects.
Customer Reviews:
Very good book.......2006-03-04
Hassan Abbas has written this book in a interesting way such that it is fun to read. However, the intended audience of this book is mostly the American scholars/students as they will find this book somewhat along the lines of what they hear on TV but not too radical, however there are other realities which are not mentioned in this book which are extremely important. It does provide a good picture of politics in Pakistan but not the complete picture.
The book describes very clearly the threats, killings, rapes, abductions and lawless politicians but one finds no mention of the police. Army is shown as the interferer in every aspect of government. The real question is where is the law enforcement agency known as Police.
Hassan Abbas should write his next book on this subject and reader will realize what lead Pakistan to this point. As a Pakistani I can tell you that Pakistani police is one of the most corrupt and dangerous dept in the world. Simply put, if you need to have someone murdered, you contact the police and they'll do it for you, of course for a price. The Pakistani police is not only involved in corruption, but also other crimes such as smuggling of arms and ammunitions, narcotics, torture & rape cells, cover ups, kidnapping , you name the crime and Pakistani police is the leader in it. And most important of all the crimes against women are so common because the criminal can easily pay the police and get away.
I'd love to blame the army but its not army's job to enforce local law and order. Although a lot of blame goes to the army and the mullahs but the Pakistani police had an equal if not bigger hand in the plunder of the country and were the biggest protectors and collaborators of the local mullah's.
I would highly recommend this book.
Very relevant to what's happening today in South Asia/Pakistan.......2006-02-18
Very intriguing and bold work - exposes how religious bigots and fundamentalists have entrenched themselves in Pakistan. It doesn't spare anyone - Pakistan army and its intelligence, American foreign policy blunders, Indian intransigence and failure of Pakistan's political elite - a very balanced treatment. I read the book as a required text for a course on South Asia and conflict resolution and its best part is that its written in a story like fashion, so its actually fun to read the book.
Informative but slightly tilted.......2006-02-05
This novel is basically written as two different nonfictional thrillers in one. The first is the historical upbringing of a young nation and the events that led to the aggressions between Pakistan and India. In my opinion this part of the book is nicely written and is more of a historical outline rather than an opinionated article, even though the authors do put some witty comments explaining these past events. The second part of the novel is a little more opinionated, explaining the current drift of Pakistan with religious factors involved. This part of the book seems a bit one sided and doesn't put all the perspectives on the table. I have lived in Pakistan and the religious extremism is defiantly does not represent the majority of the country. This is a good reference book to read in order to understand the current situation with Pakistan and the American so called War on Terrorism but is defiantly not the only source on should use to understand such a deep topic.
Analyze Yourself.......2005-09-11
Surprise, Surprise: " Lal Krishna Advani, apologises for the destruction of the Babri mosque during a visit to Pakistan; Gohar Ayub Khan, son of Field Marshal Ayub Khan, pinches some of the headlines with the titillating claim that an Indian brigadier sold India's 1965 war plans.Who is this top spy? Mr Khan refuses to reveal the identity but strews the path with teasing hints. The spy is still alive." says MJ AKBAR, Editor, The Asian Age.
If you've found Mj's Byline (Surprise,Surprise)Interesting read on the facts of three surprises in the war of 1965, here is a book on Kashmir by MJ Akbar that you will find an interesting read on Kashmir History.
But, 'Here is an engaging book on terrorism's largest growing market:Pakistan'This books comes from Hassan Abbas, a Harvard fellow and former officer in President Pervez Musharraf's anti-corruption police force. He is also a PhD. candidate at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. The book is rated at Amazon and stand Top 100 at Barnes and Nobles. Abbas examines the rise of religious extremism in Pakistan and analyzes its connections to Pakistan Army's policies and the fluctuating US-Pakistan relations. It includes profiles of leading Pakistani Jihadi groups and gives details of the conspiracy behind General Zia-ul-Haq's plane crash in 1988, a botched military coup by fundamentalists in army in 1993-94 and lastly about how General Musharraf handled the volatile situation after the 9/11 attacks.
Hassan Abbas exposes failure of 'Operation Gibraltor' and is a pure historical narrative about India and Pakistan. He has analyzed crisis in terms of capabilities of terrorist groups, impact of Musharraf's bold decisions to reform and policy prescriptions about how a constructive change is possible.
For those interested in India-Pak issue and Muslim states and society, the book is an additional read to MJ Akbar's books and bylines and derive to the factual understanding and knowing the History - the crosscurrents of history sweeping through the larger stage!
Intriguing and courageous.......2005-07-06
If you have to read just one book on Pakistan, this is it. Extremely well written and powerful - I have been teaching South Asian history for a decade but haven't come across a book on the country that is so clear in its perspective, so bold and most importantly written by someone who is not only a scholar but one who witnessed the scene firsthand. Its certainly a important contribution to the field.
I have just one suggestion and one criticism for the writer - he could have given more detailed profiles of the Islamic parties that Pakistan inherited in 1947. Secondly, the book requires a chronology of important political events of Pakistan for the Western readers. But despite these limitations, the book is head and shoulders above other contemporary works on the subject.
Book Description
The riveting, action-packed true story of the first soldier to challenge the war in Iraq.
As a 1st Lieutenant and Infantry Platoon Leader for the U.S. Army, charged with leading 38 young men in Iraq, Paul Rieckhoff was proud to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, who served during Vietnam and WWII respectively. He and his soldiers spent almost a year in one of the most dangerous and volatile areas of Baghdad. And what they encountered there was chaos: not nearly enough troops, no humanitarian aid, no body armor, no radios, and no real plan for what to do after Baghdad fell.
Rieckhoff was shocked to see that sometimes the greatest challenges his platoon faced did not come from enemy combatants. He saw fi rsthand the disastrous results of disbanding the Iraqi army, sending thousands of armed, angry, and unemployed men out into the streets. And he saw what happened when we tried to conduct a war on the cheap, by bestowing government contracts to the lowest bidder and sending our military into battle inadequately protected and armed. What followed, over the next ten months, set him on a course that would forever change his life.
When he fi nally came home from his tour of duty, Rieckhoff vowed to tell Americans the truth about what was going on in Iraq. He demanded accountability from elected officials and was the first Iraq veteran to do so publicly. He created Operation Truth, the first and largest veterans' group specifically for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Through this organization, he has become a leading spokesman for troops, veterans, and their families, and a critical voice in the ongoing debate surrounding this conflict.
What is really happening in Iraq? Should we be there? Should we stay? Rieckhoff is in a unique position to answer these crucial questions. Not only was he on the ground in the heat of battle but he is also on the front lines politically at home. He provides a grunt's-eye view of the harrowing, bloody battles on the streets of Baghdad and a patriot's vision of where America has gone wrong and how it can reset its path.
Customer Reviews:
Honesty will get you nowhere.......2007-10-14
I had a hard time putting this book down. Sure, we are getting bombarded with Iraq War memoirs and most are worthy of a glance, but this one, with its predictable end, still is one of the better ones. I have not heard of one person who spoke galiantly of Paul Bremer (except for GWB) and this author is no exception. What he endured is embarrassing for the military and the people who were all for this war in the end.
From armcahir warriors in the rear to high-ranking officers behind air-conditioned offices safely protected by SCUD bunkers and the like, this book gives a very good perspective of the army in 2003, Baghdad in 2003 and the general feelings of the Iraqis at the time. This book is not perfect, though (sometimes the pages are filled with anger and malice). But I grant the author that because he risked his life and the life of his platoon to carry out his mission. He has the right to feel the way he does, and I respect him for that. I'd rather read an honest portrayal about a war than an embellished report written with an agenda in mind.
Still, it makes one wonder how we can ever succeed in Iraq with the things described in this book. I finished it wondering if the officers were for this war to get their careers punched; in 2003 many thought the war would take three to nine months. Three months into the war, that view no longer existed. The author made a point throughout the book to remind us of the senselessness of this operation. This book is definitely not a book found in a recruiting office.
A book befitting our time.......2007-09-21
The J Affect
Paul Rieckoff is a true patriot. His book, Chasing Ghosts, shows a soldier amidst the chaos of war and puts the reader as close to the front lines in the war on terror as you can be without being there. As we sit back home, comfortable in our easy chair and watch the news, we see stories second and third hand concerning the war. Paul places the reader with his troop, giving a remarkable, educated, and honest recall of the war from the front. When we hear a story, briefly describing the latest guffaws and blunders from our leadership who never served, Paul gives us the direct affect it has on the soldiers on the front lines of this unique battle as well as what affect it may have in the near future back home. While reading, you have to wonder what might happen if all our soldiers were his equal. From his pre-war training, through his time on the battlefield of Baghdad, to his reaction upon returning home, Paul keeps his story open, without political agenda. His only agenda is for the accountability of leadership and the ability to recognize what supporting our troops really means. His arrogance is delightful. His prose keep his story moving well. This is a good recommendation to anyone watching the flapping heads on television and want to know the real story from the front.
Chasing Ghosts-Not enough stars to accurately rate this one.......2007-09-19
Incredibly written. One of thew best books I've read in years. Whether you are for or against the war, you leave this book with a whole new respect for the men and women that have put their lives on ther line for us!
Reviewed by John D. Merrill.......2007-08-21
Chasing ghosts is the recounting of the first fourteen months of the US invasion of Iraq and the personal results of one soldier's life. Running chronologically, the book describes the expectations of this skeptic and how his sense of purpose in the invasion was tenuous to begin with and waned when the reports of WMDs were not valid and there was not clear way out once Saddam fell.
Paul continues with the growing insurgency and the bonds of American soldiers who were fighting them. He outlines the policy ideas and changes that directly affect the troops on the ground. He describes the experiences with the invasion and how their roles turn to peacekeepers and police for the volatile parts of Iraq. He was clear to include the specific details of when his company and platoon first noticed organized insurgency and when the first one of his company was killed by insurgents. Paul describes the high tensions of keeping the peace, dealing with thieves and opportunists, and worst of all; the American Media. He wraps up his time in Iraq with recounting his, self-described, movie like departure from Iraq.
Once out of Iraq, his story continues in his quest to be heard about his concerns for the troops in Iraq and America in general. He describes the problems for soldiers returning home. One of his friends from Iraq had returned home and suffered from post traumatic stress and after he had returned home had gone missing. Paul's frustrations were not from post-war trauma as much as the posturing and politics behind the home front. He makes it clear that the power that be in Washington, both Republican and Democrat, have show their interests in the welfare of the troops are more lip-service than anything else. He begins to speak on behalf of the servicemen he considers family. Much like his tour in Iraq, he chronicles his progress working with "Operation Truth," the non-profit organization for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans. He has spoken to the President and several Senators, including Kerry and Clinton. He is trying to be heard and in this book he gets his message across.
An adept glimpse of the myth of war.......2007-08-19
Rieckoff has captured the spirit of urban combat and humanizes the humanitarian ideals of American forces and Iraqis alike with his heartfelt memoir. His work is an important addition to a reader's understanding of an environment laced with ideological undertones which combine religion, politics, ethics and morality. Distant observers of a little understood war will gain an insider's view of horrific events, yet not be overly subjected to gory details. When the last page is read, the real costs of war will be better understood, and this will lead to knowing why it is important to support our troops abroad and at home. As a Vietnam vet, I can relate to the writer's views. I salute him and the men he led during their deployment.
Book Description
Winner of the 2004 Arthur Ross Book Award from the Council on Foreign Relations
From two of the world’s foremost experts on the new terrorism comes the definitive book on the rise of al-Qaeda and America’s efforts to combat the most innovative and dangerous terrorist group ever. Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon trace the growth of radical Islam from its medieval origins and, drawing on their years of counter-terrorism work at the National Security Council, provide essential insights into the thinking of Usama bin Laden and his followers. With unique authority, they analyze why America was unable to defend itself against this revolutionary threat on September 11, 2001, why bin Laden’s apocalyptic creed is gaining ground in the Islamic world, and what the United States must do to stop the new terror.
Download Description
Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon began working on this book shortly after leaving the National Security Council, where, as director and senior director for counterterrorism, they watched the rise of al-Qaeda and helped coordinate America's fight against Usama bin Laden and his organization. They warned in articles and interviews about the appearance of a new breed of terrorists who were determined to kill on the grand scale. More than a year before September 11, 2001, they began writing The Age of Sacred Terror to sound the alarm for a nation that had not recognized the gravest threat of our time.
One of their book's original goals has remained: to provide the insights to understand an enemy unlike any seen in living memory -- one with an extraordinary ability to detect weakness and exploit it, one with a determination to inflict catastrophic damage, one that will not be deterred. But after September 11, a second, equally crucial goal was added: to understand how America let its defenses down, how warnings went unheeded, and how key parts of the government failed at vital tasks.
The Age of Sacred Terror also describes the road ahead, where the terrorists will look to draw strength, and what the United States must do, at home and abroad, to stop them. For a year after the attacks that redefined terrorism and devastated the public's sense of security, America has been searching for answers about those responsible for one of the darkest days in our history and explanations for the glaring gaps in our defenses. The Age of Sacred Terror provides both, with unique authority. It is the book that Americans must read to understand the foremost challenge we face.
"A lucid, passionate, shocking account of Islamist terrorism. Anyone interested in how the enemies of the West operate will want to read this book. And even those who are not,should."
IAN BURUMA
"The Age of Scared Terror provides a staggering account of the origins of al-Qaeda, its motives and its bloody history since the early 1990s. After reading this book no one should be in any doubt that a new and unprecedented form of terrorism dedicated to the mass destruction of human life now exists. The book is also the chilling story of how slow and reluctant the West has been to recognize and counter an enemy whose intentions are more deadly than any it has ever faced before. The events of September 11, 2001, changed the world: Ours has truly become the age of sacred terror. This book explains in great and compelling detail how those events were possible, how they might perhaps have been avoided, and how they could occur again. Everyone should read it -- and be warned."
ANTHONY PAGDEN
"Of the many books spawned by September 11, this one is in a class by itself. The authors range widely and authoritatively from history to current events; from fast-paced narrative to sharp, often original analysis; from deep behind enemy lines, where they get into the heads of the enemy, to the Situation Room in the basement of the White House where the American response is formulated (and where the authors logged so many hours themselves). In the phrase that has gained such currency since 9/11, here's a book that truly connects the dots. It does so in a spare, lucid style with flashes of real brilliance and with admirable fairness to all three administrations -- from Bush to Clinton to Bush -- that have grappled with a decade of steadily escalating terrorism."
STROBE TALBOTT, FORMER DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE AND AUTHOR OF THE RUSSIA HAND: A MEMOIR OF PRESIDENTIAL DIPLOMACY
Customer Reviews:
Amazing Breath; Amazing Detail; Limited Perspective.......2007-07-24
This book, by two top Clinton administration directors at the National Security Council's counterterrorism desk, is an excellent work on the rise of radical Islam and America's response. It contains sustantial details about Islamic terrorism in the 1990s and the corresponding responses from their administration. It is not an introduction to the matter. While it is not deeply analytical, it also assumes some knowledge on the part of the reader, which one would better find in The Crisis of Islam by Bernard Lewis.
The book contains serious merits which broaden its appeal. The authors simultaneously recognize the distinction between mainstream Islam and the radicalized Islam of the terrorists, and yet also the fact that they are indeed radical Muslims while a firm devotion to their interpretation of Shari'a and not poverty-stricken revolutionaries or misunderstood intellectuals.
At the same time, the authors fall into a series of traps.
For one, they are more sympathetic to Bill Clinton and hostile to the Bush administration without presenting substantial reason. On the one hand, this is both innevitable and excusable; they were Clinton administration insiders privy to the presented logic and extended internal debate, whereas they are forced to the Bush team from the outside (they even admit as much). At the same time, however, they operate on what seems a consistent double standard. The soil samble from al-Shifa is determined a legitimate cause for 1998 missile strikes, but biological contaminants in Iraq are simply passed over. This bias obscrues their most important argument against the Iraq war- that because the Iraq war has and will involved a continued guerilla war against an insurgency that will attract new members and will never be wiped out, it makes the country into a training ground where young terrorists can hone their skills.
The authors also draw on the Cold War-era moral equivalency mindset when making an extended literary sidetrip into Christian fundamentalism and Jewish terrorism. It is almost a token attempt to appeal to more 'open-minded' and 'level-headed' readers taken aback with their pragmatic take on terror and the clarity of its status as a global enemy. While some of the Jewish points are valid, it is virtually irrelevant as an addative to their overall argument; and talk about Timothy McVey and the Christian Identity movement is laughable. The Christian Identity movement is a white supremacy movement founded on anti-Semitism far more removed from Christian orthodoxy than Islamic radicals are from their mainstream. This divergence from the narrative greatly detracted from the overall cogency of the book.
Third, the authors seem convinced- and convinced that no reason needs be given- that international terrorism conducted by Islamic radicals is the most pressing foreign policy threat facing the United States in the early twentieth century. Perhaps a symptom of a limited, terror-oriented perspective or perhaps due to a antipathy toward the Bush administration, the authors repeatedly decry that Bush administration's campaign and first-year emphasis on the rise of communist China and the shift from the Clintonian view of China as a 'strategic partner' to a 'strategic competitor.'
This is likely the chief pitfall of the work: the failure to recognize that the threat of radical Islamic terrorism, however important, is at least matched by the rizing hegemony of China, first in East Asia, and then in the global South.
That said, however, I found this to be an excellent work filled with detail about both figures and operations within terror cells and the Clinton administration. It raises the bar for debate and leaves me looking forward to learning more about this existential threat.
Destroying the Kingdom of Man to Establish the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth........2007-06-26
The central theme of this book is that Americans continue to underestimate the danger from Muslim terrorists. We couldn't conceive of a day like 9/11, and therefore it appeared a remote possibility. To the extent that we fail to understand this enemy's resolve, and the uncompromising hatred which it bears for us, we will enable them to continue to strike us. Steven Simon was Senior Director for the National Security Council's Directorate of Transnational Threats, and Daniel Benjamin was Director for Counterterrorism in the Clinton administration. It is stunning what they knew then and it is most remarkable what they have learned since then.
The book starts with a summary of recent terrorist acts committed against American interests in the name of Allah, and then goes back to the earliest of the Muslim fundamentalists. They show the cyclical nature of terrorism, and how Islam has metastasized over the last 700 years since Taqi al-Din ibn Taymiyya and his Kharijites introduced terror as a core concept within Islam. We learn of the contributions of Muhammad ibn Abdel al Wahhab, of Rashid Rida, and of Hasan al Banna and Sayyad Qutb. But that's just the first 94 pages since this isn't a history; it's an analysis of contemporary events. Accordingly, the focus is on the present incarnation of the Muslim nightmare, Usama bin Laden. Throughout this historical narrative we learn that both the subculture of terrorism and the broader Muslim culture are strongly connected, so that the basis for terrorist violence is well established and legally unassailable.
And this isn't the turgid prose of academic research, of ancient history, or of political wonkism. The writing is positively entertaining: "The Jordan Rift Valley, a deep and unstable fissure in the earth's crust, provides a metaphor for the country through which it runs. The Hashemite kingdom of Jordan straddles political fault lines ... and if any of these divisions widen, it could bring down the palace roof." And later: "Yousef and Kansi were anomalies; they fit no part of the accepted taxonomy of terror, with its two great phyla, the soldiers of national liberation groups, and the agents of state sponsors."
And Americans still don't get it. Terrorism is now parodied on stage, and has become the staple of movie plots. The more we treat Muslim terrorism as a peripheral problem, the more we believe that we've broken the back of the problem, or turned the corner, the more vulnerable we become. They hate us; they're still out there; and they have the means. They don't want to negotiate; they don't want to influence our actions; they want to annihilate us.
Good but ..........2006-11-24
The book is easy to read and clearly explain the historical progress of radical Islam.
My only problem is the authors are not quoting primary resources of radical Muslim thinkers but quoting others who wrote about these thinkers.
In page 46 Ali is described as Muhammad's son-in-law and nephew. That is a huge mistake as Muhammad have no brothers or sisters and Ali is his cousin.
Such mistake which is repeated in the reprint of the book in the paperback edition make me think, what else is not accurate in the book?
Excellent Primer on GWOT.......2006-03-26
Though slightly dated-it was published in the interim between 9/11 and the Iraq War-this book by two U.S. government anti-terrorism officials is an excellent description of what is commonly referred to as the Global War on Terror. From the mechanics of the attacks on September 11, to the ideology of the terrorists themselves, to our government's response to Islamism, this well rounded book is an excellent resource for those looking for a window into a very complicated subject.
Most interesting in comparing this book first published in hardcover in October 2002, with events since then. Benjamin and Simon lay out a reasonable description of why 9/11 happened, as well as certain measures we can take to overcome the enemy. The large leap the Bush administration has taken away from these reasonable steps is striking--and disturbing.
I highly recommend this book.
GREAT SUBJECT, QUALIFIED AUTHORS.... BUT POORLY ORGANIZED AND WRITTEN.......2005-12-16
I read the preceding reviews and wonder: is it me?... Perhaps, but I found this book disappointing. While containing good material, I have to say that the book is poorly written and unorganized. Perhaps that's the fault of the editor, for the authors are obviously qualified by their experience to speak on the issue of terrorism. I've read several books on this subject, and understand it well enough to fill in the blanks. By the same token, however, having to do so was a bit of a frustration.
The chapter fields of Jihad is a fairly good overview of the countries involved in birthing and spreading jihadist Islam, however - overall the book is wordy and cumbersome. I think a hallmark of a good author is that he/she uses few words and uses them well. That is not the case here. I guess I expected more: well-qualified authors, great subject matter, interesting title...but overall (to me) a disappointing read.
I would not recommend this book. Save your money and invest it in "The Cell" or "The New Jackals" instead. Both are impressive and engaging accounts of terrorism in action.
Book Description
On September 11, 2001, hours after the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, the eminent military historian Victor Davis Hanson wrote an article in which he asserted that the United States, like it or not, was now at war and had the moral right to respond with force.
An Autumn of War, which opens with that first essay, will stimulate readers across the political spectrum to think more deeply about the attacks, the war, and their lessons for all of us.
Customer Reviews:
Good book for the critical thinker.......2006-02-27
An Autumn of War provides excellent insight into the reactions of the American people after the attacks of 9/11. When seeing the rubble of the World Trade Center and the desperate innocent civilians jumping to their deaths from the windows in the upper stories of the building, it is difficult imagining any person of the free world opposing a counter-attack on bin Laden. What followed, however, with our continued conflict in Iraq, is a different story. The essays included in this book were written in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, from September to December 2001. Victor Davis Hanson is a fantastic historian, but I question if the book might have had greater value had it been written and published today, five years later. In light of what has happened since the attack, some of his reasoning seems a bit shortsighted and some analogies not quite right, for example, the idea that we were attacked because the Islamic world envies our freedom. Might they have attacked us instead because of more self-serving motives, for example, because they feel that our lifestyle, particularly the ease with which electronic information is transmitted via the Internet, is an intrusion in their world, where they wish to maintain the status quo that allows a few select people in power to control the masses?
I also feel that the analogy made between the ease with which we defeated Nazi Germany and Japan in World War II, and the supposed ease with which we will defeat the terrorists, is not a good analogy, because when we defeated Nazi Germany and Japan, we defeated a country's government, its central establishment. The terrorists and insurgents are not necessarily sanctioned by their country's government, and are difficult to attack with bombs and other weapons because they lack a centralized leadership. Five years have passed, bin Laden is still at large, and the threat of terrorism is still discussed on a daily basis in the news. Whether or not we have been successful in our war on terror depends on how we define success.
This is an excellent book for those seeking a controversial issue on which to practice their critical thinking skills, yet less impressive than Hanson's other works.
A credible viewpoint from a historian........2005-04-28
This book is a collection of essays written in the weeks after 9/11. His viewpoints on this new warfront are very well thought out, researched and for the most part based on history, not just of battles and wars, but cultures as well. In short, he seem's to see this war in somewhat simplistic terms of "us or them" and "do or die" where pacifism, denial, and self-blame ("we brought this on ourselves because of our foriegn policy, etc.") could be the terrorists biggest weapon, ultimately giving them the upper hand. Some may feel his views are cold or callous but taking into a military historians account, war itself is cold and callous. In a true war between 2 cultures, there is often no room for taking into account the other sides "feelings", especially when they are so hell-bent on destroying you. His views are hard to argue with because many are based on historical facts that have time and time again proven true. And although these are in fact new times in a more advanced civilization, the motives, beliefs and desires for the most part remain the same (they want to kill us - for various reasons - and we want to live). He does a great job in laying out his case for an offensive and aggressive response to America's "new" enemies.
Wow.......2005-02-21
The author combines knowledge of history, shewd and smart judgements, and extreme readability. Everything I am read by him is Excellent. This book is a series of essays written in the year after September 11th which lay out the road ahead for America. It is emotionally gripping, saddening, yet hopeful. (I read it in 2005 and it isn't dated at all.)
A good collection.......2004-08-22
A good collection of essays writen after 9/11, worth reading. What prompts this review is the one and two star reviews running here. The usual hysteria from the usual gang of academics and naifs. Such reviewers love the insult even more than I. Bigoted, they write. Rightwing. Racist. Even Neo Con is strutted out, used as a pejorative, as if the reviewer knows what a Neo Con is, or was, which the reviewer clearly does not. Ignore the one or two star reviewers who are each and every one 'blame America' types, malcontents and Democrats all. Buy this book for your 'by the pool' or 'in the park' reading on current affairs.
Disappointing.......2004-07-21
The chapter on General Sherman was great - but then he was one of my ancestors and I could be biased. The chapters are acollection of essays and do vary considerably.
The other chapters were almost all were flawed because Hanson's polemic is based on much better understanding of the Classics and, to some degree, the West than the contemporary world or Islam. Sometimes this is clear because either the reasoning or overly broad conclusions are visible to a careful reader. Other times the neo Con bias informs the selection and presentation more subtly.
Overall more pompous than profound.
Book Description
The Matador's Cape delves into the causes of the catastrophic turn in American policy at home and abroad since 9/11. In a collection of searing essays, the author explores Washington's inability to bring 'the enemy' into focus, detailing the ideological, bureaucratic, electoral and (not least) emotional forces that severely distorted the American understanding of, and response to, the terrorist threat. The author's breadth of knowledge about the War on Terror leads to conclusions about present-day America that are at once sobering in their depth of reference and inspiring in their global perspective.
Customer Reviews:
A measured, well-reasoned and deftly persuasive treatise.......2007-09-03
New York University School of Law research director Stephen Holmes presents The Matador's Cape: America's Reckless Response to Terror, a scholarly examination of the failures, mismanagement, and worse rampant in the Bush-Cheney administration's response to the September 11th attacks, especially the deleterious ramifications of the war in Iraq. The Matador's Cape strongly condemns acts of terror and genocide, yet examines with equal suspicion the Bush-Cheney's administration's insistence in sequestering its intelligence and decision-making process from the public - and therefore from any solid opportunity to vette or cross-check its ideologically driven conclusions, with disastrous results. Also discussed is the significant yet by no means unilateral role of religious fundamentalism in propagating terrorism, the impact of rising birthrates in the Islamic world contrasted with falling birthrates in the Western world, the harmful and psychologically twisted effects of the Bush-Cheney administrations embrace of torture, and much more. A measured, well-reasoned and deftly persuasive treatise about the need for an immediate reexamination of America's current administration and foreign policy. Highly recommended.
Brilliant account of the 'war on terror'.......2007-08-06
Stephen Holmes, Professor at the New York University School of Law, has produced an exceptionally good book exploring the tangled arguments for the US and British governments' `war on terror'. He sums up that this war has been a disaster.
He describes the US state's "excessively violent, too broadly targeted, and patently counter-productive response to 9/11." He notes the odd assumption that "American immoderation will produce Muslim moderation." As he writes, "America's bellicose response to the 9/11 provocation 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 paralysis and docility."
Holmes demolishes the arguments used to try to justify the shift from getting Al Qa'ida to `America's gratuitous invasion and horrifyingly bloody occupation of Iraq'. He criticises idealist warmongering about the clash of civilisations, humanitarian intervention and democratisation. He notes, "Senators and Representatives who originally voted to approve a war on false pretenses have subsequently hesitated to criticize it, no matter how calamitous the outcome, because after-the-fact dissent embarrassingly reveals their own prior gullibility and lack of foresight."
He points out, "In Administration rhetoric, terrorism (a method for waging asymmetric war) is routinely opposed to liberty (a principle for organizing a modern society). The antithesis of liberty, however, is not terrorism but tyranny. So, when the Administration tries to place jihadism in the space vacated by Communism, turning it into the new global enemy of liberty, it confuses both itself and others." Gordon Brown uses the same bad comparison to continue Blair's war policies.
Holmes writes, "On the one hand, neoconservatives assert that Islamic radicals despise American values (such as religious toleration), not American policies (such as support for Israel), and deny that America's past behaviour has in any way provoked anti-American violence. On the other hand, they imply that the 9/11 plot was inspired and implemented by terrorists radicalized by Arab autocracies allied with or sponsored by the United States. This suggest precisely that 9/11-style terrorists hate American policies (backing the oppressors of Muslim peoples), not American values. They hate not the principles of American liberty but, rather, America's unprincipled support for tyranny. ... That is to say, jihadism, however repugnant, is not simply `evil' but has a perfectly comprehensible rationale. If we do not honestly grapple with this rationale, we will not be able to reduce the jihadist appeal."
He concludes, "the war on terror is bound to fail when conducted, as it has been so far, against the rule of law and outside the constitutional system of checks and balances." "To `go around the law' when combating terrorism is to regress into collective punishment. ... Waiving the rules will do the work of terrorists in this sense: it will recreate a world where violence breeds violence - where terrorism breeds torture and torture breeds terrorism. This will not be a safer world."
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- Business Welsh: A User's Manual
- Community and Population Health with PowerWeb: Health and Human Performance
- For Women Only: What You Need to Know about the Inner Lives of Men
- Harry Potter y el misterio del principe / Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince
- Ecological Stoichiometry: The Biology of Elements from Molecules to the Biosphere
- French Country Diary 2005
- Accounting Theory: An Information Content Perspective
- Becoming a Top Salaryman and a Top Office Lady
1945 - Present
| 20th Century
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq
Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War
The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 (Vintage)
Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq
Doctor Dealer: The Rise and Fall of an All-American Boy and His Multimillion-Dollar Cocaine Empire
