was a long time in the making. In this challenging work, Gilbert Achcar analyzes how this shift came about and examines its fateful consequences.
Achcar's
Clash of Barbarismstraces the rise of militant and anti-Western Islamic fundamentalism to its roots in U.S. policies aimed at control of the oil reserves of the Middle East, and above all, Saudi Arabia
the "Muslim Texas." Achcar examines the political premises of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda and show how these led to the massive miscalculation of the September 11 attacks, with results both politically counterproductive and morally reprehensible.The major result of this miscalculation has been to complete a shift from the vision of a world order based on international law and respecting the rights of strong and weak nations alike, announced by George Bush, Sr., in 1991, to the world order being created by the administration of George W. Bush today, in which the United States asserts its own power and pursues its interests without regard for law or rights. In this context, we are living through a "clash of barbarisms" indeed.
This important and timely work is already scheduled for publication in French, English, German, Turkish, and Korean. It draws on first-hand knowledge of the Middle East, but looks beyond immediate events to clarify their geopolitical bases.
Customer Reviews:
Are these Individuals HUMAN BEINGS, or What?!.......2003-03-08
... I swear to almighty God, if I ever find myself standing face-to-face with ANY of the members of the current administration "serving" our nation in Washington, D.C., I will feel absolutely compelled to ask them the following question: "Are you a HUMAN BEING?!" ... I mean, are these people HUMAN BEINGS, or what?! ... Does ANYBODY out there feel like I do, and EVER question the basic HUMANITY of these characters? I find it UNBELIEVABLE - what these individuals are doing in the name of "serving" their country. If this is SERVING your country, I can HELP MYSELF. Thank you very much!
... Gilbert Achcar has written a masterpiece which serves as a mirror to our nation, staring us in the face. Interesting, how foreigners see us more realistically than we see ourselves. In reading this book, I have come to realize - without a doubt - that what this administration is doing in the name fighting a war on terrorism is exhibiting nothing more than the old saying of: "might is right in the world of greed and lust." ... To all those reading this who disagree, I say: READ THE FOLLOWING THREE PASSAGES FROM THIS BOOK, AND CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE! ...
... From page 37: "The United States is thus directly responsible for the resurgence of anti-Western Islamic fundamentalism. Over the past thirty years this resurgence has flourished in two successive waves. The Iranian revolution marked the climax of the first wave, in the 1970s; September 11 and the shock wave it sent out were the peak of the second wave, dating back to the 1990s. The United States is in fact doubly responsible for them. Not only did it contribute directly to propagating Islamic fundamentalism, but by helping to defeat and crush the Left and progressive nationalism throughout the Islamic world, it freed up the space for political Islam as the only ideological and organizational expression of popular resentment. Popular resentment, like nature, abhors a vacuum. The resurgence of Islamic fundamentalism is not the culturally inevitable form of radicalization in Muslim countries; until recently most people in Muslim countries spurned the ideology. It won only by default, after its competition was eliminated by their common adversary."
... From page 58: "This method of action serves entirely rational ends, contrary to what many would like to believe. Bin Laden hoped to create a situation in which the U.S. population, weary of bearing the brunt of its government's involvement in a part of the world that it has no more interest in than it did in Vietnam thirty years ago, would put pressure on its government to disengage and get out. This is why he directed his warnings, as in his October 7 message, not only to the U.S. government and its Western allies but also to their peoples. He did so even more clearly in his 1998 statements, which called people to attention: "The Western regimes and the government of the United States of America bear the blame for what might happen. If their people do not wish to be harmed inside their very own countries, they should seek to elect governments that are truly representative of them and that can protect their interests." 8 "
... From pages 72 & 73: "Given the scale of the catastrophe that the Bush administration did nothing to prevent, its culpable negligence would have been more than enough to provoke the immediate resignation of any honest, responsible leader. But the very way the 43rd president made his way to the White House, not to speak of the Enron scandal and other events since the elections, showed that Bush is neither honest nor responsible. It is enough to make one marvel at the fact that Bill Clinton's lies in the Lewinsky affair almost drove him to resign or led to his impeachment. The surge in George W. Bush's popularity after September 11 shows that the events' true lessons are still far from having been learned. Indeed, it shows that people in the U.S. have drawn conclusions that are the exact opposite of the right ones. ... So far we have mentioned three factors to explain the origins of the political-religious terrorism targeting the United States: the presence of U.S. troops in the Saudi Kingdom, the Iraq embargo, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We will not dwell further on the way in which the Bush administration deals with these Middle East issues. It is clear enough that it has done nothing until now but throw more oil on the fire, forgetting once more that the United States itself falls within the perimeter of this conflagration."
... Wise words, indeed, that need to be HEEDED before we see even MORE "Blowback" ( as the CIA calls it ) of bad karma generating suffering and destruction onto American civilians right here in our own country! We are NOT immune! We are NOT safe, as Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia so rightly states. ... As the new book, BUSH'S BRAIN, so eloquently attests to, this whole Iraq War comes down to two things: Oil & Israel. ... We need to GO SOLAR as soon as possible! ... YOWZA! - The Aeolian Kid
Excellent, Balanced Viewpoint.......2003-02-24
I had the opportunity to listen to Achcar lecture at La Maison Francaise at NYU, and found his view intriguing, if not entirely acceptable, and certainly worthy of inclusion into a broader worldview. His English is faltering, but the translation is excellent and the book is well structured. Also, the book is about 100 pages long, and I found it an easy read, although not simply written. Reading the book would not take a great amount of time, and it provides a wealth of solid, but little known, historical and political information.
The largest takeaway from his analysis is a more balanced approach to international interactions, and a detailed analysis of the history of the Middle East and Islam, as it relates to political struggles. His analysis is akin to Chomsky's understanding of American political strategy, but also dovetails contrapuntally with more mainstream writers such as Brzezniski.
Only Barbarians Clash.......2003-01-26
After reading this slim volume, one receives the impression that it was a hurried effort, pieced together from previously published writings, not only of Gilbert Achcar's own work, but also of other writers. That, however, does not dull its message which is to portray the United States as the new Roman Empire, the political and military colossus of the 21st Century, the less than noble giant which can take what it wants from the world at large. And what the latter day Leviathan wants is not justice, nor fairness, demonstrating few of the noble principles which gave it birth.
Mr. Achcar who teaches politics and international relations in France intended this book to counterpoise with Samuel Huntington's better known book, "The Clash of Civilizations". He contends that it is the barbarism of the West which is currently evident in the US which clashes with the barbarism of the East as practiced by Islamic fundamentalists. His conclusion is that Professor Huntington is wrong; cultured societies don't war but barbaric societies do.
In an interesting comparison, Mr. Achcar depicts George W. Bush as a fundamentalist religious leader standing in fierce opposition to Islamic fundamentalists. The inference is that there are religious overtones to a war being planned against Iraq which -- much more likely -- is to control large oil reserves.
One point that the book brings out which is overlooked in mass media reports of the Bush Administration's war against terrorism. It is not true, the author asserts, that Islamists hate the USA for its freedom, for its wealth, for its non-Islamic ways. The US is hated for its uncritical support of international policies which are unfair and do not promote justice -- an antithesis of what the USA preaches. Those critics of the USA find a gross hypocrisy about such stands and they hate the duplicity of it all.
From a reader's point of view, the book was a little hard going at times perhaps because it is a translation, after all, from French. Nevertheless, for those who do not become edgy when learning uncomfortable facts about the most significant issue of this century, this book is recommended.
=pjr=
Book Description
How is it possible for one middle-aged Saudi millionaire to threaten the world's only superpower? This is the question at the center of Jonathan Randal's riveting, timely account of Osama bin Laden's life and role in the rise of terrorism in the Middle East. Randal traces the current sources of Osama's money and tells us why the Iraq war has played into the hands of the terrorists, while also providing essential insight and background on the history of American involvement in the Middle East. With his long-maintained sources in the Middle East and his intimate understanding of the region, Randal gives us a clearer explanation than any we have had of the whys and wherefores of the world's most prominent and feared terrorist.
Customer Reviews:
Not the book you would think.......2007-02-10
I have gone through half of the book (intend to read the other half as well) but its not the book I thought it would be. Its more of a story of the middle east politics over the past twenty years, the afhgan war and pakistan's involvement in it. Tonnes of information from personal encounters of the author and through his friends and acquaintances. Not your typical bed time book, a bit difficult to digest.
Decent, but not great.......2006-07-14
Jonathan Randal's obviously has a lot of information to work with in light of his decades of work in the Middle East. Due to his vast experience, his book is useful. Unfortunately, it does not contain much information about Osama bin Laden. If the book had been titled something else it would have been fitting as the book was more about terrorism in general and al-Qaeda and Osama more specifically. He has obvious political leanings towards France and is definitely not an alarmist like many that write about terrorism today. Sometimes his anti-American political jibes can be irritating and even irrational. He paints Osama as more or less a good Muslim and never points out where he is not a good Muslim. If he believes that, that's fine. It's a little hard to swallow that he then finds it wrong that the US is in a war against Islam. It seemed to be a major philosophical jump in my mind. If you want to read an interesting book about terrorism and someone's opinion about Middle East politics this is a decent book. If you are looking for a book about Osama find another one.
Real Backstory to our World Under Threat.......2005-12-05
Randall spoke in London in October, 2005. I was there and brought the book back with me. This new (2005 paperback) edition is dramatically improved from the first, as it is informed by a mountain of data drawn together by the 911 Commission, whose report came out after Randal's first book went to press.
Insights can be hard to glean, but a careful reader will see how the terrorists now striking from small to large scales around the world got underway. And it is only too clear how hard it will be to stop them as they operate in unstructured cells in scores of countries.
One of most critical points Randal makes is that Osama's gathering and training, partly underwritten by the US backing for Afghans against the Soviets in the nineties, brought together for the first time scores of disenchanted, religiously passionate people from across Islam. Randal notes that these people, gathered to train and fight by Osama, had little knowledge of fellow thinkers outside their villages in countries scattered across the world.
Now, in the band from Morocco to the Philippines, there are trained, experienced terrorists who know they are part of a global force. This is Osama's real legacy. His killing or capture becomes a small historic fact. As Randal clearly shows, it was Osama at work in the nineties -- long before 911 -- that flows on. There are many lessons to be taken away and they are well illuminated in the new version of OSAMA.
very balanced and objective book.......2005-07-12
A well researched book, balanced and objective, informative and engrossing.
I am very sad that the people who gave it one star are writing as if they have to prove something.
Absolutely Atrocious.......2005-05-30
The self-aggrandizement is downright nauseating. Randal can easily put you to sleep with his "knowledge" and "insight". The title is a little misleading since you dont even hear a thing about Bin Laden till the sixtieth page practically. All you get from this is how the Bush administration is comparable to the Nazi propaganda machine with it's "Big Lies" and that Israel is the Great Oppresor. His constant chastizing of the Bush administration as simpletons toward their policy on Terror is quite comical since his grand idea is appeasement/containment. Wow , do you think he thought that one up all by himself. Bold thinking I'll tell ya. His blather is extremely numbing anchored by his favorite word, comeuppance. I would give it a negative star if I could
Book Description
The London bombings of July 7th, 2005, revived the debates that raged after 9/11. What relation did they bear to the foreign and war policies of the United Kingdom and the United States? Were they symptoms of a “cultural clash†between deep-seated “values†or signs of a social crisis at the root of the ongoing conflict? How should we analyze the present-day emergence of fanatical forms of Islamic fundamentalism?
The title of the book alludes to the famous thesis on the “Clash of Civilizations.†Achcar develops a counterthesis, namely that the clashes we are witnessing do not oppose civilizations, but their dark sides. Each civilization produces a specific form of barbarism, which tends to take over in periods of crisis. Accordingly, the Bush administration doesn’t embody the values of Western civilization nor does Islamic fanaticism of the al-Qaâ€~ida type represent Islamic civilization. The clash between them is a “clash of barbarisms†in which the main culprit remains the most powerful.
The war of aggression and occupation in Iraq led to blatant manifestations of Western barbarism, most strikingly epitomized by the torture at Abu Ghraib, and inevitably nurtured fanatical Islamic and other counterbarbarisms.
Average customer rating:
- WAS REQUIRED HIGH SCHOOL READING IN THE 1970'S
|
Diana: The Making of a Terrorist
Thomas Powers
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Sociobiology
| Anthropology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Political Doctrines
| Political Science
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
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ASIN: 0395123755 |
Customer Reviews:
WAS REQUIRED HIGH SCHOOL READING IN THE 1970'S.......2005-06-04
This book was required reading back in the early 1970's in High Schools. I remember many a student having this in their possession.
The movie from 1975 "Katherine", starring Sissy Spacek is based on this book.
The movie was highly rated, about a young woman, from a wealthy family. She becomes involved radically, and leads to her demise, unfortunately.
This was the path of many young people in the 1960's and 1970's. The Vietnam war, the bad presidential administrations, protest on campus, avoiding the draft, and so forth, were highly questioned by many.
Surprisingly now has become nostalgia.
Average customer rating:
- But for the grace of God...
- wow great book !!
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Zacarias, My Brother: The Making of a Terrorist
Abd Samad Moussaoui , and
Florence Bouquillat
Manufacturer: Seven Stories Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| 20th Century
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| France
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Criminology
| Crime & Criminals
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Politics
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
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General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Terrorism
| Current Events
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Islam
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1583225854 |
Book Description
A portrait of Zacarias Moussaoui, the purported "twentieth hijacker," now a federal detainee charged with multiple capital offenses. Written by his brother, this tale of domestic hardship, youthful hope, and a final, downward spiral casts the defendant in a new, human light.
Customer Reviews:
But for the grace of God..........2003-07-25
This is a moving and even beautiful book, which chronicles the childhood and youth of a disfunctional Moroccan immigrant family in France, who would never have come to our attention had x not succumbed to the Islamo-fascist Wahhabi cult, and hence become one of the planners of the World Trade Centre murders. He is frighteningly but believably portrayed as a kind and decent man with a belief in justice, who was tragically led onto a wrong path with an ease that reminds us that there, but for the grace of God, could go anyone of us.
wow great book !!.......2003-06-16
realy nice book , it show how wahhabies are missguided and that they are the soure of terrorism .......
it also show how wahhabies take advantage of people who dont have knowledge in the arabic language , poor people .. and how they make from them source of terror for evryone
wahhabism will be gone soon " in sha'a Allah " , even the country that used 2 help them are now fighting them (Y)
i realy appreciate it !!
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![The Making of a Terrorist [Three Volumes]: Recruitment, Training, and Root Causes Volume I Recruitment Volume II Training Volume III Root Causes](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/2138MWENMJL.jpg)
