5 comments about Prince of Fire.

1. When you read a review saying that Daniel Silva can flat out write, believe the hype! Silva can really write, and "Prince of Fire" proves just that. Another reviewer said that he didn't think Silva would raise the bar with this one, and that he was wrong. That's accurate enough, because I felt the same way. If somebody were to tell me that Daniel Silva isn't up to snuff, I'd be laughing for a long time at you.
   
   So, what kind of situation can Daniel Silva put Gabriel Allon into this time? Well, look no further then the likes of Ari Shamron and Lev. Lev says move, and Gabriel calls some critical shots in this lethal game of chess! And when check-mate seems so far away, you better check your king and queen, because Gabriel will find the move that you don't see coming. This is a whole new hunt, and the question is, who's being hunted? He also deals with issues concerning his wife, and coming to terms with it altogether. In some ways, he becomes more of a leader among men then he thought possible. And the stakes just get higher. If you ever thought of "Daniel and the Lion's Den," just think of the possibilities.
   
   This is by far the best that Silva has offered up concerning Gabriel Allon! I mean, WOW!! And I still have "The Messenger," as well as a couple of others to go in this series. Does that mean I'll be looking forward to his next offering? You bet! This was an explosion of Daniel Silva's very best, and it'll sure be a tough one to beat!



2. Silva can always be counted on to deliver a taut, fast-moving yet nuanced thriller and this is no exception. Hero Gabriel Allon sets out, somewhat reluctantly, to to avenge a massive, ugly bombing in Rome and in so doing, is forced to consider why he does what he does. In this book, as in his other Allon books, Silva ties the plot into the historic troubles between Israel and the Palestinians and ably reflects the complexities that motivate both sides. Allon is a believeable hero, now aging. Will Silva let him fade into the sunset? Doubtful, although Silva is quite capable of penning compelling novels that don't rely on this worthy hero. All in all, a good thriller. Your time won't be wasted on this one.



3. A gripping tale with a likable hero, I recommend this book for travelers, insomniacs and vacationers. Daniel Silva has mastered the thriller style, knows how to keep his reader turning the pages, guessing and fearing and hoping.



4. Don't know how I missed this author before, but plots are complex and I'm involved in the book from first to last page. He is tops and I look forward to reading all his other books.



5. Despite reading them out of order, I have thoroughly enjoyed Silva's entire Gabriel Allon series. This and "The Messenger" are the best. "The Messenger" was a fabulous page turner with a timely message about Saudi financed terrorism. "Prince of Fire" is just as good, but in a different way. It is a bit more cerebral. It has plenty of action, but it also gives the reader a closer look at Allon and, particularly, details of the Black September revenge assassinations that got him started on his career with The Office. I do not recall having seen those details in the previous Allon novels.
   
   Another highlight of this book is its historical perspective on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. I have not seen this history provided in this depth since many years ago in Leon Uris' "Exodus." Although provided in a fiction format, the history appears good, and, despite being told from the Israeli view, it seemed to provide a fair hearing to the Palestinian viewpoint as well.
   
   If you have not read anything in the Allon series, this is a great place to start. Then move on to "The Messenger." Both are masterpieces.

5 comments about Islam and Terrorism: What the Quran Really Teaches About Christianity, Violence and the Goals of the Islamic Jihad.

1. Dr. Gabriel presents an authentic analysis of the threat of Islam. He was raised Muslim, memorized the full Qur'an by the age of twelve, and eventually was a professor at Al-Azhar University in Cairo - the most revered Islamic University in the world. He tried to teach his students to be open-minded and for his effort, was kicked out of the University, spit upon, beaten and branded a heretic. He was arrested by the Egyptian secret police and tortured to near-death. He has been attacked and stabbed by Muslim fanatics for proclaiming the truth.
   
   I have read all of Dr. Gabriel's writing and have met him personally. He is a humble, sincere and soft-spoken man. He has a heart for Muslims and desires that they be given the freedom to think for themselves and have the opportunity to choose.
   
   I encourage you to read all of Dr. Gabriel's books in order to gain a full understanding of the threat that Islam represents - and more importantly - to offer hope and a refuge to those trapped in its oppression.
   
   I have the highest respect for Dr. Gabriel and refer to him often in my blog: www.y-factor.net



2. Dr. Gabriel has written an easily digestible accounting of what he experienced and how Islam as he knows it differs from how most of us in the West have been led to believe. I am becoming more firmly convinced that we need to devote more resources to actively study this religion/way of life in order to gain understanding and develop ways to communicate with the types of terror minded people he is writing about. The difference between the Noble Quran and the other translations is pretty startling... and scary!
   
   I read this book in preparation for a presentation I am making to team members on my police department. I found Dr. Gabriel's source list to be as helpful as the book itself! To date, I have read three other books on the subject, one video and several internet feeds. I have been trying to read the Quran and when I get a copy of the Noble Quran, am interested in comparing the two. Any suggestions for additional sources would be greatly appreciated!
   
   All the best,
   
   Jay



3. I had gotten this book as part of my thesis related to the global Salafi jihad, unfortunately within a couple of minutes I realized that I could not cite a book such as this whatsoever for several reasons:
   
   - The author, despite having acquired a Ph.D., does not provide citations nor complete quotes or correct translations when referencing Arabic sources.
   - The author's knowledge of Islam is terribly superficial, so that no real substance or Islamic jurisprudence is included or analyzed.
   - The book is simply a long rant against a small radicalized section of Islam, it's more like a long opinion piece for some fundamentalist Christian journal than anything else.
   - The publishing firm and its editors make it a non-credible source that no real thesis supervisor would less pass without questioning it.
   
   Seek other sources for research, but if you are a fundamentalist Christian seeking affirmation of the evils of Islam that is perpetrated by less than 1% of the world's Muslim population this is an excellent book. It is written at a middle-school level, making it a very easy read.



4. Gabriel's book exposes the lies and distortions being unwittingly disseminated by western media and governments. It could be the most important book you will ever read. Gabriel once taught in the Egyptian university that is the spriitual seat of Islam. He was forced to flee for his life when he began to question some of the tenets of his faith. He became a Christian and wrote this book using an Americanized name. Muslims the world over want to kill him. He explains exactly why in this clear and concise work.



5. We owe this guy. Should be require reading for policy makers and intelligence officials, so they understand the mental setting. Shocking and unbelivable.

5 comments about Brave New War: The Next Stage of Terrorism and the End of Globalization.

1. This is an interesting little book. I think that it may promise more than it delivers, but its lesson is right on. The Foreword relates a key part of the book's thesis (page ix): "[Examples] involve the idea of turning the complexity and power of a developed modern economy from strengths to vulnerabilities."
   
   For one thing, terrorists can use relatively inexpensive techniques to create huge problems. For instance, it cost al-Qaeda about $500,000 for the 9/11 attacks and cost the American economy about $500 billion worth of damage--in the author's words (page x) "a million-to-one payoff ratio."
   
   Other examples: cheap techniques (explosives) have cost Iraq millions upon millions of dollars in lost oil revenue, as pipelines are destroyed and income lost. The book itself is about (page xiv) "rapid chaotic and unexpected events. . . . 'black swans--events so different from what we know, so unpredictable and hidden by uncertainty, that they are impossible to predict with accuracy."
   
   The book talks about the ability of terrorists to learn and use this learning to advantage against state actors. They tend to be more nimble and this provides an advantage. So, complex globalization presents an attractive target for simple responses by terrorist organizations.
   
   An interesting argument. However, there are some questions that arise because of recent developments in Iraq. Robb believes that the antipathy of a variety of actors to the United States is doom. Whether or not the "surge" ends up working, though, it is clear that in the short run many Iraqis who formerly fought against Americans are now working with them against, for example, al-Qaeda. Will this last? or will the formerly antagonistic and currently cooperative groups just outwait Americans? Who knows? But the current situation (November, 2007) suggests a more fluid situation than the author depicts.
   
   Only time will tell the outcomes in Iraq and against terrorists worldwide. The book has an interesting and even powerful logic. But we must wait to see what the evidence tells us in the future.



2. This book isn't of course as timeless as Lao Tsu's or von Clausewitz's, but it shares space on my desk with these and a few others, simply because it is the only concise fifth-generation warfare (and fourth) reference I've found. John Robb produced a minor watershed which I've tabbed with over a score of Post-It tabs. Nicely written and functionally useful. (Still, by the author's own admission, tentative in the face of our ignorance about the future's potential for yet-unrecognized means of conflict.)



3. 
   It sure requires a lot of effort to regard life as a pleasant experience when you have to wonder every day if you're going to get blown up in a bus on your way to work, or if there's going to be a sudden blackout, shortage of water or gas. This may seem like a distant scenario, something happening to some poor "unliberated" underdeveloped state - but according to John Robb, disruptions of this kind can take place anytime, anywhere. In fact, they're being prepared as we speak. New York, Madrid and London were merely a sneak preview - and of course, places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Thailand and Chechnya have become classic sites for such disorder. What we are looking at, Robb argues, is a new type of globalized warfare involving small and largely independent "terrorist" cells with lots of cheap and accessible technology (from the internet to explosives). Robb aptly calls them the Global Guerrillas.
   
   Never mind WHY such "nasty people" would want to disrupt your neat way of living: wars have always been fought for myriads of reasons and every murderer can be called a hero, every freedom fighter a terrorist, if you're so inclined. There is nothing particularly extraordinary about people plotting to disrupt other people's way of living (in fact, directly or indirectly, that's what we're all doing, all the time). One of the most refreshing aspects about Robb's book is that he doesn't waste many lines vilifying the global guerrillas, but rather coolly observes and describes their tactics, methods, even finances - and potential to emerge victorious. The one common aspect in all these groups (Al-Qaeda being the most famous) is that they are opposing a state, i.e., a huge organization with the (supposed) monopoly over violence (or security), taxation and all kinds of essential services such as the supply of energy, food, water and health care. And the interesting thing is that the global guerrillas have developed a cunning little trick to actually endanger the legitimacy and power of states: instead of going about waging massive wars with millions of soldiers and billions of explosions (which is really quite expensive), they engage in "systems disruption", damaging or destroying the very infrastructure on which states (and above all the population under their jurisdiction) rely. By blowing up pipelines, electricity grids, bridges, railroads, airplanes and buildings, the guerrillas cause massive damage and financial losses - not to speak of panic and insecurity - all of which end up weighing heavily on the state. For the perpetrators of such attacks, on the other hand, the costs can be minimal, as it is relatively cheap nowadays to organize and execute major disruptive actions. Plus they can be endlessly innovative, learning from each other's mistakes and successes, even though they are not connected or even cooperating with each other. Robb calls this "open-source warfare", analogous to Wikipedia, where millions of people can participate and improve, without need of a "central command". Which, of course, makes it all the more difficult for global guerrillas to be eliminated: you destroy one group here, and in the meantime ten others have sprouted up somewhere else.
   
   Much of the book concentrates on Iraq, not only because it is such an obvious conundrum for America and its allies, but also for its variety of "terrorist" groups wreaking havoc on a daily basis and undermining the West's attempts to "conquer the hearts and minds" of the invaded territory's population. This provides a good basis to observe a (supposedly) powerful state's inability to actually detect, much less control all the insurgency against it. The end-result, Robb predicts, will be the failure of the American intervention. Surprising as that may sound.
   With this in mind, Robb provides also countless examples of successful (and quite ingenious) recent operations in other countries, to finally conclude that we have entered a whole new stage in world events: the end of globalization and the beginning of global chaos. As he put it: "Now with the new forms of warfare any small group can wage war... and they will." A chilling prospect, perhaps, but Robb's arguments certainly sound convincing. Especially because he teaches us not to regard warfare as something stable, but rather as en ever evolving human talent, full of surprising twists and turns. The future will be one hell of an adventure. It's just a shame we will (most likely) have to participate in it.



4. If you are a traditionalist and are expecting the usual treatise to counterinsurgency then you will be disappointed. This is an out of the box approach to war in the 21st century. This book is not modern updates to Galula, Kitson, Mao or Trinquier. Examples of some of the topics covered include; "Superempowered Competition", "Open Source Warfare", and Guerrilla Entrepreneurs". This book is not for the faint of heart, it will destroy your conventional notions about counterinsurgency and will require you to completely rethink the "Graduate" level art of war.
   
   Terry Tucker, PhD
   Mobile Training Team Battle Staff Trainer
   Afghanistan



5. Some of Robb's assessments state the obvious.
   Others (irresponsibly) give would-be terrorists a blueprint for how to succeed.
   In my opinion, Robb overstates the threat of terrorism.
   Seriously, outside of Iraq, the U.S has not been hit since 9/11.
   In the final chapter, Robb reveals his motive for the book. He uses fear to advocate an extreme libertarian agenda. His recommendation? Eliminate federal government, let the rich hire private armies, let the middle class form militias and let the poor starve to death.
   No thanks.

No comments about The Mission, The Men, and Me: Lessons from a Former Delta Force Commander.

5 comments about To The Death.

1. I have enjoyed all of Patrick Robinson's books with Admiral Morgan but I thought this was one of the best reads. The plot was OK (I would agree with some of the other reviewers that the story had some weaknesses) but I found I could not wait until I could get back to reading the book.



2. This was a story that had a lot of potential, but turned out to be shallowly written. The bomb plot at Logan was a great start, but the development of the story went downhill from there.
   I was totally disappointed with the performance of the Mossad in Damascus. They missed the obvious by not paying attention to details. They weren't sure that Ravi Rashood was with his wife when they returned to the house, but they just assumed that it was him. Huh? I thought that they were a great intelligence agency. It was obvious from the story that it wasn't him. Also, the team leader stated that they would watch for the return of Ravi and Shakira and trigger the bomb when they entered the house, but then another stated that they wouldn't be able to get away afterwards, So the leader said that was why they were going to put the bomb on a timer. How did he get there?
   The author had a propensity for stating the obvious in many cases. And the characters, who were supposed to be "bigger than life" missed a lot of obvious clues. I was expecting Admiral Morgan to get killed in the story and it would have only been just based on the performance of the characters who were supposed to protect him. It was hard to connect to any of the characters in the story.
   After reading Vince Flynn and Lee Child, this story was a real disappointment. It was my first Patrick Robinson book and it will be my last. I'm glad that I got this book from the library. I would have been really upset if I'd paid money to read it.
   
   Craig



3. I read someone using the word "climax" in describing this book. I too would have been disappointed if that were my expectation.
   
   I bought this one because I enjoyed all the others and I happilly gobbled up every word.
   
   For the next one, Mr. Robinson, I want more submarine time. OK? Ships, too. Oh, and another femme fatal....



4. When I first pick up a PR book, USS Sea Wolf, from an airport departure hall, I was captivated with his writting and that book kept me occupied on my outstation trip.
   
   When I returned, I ordered the remaining of his books and finished all of them one after another.
   
   I had been checking for this book print date and when it was available in Amazon, I order 1 immediate.
   
   This closing chapter between the Admiral + General + NSA is such a flop.
   
   PR strength in war plots in his previous writting were so good that it make this ending chapters such a drastic failure.
   
   Starting from Airport + Prison + some remote Middle East hideout + a travelling around USA + UK + Ireland was so boring.
   
   Did I even mentioned how "LUCKY" the general was to escape death while the HAMAS commander is so damn unprofessional.
   
   The sending in of the a ex-SEAL commander in my opinion is just merely trying to add that few pages of text to an already weak story-line.
   
   The ending where such the HAMAS commander was killed is really a joke seeing how careful he had been in the past series.
   
   And I do not see any reason why the HAMAS commander has to resort to knife and gun to take out his arch enemy where in the past he has been using missile, explosives and whats-not.
   
   This is a really sad closing chapter for the PR works.



5. I was completely baffled after having read this book about how its purported on the inside cover that the President calls on this "SEAL TEAM" to cover Admiral Morgan. I am still waiting for a Team to show as Commander Rick Hunter, albeit an imposing and larger-than-life character: does no constitute a full Seal Team. When does the Team show up in the book, as I never saw it.

5 comments about Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-Terrorist Team.

1. I read "Notes on a controversy" at the end of the book first, because this justification of the text by the author deals with the issue of veracity. The book has apparently been attacked on this score, and of course the very nature of the subject excludes the possibility of total and certain verification of all the facts, but the author makes a convincing case of the techniques he used in circumventing this problem and checking out his main source's story. That story itself is gripping, not only because it describes in thriller-like fashion the actions undertaken by an Israeli hit team against the masterminds behind the killings of Israel's Olympic team in 1972, but also because of what I would call, perhaps oddly, its humanity: the personal torment felt by the members of the hit team is faithfully portrayed, and is perhaps the most unforgettable part of the narrative. One closes the book with the uneasy feeling that there really is no way to avenge, let alone deter, the monstrous deeds perpetrated by terrorist scum. But I do not share a shred of the hit team's doubts that their actions were fully justified. This book is an eye-opener on the nature on terrorism, but also on the ruthlessness demanded of those who are called to combat it. The book leaves one with few illusions about "the secret world" either, which adds to its aura of truthfulness.



2. George Jonas's "Vengeance" is the book from which Steven Spielberg's "Munich" was derived. Both concern the Israeli hit team sent into the cold to track down and kill the authors of the 1972 massacre of Israeli Olympic athletes. While reaction to the movie focused on the moral ambiguity of it all, we see here that this is at best a minor angle in the book, and at worst, a willful distortion by critics.
   
   The as-told-to story of Avner, the team leader's pseudonym, "Vengeance" details how the team is formed and begins work in Europe. With massacre perpetrators mostly dead, the hits are aimed at those higher up: those who hatched the plot, the leaders of international Palestinian terror.
   
   Some, openly terrorists, live in hiding or in countries sympathetic to terror. They travel surrounded by bodyguards. These are considered hard targets. The Israeli team is not given permission to go to Arab or Communist countries.
   
   But some are soft targets: Palestinians with covers as journalists, diplomats, intellectuals or professors, whose involvement with terror remains secret - the Sami Al-Arians of the 1970s. Trusting their covers, they live openly in cities like Paris or Rome, walk the streets alone, have fixed addresses, and generally don't carry guns or take attention-getting secret-agent precautions.
   
   The hit team - assembled at the government's highest levels and severed from Mossad to preserve deniability - flounders at the outset. They can't locate their prey. Their big break comes through a chance contact: Avner reconnects with a childhood acquaintance, now a hanger-on of the Baader-Meinhof Gang, who, believing Avner to be a radical terrorist, introduces him to bigger wheels in the underworld of terror.
   
   Avner discovers that terror, a big business, has developed a certain amount of outsourcing - organizations that, for hefty sums of money, secure safe houses, deliver arms, supply explosives, provide lookouts, do surveillance, arrange transportation, help with getaways and bury bodies. Providing networks terrorists couldn't possibly match, they free the latter to plan hits and getaways without worrying about logistics. The support networks also provide an extra cut-out level for the terrorists. They aren't picky about who they work for. Most important for Avner and his team - cut off as they are from Mossad and its resources - they even leak information on other terrorists' whereabouts.
   
   Tapping into these networks - penetrating the terror world by impersonating terrorists - Avner hits the gold mine allowing his team to find and kill Israel's enemies.
   
   At first they are so successful they marvel at how easy it is to find and kill a man. Almost too easy. Later, snags emerge. The hard-to-find people are still hard to find. A couple of missions don't go smoothly. Their Mossad liaision hints they're not moving fast enough. The team begins to press, attacking with less planning and caution. They are compelled to involve themselves - and their precious underworld contacts - in a major Israeli commando raid in Beirut, blowing the team's cover.
   
   Their mood darkens as three team members die, two by assassination, leading survivors to wonder if they've been sold out by the very people who sold others out to them.
   
   Yes, they contemplated the morality of it all - having to become terrorists, complete with constantly changing fake passports and shadowy changes of address - to fight terrorists. But their conclusion is that they're not like terrorists at all. Terrorists kill schoolchildren - the infamous Ma'alot massacre comes to mind - while the hit team kills terrorists, delivering justice crude, justice extralegal, but justice nevertheless. At the explicit orders of Israeli Premier Golda Meir they avoid killing bystanders, family members and anyone not on their hit list. By and large, they are successful. They go outside their orders only marginally: assassinating a Dutch hit woman who seduced and killed one team member, probably on behalf of the Palestinians, and assassinating a PLO replacement for an earlier target.
   
   Avner's greater concerns are more specific. He is haunted by insecurity as a "yekke", an Israeli Jew with German roots, in Israel, a country dominated by "Galicianers", or Polish Jews, who, Avner feels, form a ruling clique reserving power and privilege for themselves. He and his teammates are all "yekkes", picked because they can blend in in Western Europe, but they all worry about being left hanging once their mission, and usefulness to the state, conclude. Avner's own father is a former Mossad agent, now embittered by his treatment. Avner worries the same thing will happen to them.
   
   Gloom and paranoia set in as his teammates die. At mission end he returns to his wife and baby and decides he's had enough of this kind of life. His fears materialize when his superiors, refusing to let him go, take back $100,000 that had accrued in a Swiss bank as his pay. Avner accuses them of threatening his family in an effort to force him back into the fold - and notes his own countervailing "I know where your children go to school" threats against an Israeli security man in New York City he suspects of involvement.
   
   Finally they leave him in peace, but penniless and forced to take menial jobs. Avner's decision to go public about his mission is clearly payback for this, a quest for recognition, and maybe for some money as well..
   
   Avner and Jonas conclude the mission in the end presents no moral dilemma. Yes, the terror world replaces the dead terrorists and, yes, terror continues. But the people who were killed, deserved it. A message is sent that attacks on Israel and Jews no longer go unpunished, and that the Jewish state will go after those responsible, wherever and however.
   
   He and his teammates ponder the morality of what they're doing because they are indeed normal human beings, not, unlike their adversaries, hardened killers. They ultimately believe in their mission. They see themselves as disciplined soldiers fighting for a democratic state. They fight an extralegal war because the world, again and again, has offered little or no justice for Jewish terror victims while encouraging, tacitly or actively, their murderers. In the 1970s Palestinian killers are let go, again and again, by appeasing Western governments, and commit more murders. Israel has no choice but to pursue them alone, by any means necessary, to show the world no one can strike with impunity at Jews ever again.
   
   The book is convincing, possessed of details large and small about how teams of this sort operate. You can't help but be fascinated in learning Mossad's technique for doing a hit. Each step is developed with supreme calculation and attention to detail: small caliber, low power, quiet weapons, with safeties never used, rounds left unchambered, weapons never drawn until it's time to shoot, no shooting except to kill, and shots always fired in pairs.
   
   Particularly convincing are details about bureaucratic infighting. The team, say, balks at participating in Beirut, not only because it will jeopardize their own work, but because, having taken the risks and done the work to plan an operation, they want to be the ones to do it and get the credit, secret though it is, inside Mossad - quite recognizable human behavior.
   
   Overshadowing the book is the whole question of whether Avner is who he says he is, whether the book is true; is distorted; or is an out-and-out lie. Israel can't be expected to acknowledge its truth, if it's true; even few people within Mossad were party to it; and outside intelligence experts would have no way of assessing the truth of what is explicitly an ultrasecret mission.
   
   Jonas says he believes Avner, in the end, not because of his own attempts at verification, but because Avner knew how the light switch in the lobby of a particular Roman apartment building worked. The detail most straining credibility, in my opinion, was the terror outsourcing network; it's a deus ex machina, these shadowy all-powerful guys who are on your side if you can pay them and know how to find them. And Avner stumbles over them because of a chance relationship with a childhood friend. It's so convenient, maybe too convenient. But it is still plausible.
   
   At the end, this book is vivid and compelling, one you can't put down.



3. "Vengence" is an insider's account of the formation and actions of a counter-terrorism team. Unlike the fictional Bourne series emphasis on hand to hand fighting skills, the bulk of the subject's work involved obtaining information, being smart with it, and executing the target. Who can you trust and how much of what they are saying is true was always the key question which would make the difference between being killed and making the kill. A very tense and disquieting story which reads fairly well for a non-fictional account, I recommend it to anyone interested in gaining insight into the dark side of war.



4. When I was thirteen years old (circa 1985), I saw a book on the shelves of the famous "A Clean Well Lighted Place for Books," located in the Larkspur Landing Shopping Center, Larkspur, CA. It was the picture of the Israeli Uzi on the cover that caught my attention. Like many 13 year old boys, I was fascinated by sub-machine guns and automatic pistols. I bought the book because of the cover, but I was in no way ready for the tale I was about to be told. It was the tale of the Israeli Mossad avenging the deaths of the athletes that had been murdered at the Olympic games in Munich (circa 1972). The book read like a Ludlum novel, only this story was true! Contrary to the cover, all the assignations were carried out with .22 caliber ordnance (the choice of Mossad assassins), and not by the 9mm Uzi. This book opened my eyes to a historical tragedy that happened while I was still in diapers -- a tragedy not mentioned in American High School textbooks. And it gave me a fine respect for the prowess and professional nature of Israeli Intelligence (HaMossad leModi'in v'leTafkidim Meyuhadim).



5. This book has repeatedly been determined to be a hoax by a known, prolific fabricator named Yuval (or Juval) Aviv. An investigation by the British newspaper The Guardian determined: "Aviv never served in Mossad, or any Israeli intelligence organisation. He had failed basic training as an Israeli Defence Force commando, and his nearest approximation to spy work was as a lowly gate guard for the airline El Al in New York in the early 70s. The tale he had woven was apparently nothing more than a Walter Mitty fabrication."
   
   This a competently done hoax, but a hoax nonetheless. For the real story, read "STRIKING BACK."

5 comments about Why I Am Not a Muslim.

1. Why I Am Not a Muslim
   
   A need to read book.



2. You know, sometimes I really hate writing these things, but some of them really deserve a bit of an enlightening oppinion. Okay Ibn Warraq it seems to me was a frustrated child who was never listened to, but that's neither here nor there since this is supposed to be a review on the work and not the creator of the work.
   
   I'll start with the first mistake that I noticed in this work. Warraq says in the Qur'an Surah 1 Verse 29 it states, On the day we shall unto hell, art thou full? And it shall reply, is there yet any more? Now any layman that is familiar with the Qur'an can see that this is ridiculous. For starters, the opening of the Qur'an mentions nothing about hell. Secondly, the opening chapter of the Qur'an is called the cure. Now why if this chapter is called a cure would it perscribe something like hell as a remedy. Thirdly, if you didn't already know, the opening chapter of the Qur'an which is the Fatihah has only and I repeat ONLY, seven verses. And he says Surah 1 verse 29. Check for yourself.
   
   Next he talks about the Trinity in the Qur'an and gives three proofs (so he says). And one of them is Surah 4 verse 169. In this verse it says, "Except the road of Hell, to abide therein forever; and that is easy for God." Now if you have read what I read, where do you see the trinity labeled in this surah. Nothing remotely points out a trinity. Warraq also points out two others in the Qur'an that talks about the trinity. They are Surah 5 and verses 77 and 116. They are too large to write in this review to show of warraq's incompetence on his "knowledge" of the Qur'an. I encourage all to go and look up these accusations for themselves.
   
   Lastly, Warraq talks about Zoroastrianism, which I will not go into in great detail for the sake of space, but in his explanation of Zoroastrianism he fails to introduce and inform the reader of what Zoroastrianism really is. Warraq makes the false claim that Islam origins can be found in Zoroastrianism, which is a totally false claim. Zoroastrianism is or was the end product of an evolutionary process which began with nature worship, passed through a more discrete polytheism, and finally concluded with a monotheistic deity. (Zepp Muslim Primer)
   
   I say all this to say that as readers we should be careful in the information we receive from writers like Warraq. He appears to be knowledgeable, because he was raised Muslim and taught the Qur'an at a young age until as he says "was able to think for himself." He seems not to either have not been taught correctly or he may have forgotten what he was taught, because this book is filled with numerous fallacies that can be taken to heart by the ignorant reader. Warraq needs a revised version of this book or needs to cease in writing about things he really has no idea of himself. To be so blatant in his claims, but yet so ignorant in his knowledge of the subject matter is absolutely perfidious.



3. You'll see right away why this book gets such a range of reviews. The man speaks his mind. After 9/11, when I set about clarifying my own beliefs about gods and religions, this and Bertrand Russell's Why I Am Not a Christian were the two most useful books I found. No great surprise of course that the have much the same things to say. I appreciated Warraq's going into some detail about Islamic history and culture. Shame on my ignorance. But of course Jewish/Christian/Muslim are shoots of a common seed. An Episcopal priest friend of mine describes himself as a rabbi, and Muslims acknowledge Moses and Jesus. The pond is small. I used to make Buddhism a benign exception to what goes wrong in other religions but not so much anymore after a glimpse of Sri Lankan history. Take Me With You When You Go Nutty to Meet You! Dr. Peanut Book #1



4. I am a Muslim. Take it as you will when reading the following.
   
   I've been studying Islam since the age of 10. I am now 24, and have still continued my pursuit in obtaining knowledge in Islamic theology, methodology, etc. Even so, I still find myself interested in reading books such as these, simply because my curiosity intrigues me to listen to the other side.
   
   Yes, "the other side", as I am not convinced Ibn Warraq actually knows the religion he claims to have once been a part of. Indeed, after reading his book I was baffled at how it has sold so many copies. Then it struck me: Ibn Warraq does a phenomenal job and redefining Islam, and feeding it to his innocent audience, who without knowing, eats it up. It is not the audiences fault that the author is telling you "Boogieman: Islam Edition". How are they to know?
   
   What do I mean by this? Imagine if you were interested in buying a Hondo, but had never owned a Japanese car in the past. I offered you a book called, "Why I would never own a Japanese car", and as such, claimed I was once a prominent investor in Honda Motors. Throughout the book, I would paint my audience a picture of children in sweat shops, building these cars by hand. On top of that I would use auto-junkie vocabulary to under-sell the car.
   
   How likely would you believe me? Well... I guess that depends whether or not you realize that sweat shops are predominantly found in China, not Japan ;)
   
   This book is not for those looking to educate themselves on Islam. This is a book for those who need a reason to hate someone who is not like them.



5. 
   This man is extremely intelligent, knowledgeable, incredible! Offering a plethora of information, not only his opinion but countless others' as well as history from I cant even recall how many sources.
   
   **College Level Reading** don't waste your money if your not on the higher end of the grammatical totem poll and have at least a fair knowledge of common Islamic phrases and Arabic.
   
   OVERALL BEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ!

5 comments about Guests of the Ayatollah: The Iran Hostage Crisis: The First Battle in America's War with Militant Islam.

1. Guests of the Ayatollah presents the extensively researched, impelling non-fiction style for which Bowden has become widely acclaimed through his other best sellers. As someone who has read other Bowden books, I felt Guests of the Ayatollah is his best book to date.
   
   In this book, Bowden provides the intense, all-inclusive details from start to finish of the 444 day Iranian Hostage Crisis. The reader is taken inside the holding cell of each hostage and witnesses in vivid detail the daily routines, abuse, and emotions each hostage endured during their stay. I quickly became a fan of certain hostages such as diplomat Michael Metrinko, who so adamantly despised his captivity and insulted his captors for which he suffered solitary confinement and severe beatings up to the 444th day. While Bowden shares the heroic stories of the hostages, he doesn't disregard certain hostages who fellow captives felt were cowards and swine.
   
   Bowden has become widely acclaimed for his ability to investigate the subject of each book and then transpose his research into dramatic details for readers, and Guests of the Ayatollah is no exception to his method. Where Guests of the Ayatollah differs from other Bowden books is in its significant focus on the Iranian and American political environments during the hostage crisis. Bowden provides an in depth summary of the Carter administrations options and its secretive negotiations with what still existed of the volatile Iranian government. Rather than provide his opinion on the performance of the Carter administration, Bowden does a fine job of avoiding personal bias, and allows the reader to reach an informed conclusion in regard to the politics surrounding the Hostage Crisis.
   
   Some reviewers seem to feel that Bowden provides justification for the actions of the hostage takers. I don't believe this is accurate given that Bowden spends very little time examining the Shah's government other then to acknowledge America's continued support for the Pahlavi government up to the revolution. I found that on the controversial issues Bowden provides the facts and allows the reader draw his/her own conclusions. However, Bowden offers one prevailing conclusion that the Iranian Hostage Crisis established the power of the mullahocrasy in Iran, which runs the government to this day. The epilogue goes on to examine whether or not the hostage crisis benefited Iran, and concludes the establishment of the mullahocracy has done more harm to the country.
   
   If you enjoyed Killing Pablo, you will definitely enjoy Guests of the Ayatollah. If you liked Black Hawk Down you will also enjoy this book, though it doesn't assert the amount of focus to military operations given in Black Hawk Down. If you have not read anything by Bowden, you should, and Guests of the Ayatollah is a wonderful starting point.



2. When the American Embassy in Iran was overrun by radical students, I like most Americans followed the story very closely. This book was an eye opening experience as to what happened on the inside. How the hostages were mistreated, starved, and beaten by radicals. But, they were also treated with kindness by some of the radicals, which I had never heard before. The only fault that I have with the book is that it seemed to finish up much more quickly than it started and you feel a little cheated. Overall a good book. I admire how the hostages handled themselves and how they were able to continue on with their lives when they got released.



3. 
   Mark Bowden is a genius at bringing intensive historical events to life and Guests of the Ayatollah doesn't disappoint. While easy enough to step back and look at the boiling pot of the clash of cultures and paranoia that led to the takeover. However, his ability to bring to light the individual stories, including tracking down the hostage takers gave an incredible insight into the mindset of the key players. I was particularly fascinated by his ability to not just focus on the takeover and Desert One pieces, but also highlight the more interesting vignettes from the 444 days.
   
   Bowden is a great reader for his own material, which only makes the audio book more interesting. If you're a fan of Bowden or want to understand more about militant Isalam, this is a can't-miss.



4. Reads like a thriller novel, but is 100% true. If you are completely unfamiliar with the history of Iran from about 1945-1979 you should probably spend at least a few minutes learning about that before reading this book. The book jumps right into the drama of the hostage crisis without providing much background.
   
   I listened to the audiobook. The pros of the audiobook version are that it is skillfully read by the author of the book. The con is that the audiobook is abridged.



5. Four hundred forty-four days. Think back to what you were doing 444 days ago. Think about everything you've seen and done, the people you've met, fallen in love with, fallen out of favor with during this time. Now imagine being held against your will for that long. Imagine being locked away, forced to not speak to anyone, the fear of brutality and execution hanging over your head for those 444 days. Can't do it? I bet neither could the 50+ US diplomats held hostage by radical Iranian students over the entire year of 1980 (plus a little on either side). Mark Bowden's "Guests of the Ayatollah" does an outstanding job of conveying just what such an experience would be like.
   
   While Bowden's tone is journalistic and fairly neutral, he pulls no punches. The good, the bad, and the ugly on all sides are on full display throughout the book. The ignorance of the Iranian students, fueled by dogma and naivety, feeds their brutality and kindness alike. The stoic individualism of the American hostages feeds their capitulation, as well as their defiance. The utter insanity of the situation as a whole hamstrings the US administration and greatly contributes to the failure of the inevitable rescue mission. In the end, though, the book illustrates that there were no winners and nothing but losers from this dark time.
   
   On November 4, 1979, Islamic students overtook the US embassy in Tehran, taking most of the diplomats and staff hostage. What should have been a brief outburst of violence quickly devolved into a standoff between the West and a new breed of government that placed God ahead of all else. Bowden makes it abundantly clear that both sides could have ended the siege with simple actions: On the Iranian side, all it would have taken was for the Ayatollah Khomeini to proclaim the freedom of the hostages, while on the American side, extradition of the less-than-squeaky-clean shah back to Iran would have sealed the deal. Unfortunately, as Bowden also clearly explains, neither action was feasible given the intricacies of both domestic and international politics at the time. The entire situation was a fiasco from the start, and only ever got resolved by the outside factors of the Iraq-Iran War and the election of Ronald Reagan.
   
   "Guests of the Ayatollah" is told from three interweaving perspectives. The hostages are a blob of characters, difficult to keep track of with only a handful being instantly recognizable upon their mention. But this is a good thing, for it really hits home the dehumanization that occurred to them during their captivity. The range of actions and emotions by this blob assists the reader in empathizing with the plight of the captives. One can alternately understand both the defiance of Michael Metrinko and the outright capitulation of Joe Subic. On the other side, the most striking aspect of the hostage takers is their naive ignorance. Whether this was due to youth, religious brainwashing, or some other factor isn't 100% clear; Bowden only manages to track down a handful of them to get their stories in the book's epilogue. Paranoia, however, clearly played a part; the repeated references to the embassy as a "den of spies" shows this. In the end, one can't help but come away with the impression that the hostage takers were nothing more than children being strung along and played by the puppet masters of the Iranian regime. On that front, as well as the parallel one of the Carter administration, the overwhelming impression is one of futility. Both sides essentially had their hands tied by the events of the day. The purges taking place in Iran kept the moderates there from speaking out, leaving the handful of individuals willing to negotiate having to do so in secret. Also, their novice diplomatic skills kept them shifting the conditions of release, even right up until the end. Khomeini, on the other hand, is strangely absent from all negotiations; but, as stated earlier, Bowden clearly shows that the cleric was the true puppet master with the ability to end the incident with but a wave of his hand. Why he never did this is sadly unexplored. In America, Carter was fighting challengers from both parties, causing him to tread lightly. But, more importantly, it was ultimately the sheer lack of options available to the president that caused the situation to go on for as long as it did. The communication breakdown between the two states combined with the infancy of the uber-military team, Delta Force, left Carter holding the bag in what turned out to be a deciding factor in his downfall.
   
   All in all, "Guests of the Ayatollah" does an excellent job of conveying the intricate horrors involved in the Iranian hostage crisis. From the president down through the military men involved in the rescue mission to the hostages themselves, Bowden paints a vivid picture of life during these 444 days. He's got another winner on his hand.

5 comments about Shadow Warriors: The Untold Story of Traitors, Saboteurs, and the Party of Surrender.

1. Ken Timmerman's book is not an easy book to read. As I read it I had to stop and process the fact that liberals lied, people died, and that it is a wonder America's response to 911 ever got off the ground. The opposition of the Democratic Congress is well known and documented. What is not common knowledge is that there are people of significant influence in the State department and CIA who are in direct opposition to carrying out the wishes of our commander-in-chief, President Bush. Timmerman calls them holdovers and plants of the Clinton administration who sabotage the efforts of the present administration to plan and execute a unified foreign policy of diplomacy and true information needed for the daily intelligence reports to the president. Upon finished this book the words of Lincoln lingered in my mind: A house divided against itself cannot stand.



2. This book is so informative and tells the real truth of how far the Democratic Party will go to lie and cheat and how corrupt the CIA is. Also, this tells the real truth of what and why it was important to stop Saddam and what a moral man Pres. Bush really is. He really wants to do the best for all of us in America and keep us safe.



3. Shadow Warriors is biased. How could it not be? The author, who is known for his scrutiny and meticulous research is biased towards those that would, and did, advance their political agenda ahead of the good of their country. Further, it is clear that in some extreme cases of borderline treason that Timmerman clearly and definitively chronicles, lives of our soldiers may have been lost due to the actions of the Shadow Warriors. This cabal of fervent anti-Bush operatives are every bit as dangerous as the terrorists that we face today. The information contained in Shadow Warriors is well organized, chronologically laid out, and fully subnoted. But the reason I approve of this book, and recommend it, is that it is based on researched fact of the events that brought the Bush Administration to it's knees in Iraq.
   During the debacles of the senate 9/11 hearings, the farce surrounding the contemptible Joe Wilson and his posturing non-covert wife Valerie Plame which ended up in a lame prosecution of Scooter Libby, it was clear to anyone paying attention the Richard Clarke, George Tenet, and particularly Joseph Wilson were of dubious character. They were egotistical, contradictory, and disingenous. After reading the scheming and manipulating from seriously notorious political operatives within the internal sewer that is the CIA, it is clear why political neophytes Colin Powell and George Bush never really understood the danger in leaving the Clintonista's unchecked and in power within the agency. By the time Porter Goss is sent in to clean up the agency, the damage done by Tyler Drumheller in particular is immense and irrepairable. This book chronicles mistake after mistake in letting an agenda driven cabal within our own government take down a well-meaning, but gullible, President. I would recommend that those that wish to believe this book is all conservative spin and an attempt to prop up GWB, read more of Timmerman's work, The China Threat (Bill Gertz), and See No Evil by Bob Baer. Baer's account of the destruction from within during the latter Clinton years is related from a career CIA middle-east operative who leaves reluctantly as the political power seekers wrest control from those that at one time knew how to run the agency. It squares nicely with Timmerman's work.
   
   Even though this work is clearly against the anti-Bush Administration cabal, Timmerman represents Powell, Rice, Rumsfeld, and Goss as hopelessly inept in dealing with the level of malevolence from many individuals who in previous decades would have been found guilty of treason, and very likely executed. Their is no attempt to produce a "Bush =Good, Clintonista's=Bad" atmosphere in this book. It is simply critical of those who played politics instead of doing their jobs as public servants.
   
   The performance of the media as willing accomplices to the Shadow Warriors is enough to assure you would never buy another copy of anything related to the Mainstream Media. It also paints an accurate picture of the real Carl Levin who is clearly a senator who should be voted out of office at the first opportunity. Levin is a menace to the the security of the USA.
   
   All in all, this is a fast read, similar to a Lee Child, Vince Flynn, or David Hagberg fictional novel, but it will anger you viscerally as it leaves no doubt that our country has been damaged, and in some cases intentionally so, simply to bring down this administration who in comparison to the Shadow Warriors is almost pollyannish. The true evildoers threatening our country are the elitists playing political games within our defense agencies while the good men and women of our fighting forces pay for their amusements and political agendas with their lives.
   
   Final thought after reading this book? Eradicate the CIA and completely rebuild the agency. It is dysfunctional and beyond repair.



4. While taking into consideration that most people who write tell-all books have a particular point of view, I found this book very interesting. As these events are recent and I follow the news fairly closely, I was able to compare the information presented here to my own memory. This book demonstrates what I already knew, that not all those in government service have in mind what is best for our country, but that which serves their own particular agenda. Thanks to these, we have had a tough go of it in Iraq and but for our President, we would have seen dire consequences. Unfortunately, those consequences are still possible. Recommend reading this book and paying attention to our ever-dangerous world.



5. there is a scary battle from which we are hidden. if only a fraction of this book is true, I am scared and worried about this country.

5 comments about Why Geography Matters: Three Challenges Facing America: Climate Change, the Rise of China, and Global Terrorism.

1. This is essential reading for anyone who should have a sound foundation of knowledge to back up one's social commentary, but doesn't. Geography can be understood and used to understand our world with great clarity. Everyone who watched Al Gore's movie should read this book if only to know that Harm de Blij has been explaining geographic issues for decades better than nearly anyone.
   
   The US Department of Education needs to buy and issue a copy of this book to every teacher in America.



2. This is an exceptional and needed introduction to Geography and how it relates to world problems.



3. I would describe this book as the rambling--but occasionally insightful--musings of a thoughtful scholar. Unfortunately, many, if not most, of Blij's arguments are not made from a geographic perspective. For instance, his chapter on the European Union rambles on for page after page about the history of the EU from the European Coal and Steel Community, to the European Economic Community, to the European Community, and, finally, to the European Union. That's not to say that's not and interesting and important history lesson for people who are unfamiliar with EU history, but its not geographic! I was hoping for a book of theories explaining human events using reasoning built on spatial orientations or location. Why Geography Matters had some of that, but Blij could have, in my view, omitted much of the voluminous background information. Doing some would have made his book more concise and allowing his genuine insights to be featured more prominently.
   
   And for what its worth, the book could have used a better editor. For instance, on p.160 it refers to "South Ossetia" as a Russian Republic instead of North Ossetia. I noticed a couple errors like this.
   
   Perhaps, I would be more positive about this book if its last chapter hadn't been the low point. The chapter on Africa had absolutely nothing original to say (AIDS is bad, we need to do more to stop it; colonization and slavery were bad too; Africa has been plagued by bad leadership; etc.).



4. Why Geography Matters is a well-researched and written book by an expert in the field, but the subtitle is a bit misleading. Sure, the book covers the three threats the author claims are confronting the United States, namely climate change, a growing China and global terrorism, but it also covers geology and the history of the world from the beginning of time. The author also spends considerable amounts of time with chapters on the European Union, Russia as well as Africa. While there are some insights and useful information contained in the book, the arguments tend to be articulated better in other sources. I wholeheartedly agree that geography is a critical discipline that does not often get the respect it deserves, but this book is not the final authority when it comes to geo-politics and the current state of the world.



5. I teach AP Human Geography and every time I pick this book up I find a little more to share with my students. Of course, I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the world today.