2 comments about Terror Incorporated: Tracing the Dollars Behind the Terror Networks.

1. Loretta Napoleoni is the world's expert on terrorism financing. She is very well known in Europe as the sole writer who has explained the international economic system created by armed organizations since the end of WWII.
   I have just attented one of her lectures in San Francisco and was amazed at her knowledge and undersanding of the phenomenon.
   I think her book should be a required reading for anybody who wants to know the truth about the world we live in.
   The book is fascinating, written like a thriller will have the reader stay up all night turning the pages.
   Well done and congratulation,
   
   Richard



2. Nopoleoni's research into the subject of teeror fincing is incredibly thorough and unparalleled. I initially purchased this book as a source for a research paper, but quickly found myself completely engaged in her writing.
   
   The author not only tackles the most obvious and current situations of Islamic fundamentalist terrorism, but she also provides an in-depth look into such groups as the IRA and the Red Brigades, and why this information is relevant to terror financing.
   
   Napoleoni spells out very clearly that terror is just as much, if not more, of a business than it is an ideolgy. She has coined the term "terror state-shell" to decribe the voids created in areas, such as Chechnya, in which terrorist investors scramble to find recruits by offering financial stability to these poverty-stricken areas.
   
   The author also clearly examines, step-by-step, the methods by which money leaves your hand and reaches terror groups.
   
   Compelling book!

5 comments about Fear Less: Real Truth About Risk, Safety, and Security in a Time of Terrorism.

1. de Becker does a good job at putting the risks of terrorism into perspective with other risks we face everyday. Also, de Becker encourages the reader to be informed and aware of situations that could be indicators of trouble. Well worth the read.



2. Another hit from Gavin De Becker. Once again his common sense, see-it-for-what-it-is approach is on the mark. After reading this book you will not look at the news media the same, if you care to look at it much at all! The scare tactics thrown in our faces every day take on an almost comical appearance when you see them for what they are. Do yourself a favor and do as the title suggests, read this book and fear less.



3. Quick easy read. I wish I had read this right after 9/11 as it has taken me some time to come to the same conclusions this book offers. Even though that is when this book was written to be read, it didn't hurt to get some reasurance I am now on the right track. I like de Becker's style. He seems like a real classy guy.



4. This book was purchased and sent to Iraq to my grandson
   who is in the Military Police in Baghdad. He should be
   home on a two-week leave next month.
   
   So, I can't review the book. He has the second book by
   Gavin DeBeckker, which I purchased from your company and
   has indicated he thought it was very good and helpful.
   
   Elizabeth Ergovich



5. This book calms down silly fears and brings rational thought and analysis to what is truly to be feared and what is not. Very good reading.

5 comments about Che Guevara Reader: Writings on Politics & Revolution.

1. this book is a great collection of various writings and speeches by ernesto che guevara. it contains some entries in his diary of the cuban revolution, speeches he gave internationally and in cuba, and letters he wrote to people close to him. it's an interesting collection of his stuff, which is actually pretty hard to get a hold of. so if you see this book, and your interested in che, grab it, because i really had to look around for this one.



2. Mr. Deutschmann:

   On page 13 you write:

   "April 1, 1965 Guevara delivers a farewell letter to Fidel Castro.....Guevara operates under the name Tatu, Swahili for "Number two."

   I dont know where you got this quote of "Number two." from, but Tatu in Swahili stands for Number three. Number two is Mbiri.

   Thank you.




3. This is a good book if you want to know about Che's Marxists theories and if you want to know some of his views on the world during his time. But this book (though it is good) only scratches the surface a good portion of these speeches and essays have been published in many other books what the editor should've done was published parts of Che's critique of the Soviet Union that Castro has hidden away,printed parts of his congo book and sections from the Bolivian Diary, and more sections from the nine volume Che Guevara writing and speeches then this book would worthy of the title Che Guevara Reader



4. Good book, but be prepared. Che was a failure as a guerrilla leader because he refused to accept the possibility that a revolution could begin and end in major population centers. He reallty didn't have many wins to his favor when he was in charge.



5. Che Guevara has been so etched into the public consciousness as an icon of revolution, rebellion and guerrilla warfare that it is easy for many to forget about the more intellectual aspects of the man. The "Che Guevara Reader" is the perfect tool to really study and learn the ideas behind Guevara's quest for Latin American unity against imperialism, poverty and racism. The depth of thought and analysis will be stunning to many, there are passages where Guevara writes and expresses at a level worthy of Noam Chomsky. Here we see that the man was no joke, there were very real philosophies behind his drive for revolution. The book covers Che's writings from the time of the Cuban guerrilla war against the U.S.-backed Batista dictatorship to his various speeched as Cuba's ambassador to the world. Among the most powerful pieces are his speeched at such forums as the United Nations, where Guevara gives an angry, heartfelt summary of the suffering felt in the Americas at the hands of imperialism and how the people will rise. When one looks at current events in Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador, there is more resonance to a passage where Che states, "our example will bear fruit." Some of the most fascinating passages in the book deal with the concepts behind social progress and unity, where Che stresses the need to work as one and not give in to shallow materialism. Che especially focuses on the need for education to build a stronger system and build social consciousness. Che and Fidel bashers will be infuriated by sections where Guevara clearly states that not ALL aspects of Marxism work for a society, destroying the myth of Che being a radical dogmatic Communist. There are also interesting speeches where Guevara expresses the need to analyze what kind of revolution every country needs, what worked in Cuba might not work for example, in Chile where the people elected Salvador Allende without having to resort to a guerrilla war, interestingly Latin America's recent tilt to the Left has been driven mostly be democratic elections as well. There is also a wonderful depth of feeling in writings where Che states the need for a true revolutionary to have a sense of love, real, true love and not pure cold calculation. The most rewarding experience of reading the "Che Guevara Reader" is realizing how important these ideas are for our times as well when corporate ideals have monopolized our industrial nations and created a huge gap between the poor and rich. Some will be surprised to find only a fraction of this book dedicated to pure guerrilla warfare talk (for that check Guevara's "Guerrilla Warfare") and a good 90% dedicated to discussions on society, people and the need for true social reforms in the face of tyrannical capitalism and social inequality. A valuable book so you can wear the T-shirt, but know the philosophy as well.

5 comments about Trapped in the War on Terror.

1. Having heard Ian Lustick speak today at Princeton Univrsity I immediately ordered his book (on which the talk was based).
   HIs revelations on the subject of the War on Terror are frightening because since 2001 we are led to believe only war and destruction will deliver us from evil.
   I hope a lot of smart people will buy this book and spread the word.



2. The thesis of this book is that the so-called `War on Terror' is an exercise in futility that is driven by opportunism and demagoguery. Strong words, but they are backed by very persuasive arguments. This book is a good follow up to "Overblown" by John Mueller (Amazon.com) that effectively puts the much hyped terrorist threat into perspective. This book provides the approaches that would best mitigate an over-hyped, but still real threat from minority elements of the Islamic extremist movement.
   
   Social scientist that he is, Lustick devotes the first two chapters of the book to statistical analysis concerning the average U.S. citizen's understanding of terrorism and real or imagined terrorist threats. He then attempts to demonstrate, successfully I think, that the tragedy of the 9/11 attacks has been transformed into a massive fraud dubbed the `War on Terror'. In Lustick's opinion, the reality of the terrorist threat has been turned into a political hobby horse by politicians of both parties, a ratings game by the print and electronic media, and a money cow by almost everyone else. These of course are matters of opinion, but they have a ring of truth to them. The War on Terror itself is a really silly concept rather like declaring a war on skirmishing. You can't fight a war against a tactic. In point of fact, the strategy for the War on Terror is fundamentally and irretrievably flawed.
   
   The book makes clear that a "serious understanding of motivations and predicaments of al Qaeda and other Jihadist groups" is absolutely essential to developing a defensive strategy that can mitigate the threat from Islamic brands of terrorism. One might add that such a strategy ought to also be based on an understanding of the organizational structures of al Qaeda and other such entities. Lustick cites the work of George Kennan, whose grand strategy guided the successful U.S. prosecution of the Cold War. According to Lustick, Kennan's strategy was founded on an enormous accumulation of knowledge on the Soviet Union and the Russian people developed over almost thirty years of careful study and analysis. Lustick makes the point that this store of target knowledge was the principal reason Kennan was able to devise such a successful strategy. Needless to say no such store of knowledge has informed the strategies lumped under the rubric "War on Terror" or unfortunately one of its key strategic concepts, the creation of democratic Iraq to serve as an example of the fruits of democracy and moderation. By the end of this book, one has to marvel at ignorance and venality that appears to lay at the heart of our counter-terrorist strategy.



3. If you are considering this book, you are already likely convinced that the War on Terrorism is riddled with deception and behind it is the Bush administration and big business: the war profiteers. Unfortunately, all war brings profit. Destruction of human life creates jobs and creates wealth. It is one of the ironies of war to "make peace". However, there is something that the author does not properly address nor understand: the will and core belief of our enemies.
   President Bush lied to the American people, in the name of oil, when he said in 2001, "they hijacked a peaceful religion". Although politicians have always used religion as one of the tools to make war, there is no established religion today which teaches conquest by bloodshed outside of Islam. It is the direct teaching of the Koran. The Bible (both in Judaism and Christianity) speaks of war (like a history book) and limits war, but the Koran actually calls for war against Infidels (anyone who does not believe in Allah and the Koran). This is a core teaching of Islam and for 14 centuries has been the practice. People act upon what they believe. Mohammad was a violent man and he started a violent religion which holds pathological hatred of the Jews, and all things Jewish. They vow to destroy Israel. Their hatred of America has mostly to do with America being an ally of Israel.
   
   The war is not a clean cut, black and white portrayal of good versus evil. No single war can be. Every war is attended by terrible atrocities, yet, we must understand: Islam, which owns a significant part of the world, has overrun Europe (there are actual towns in France where "Infidels" do not enter, do not police, and do not have courts), and Muslim women are averaging almost 4.1 children per; while European women are at 1.2 to 1.3; which is not sufficient for a culture to sustain itself.
   
   Islam is winning the war. Though President Bush may not understand the core teachings of Islam, at least we have taken one nation of Muslims (Iraq) out of the picture (for now) for wholesale slaughter of Americans. Iran should be next.
   
   We cannot build nations, and house to house fighting means prolonged killing, but if we allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon, in OUR GENERATION, we are going to see it used --and innocent women and children will suffer and die.
   
   I have always believed in religious freedom, but when that religion calls for the very death of every Christian and Jew in America, it is time for a Constitutional Admendment outlawing Islam, for our own survival. We must find a way to get off our oil addiction.
   
   Kipling warned the British soldiers...if injured behind enemy lines against the Muslims: when you see a Muslim woman approach you, better to save your last bullet for your own head than to find out what, in the name of Muhammad that woman is going to do to you.
   
   Islam has produced a barbaric and cruel world and continues to behead, burn, execute and mutilate women who do not follow its strictest codes.
   
   Where is the voice of the women of free nations in condemning this horrific slaughter of women everywhere where Islam is found?
   
   I hate war. Any reasonable person must. But, there are times when we must answer the call to duty, even in the worst circumstances possible. My father was in the Sea of Japan when the bomb was dropped. He was being prepared for the invasion of mainland Japan. Had that bomb not been dropped...



4. Finally some sanity about the so-called "war on terror": Ian Lustick's "Trapped in the War on Terror" persuasively argues that the real peril is not terrorists but the "war" itself.
   
   Lustick shows how a cabal of neoconservative leaders hijacked the country's response to 9/11, hatching long-held plans to attack Iraq while vastly enlarging executive power. Most originally, he details the ways in which the "war" has grown. Stoked by continual fear-mongering by pandering politicians, newly-minted terror "experts," and an unquestioning media, the "war" has spiraled into a whirlwind none can control. The result has been monumental waste of money and lives. Beyond the Iraq war and the Homeland Security behemoth, countless billions of federal dollars are now being squandered on terror-related programs. Smelling an opportunity, all manner of businesses, interest groups, bureaucrats, and others have been only too happy to feed at the anti-terror trough. Meanwhile, political leaders on both left and right are too cowardly to tell Americans some simple truths. The bad news: terrorism has always been and will always be a tool in some political conflicts. Therefore, the "war" on terror can never be won. The good news: terrorism poses remarkably little danger to Americans compared to any number of risks we blithely run every day. The most dangerous forms, such as a nuclear bomb exploding in a city, are extremely unlikely.
   
   Few have had the courage or ability to tell this story. Read "Trapped in the War on Terror" as a necessary first step for bringing America back to its senses.



5. Professor Lustick's book is a devestating critique of the so-called "war on terror", which has been a disaster for the nation and must end. He quite correctly argues that the cure (the WOT) has been much worse than the disease (terrorism).
   
   The WOT has created an awful culture of fear that now permeates our society. Prof. Lustick talks about how we can face the terrorist threat in a rational way and not give in to fear.
   
   This is a great book and the only disappointment is that there are not more books like it. Wake up America! The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. One day people like Prof. Lustick will be viewed as being ahead of their time.

5 comments about 9/11 and American Empire: Intellectuals Speak Out, Vol. 1.

1. ...a very difficult choice, as they include books by Ahmed,Griffin,Tarpley, Zwicker and others! This collection of brilliant articles is hard to beat because it covers the key aspects of 9/11 truth and a wide range of connected important issues concerning our future. If you only have time for one book, read this!
   Pekka Castrén



2. "These are they who are conscious of the much falsehood in the world; they grow in the house of Truth, they are the strong and invincible sons of Infinity"
   
   Rig Veda



3. As soon as I heard Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings" appear as the definitive soundtrack for all things 9/11 during the initial grim days of this national tragedy, I had the sneaky suspicion that the event itself would wrap around us as an emotional blanket of perpetual grief and fear, smothering us to the cause of this effect, but warming us to a nationalistic zeal unmeasured in our history. There are countless books chronicalling the arrogance, calumny, deception, and criminality of the Bush administration, and even if all of his minions and Bush himself were jailed for their collective crimes against humanity, what they have done in all other constitutional and other matters pales in comparison to what "9/11 and the American Empire" suggests they've done in regard to 9/11 itself. I normally recoil from the culture of conspiracy, choosing to seek a sober, data-driven, argument for cause and effect relationships. In many ways this book achieves that in a refreshingly cold-hearted way. Subtracting the emotion from its charge, the authors argue cooly for the plausibility that a cadre of neo-cons were dedicated to advancing American hegemony, ignoring the rationale it takes to warrant Empire, and ignoring the lessons history has given them to recoil from pursuing Empire. If you have your own suspicions about the nature of anything 9/11, you owe it to your own curiosity to read this book. When it settles on you that a greater truth is out there beyond what the vapid mass media reports, then you'll have to decide for yourself whether to recoil from a harder truth that our government is in the grips of a new kind of fascism, or just turn away, shrug in disbelief, and change the channel and hope for the best.Finally, those who dismiss any scholarship on seeking the truth on 9/11 should embrace skepticism for its own sake, for doubting the motives of those who have abused authority and power is at the very core of democratic thinking and the very founding of our constitutional republic. The secrecy of the Bush administration, couched as it is in claims of national security, is cause for great concern. The very fact, verifiable even in the most flaccid journal of mass media, that Bush did NOT want 9/11 investigated suggests culpability.Though I do not want to believe my country's leaders would concoct such a monstrous offense to America and the world, I believe skepticism warrants a vigorous investigation into this terrible tragedy.



4. David Ray Griffin's newest book is a must read for people who think. Each chapter is written by a different author to give the reader the "big picture" on 911, putting it into proper context. Most people are unaware of the credible information presented in this book which is well referenced in scholarly fashion. This work is most convincing that the actual conspiracy theory is the media's official account on 911. Any intelligent person that reads this book will understand that the actual facts and science contradict the official story and that 911 had to be an inside job. Thank you Dr. Griffin for your work in getting the truth out.
   N. Monastero
   Escondido, CA



5. I bought 9/11: THE INTELLECTUALS SPEAK OUT as a supplement to Webster Griffin Tarpley's 9/11: SYNTHETIC TERROR. I was however disappointed. The only virtue that Griffin and Scott's book has over Tarpley is their rejection of his absurd notion that President Bush was "out of the loop" when the "rogue elements" in our government staged 9/11. As they say, "Bush's location had been highly publicized. And if the attacks were a complete surprise, executed solely by foreign terrorists, the Secret Service agents would have no idea how many planes had been hijacked. They would have had to assume that the president himself might be one of the targets. For all they would have known, a hijacked airliner might have been headed toward the school at that very minute, ready to crash into it. And yet these agents, trained to respond instantly in such situations, allowed the president to remain in the classroom another ten minutes." (p. 13). In other words, the White House knew in advance what the targets would be.
   
   Where this book fails miserably is in its lack of explanation of how a terrorist attack could have been staged using real airliners with the ensuing real casualties. Here Tarpley does much better, in attributing this to the Global Hawk system, through which ground control can turn an airliner into a drone controlled by themselves. Originally designed to prevent hijackings, it can all too easily be used to simulate them (Tarpley, pp. 193-196). Both books spend a lot of time debunking the notion that the airliners alone could have been responsible for the collapse of the World Trade Center. But what is this "rogue element" within our government which staged these attacks? Unfortunately, Griffin and Scott do little to correct Tarpley's flawed thesis that they constitute a small cabal and that the problem they pose can be solved by "working through the system". In fact the criminals can be found throughout our entire executive branch and to some extent in the two other branches of government as well. They represent the totalitarian state which has been growing up within our democracy over the decades. They are the real terrorists, and traitors to the American Republic, and must be removed by any means necessary.

No comments about The Circle of Reason.

No comments about Counterterrorism Strategies for Corporations: The Ackerman Principles.

No comments about Meltdown.

5 comments about Heart of a Soldier.

1. From childhood in the 1940s to 2001 two men's military experiences in colonial battles in Africa, Vietnam, and events leading to 9/11 provide a chronical of military temperment and commitment. This chronology includes their training, fears, heroics, loves , and being drawn into the mechanisms of terrorism before a terroristic event sets the stage for a final act of heroism demonstrated by one of these men.



2. I just finished this book a few days ago and cannot believe he was a real person-he truly was a Kipling or Hemingway type of character. To be brave so many times in your life, and just trying to do the right thing is refresing to see, and we need to see more of it. His friendship with Dan is very close, and not always seen among men due to homophobia. What was most uncanny was how they knew 9/11 was coming and tried their best to prevent it. Unfortunatly it ends badly when Rick does one more heroic act, but he was a good example how to be a good, if somewhat flawed person. Needs to be made into a movie.



3. I had finished We Were Soldiers Once...and Young, and I was very interested in knowing more about Cyril 'Rick' Rescorla, one of the soldiers who had been in the Ia Drang valley. I googled his name and was thrilled that this book had been written about him. After everything he survived in Vietnam to die while making sure others got to safety on 9/11, I was stunned. I have read many books about Vietnam and this is by far the best. Wow what a story. I will keep this book forever, and when I need a refresher on humanity, I will reread this magnificent story. The book is a very riveting war story, so well written I couldn't put it down. Even my friends who aren't interested in wars of the past are reading it.



4. this book chronicle's one man journey through the 20th century. His journey spans two devastating periods in America's history and is narrated through the eyes of the everyday man.



5. This book is what our current life is really about in the Post 911 era. We visit two soldiers who live life together in Africa and then in Vietnam. It (at the end of the book) debunks our police frame work and the cover-ups of the Bush and Clinton Administrations. These two soldiers warn us of the impending Air Strikes against the Twin Towers years in advance. There can be no second guessing the correct warning they gave the NYPD,The FBI, and others. This book should be made into a film. Give this book a buy and pass it around to all you know and care for. And yes I was there on top of the towers in 1989 and felt the tremor of impending doom awaiting us in the future. Every American should be proud of these soldiers and applaud them.

5 comments about Schmoozing With Terrorists: From Hollywood to the Holy Land, Jihadists Reveal Their Global Plans to a Jew!.

1. I purchased this book after seeing a recommendation on [...], and was quite pleased.
   
   Klein presents his work in a witty, yet serious and incisive manner. It is a quick read, though at times I had a hard time following which terrorist was who and which group he was working for. However, I was captivated by the catchy titles ("Madonna, Britney Spears Stoned to Death? Life if the Terrorists Win" and "Terrorists go Ga-Ga over Hillary Clinton" were my personal favorites), and engaged by witticisms in the text.
   
   Behind the acerbic wit and clever turns of phrase, Klein brings out an important point concerning the Arab-Western conflict: These are not militants, but terrorists, and if given the opportunity, they will gladly subjugate and/or destroy us. He presents his findings with a refreshing directness that disregards political correctness.
   
   Schmoozing with Terrorists provides a much-needed report on the intentions and values of the Jihadists, who are more of a threat than the public at large give them credit for.



2. After reading the world's media and despairing at their slanted (if not biased/anitsemitic) view points for years it is refreshing to read a more honest reporting of what terrorists think. My only critisisms of the book are that it is too directed at an American audience - there are other people out there and that the editing/proof-reading is a little sloppy. I felt like getting out a red pen a few times. But still well worth a read. It is short and easy to read.



3. Try reading just a couple of pages from Aaron Klein's "Schmoozing With Terrorists," and you'll forget everything you've ever read in your morning paper or heard on the news about "peace negotiations" between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. In some cases, the author risked his life to meet with and interview Palestinian terrorist leaders one-on-one. In those discussions, his terrorist subjects revealed the true intent behind the Palestinian Authority's meaningless, endless "peace negotiations" with Israel, and why those negotiations never (will) bear fruit. If you've ever wondered why nothing significant ever results from peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, Aaron Klein's eye-opening work is a compelling read. (Note that Michael D. Sepesy's lone negative "review" of this title features an outright lie, in which he claims Klein "speaks with only three people for his book--not a significant sample." Nonsense.) This work - along with Caroline B. Glick's "Shacked Warrior" - is required reading for anyone who wants to go beyond the headlines to understand what's really at stake for Israel and the West.



4. I agree with the other reviewers that this book is an eye opening account of terrorists. However, if the Western media is soft on terrorists, this book goes the other way. A few things to keep in mind when reading it:
   
   1. The book deals almost exclusively with Palestinian terrorists. I don't remember any direct interviews with non-Palestinian groups.
   
   2. Israel can do no wrong. Never a comment on Jewish settlers in occupied territories (though perhaps it's just a "liberal media" claim that they are illegal) or Israeli political parties which push for annexation of the occupied territories in order to restore the full Biblical state of Israel. Palestinians apparently have no true complaint against Israel, Any problems must be caused by their own leaders and terrorists.
   
   3. He takes terrorist rants at face value since this lets him tie together a united world terrorist network with a goal of a global caliphate. He doesn't consider that this may be so much bravado rather than real ties. The reality of inter-Muslim conflicts in the Middle East (years long Iran/Iraq war, Syria/Lebanon, etc) are not considered, all terrorist are apparently united in the goal of a world Muslim Caliphate.
   
   4. The solution to the terrorist problem (given as lessons learned) is never give anything up, constantly attack the terrorists, and by implication never negotiate (because all Palestinian leaders are terrorists, at least all current ones).
   
   So treat the book as a description of terrorists, but don't look to it for information about the politics of the Middle East or a solution to the conflict.



5. I'm simply embarrassed for whoever wrote this book, and I'm embarrassed to have read it. The rampant grammatical and spelling errors alone would have ruined a thoughtful political dialogue, let alone this caliber of dreck.