No comments about Terrorism: Protection of Witnesses And Collaborators of Justice (Terrorism and Law).

2 comments about Kindergarten.

1. I read this book when it first came out, and have since read it several times. It is an extraordinarily moving story about modern English children who, because of an act of political terrorism by which they are directly affected, are brought to confront the meaning of the Holocaust from the standpoint of children. The novel is written with a somber simplicity and elegance, yet it succeeds in evoking not just the events themselves, but the whole cultural context of modern European history. It contains, for instance, one of the most frightening versions of the Hansel and Gretel story that you are ever likely to read. This book is definitely not recommended for children, but it would be hard to imagine any adult not finding it a wonderful experience.



2. This is a short book which brings memories and deeper thoughts to the surface. For anyone who merely wishes something to pass the time during a train journey, sorry, but you're in the wrong place. Rushforth's excellent prose draws the reader through various times into a work which is both dark and enlightening; a memory of times past and, perhaps, a warning of future times.
   
   Since it was first published I have read this book many times, and have purchased at least five copies.
   
   Peter Rushforth died recently, shortly after the publication of Pinkerton's Sister and before the publication of Dead Language, both of which show the skill and literary knowledge of a man who (even at 60) died before his time.

No comments about Cases and Materials in Terrorism Law, Third Edition.

No comments about Thinking beyond War: Civil-Military Relations and Why America Fails to Win the Peace.

No comments about Common Sense in Uncommon Times: Survival Techniques for a Changed World.

No comments about Where Was God on September 11: Seeds of Faith and Hope.

No comments about W Stands for Women: How the George W. Bush Presidency Shaped a New Politics of Gender.

5 comments about Behind The Mask: The IRA and Sinn Fein.

1. So often in reviews of books relating to the conflict in the north of Ireland, we hear the term "terrorist" applied to the IRA and the expression "Sinn Fein is the political wing of the IRA". Number one, if you define terrorism as acts that result in the death of innocent woman and children, then the term should be applied to those who run all Western policy, resulting as it has in the deaths of children in Belgrade, Kosovo, Iraq, Sudan, etc. The term "terrorist" has no validity unless it is applied universally - as opposed to selectively against your enemies. The IRA are no more a terrorist organisation than NATO. Taylor's book for the most part reflects this truth but his editor or publisher has cynically added the insulting cliches - no doubt as a marketing tool, ie. to make it acceptable to the mind set of those who unquestioningly parrot these insults. Taylor is in the know. He is objective. He writes extremely well. All these factors make this book essential reading to all students of conflict in Ireland. But they should not start with the term "terrorist" in their mind.

   This book is one of many that exposes the lie that Sinn Fein is the Political wing of the IRA. They are both part of the same Republican movement but the IRA is no more Sinn Fein's armed wing than the RUC is the Ulster Unionists armed wing, or the British Army is the Armed wing of the UK government. Yes they are linked - but that does not make them the same. Such lazy, imprecise thinking is a factor in matters Irish remaining confused to the outside world. Taylors book makes the distinction skillfully and therefore should inform all those who approach this book with an open mind.




2. This book is a very informative and accurate portrayal of the struggle in Northern Ireland. It does not take a biased point of view, it shows the most glorious moments of the Irish Republican Army's history, as well as it's lowest points. It outlines the path to peace that Sinn Feinn and other Republicans along with some Loyalists are trying to achieve. It is wrong though, for the way that some people ignorantly call the Irish Republican Army a "Terrortist" organization.

   The Irish Republican Army is exactly that, they are an organized Army fighting for their homeland and the freedom and protection of the minority Catholics in Northern Ireland. They are just as much of a defense force as any other nations military, and are just as much an organized military force as the British army, and if I might add, much more humane. I could easily compare the situation to that of German invading forces in yugoslavia in WWII. There was a resistance army that fought the foreign invading forces, yet the world community did not refer to them as "Terrorists" but as freedom fighters. That is exactly what the IRA is, unfortunately, when they choose to make progress towards peace, Sectarian violence has always gotten in the way, splinter groups of Republican and Loyalists have constantly thwarted the peace process, I hope that such things will not happen in the future. Great book, a must read for anyone who wants information on the struggle in Northern Ireland.




3. Peter Taylor has done a phenomenal job bringing the truth out about the Republican Community. He has consistently managed to reverse the British Government's efforts to dehumanise the people of Ireland. This book is a great start for anyone looking to get a better idea of exactly what Sinn Fein and the IRA are and were about. Buy the book, you can't be disappointed. Additionally, the video tape from the PBS broadcast is *INCREDIBLE*. You can order it from pbs.org - I suggest you do. It will give you more of an idea of how human these men and women really are/were.



4. Coming from a long family history of involvement in the struggle for Irish liberation, it's so depressing to see the same old cliches and anger in the other reviews for this excellent book.

   The British never quite understood the Irish, as former British Prime Minister James Callaghan admitted in the late 1970s. They never understood the intra-community hatred, and the hatred towards the security forces. And as this book shows, the Republican movement never quite understood that the Brits were prepared to fight them to a standstill, locking down vast chunks of Northern Ireland in order to quell the most visible effects. The sympathy the British people ever had with the Republican movement was extinguished after years of dreadful attrocities on the mainland, leading to a grim determination to give UK Government permission to "take out" the perpetrators, whether in Northern Ireland, UK, or overseas.

   And despite the Republican's clear intelligence, foresight and focused strategy, they failed to win the minds of successive US Governments, who were rightly embarrassed by the echolons of ignorant, ill-advised and ill-taught Americans claiming Irish roots and therefore permission to interfere.

   As the US Department of State implicitly communicated to Sinn Fein and IRA after September 11, 2001: "It's over boys".




5. This is a fair and informative book on The Troubles. I've read many (Holland, Coogan, Bell, etc) and thought this one was the best until I read "Secret History of the IRA" by Ed Moloney. In terms of depth of insight and analysis, especially as it relates to Gerry Adams and the Peace Process, Behind the Mask pales.

No comments about The True Confessions of an Albino Terrorist.

No comments about Terrorism, Human Rights, and the Case for World Government.