1 comments about Fifty Dead Men Walking: The Terrifying True Story of a Secret Agent Inside the Ira.

1. Well written first hand account of a Catholic boy in Northern Ireland who goes to work for both the Special Branch and the IRA. Read entire book at one sitting, couldn't put it down

No comments about The Sociology And Psychology Of Terrorism: Who Becomes A Terrorist And Why?.

5 comments about Fallout: The Environmental Consequences of the World Trade Center Collapse.

1. I live 5 blocks north of Ground Zero and have attended hearings and forums and read hundreds of articles, studies memos and reports about the post 9/11 environmental issues in Lower Manhattan. But my jaw dropped when I read Juan Gonzalez' book - here are the missing pieces, the things I'd heard but was never able to find in print - and lots of insider information that only someone as dedicated to this story as he was could have. It is a clear, readable summary of the case against the EPA, OSHA, NYC DEP - and, de facto, an indictment of all those newspapers whose reportage consistently minimized the issue. Not since the Vietnam War has there been so much media "disinformation."

   If you live or work in lower Manhattan and/or have any interest in the true story of how our government knowingly and intentionally jepordized the lives and health of the rescue workers, residents and workers downtown after 9/11 while ensuring that their own health was well protected, this book is a "must read."

   Juan Gonzalez is to be commended for his courage in bucking his editors to continue to cover this story.




2. Americans are being deceived. In this stunning piece of investigative reporting which should be awarded a Pulitzer Prize, Juan Gonzalez reveals the horrible truths about the environmental impacts of the 9-11 disaster. Asbestos abounded. The many heroes who helped to clean and console may face excruciating deaths thanks to suppressed and inaccurate information.

   Our sacred institutions are rotten. Every American citizen should read this brief but incendiary work which speaks truth to power unflinchingly. If we do not quickly institute major changes which make our leaders and representatives truly responsible for telling the truth to the American public, however unpleasant, we may be facing the end of American democracy as we have known it and believed in it.

   Where are the Thomas Paines and Thomas Jeffersons of the twenty-first century? We desperately need your voices and leadership!




3. This is an extremely disturbing book. Perhaps because along with the well-documented facts concerning the unprecedented toxic environmental fallout from 9/11, it is the shocking realization that it's not just the NYC and federal goverment cover-up of this story -- it is the citizens themselves collectively turning away from the horrible reality of this disaster.

   The national media has not pursued the obvious leads -- the common sense questions -- but Mr. Gonzales has. And the logical conclusion of this story, in the not-too-distant future, is a public health nightmare that will have the media self-righteously condeming Giuliani and Whitman in hindsight as bearing responsibility for perhaps thousands more deaths.

   The story from 9/11 that the media immediately created was of the heroes and victims. We remember them, and try to forget the horror of the collapsing towers. But if we are a truely a courageous nation, we will look clearly and not turn away from the terrible reality that ground zero represents. That is what I think this book is really about -- there are facts and consequences of 9/11 that have not yet been dealt with. And closing our eyes and wishing them away simply won't work.




4. Finally someone has the guts to print the truth about the toxic air at Ground Zero. For those of us who were there and who are experiencing the medical consequences of having been exposed to these toxic chemicals, Gonzalez's book explains in understandable language why we are sick and what we are likely to experience in the future. Americans need to know the truth, especially the thousands of men and women from around the country who volunteered their time at Ground Zero and are likely to suffer the medical consequences of having done so, either now or in the future. Fallout is a must read for all Americans.



5. Juan Gonzalez was the first journalist to grasp the impact of the environmental disaster of 9/11. His article on October 26, 2001 said what some of us already sensed: Contrary to the 'good news' being sold like sugarcoated poison by government officials who wanted Wall Street back up and running, the air was dense with astronomical levels of asbestos, lead, dioxin, mercury and hundreds of unpronouncable contaminants including some that had never previously existed.
   
   Fallout is in this tradition of groundbreaking journalism.
   
   Unfortunately Gonzalez is so ahead of the pack that when I showed his article to my son and exhusband, whom I was trying to convince that our son should not remain at Stuyvesant High School, four blocks north of the World Trade Center, they dismissed it as a red herring.
   
   Fallout is a compelling account of this environmental disaster which may ultimately claim more lives than the attacks themselves.
   
   Jenna Orkin
   World Trade Center Environmental Organization

2 comments about The Forgotten Homeland: A Century Foundation Task Force Report.

1. The Forgotten Homeland: A Century Foundation Task Force Report is a report on the state of American security by The Century Foundation, a not-for-profit and nonpartisan organization devoted to analyzing economic policy, foreign affairs, and domestic political issues. The verdict of The Forgotten Homeland is unfortunately negative - there are far too many ways in which America has failed to learn the lessons of 9/11 and taken appropriate safeguards against future threats, from gaps in cybersecurity to chemical plant security to restoring discarded federal emergency response strategies that worked and keeping focus on aviation security, and putting the American nuclear house in order. A timely, if chilling appraisal of measures America needs to take for its own protection, strongly recommended especially for anyone involved in politics or matters of state.



2. a interesting book with valid recommendations. however, there is a distinct bias in it and most if not all of the recommendations lead to our current BIG (federal) government becoming not only much much larger, but also extremely expensive. in addition, many of the recommendations are only plausible in a perfect, politics-free government...which we unfortunately do not have. still, its main theme of a "forgotten homeland" is something that the US needs to refocus on.

2 comments about Enduring the Freedom: A Rogue Historian in Afghanistan.

1. This book provides a detailed account of OEF but it is so poorly written that it is difficult to get through the text. Maloney needs an editor make sense of the long, convoluted sentences. He did his research, but botches the book with his writing style.



2. This book provides an unequaled, first-hand account of both NATO and American small unit tactics from Afghanistan . Sean Maloney, a professor of military science at the Canadian Royal Military College, traveled to Afghanistan to gain insight into how operations are being conducted. The future military officers attending his classes are in for quite a treat.
   
   Maloney combines his experience as a company commander during the Cold War, with his formal training as a military historian. Maloney shares his experiences meeting with the mullahs as well as humping a rucksack through the mountains during Operation Valiant Strike. His resulting book is an insightful, yet often irreverent, perspective from on the ground. The candid no-holds-barred writing style may take some readers aback, but his message will keep you rapt from the very beginning.
   
   "Enduring the Freedom" gives the reader a background as to how Operation Enduring Freedom, and International Security Assistance Force came to be. Through personal accounts, the book discusses both small unit operations across the spectrum of combat. From the infantryman on the ground, to Public Affairs, Information Operations, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal - Maloney covers it.
   
   As a departure from American-centric history books, this book offers two additional perspectives. Written by a pro-American Canadian, it offers a relatively impartial perspective on the conflict's background. The second piece emphasizes the contributions of NATO, which don't receive the same amount of American media coverage. Nearly a third of the book discusses the various efforts of NATO, reinforcing that this truly is a Global War on Terror.
   
   If you are deploying to Afghanistan, make this book part of your reading list. The message needs to be understood by every leader of small units, from the fire-team leader to the company commander. I can't wait to read his other books.

1 comments about Strategy and Security in the Asia-Pacific.

1. The book is a compilation of essays by a number of Australian and New Zealand Academics. The writing is a bit dry. However I believe it would be of use to students who are studying Asia-Pacific security issues and/or US Servicemen who are deploying to the region who wish to understand the Australian/New Zealand points of view regarding defence issues. (They are not the same!)

No comments about Bioterrorism Preparedness, Attack and Response, Volume 4 (Advances in Health Care Management) (Advances in Health Care Management).

No comments about Global Anti-Terrorism Law and Policy.

5 comments about Torn Away.

1. The novel "Torn Away" written by James Heneghan is focused on the life of a thirteen year old boy who lost his family during a terrorist attack and is deported to his only relative left, his uncle Matthew in Canada.
   Being involved in a youngsters terrorist group in Belfast, fighting against the Prods(Protestants,the British and the authorities he is forced to leave Ireland, starting a new live in Canada. After his arrival he acts in a very rude, reserved and aggressive way against all attempts to include him in the family. Although he still insists on his opinion, that he wants to leave Canada as soon as possible to take a revenge his family he starts to notice, that he will miss his new family.

   We had to read the book in our English-class and so at the beginnig we were not very pleased. But after reading the first chapter which made a strong impact on us, our interest was caught and we enjoyed the novel more and more.




2. Representation of real political problems or just English shoddy?

   The book „Torn Away" deals with a boy, called Declan who is an Irish Catholic and lives in Falls Road/Belfast. His mother and sister died in a bomb attack which was organised by the Brits. Left alone and filled with wrath and anger, Declan joins the terror group "Holy Terrors". There youngsters learn to build bombs and plan attacks against the British army. However, he shell be brought to his uncle who lives in Canada. Declan tries to refuse because he thinks his uncle Matthew is a coward and a traitor of the country because of immigrating to British Columbia. After a lot of attempts to escape, police manages to take him into his uncle's custody.
   Although, his aunt, uncle and the both adopted kids Ana and Thomas are very friendly and caring, Declan still has the wish to return. First a bargain makes him remain: If he stays until after Christmas and joins school, Matthew won't stop Declan leaving and pays his journey home.
   But whilst time passes, Declan starts to accept Ana and Thomas as a real brother and sister. He is departed between the family feelings and the so-called "fixer's world", as he calls his new home.
   The book "Torn Away" has its focus on the Northern Irish conflicts between Protestants and Catholics. The main reasons of fighting with each other are shown very clearly in this book. It recovers the means which the IRA uses to damage or kill their enemies, the Brits. I like the representation of the strong will-power which is in the Catholic and Protestant mind in order to get through their aim for their country. However, the realisation of the difficult topic about the young terrorist Declan isn't so convincing. At the beginning of the story, the rough reality is shown clearly. But the more Declan is "caught" by the family's generosity and kindness, the more the ending is absolutely clear. To put it in a nutshell: The character of the almost innocent family is too unrealistic and invisible to regard the story as a realistic happening within a Catholic boy's life.
   So, thank you James Heneghan, but the moral of "Torn Away" is clear: Violence is never a solution!




3. We read the book at school!
   Before we got informations about the conflict taking place in Ireland.We think it`s necessary to understand Declans situation!
   The first chapters were a little bit boring but by reading further it became more interesting!
   We think,that the book was easy and quick to read and a book for reading at school !



4. The book Torn away by James Heneghan is about Declan Doyle , a 13 years old boy from Belfast , who loses his family in the troubles of Northern Ireland . His uncle forces him to come to Canada to live there but Declan doesn't plan to live there .
   
   I think that the story was interesting . Also the writer described the nature very good . On the other hand the book was sometimes boaring and unreal . My oppinion is that the ending is nice and emotzional . I had a lot of fun with the book and recommend it to all the others pupils !!!



5. sentences:
   Declan is thirteen year old boy,who was forced by the police to leave Ireland and to go to Canada.In Canada his uncle's family wants him to stay but he often tries to escape.
   
   I like that Declans feelings were discirbed very good so I can understandhim better.Also there is a good describtion of nature so anyone can imagine Ireland better.

No comments about Islamism in the Shadow of al-Qaeda.