No comments about Takedown.

No comments about 9/11: What a Difference a Day Makes.

5 comments about Icefire.

1. I just finished reading Icefire and I couldn't put it down. There was suspense after suspense from the start. I really enjoyed how the action jumped off at the beginning though at the pole. Webber, Bailey, and Cory were excellent heros and very believable too. I really thought the concept of having a Navy SEAL who could also pilot multiple airplanes was a very new and awesome concept (and probably not far from the truth). The technologies used in the book were awesome as well, I partiulary enjoyed the Nevada Rain aircraft.

   I only wish that at the end of the book there would have been some type of follow up as to how Webber, Cory, and Bailey ended up. The book was technically acurate but there were a lot of acronyms and abbreviations in the book, a glossary of acronyms and abbreviations in the back of the book would have really helped because I found myself turning back to the beginning a lot just to remember what one of the abbreviations meant. But fortunately I spent 7 years on active duty in the United States Army so I could relate to the abbreviation use with little problem.

   I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes techno thrillers. This is definitely up there with the Hunt For Red October and Without Remorse (both written by Tom Clancy).




2. I always thought my dad was crazy for reading all those Tom Clancy novels. Icefire turned my whole perception of techno thrillers around. As a reader who is just as interested in characters as plot lines, I found this book engaging from the get go. I also read to learn, and quite enjoyed delving into military jargon, solitons vs. tsunami, and my great love of the SR-71 Blackbird was quite satisfied with that amazing aircraft's role in the action. The Nevada Rain, of course, was just plain cool. The authors are also not afraid to kill people which I find painful and realistic. Death is the second inevitablity after taxes and it is a refreshing change from gold-plated characters who sometimes, maybe, get a hangnail or the poor "red-shirts" (the nameless guys in Star Trek who always bought it and were eulogized by a mournful Bones in some variation of 'He's dead, Jim.') The reader is energized and drawn into the drama because of this no nonsense, stark addition of death, no longer just irritated with those baddies but just aching to get the part where they get a taste of their own medicine. I have not heard about a film, but can't wait to see it should it become a reality. A great read, even if you don't much care for the genre because it incorporates so much more. It is so satisfying when you have a History Channel husband who starts with amazement at hearing CincPac roll glibly off your tongue.



3. This was a good read. From start to finish the novel is exciting and keeps you interested.



4. This story is based on a novel idea for an act of planetary terrorism. Nuclear weapons are used to break the Ross ice shelf in Antarctica from its' connections to the land. This creates an enormous tidal wave that threatens all coastal areas in the Pacific rim. As I began the book, I spent a great deal of thought wondering if such an event was possible. Once the conclusion was reached that it was, then the story became much more engrossing. It is an ideal premise for a suspense novel, in that it is a plausible scenario.
   Initial premise aside, the authors keep up a rapid pace, building towards a conclusion that ends far too quickly. While the main plot is strong and keeps your interest, there are some subplot lines that weakened the story. The general that took the position that millions of lives should be sacrificed so that a war could be started is an artificial character. His failures would have been clear for all to know and there was no way that he could have emerged as a hero.
   The battles between the two main characters also became a strain and I found myself skimming those sections devoted to their quarrels. Nevertheless, for the most part I was hooked on the story and ignored all the calls of my other work until I completed it.



5. Although some of the scenes in this book are a bit contrived, the action was good, the plot interesting and the characters...well-l-l-l, ok, a little 2-dimensional. It takes a really skilled author (like Robert Ludlum) to write a gripping story with characters you really care about. I kept thinking, as I was reading this book, that it would probably make a fairly decent action film. If you try to ignore the wife's (of this husband-wife writing team) now famous feminist rants,you'll have a pretty enjoyable ride.
   
   Worth reading.

No comments about Daring To Struggle, Failing To Win: The Red Army Factions 1977 Campaign Of Desperation.

5 comments about Scimitar's Edge.

1. Just when you think you have the characters in this terrific book figured out, Marvin Olasky will surprise you!! Loved it...Builds slowly - you will learn a lot about Turkey and some of the most amazing scenery. Quite honestly, I wanted to return to Turkey after reading the first half--until I got to the second half...Be warned, you are in for surprises. But, then again, that is the best part of any novel.



2. As a columnist, Olasky skillfully simplifies the complexities of religion, politics and culture with real life anecdotes. In Scimitar's Edge, he applies his skills to fiction as he illustrates through four Americans (One Christian, three atheists) traveling through Turkey, the complexities of terrorism - and of life in general. Olasky educates and entertains, using contrasts to weave sacred Islamic poetry with American pop culture and unfold truths of life through knitting and chess. Even between brutal acts of stabbings and beheadings, he intersperses comic relief with the likes of cockroaches and carp. As the plot twists and turns, despite all the horrors the travelers endure, they open their hearts to God. And in the end they turn from atheism and begin to find peace with the complexities of their Creator.



3. This is a great book, a "page turner" as I call it. I hope we have more such fiction from Mr. Olasky. I also read the magazine World that he is chief editor for. This book is as exciting as some of the other well know current evetns fiction writers like Coonts, Bond, etc., but without the profanity. It isn't far left anti-American like Baldacci's books have become. Other writers with these type books like Olasky are Joel Rosenberg, Oliver North, Mel Odom.



4. A good story catches you and carries you along for the ride. This book does a decent job on that score, but it does something else that is less common in fiction. It brings home some basic facts about how the enemy thinks. (And of course you can get a strong dose of the murderous ends of that thinking by making yourself watch "United 93" if at risk of forgetting or needing a reminder.) My thanks to Marvin Olasky.



5. I like Marvin Olasky's columns so well, I was looking forward to his novel, but found it almost a parody of a novel. Well, I read this too long ago and got rid of the book so fast, I can't go back and give specifics, but the characters and scenarios were so unbelieveable I had to laugh. Sorry! I still would read his next novel just to see the improvement I'm sure is coming because at least it wasn't boring and I do have a lot of respect for him.

2 comments about Business Handbook on Terrorism, Security and Survival: A Proactive Guide for Personal Security in Today's Business Environment.

1. This is one great book, It really makes me feel that if I really wanted to I could be a terrorist not that that is my kind of thing But if you are looking for a good book to curl up with at night this is the one



2. This is a great book for the entrepreneur, especially one who travels abroad often or is setting up a shop abroad. It was recommended to me by an exec in a multinational who used the step-by-step guides to set himself and his family up in a 3-year posting to the Czech Republic. Nobody likes to think about (or pay for) security but this is a bargain in how to do it right the first time.

1 comments about America's Culture of Terrorism: Violence, Capitalism, and the Written Word (Cultural Studies of the United States).

1. Disgruntled workers acting out in acts of violence and assassination. A greedy author looking to make a quick buck by exploiuting terrorism. Tensions between groups of people including the repeated persecution of one by the other. Sound familiar? Sound new? Not hardly. This all took place during the turn of the twentieth century.

   Clymer explains that terrorism is not new in America. Workers revolting against their bosses and the system that held them down blew up railway cars and buildings. Supporters of prosecuted miners assassinated the Governor of Idaho. The Haymarket bombing in Chicago in 1886 caused widespread panic. Beause the culprit and the motive were never determined, the uncertainty fueld even more speculation and tension. Jack London capitalized on the voracious appetite for terrorism-related literature in The Assassination Bureau and The Iron Heel, which he specifically mentioned to Macmillan Publishing was ripe for the consumer public. Thomas Dixon and Ida B. Wells wrote about the conditions in the reconstruction South . Dixon glorified the Ku Klux Klan and was concerned about mulattoes and skin bleaching tonic; Wells set out an explanation that the vacuum left by the end of slavery was filled by the phenomenon of rape as a way to control black men.

   The difficulty with this work is that Clymer does not tie in the past witht he present terrorism situation at any part after the introduction. Clymer's background in English is extremely evident here as this is a beautifully crafted work of rhetoric. However, as a student of history and politics, this work is relegated to a supplementary role as it deals primarily with how terrorism was portrayed in works of fiction. No matter how realistic Henry James, Jack London, and Thomas Dixon's novels may be, they remain works of fiction ans thus unusable to serious students of history. However, this work remains useful for its philosophical discussion of terrorism overall.

5 comments about Insurgency & Terrorism: Inside Modern Revolutionary Warfare.

1. In "Insurgency and Terrorism", Bard O'Neill has provided his audience (whether a fighting man or a student) with a framework through which to analyse insurgencies, past, present and future. O'Neill states that he believes that insurgencies are likely to remain a key level of conflict in the future. I agree with him. This is an important area and one which receives all too little attention, especially, in my experience, among the armed forces of the United States. Hopefully Dr O'Neill will redress the balance a little.

   The book is split into 9 sections;

   - Insurgency in the Contemporary World
   - The Nature of Insurgency
   - Insurgent Strategies
   - The Environment
   - Popular Support
   - Organisation and Unity
   - External Support
   - Government Response
   - Conclusions

   In each case, O'Neill splits the areas up into smaller sub-sections for easy reference. He deals with different types of insurgent groups, different ways insurgents operate, the effects of terrain and outside support, the coverage is fairly comprehensive. He also, usefully, uses historical examples to illustrate his points.

   As O'Neill himself points out, no framework for analysis can be infallible or perfect, but this is a pretty good start, whether you are in a counter-insurgency situation or in a seminar room. Good stuff. It should, of course, be supplemented with further reading (a bibliography would have been useful) but all in all this is an excellent piece of work in a field that has been somewhat neglected in recent times (it isn't fashionable in America at the best of times and many of the classic texts are now out of print).

   A good piece of follow-up reading to this book (especially for a student) would be Ian Beckett's "Modern Insurgencies and Counter-Insurgencies".




2. This is an excellent framework for analysis, but you will need specialist information which is both current and validated before you can do much more than generalize in any given situation. Still, even this can be quite useful.
   I came across this book while reading "Peace Operations in an Insurgency Environment", a paper written by Major Grootendorst for the CSC in 1997. In this paper he effectively uses the marketing management model of Kotler to combine the Mackinlay and Chapra theory of peace operations with O'Neill's insurgency model. Very nicely done. (I like Kotler - he seems to view business as war by other means!)
   O'Neill's treatment is necessarily very narrow. Except in passing, his scope does not include pre-insurgency nor post-insurgency. I don't find this a deficiency with his work, but I do find it a deficiency with our thinking about insurgency. A common agreement among participants at the recent Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration course sponsored by the Norwegian Defense Force in Oslo is that we need to move beyond the central focus on insurgency. Necessary as it is to "calm the waters", current process does not seem to solve the underlying structural problems which then rise to a boil every decade or so -- and in addition the initial societal disturbance creates generational shockwaves that take decades of sincere and costly efforts to reduce to a manageable level. While O'Neill's is the close examination of a particular facet of a problem, we cannot afford to be so parochial.
   I strongly recommend this book. Much of what we have seen come to pass in Iraq was largely predictable, at least in broad brush strokes, based on competent consideration of his model. (I actually read the book in early 2002 and have reviewed it again just this month.) Just keep in mind the broader picture -- think outside the box. We seem to be doing the same things over and over again, only harder and faster; and then seem surprised when we get the same results -- only quicker. A clear prerequisite is being able to empathize (as opposed to sympathize) with the opponent, no matter how we feel about his actions.



3. This author does an outstanding job of organizing, synthesizing and conveying the essence of insurgency and terrorism. The one drawback to this book is that you will need to have a specialized understanding of the art and science of war. If you are a novice, buy the book and continue to do your research and professional reading. This book will become invaluable to you later and you will be grateful that you have it. Side bar... of course you might not agree with everything that this author says; thats ok, look past that and focus on the content of what he is trying to convey.
   Of particular note, What I like about this book is that it is organized and fits nicely with the notion that there are "many" centers of gravity. for those that believe, like myself, that clausewitz had more than just a narrow defintion of how the principles of war were tied to more than just the political, then this book will become an excellent source reference for your continuing professional development as you explore the nuances and variables of the many types of strategies. All in all, this book is worth the effort.
   
   Terry Tucker, Prof Military Studies/History
   Senior Doctrine Developer, SANGMP



4. Since the conclusion of the cold war, insurgency and terrorism have become the primary means for the disenfranchised to demonstrate their global discontent. During the same time, however, the defense and intelligence communities have staunchly resisted adapting to new threats and recognizing the new players on the international stage.
   
   Simply stated ..."Insurgency may be defined as a struggle between a nonruling group and the ruling authorities in which the nonruling group consciously uses political resources (e.g., organizational expertise, propaganda, and demonstrations) and violence to destroy, reformulate, or sustain the basis of legitimacy of one or more aspects of politics." P. 13. "Terrorism is a form of warfare in which violence is directed primarily against noncombants (usually unarmed civilians), rather than operational military and police forces or economic assets (public or private)." P. 24.
   
   Dr. O'Neill's Insurgency & Terrorism: Inside Modern Revolutionary Warfare is one of the best volumes I've found that focuses on cause and effect, along with viable solutions as a whole.
   
   Academicians and practitioners alike had long given insurgency and terrorism little attention, instead stressing studies on the military/defense industry's technical structure - particularly ignoring the waning of human assets.
   
   So the lack of a comprehensive and up-to-date counterinsurgency program is hardly surprising. "A key point to be addressed when evaluating a counterinsurgency program is how well the government knows its enemy." P. 126.
   
   This book presents the most important, current challenges facing counterinsurgency and anti-terrorism policy, addressing key issues and analyzing solutions within the perspective of collective expectations and role definitions for both civil and military players. "Experience and the experts suggest that the most effective way to deal with internal terrorism and small-scale urban guerrilla attacks against soldiers and policemen is to emphasize police work, good intelligence, and judicial sanctions ...Police and intelligence agencies are also the main instruments for combating transnational terrorism. In today's world the problem of transnational terrorism places a premium on international police cooperation and intelligence sharing ...Numerous cases suggest that the centerpiece of successful counter-guerrilla campaigns are small-unit operations - that is, sustained and aggressive patrols and ambushes in guerrilla-infested zones." Pp. 128 - 130.



5. Although it was originally published in 1990, this book was the most relevant I read during my tour of Iraq. I found many direct comparisons between the concepts mentioned by Mr. O'neil and the operations of the Iraqi insurgency. If you are interested in learning the inner workings of insurgency, or especially if you are delpoying to Iraq (in an MI capacity), you need to read this book.

4 comments about War Without End: The Rise of Islamist Terrorism and the Global Response.

1. The latter part of the title of this book is accurate. It is about the rise of Islamist terrorism (especially this) and the reaction of the rest of the world. The first part of the title, War without End, is an interpretation of the effect of that response, especially by the United States. On page 411 Hiro quotes President George W. Bush as saying "So long as anybody is terrorizing established government, there needs to be a war." Hiro's belief is that unless the root causes of terrorism are eliminated, "This is a recipe for war without end."

   I think he is mistaken on two counts. One, the root causes of terrorism are not easy to identify and they vary substantially from country to country. To say that poverty and repressive governments are the root cause, as Hiro apparently does (quoting French Foreign minister Hubert Vedrine on page 411), is mistaken (although they may be contributing causes) since there are many places in the world where poverty exists along with repressive regimes and yet there is no terrorism. Furthermore, one of the most brutal terrorists of them all, Osama bin Laden, was a privileged and extravagantly rich Saudi son with millions of dollars and four wives. What is the root cause of his terrorism? Insanity or just plain old hatred, jealousy, and prejudice?

   Two, a universally agreed upon definition of terrorism, as Hiro points out on page 412, is lacking. The Arab world, for example, believes that Palestinian suicide bombings in Israel are not acts of terrorism, but acts of self-defense. Since it is not clear just what is and what is not terrorism, it is difficult to work on the "causes." Clearly there has been since the time of the Prophet (and before) "a war without end" in the Arab Muslim lands regardless of circumstance.

   Consequently, the only viable response to terrorism is the same as any civilized society has toward violent crime. Until we have a universal justice system (with enforcement) or until all countries in the world cooperate against terrorism, individual nations will do what they can to protect themselves and their people.

   But these arguments aside, the central fact is there is no justification for terrorism. Indeed there is no justification for the use of violent force against anyone except in self-defense. This is the view of most people in the world; indeed it stems from such universally-agreed upon precepts in the Golden Rule, the Ten Commandments, and the tenets of all religions. The problem in the world today is that it is not so easy to determine where self-defense actually begins. Thus we have the emerging doctrine of unilateral preemptive strikes against terrorists which may very well be acts of self-defense.

   What Hiro does well in this book is to give us a thorough modern history (in so far as one can in a single 513-page volume) of the conflicts within and among the Arab states, particularly in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan, leading up to the situation as it exists today. His report is fairly well balanced, revealing an almost continuous climate of murder, revenge, armed conflict, war, repression and assassination by various Islamic and not-so Islamic groups, tribes, organizations and governments in the Middle East. He makes it clear (to me at least) that it is not Islam, per se, that is responsible for the continued carnage so much as the various violent and war-like interpretations of the Quran and the Hadith by assorted mullahs and any alim with a website. The tribal mentality that still exists in much of the Arab world is also clearly shown as a factor. This is a view of the world that highly values the effective use of force and violence; and a mentality that so fears women (or its own inability to live equally with women) that they must be controlled by making them subservient and hidden from sight. One also sees at fault the Muslim mind that believes that Islam is the only true religion. Such narrow-minded prejudice and stupidity, along with a reliance on authority instead of the scientific method as a test of truth, leaves many in the Middle East in ignorance and poverty. Imagine what it must be like to live in a society in which to change your religion is to invite a sentence of death.

   Hiro identifies the rise of Islamist terrorism with Egyptian President Sadat's signing a bilateral peace treaty with Israel in 1979. (p. 422) I would suggest that perhaps the violent inspiration of Sayyid Qutb and other Islamic extremists who inspired the militant Muslim Brotherhood which arose against the Egyptian government and spread from there may be a better focus. Hiro has Qutb argue on page 67 "that once the Brothers had declared someone to be jahil (infidel), they had the right to attack this person or property, a right granted in Islam."

   A recipe for War without End is to imagine that this sort of thinking has any legitimacy in a civilized world.

   For my part it is a sin (if sin there be) to presume to speak for God. Those who pretend to be God's conduits are merely trying to increase their personal power and prestige. Hiro quotes from the Quran (3:164) as justifying suicidal martyrdom in the eyes of "radical Islamists" with these words: "Count not those who were slain in God's way as dead, but rather living with their Lord..." (p. 270) Such an interpretation to my mind depreciates the believer's God to the point that there is no difference between God and men. Any God that needs people to kill other people for reward isn't much of a God.

   This is a formidable read, packed with information and clearly written; but perhaps Hiro's weakness is a blindness in interpretation as though he were unaware of the very history he is describing.




2. A great primer on the political situation in the Middle East as it relates to terrorism. Hiro begins with the history of Islam and its great schism (between Sunni and Shi'a)that has caused much violence itself. Hiro then discusses the origins of political violence in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan, with much attention paid to the US support for the Mujahidin. There is also a good description of the early stages of the war against terror (from the 1998 Embassy Bombings onward), the 9/11 attacks, and the future. A great overall book, it took a while to read, but I heartily recommend it. Look especially at the Select Bibliography at the end for recommendations on other books to read for more information.



3. I have read Dilip Hiro's other books, which I am a big fan of, and this one is terrible. It is totally biased against America. It seems that Hiro is questioning Bin Laden's and Al Qaeda's involvement in the 9/11 events. He also seems to have a soft spot in his heart for the Taleban regime, and defends them for not turning over Bin Laden to the US.
   
   The historical background he gives on the different nations and religion of the region is excellent and well written. When the book gets into the time of the 20th century and later, it seems that Hiro sides with the radicals, or makes excuses for their actions.
   
   America and the West are not perfect, and are part of the cycle of violence in the middle east, but to totally dicredit all of our policies and actions is rediculous. I do not recommend this book, unless you like Al Qaeda and the Taleban.



4. Dilip Hiro provides a clear explanation of the Sunnis, Shias and Sufism. He explains how and why we had to build up Islamic fundamentalism to fight Soviet power. On page 422 he traces the rise of Islamist terrorism to Egyptian President Sadat's peace treaty with Israel in 1979 (peace can cause a new kind of war?). Mr. Hiro also explains Saudi Arabia and many other hot spots in this long war that is not cooling down as I write this review.

1 comments about Terror and Taboo: The Follies, Fables, and Faces of Terrorism.

1. This book started out as a good overview of terrorism. How words will define the reality of a situation, how terrorism depends on the media for the terror effect, how terrorist attacks are random while still having a target, and a fairly good discussion of how terrorism is defined. However, at about the halfway point, the book became too focused towards the ETA, a terrorist organization supporting Basque nationalists. This book went from a discussion of terrorism, to a discussion of how the police were abusing their power while trying to fight the ETA. I suppose it covered the topic well, but it was annoying because I wanted a book on terrorism in general, not a book about the ETA and the police.