4 comments about Vest Busters.

1. This is a concise but very informative book that give us all the info on how to make our own "Armor Piercing" slugs to pierce thru armored vests like a hot knife thru butter.
   I'm an old warrior, hence, my love for weapons'll go with me 'till the end. I'm a licensed guns collector, and my full-auto weapons're my game. My machine gun collection is my jewel, ranging from .50's twins to .22 RF improvisations, and they are a lot fun to play with. But I "play" with ball ammo, only really good to shot at paper and little else. I'm a former special-operations officer with 16 years of service in my country's intelligence agency (something like a "mix" of CIA/FBI/Secret Service, now defunct), and I have done years of overseas "contractor" work... I've been in five major guerrilla wars (Angola, Mozambique, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Lebanon), and I have shot anything that is handheld, from small mortars to stingers. And the most awesome weapon I faced ever, as I can remember, was a small Sovietic/Russian pocket pistol called "PSM" in a feeble caliber (5.45x17mm), something like a bottlenecked .380 ACP to accept a smaller than a .22 (5.56mm) slug. But the slug was the freezing thing about it: small, light, and ARMOR-PIERCING, capable of rendering a Level III-A Body Armor a Swiss-cheese... And what startled me was the fact that so a small gun could place holes in a US$ 2.000 vest! After facing this gun (fortunatelly I was wearing a hard-armor in Level IV that day), I start to think on how important is the knowledge to roll AP slugs. Today, even here in Latin America, bad guys wear armored vests, and any belt gun can not defeat any armored foe. With a light Level II vest, not even a 12-gauge buckshot can penetrate. But, with the valious knowledge found on this little book, you can make your own AP slugs. My advise is to have a full magazine mixed, that is, first a pair of real manstoper (Glaser, MagSafe, HydraShock), them a couple of AP's (I'll use solid copper SWC ones, maybe a THV or "drop" design, if the ranges are urban-type), and a mix of one of each, ending with 3 "Tracers", being a Green, an Orange or Yellow, and a Red, the last one. Why? I can tell by my own experience that it is very hard to "count" the firing shots in a gunfight. The idea is: you see a GREEN fire, you have just two shots, time to think on reloading... you see an YELLOW (or ORANGE) fire, better have a fresh magazine on hand, just one shot left, time to reload... you see a RED fire, it was the last from the old magazine and, if you do things right, a new round is chambered. This book is an important one to any handloader, to any gun-buff, to anyone who takes guns & ammo as serious lifesaving tools.



2. Be warned: do not use this book unless you are a technically minded person with logical thinking abilities. Uncle Fester gives you what you need to know to make your own teflon coated bullets, but you must follow through his expert instruction by doing your own research and measurement into the equipment you will be using, i.e. -- your oven. Uncle Fester is a very professional teacher and breaks down the process of learning to teflon coat bullets into three sections: principles of penetration, projectile preparation, and procuring the resin. Each section is amply documented with hard to find facts and references in a simple, to-the-point manner. Uncle Fester leaves nothing out or to the imagination. Just remember to follow through when he tells you to.



3. The book is dedicated to coating bullets Teflon for the purpose of (in the case of the bullets, the primary focus of the book) creating the so-called "cop-killer" bullets. such bullets are actually made with an iron core, thus allowing them to theoretically pierce Kevlar rather than simply deforming as a lead bullet would (being much less malleable than lead), the Teflon coating was applied solely to reduce friction as the bullet was propelled from the barrel.
   Teflon, however, is very useful for other applications in which highly reactive substances are being handled and/or minimum friction is called for, which is the only reason for giving this book 2 stars rather than one, though I can honestly say I have no idea whether this procedure would work, and do not recommend it if you're relying on it to save your life in the sort of dramatic and non-probable situation that this book hints towards as being a good reason to buy it.



4. I've read the entire book, and unless you have a lathe to turn out some steel bullets, and unless you have some chemistry skill or access to acids and chemicals, then this book is a waste. Even if you could turn out lathed steel bullets and coat them in Teflon, would you want to put those through your barrel? And isn't there an easier way to make bullets with roughly the same effect? (HP bullets with steel inserts).... The author uses allot of smart-sounding verbage, but reveals that he knows little about the art of home-made AP pistol bullets. The info contained in the book is essentially a weak way of explaining how to make your own KTW brand or American Ballistics brand style of bullets (monolithic steel or brass with Teflon coating). This book would have been much much better as a D.I.Y. AP pistol bullet book if it had just explained the various methods and techniques of loading steel rod, nails, and screws into different types of lead HP bullets. There is a right way and a wrong way to make those, and this book doesn't even mention these kinds of easy-to-make AP bullets at all. Forget the fact that constructing AP pistol bullets has been totally illegal in the U.S. since AUgust 28th, 1986 unless you have a class 10 or 11 FFL license. Also, this book contains no historical or reference data on any pre-existing pistol-caliber AP bullets such as KTW, THV, ABC, National cartridge "Black steel", Omnishock, G.E.A. Cyclone, PMC tubular, etc... So again, if you don't have a lathe, or if you can't cast alloys, then forget this book.

No comments about Thinking About Terrorism: The Threat to Civil Liberties in a Time of National Emergency.

5 comments about The Other Path: The Economic Answer to Terrorism.

1. In many ways, I am disappointed that I read this book after reading de Soto's other book, "The Mystery Of Capital". Both this and his other book largely contain the same ideas, but "The Other Path" focuses more intently on de Soto's experiences in Peru rather attempting to answer a very broad question. Because "The Other Path" focuses on squarely on Peru, it can more completely chronicle how his ideas have been used to better the lot of poor Peruvians, and have contributed to the defeat of Sendero Luminoso.

   I would have preferred it if the book did not purport to be a general answer to terrorism. While his ideas are very applicable with respect to Maoist revolutionaries attempting to (in theory) uplift the poor, they seem less relevant to "non-economic" terrorists, such as certain rich scions of Saudi families that fly airplanes into buildings, for example. But that is a minor point.




2. I agree that this book would have been more interesting if read before Mystery, but now the mystery is gone.

   This is good stuff just the same.

   Lots of good points that are useful in a classroom.




3. The original version of this book was written in the mid-80's to offer the people and government of Peru specific suggestions to combat Sendero Luminoso by making it possible for ordinary people to have a productive and meaningful participation in the nation's economy. This new printing includes a preface written in 2002 that provides the context and history for non-Peruvian readers and gives some analysis of the successes of the suggested reforms under the Fujimori government.

   The first part of the book is a detailed analysis of three sectors of the Peruvian economy: housing, transport, and trade (small manufacturing and retail primarily). In each of these, De Soto demonstrates how the barriers raised by regulation and legal process from both right and left wing governments in Peru have forced the majority of persons participating to do so in informal/illegal ways. The result is that formal activity bears the brunt of taxation and informals have little protection in terms of property rights, contractual instruments, and so on. The net result is that everyone is impoverished. This section of the book can be tough reading because of the amount of detail, but its necessary in order to understand the importance of the second half.

   The second half suggests that the Peruvian situation is really the reemergence of mercantilism, not a market economy. De Soto then provides some suggestions to peacefully transitiont to a market economy, and convincing warnings that failure to do so will almost certainly result in a violent transition.

   The points that De Soto makes are increasingly significant to non-Peruvians as societies like America have increasingly centralised economies. Ironically, the cover includes blurbs from both Presidents Bush and Clinton. One suspects that netiher of them actually read the book.




4. I love the little jibe provided within the title of Hernando de Soto's "The Other Path." It's a poke at "The Shining Path" (Sendero Luminoso), the Maoist Peruvian terrorist organization that wreaked havoc on de Soto's homeland beginning in 1980. de Soto's attempt in this book is to show that the more effective struggle is to make capitalism more efficient. To those who know de Soto's work, the solutions are well known: build a system of laws that allow one's residents to buy, sell and value property rights; and reduce the complexities and banalities of starting a business.
   
   If you've read de Soto's master work "The Mystery of Capitalism," then there is no new news here. In fact, "The Other Path" will look out-of-date with its yellowing statistics. So why the five stars? As a testament to de Soto's bravery. Think about the guts it took for him to research and publish this book in Peru during the tumultuous and frightening period there. What a statement.



5. Hernando De Soto's "The Other Path" is a much drier read than its follow up "The Mystery of Capital." I'm glad I read TMC first - it gave a global economic perspective that I could relate to and which interested me in reading more of the author's work. The Other Path is very detailed in its portrayal of Peruvian politics, the intricacies of laws governing property rights and transactions, and the evolution of businesses from extralegal to legal operations. While this very book was the tool used by the Peruvian government to successfully solve its terrorism problem in the 1980s, by legalizing the economic operations of the majority of its marginalized citizens, and while its message and methods are even more relevant in the current climate of global terrorism, the step-by-step detail makes it a tedious read and I couldn't get all the way through. I will, at some point, try again, but I'm glad I read The Mystery of Capital first.

No comments about Jack Bauer for President: Terrorism and Politics in <I>24</I> (Smart Pop series).

5 comments about Last Man Down: A Firefighter's Story of Survival and Escape from the World Trade Center.

1. I have had this book for a few years but have not been able to read it till recently.The story is quite interesting and astonishing (especially as it is a true story) but the writing is somewhat repetetive - I think this is done to make the story longer - and the Firefighter seems to be too full of himself always going on how great he is and how well he did what a good leader he is ...... and so on.Entertaining and interesting but the way the story is written spoils it.



2. As a firfigther who understands chain of command and the need to work with in an Incident Command System, this book perfectly explains how one FDNY Battalion Chief breaks all the rules, chosing to respond to the World Trade Center Disaster rather than remain responsible for his own Battalion, risks the lives of members of 110Truck to "sprint" to the 35th floor of the North Tower, ABANDONING them on the way to freelance some more in the burning tower, only to ultimately become stuck in the collapse of the North Tower where he goes on to shout at and berade a PAPD Officer who's lost his partner, a K9, to the collapse of the bulidng. This book is a shameful and embarrasing for all American firefighters, those silent heros who risk their lives daily.



3. I just recently read the paperback version of this book. The first half of this book is pretty interesting and heart pounding in detailing what it was like to be in the World Trade Center while it collapsed. The second half was very disatisfying. It was very self-serving and is mostly about Mr. Picciotto praising himself and his actions and criticizing absolutely everyone else. I also find it interesting that Mr. Picciotto said how hard it was for him to return to the site and that it took him a very long time do this. However, in the acknowledgment at the end of the book, he returns barely a few weeks after the collapse and with his collaborator of this book. He had already found the time to get a book deal and co-author!



4. I had wanted to read this book for a while, so I purchased it. Richard Picciotto is not the best writer, but he does give you a sense of what it was like to be under pressure and trying to survive the tower collapse. He doesn't pull punches as to who he blames for the loss of firefighters that day. Lack of adequate equipment, department cuts, etc. I think to a certain extent he has a valid point, but I also know that there were many other factors involved as well. Mr. Picciotto's focus is understandably on his personal experience and his emotions around what happened that day. I am glad that I read it, but I have to be honest and say it is what it is. Mr. Picciotto will probably not win a Pulitzer, but he calls it as he sees it and he was there and I wasn't.



5. Number one fact: Picciotto probably sensed the opportunity to make a few extra bucks from his ordeal in September 11, and seized the opportunity.
   
   Number two fact: It's strange to NOT like a book about September 1, but I did not like this book at all. Not because of the selfish and auto-congrulatory mode, but due to the literally (or lack of) characteristcis of the book. I think it's badly written, even with Mr. Paisner at the helm.
   
   As for Picciotto actions those days, only people under that kind of stresssful situation could know how they would have acted... Generally, I think he did the best he could for his city and for his companions and for the civilians he encountered.
   
   For all his detractors, I put the question: if he had died along with the shocking number of victims, even with all his "faults" he would have benn considered a hero, ego or no ego involved. Am I right?

5 comments about Abu Nidal : A Gun for Hire : The Secret Life of the World's Most Notorious Arab Terrorist.

1. The value of this book is not just the portrait it paints of its subject, Abu Nidal. His entire oranization is clearly and thoroughly documented: its structure, incidents (with dates), movements, and interworkings. Through his penetration into the organization and subsequent writing, Patrick Seale has written this remarkably detailed intelligence report. Anyone with any interest in international terrorism should go out of their way to procure a copy of this book.



2. Seale, a noted expert on Middle East affairs, uses his expertise to create an engaging story about Abu Nidal and his terrorist organization. Not only does the book provide a detailed history of Abu Nidal, but it explains the whole of the Palestinian problem in relation to Abu Nidal and his efforts. With close ties to influential sources Seale is able to add a thread of authenticity to the tale. In some parts of the book, Seale acts out the role of a private detective, piecing together clues about Abu Nidal and his possible ties to Mossad. However, the book is entertaining and educational, a great addition to one's library.



3. The book is a very interesting account of this terrorist's career. It covers many of the different organizations he is part of or works with and the countries that use him or support him. The book also tried to give the reader a better understanding of the Israeli / Palestinians war and why it effects Nidal. I found the most interesting part was just the detailed accounts of what he has been involved in; this is a very sick person that is out for as much death and destruction as possible. The book is well written and detailed. The author keeps the books going in a straight timeline. I would say that it could use an update on what he has been up to the last ten years. If you are interested in terrorism, and right now who is not, then you should pick up a copy of this book.



4. Abu Nidal purportedly committed suicide in Baghdad a few months ago by shooting himself in the head a few times. As English author Patrick Seale probably would agree, Nidal's mysterious death was appropos of a murky life given to terrorism for profit from whatever financial source was available.

   Abu Nidal: A Gun for Hire has many of the characteristics American readers find so grating about British journalism. Among these are the author's penchant for injecting himself into the story and then indulging in a baseless conspiracy theory which requires the writer to make every fact fit his premise (in this case, a far-fetched theory that Nidal worked for the Mossad). All that said, this book probably is more relevant in the aftermath of September 11th than it was when published a decade ago. The author gives textured explanations for the root causes of terrorism, and provides the mechanics of how these horrific crimes actually are implemented.

   Seale also gives us a look into the sad history of Abu Nidal and other Palestinians who suffered at the hands of Israeli settlers. He follows Nidal as he evolves from a young expatriate into the recipient of patronage from the likes of Saddam Hussein, and finally into a quasi-businessman who becomes a freelance killer for profit. As an interesting aside, Nidal had been expelled from Iraq at the time this book was written. The terrorist Seale portrays is essentially a cowardly, bigoted man who loves money and whiskey more than radical politics and the Palestinian cause. In fact, as his career gains momentum Nidal murders far more Palestinians than he does Israelis and other Westerners. To underscore his actual motives, in one grimly amusing vignette Nidal has an in-law slain to settle a business dispute.

   Abu Nidal: A Gun for Hire was published shortly before serial killers, terrorists and other criminals became media darlings and topics of the talk show circuit. It is interesting to read a relatively recent book that required the author to gather actual facts rather than rely on the self-serving declarations of his subject matter. Even with all its flaws, Seale's book is a valuable tool to understanding terrorism.




5. Patrick Seale's "Abu Nidal: A Gun For Hire" is addictive and non-stop reading. A book tracing the inner working and operations of Abu Nidal's terrorist organization. Abu Nidal started a resistance group which splintered from the mainstream palestinian opinion in the 70's. Abu Nidal's would transform his group from an extreme palestinian group into a work-for-hire organization that would carry out terrorist attacks against the enemies of his sponsor of the day. Most importantly Abu Nidal broke early on with the PLO and did everything he could to destroy the moderate palestinian voices.
   
   The book recreates Abu Nidal's operations, its mode of operation and some missions it carried out by interviewing collaborators, defectors and opponents. The book starts by tracing the steps of a new recruit in the group, and then exploring the claim from a senior PLO officer: that either Abu Nidal's Organization was infiltrated by the Mossad or Abu Nidal himself was working for the Mossad. The exploration of this claim takes the rest of the book as Patrick Seale reconstructs the various terrorist strikes carried out by Abu Nidal. In this book, Lebanon appears only as a backdrop to the mainline story.
   
   In any case, Abu Nidal's strikes consistently undermined the efforts of the PLO and the palestinian cause which he claimed to be assisting. Attacks would set back any attempts from the PLO to become a political force to represent the interests of the Palestinians in the exile and on the occupied territories.
   
   It was Abu Nidal's group who carried out the attempt to assassinate the Israeli ambassador in London in 1982. This give Israel the excuse to start its long-planned invasion of Lebanon in 1982 by claiming that the the cease fire had been broken by the PLO.
   
   In addition to the detective work, the interviews and the puzzle that the book tries to assemble there are various bits of insight on the events of the 80's and early 90's on the Middle East which will help understand the mood in the region.

No comments about Two Seconds Under the World:Terror Comes to America-The Conspiracy Behind the World Trade Center Bombing.

1 comments about El Salvador.

1. It seems like so long ago now, the conflict in Central America of the 1980s. Not only was it viewed as a peripheral Cold War conflict, which encouraged the US to support notoriously corrupt and brutal regimes, but it was also a series of extremely complex dynamics in small sovereign nations that virtually no one knew much about. El Salvador, along with Guatamala and pre-Sandinista Nicaragua, was one of the worst countries "down there."
   
   This book offers an intimate portrait of a gathering revolution, cataloguing the injustices and casual brutalites in a frightening indictment. The bottom line is that a layer of evil people simply must be swept away and the US has no business standing in the way of it. In other words, it is the classic argument for "indiginous revolution," dismissing the claims of cold warriors that the revolutionaries are communists supported by Moscow, etc. While this is only of historical interest, it is a useful case study of misguided policy, which we would do well to study today.
   
   The stories in the book are truly horrible. One young army officer, for example, raped a young aristocrat but was let off from prosecution because he appeared "promising." As scary as they are, I have since discovered that some of them are inaccurate. For example, the future president of El Salvador, whose name I think was Napoleon Duarte, was reported to have been tortured and that the tips of his fingers on one hand were cut off during interrogation. It turns out that he lost them as a construction worker. This diminishes the credibility of the book somewhat, but it is still very powerful.
   
   Recommended for a look at the COld War mentality and as a guide to the self-deception that can go on in Washington DC.

1 comments about Christian in an Age of Terror, The: Sermons for a Time of War.

1. This is a collection of sermons from WWII and the early part of the cold war.
   
   The author started out as a physician and then became a pastor. He has analytical skills seldom found in pastors and theologians.

1 comments about The Colonial Present: Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq.

1. Gregory does a great job of connecting geographical concepts to recent conflicts in the Middle East, and while it is academically geared, The Colonial Present is very accessible for the average reader. While I don't necessarily agree with his argument on Israel, he is very convincing. A must read for anyone interested in the Middle East or geography; really every American should read this.