5 comments about Gandhi and Beyond: Nonviolence for an Age of Terrorism.

1. I had two misgivings about this book before I began to read it. Both of my misgivings turned out to be unfounded. The first one was that since I have read my fair share of nonviolence books I feared that it would all be repetition. Cortright starts the book with Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, but not with the ordinary biographical stories of their lives. Rather he uses them as vehicles to explain the secret of nonviolence together with today's scholars and his own opinions. It works very well and even though Gandhi and King are familiar to me I learned a lot, especially in a later chapter were he writes about Gandhi's and King's views on gender and sexuality. The second misgiving was the subtitle which made me hesitate if I would buy it or not: "Nonviolence for an Age of Terrorism". I was afraid that this was another American too hung up on terrorism; like terrorism was the biggest problem humans face today. As a Swede, living in a country who has not been struck by terrorism or taken part in the "war on terrorism" it might be more difficult for me to understand why terrorism is seen as the biggest problem in the world, when tens of thousands of people are dying every day of poverty. Actually the book doesn't talk very much about terrorism, but poses an important challenge to nonviolent activists. If we want to stop the "war on terror" we ought to be able to provide a better solution to the problem of terrorism than the military does.
   
   I have been racking my brain on how we can be more effective in our nonviolent campaigns. This book gave me a lot of food for thought on the subject. But unlike strategists like Gene Sharp, Cortright doesn't limit nonviolence to its effectiveness. He sees nonviolence not just as a method but as a way of life. He tells about his struggles and his times of doubts about the ideas of nonviolence. My respect and admiration for the author rose after I understood how much involved he has been for many decades and still is in the peace movement. Here is a man who not only teaches and writes about Gandhi and King, but actually tries to use their methods in his life. He manages to combines the learnings of the history of nonviolence with the nonviolent movement of today - a potent combination that we need more of. I am sure military analysts sit day in and day out trying to analyze yesterday's battles to learn how to fight more effectively tomorrow. We nonviolent activists have something to learn from the military in that sense. Cortright's book really highlights the importance of making this analysis and to learn from our mistakes.
   
   The book gives a refreshing criticism of our nonviolent icons. I had heard negative rumours about Gandhi and King but was unsure if they were true. According to this book some of them were and some were not. But Cortright makes a more important point - you can admire one part of a human's life - like Gandhi's nonviolent struggle against the British occupation while at the same time be deeply critical to another part of the same person's life - like Gandhi's warped views on gender and sexuality. Cortright rightly points out that we should not expect flawless leaders. Talking about leaders, I have been embarrassed to keep coming with nothing but male nonviolent role models in my nonviolent workshops. So I was happy to find two great female role models in this book; Dorothy Day and Barbara Deming. Two women who really deserve more appreciation for their contributions in the nonviolence struggle.
   
   In the end of the book Cortright gives us some practical tools to use in the nonviolent struggle were he emphasizes the importance of setting up concrete and achievable goals and warning us from disregarding the importance of fund-raising and working effectively with the media. He also encourages us to try new, creative and some times more risky nonviolence methods; not always the petitions, demonstrations but also boycotts, strikes, blockades and sit-ins. These types of methods have proved to be the most effective in the nonviolence movement according to the author. We who work for peace and justice face incredible challenges. It is easy to get discouraged when you see what you are up against. Cortright gives us hope in spite of this. He shows many examples of how nonviolence has made fantastic gains the last decades. There have been victories even in the cases were it seemed we failed. And it takes time, some times a very long time, to change for the better. What we need in the struggle is persistence and hope according to Cortright. Both these traits have grown stronger in me while reading this book.
   
   Martin Smedjeback [...]



2. What I appreciated about this book most is that it told the "rest of the story" about those who have used civil disobedience as a tool to change their governments and the world. These activists were not portrayed as perfect, but rather subject to the human frailties that we all have.
   
   Not only did the book offer reminders of how others have used civil disobedience, but reminded us that they were human. This alone made civil disobedience a tool within everyone's grasp. It reminded me that the good fight is one that we can all participate. Before this book, I had put these activists up on a shelf and only loved them for being better than human. After reading this book, I loved them even more for being imperfect like me, which empowered me to more courageously participate in the struggle for justice...even though I too am not a saint.



3. "Gandhi and Beyond: Nonviolence for an Age of Terrorism" provides an in-depth perspective from a longtime participant and scholar of nonviolent resistance. It discusses various strategies of nonviolence along with the strengths and foibles of its two most famous twentieth-century practitioners -- MLK and Gandhi. The book also talks about nonviolent resisters such as Dorothy Day, Cesar Chavez, Barbara Deming, and Margaret Sanger.
   
   Informative as it is, the book is not a fully objective, academic view of nonviolent protest, but rather more of a left-wing perspective. Granted, the majority of nonviolent resistance movements have arguably come from the left. Still, the book would benefit from the mention of nonviolent resistance in the pro-life protests of the last 34 years. Inclusion of such information would have provided some balance to the Margaret Sanger section.
   
   Also, the title is a bit misleading in that the author devotes only a few pages to nonviolent resistance of terrorism, and the information doesn't offer much beyond the standard strategy of using police work to prosecute terrorists while reaching out to moderates in the communities in which terrorists recruit. Although I mostly agree with this strategy of isolating extremists and reaching out to moderates, I was hoping to gain more insight on the subject than I did from the book. Even so, however, the book is still an informative read.



4. A great review of the impact of Gandhi's active non-violence and its implications for todays age of terrorism and proactive war. A reminder of the benefits that could happen if we really tried active non-violence, as people, as communities, as a nation. What a world it would be. Thanks to the author for reminding us of the possibilities. Mary Nelson



5. This is a thoughtful, well-written and accessible overview of the history and issues of non-violence ; I found it superior to the more ambitious "Nonviolence," which I recently read and which was long on history but short on issues and insights.
   
   Cortright has been long in the trenches and knows the issues. I appreciated his efforts to give the kinds of credit to women that men writing on this subject so often ignore--especially his discussions of Dorothy Day and Barbara Deming--too often written out or trivialized. However, I was deeply disheartened by the fact that in giving examples of effective non-violence that has brought about major changes in societies, he totally ignores the women's liberation movement (later mainstreamed as the "women's movement") of the 1960s and 1970s. There are so many specific actions and approaches that would have hugely enriched his discussion, and however much we are currently seeing backlash and retreat, the effect of that movement was surely transformative. So much for non-violence folk to learn from there. It has been painful enough to me to see that powerful movement distorted, trivialized and erased in mainstream writing, but it's a real stab when someone like Cortright does the same.
   
   That's why I rated the book a 3 instead of a 4. But otherwise, I do recommend it.

No comments about Understanding Terriorism and Political Violence.

5 comments about Long Live the Queen.

1. In my opinion, this is one of White's best works. Although this is technically a YA book, the only real "teen" thing about it is Meg's age. She, her siblings, parents and various White House personas are thoroughly fleshed out, as well as the multitude of psychological issues that come along with being the child of a president. Here, when Meg's position in life leads to her abduction -- an incredibly grave situation -- White combines it with the thoughts running through Meg's mind, which are usually humorous and sarcastic. A thoroughly enjoyable read.



2. I think I first read this book back in middle school, in the late 80's; and immediately bought The Presidents Daughter so I could read that too. I'm now 29, and after a LONG search, have FINALLY recovered an original copy of White House Autumn to complete the trilogy. Wonderful writing, who could not love Meg and her family? And I find as I get older, each time I re-read I manage to pick up more detail, more emotion, more understanding. These books are wonderful for teenagers and adults alike. I recently read that a fourth book, titled "The Queen Lives On" will be released this fall; but have yet to get confirmation from any of the publishing companies. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE reprint this series and release the next book!!! I am dying to know how Meg's life has turned out, I would love to read about her college years (and find out if she ended up dating Josh again, LOL).



3. I read a lot of books as a young adult but these books really stand out in my mind. They are incredibly gripping and well written. I have been trying to track this series down for awhile and could not be more happy to have located them. I read them in the early 90's but still loved the 80's culture (Tab and Joan Jett included) and recently purchased a pair it Tretorns because Meg owned them. All in all, great books for anyone to read!



4. I first read this book when i was 15 now at 17 i still love this book its such a good read the main character is engaging and clever. You can see in this story what a post traumatic stress disorder may do to a person. It really makes you feel for this character



5. Ellen Emerson White is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. Her central character Meg is a strong-willed survivor who can also be an irritable, smart-aleck teen, not a typical heroine, to White's credit! The description of her time with her captors is harrowing. The story of her road to recovery is compelling. All the books in this series are worth reading.

No comments about Contemporary Cases in U.S. Foreign Policy: From Terrorism to Trade.

5 comments about Red Storm Rising.

1. I read this book in the early 1990s. Since then I have re-read it several times. Simply the best World War III depiction of the 80s and 90s. A great read even today, even if the Cold War is long over. The introduction hardly lasts 70 pages, and then its unfettered war, war and war. Brilliant!
   
   Unfortunately, Clancy's work has deteroriated in recent years. His latest sponsored work, EndWar was a huge disappointment of an old man stuck in a Cold War past. Fortunately the pool of creativity is endless and new authors are replacing old has-beens. "War against Islam" by George P. Robertson is the Red Storm Rising of 2008. Another great book is Caliphate by Tom Kratzman...



2. The brief review: The first thing that strikes you is the length of the book which weighs in at close to 800 pages. The action picks up from the beginning and very quickly the belligerent sides tear into one another over land, sea, and air. The strengths of the book are the detailed naval and submarine warfare exploits (both shown from American perspectives only). The land warfare is surprisingly weak in comparison, along with a soppy romance story that is given unnecessary exposure. After 700 pages a sudden and unrealistic plot device allows the end of hostilities in a draw.
   
   ******SPOILERS**********
   As other reviewers have pointed out, the lack of deployment of tactical nukes is astounding. The Group of Soviet Forces Germany had close to 400,000 soldiers and 5000 tanks stationed in East Germany alone, during the time-frame of 1986 in the book. It is hard to believe that the Warsaw Pact forces streaming into West Germany from Czechoslovakia, Poland, and East Germany would proceed only as far as the Weser river after a month of fighting! Amazingly, there seems to be no hostilities anywhere else in Europe, the Middle East, or Asia.
   The action set in Iceland drags on and on and should have been cut drastically. The USSR was one of the largest producers of oil in the world and would not have started a war over that. The beginning of the book seems to be inspired by Frederick Forsyth's 'The Devil's Alternative'. There is no mention of Soviet naval activities in the Pacific. Finally, what takes the cake is the overthrow of the Soviet government and takeover of the largest country in the world with a battalion of soldiers!



3. The first thing you will notice about Red Storm rising is that it is a cold war era book. However, that does not take away from the great story telling that goes into it and describing both the main story and the numerous back stories that surround this book. The book is a great read for people who love military, Suspense or Tom Clancy novel but if you cringe at war then dont buy this book. The only reason i gave it a four was becasue of the age of the book. Had it been made in a more current time it would have gotten a five. Other than that for anyone who loves these books this is anexcellent addition to anyone's collection or Library.



4. By far, the BEST book written by Tom Clancy. I have read many of his books and this one is the best. Never any chapters or areas that drop off or put you to sleep. It is a non stop action book based on the what if scenario of WWWIII. The opening chapter starts with radical Islamist terrorism in Siberia and the action never stops. Clancy's use of military technological weapons and tactics is superb. The research used in putting this thriller together was extensive. The progress of the book is extremely realistic and is very relevant for TODAY even though the book is now eleven years old.Weapons on both sides, east and west have improved beyond the book but with the global changes brought on by the terrorist attacks of 9/11, it will always have a current place for readers, and offer a place a revelance to our times and beyond.



5. This is Clancy's only novel that does not reflect the Ryan-verse of his other novels. This one follows mostly one soldier in Iceland. When Russia overwhelms Europe to create the third world war.
   
   This novel was a very easy read and is very well written. After reading the book, I felt like i should take a visit to Iceland. He did a good job describing Iceland.
   
   With Russia hurting for oil, after a terrorist attack on their oil supplies, Russia strikes Europe in order to gain back what they lost, oil. The story is a good reminder as to why a country should not fight for oil, because oil maybe the very thing that defeats them.

5 comments about Jihad Incorporated: A Guide to Militant Islam in the Us.

1. There's little argument that Steve Emerson is a, if not the, preeminent American authority on Jihad in America. It was in this context that I placed an order for Jihad Incorporated.
   
   However, rather than a series of enlightening tales of muslim infiltration and terror plots, this reads more like the work of a forensic accountant.
   
   Personally, I found the endless people with various permutations of names including the word "Mohamed" and literally hundreds of heretofore unknown organizations with "names" that are more accurately called "sounds" to be mind boggling.
   
   It's probably a good reference book for Intel Professionals who already track these individuals and organizations, but short of that, it's not a good read for the layperson.



2. Back in October 2006, a few weeks after I received my copy of this book, I covered a forum on the Muslim Brotherhood at which apologists posing as analysts claimed that the Brothers were democratic, reform-minded and liberating.
   
   Of course, a study of the writings and sayings of Muslim Brotherhood leaders invited to that conference--and rightly refused entry to the U.S. by immigration authorities--would have revealed the foolishness of this contention.
   
   Alas, there are too many who still believe that there is no threat to the U.S. or Western civilization from Islamic radicals. The delusional souls who accept this--including many in the mainstream media who think pulling out of Iraq will solve all America's problems--should read this book.
   
   Many of the groups and incidents reported here are old hat to those of us who report and write about Islamic terrorism and the Islamic war against the West. But the collection of data herein is very important all the same--because most Americans know absolutely nothing about the insidious and pervasive nature of the Islamic network and the infiltration of radical organizations into every facet of U.S. life.
   
   This book not only reports frequent calls from these Muslim radicals--on U.S. soil--to eliminate the U.S. Constitution and replace it with Islamic law. It also reports the massive funding directed at achieving that goal, and the hundreds of terror attacks that have been thwarted in the last several years.
   
   What I find most appalling, is that these events are seldom reported in the mainstream newspapers, television stations or in other major news outlets.
   
   Although the New York University Center for Law and Security denies this fact--terrorism is a real and pervasive danger, and it is predominantly perpetrated by Islamic radicals, usually posing as "moderates." Unfortunately, most of the legal, academic and media communities have been completely duped by these people.
   
   But thanks to this book, Americans can easily learn the extent of the danger facing us, and the importance of banning the Muslim Brotherhood and all its unindicted co-conspirator offspring, such as the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), Muslim American Society, Muslim Students Association, and so on.
   
   One really has to wonder why only one or two presidential candidates have said anything about the elephant sitting in America's heartland, and pretend that platitudes about "change" mean anything, when our very survival as a nation is at stake.
   
   Read the book, and during primary season especially, ask candidates what they plan to do about this--and how quickly they intend to reinstate the wrongly discharged Islamic scholar MAJ (USAR) Stephen Coughlin to the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.
   
   --Alyssa A. Lappen



3. I haven't received the book yet and my e-mails reporting have not yet been answered.



4. This book is like a history lesson, a long, long, long history lesson on the inside workings of Jihad. It will fascinate you, and you will learn things you never knew existed from the world of Islam. I highly recommend this book.



5. 
   The War on Terror only came into view for many by the infamous Attack on America on 9/11.However;Emerson's book shows in detail how this attack on Western Civilization ,more appropriately called Jihad has been seriously underway since the early 1980's. Until 9/11 ,it was only those who followed world events very closely and in great detail ,that were even familiar with the name of bin Laden.
   Make no mistake about it,and Emerson spells it out in utmost detail ,that there is a monstrous clash between the Muslim world and the Judo/Christian worlds well in progress ;that is undoubtly unlikely to abate without the defeat,annihilation,and capitulation of one or the other.
   Such clashes have often occurred in history with Communism,Facism,and Nazism,being such recent struggles. There are many who refuse to acknowledge how determined and serious this confrontation really is and who believe that accomodation and appeasement will resolve this conflict. Such has been proven in the past and it is only with peril that will result if it is believed it can be successful here.
   Emerson has covered all the events and people who have been carrying out this attak in great detail and provides 2500 backup notes and references for further study. The book is also provided with an extremely detailed Index of 45 pages.
   If you are one who finds all the people and events that have been in the news over the past 25 or so years very confusing,this book will show you why such has been the case and will be a big help and resource in helping you to put it all in order and perspective.
   The book is quite a heavy read,simply because it covers so much and gives such detail;however it is so well put together that any particular event or person can easily be found and details obtained;including reams of notes for further information.For that reason,this book is an excellent resource and can easily be considered "a difinitive account" on Jihad and The War on Terror. I know I'll be turning to it frequently in the future.
   The one thing that comes through; is how our enemies have infiltrated every aspect of our society and how they have used our freedoms ,laws and justice to their advantage and our detriment.Emerson shows in detail how these enemies have been welcomed into our society,given the benefits of all our freedoms and protection;only to turn around and use our trust to attack us.
   More so than ever in the past,it will become next to impossible to determine who can be trusted and who cannot.Exceptional vigilance may not even be enough.
   If you want to find out what is really going on in the world today;you won't find a better source of information than this book.

5 comments about Vengeance.

1. Following the series our pleasantly plump former SEAL "collaborated" on with John Weisman, these latest forays into the fiction world are best left alone. Characters are weak, as is the dialgue, and the plot is virtually nonexistant. His new collaboration with DeFelice just does not have the same pizzaz!



2. Yet another action filled book by Richard Marcinko. If you have only read one or all of the Rogue Warrior serious of books you won't be disappointed by this one, the Red Cell team are there to follow Demo Dick in making life hard for anyone who gets in his way.



3. When Demo Dick first wrote Rogue Warrior, it was good because the first person format was about "his story" (with the characteristic Marcinko lingo). This is latest novel is a sad departure from the DevGru Guru we were entertained by...and some of us worked with.
   
   It takes more than a ghost writer to make a good story. Yes DHS is lame. Yes, a trained chimp could out perform DHS in almost any scenario you could devise. We all know that, and the public endures the mediocrity because no individual knows how to professionalize the machine (witness, Mr. M, how your Red Cell ops embarassed the Navy - pissing off admirals without getting that much to change).
   
   Potential readers -- don't waste your time and money to be disappointed by this story.
   
   Dick -- (with respect, sir) go back to your roots and tell "your story" because it's better than all the make believe and yes, I realize it is more work for you to put it together. Instead of collaborating with a ghost writer, collaborate with Larry Simmons and some of the old Mustangs, or Master Chiefs like Gary Gallagher who can tell the "real story" of how things work(ed). It's not as much published glory for you personally but the end result could be fantastic and a potential "classic" in the way Rogue Warrior was.



4. Marcinko is at it again with a fact/fiction return of life and conflict. Im a specialist of military tribute and i am again satisfied.



5. I am a fan of most action genres and the early Marcinko stuff was great. This book, however, was so bad I couldn't even finish it. The characters were weak, the story poorly developed, and there was no evidence of any kind of research being done in this book. I live in Vegas and was dissapointed that Marcinko didn't even bother to verify glaring and rediculous errors that could have been verified on-line (even though a little on-site investigation would be better). It may be that this story line is just played out and should be put to rest.

5 comments about Muzzled: From T-Ball to Terrorism--True Stories That Should Be Fiction.

1. I rarely tell people that they really `must' read a book because people have different likes and dislikes. But in the society we live in today in America, Muzzled by Michael A. Smerconish is absolutely a must read.
   
   Smerconish maintains that we've all become muzzled in the world of political correctness--and it's not getting better, it's getting worse. People are `required' to think once, then twice, before they say anything. If they aren't careful, they may find themselves sued; they may lose their job or be ridiculed by friends and acquaintances. We've recently seen what happened to Imus when he opened his mouth. The press never fails to ridicule President Bush when he misspeaks. And oftentimes Ann Coulter'ss outspoken remarks look quite different when the entire statement is played, and not just the `bite' that the media presents to the public.
   
   Smerconish has taken true stories and repeated them in his book in a way that will have people laughing nervously (while looking around for the PC police), shaking their heads in amazement and disbelief--and I suspect some stories will be more than a little anger producing.
   
   With so many outlandish stories, it's difficult to choose a few to whet a reader's appetite. Consider:
   
   --The manner in which much of the media cover stories when a person of color (see I've been PC'd) is the alleged perpetrator vs. a caucasian. Or a paper apologizing that they couldn't print a photo of a white man along with people of color because the perpetrators weren't white.
   
   --What might happen if an employer gives an employee a book about dressing for success? It just might cost the employer a cool $600,000.
   
   --Or what about `Ladies Night' at the bar? Sometimes there's a man out there that just doesn't think it's fair.
   
   --And the story about Dean Koontz' letter to the owner of a Japanese company when he wasn't getting the response he wanted about a book-to-movie deal will have some shaking their heads.
   
   I'm sure that some folks won't like the stories I've chosen.
   
   Armchair Interviews says: Muzzled is a must read and highly recommended.



2. I thought the book sounded like something I would like to read. In places it is. I also found it tedious - sooooooo many names mentioned it was hard to keep them straight. Some of it is right on, such as the feel good self-esteem krap being smothered on kids as if there is going to be ANY hand holding when they're all grown up out there in the mean world. I didn't spend the time, as I did my money, to finish the book. I gave it to a right wing friend (I am not) who agreed with me that it was too name droppy to bother keeping everyone/thing straight just to get to the point of each story.



3. Anyone from a corporate environment will not find these stories shocking at all. Sure, we all wish these examples of the world-gone-overly-PC weren't true, but in today's environment each of these stories ended up exactly as one would expect.
   
   If that weren't all, the book is poorly written, taking stories that should be a page or two long and making them five or more pages by adding an unnecessary amount of pontification and parenthesis.



4. A mental illness has been spreading in America for the last twenty years, an illness that no one has adequately diagnosed or even named. This book details typical examples of that disease.
   
   Children's athletic leagues that give trophies to losing teams.
   
   Schools that tell all children that they are doing well.
   
   A boy who is forbidden from putting flowers on neglected soldiers' graves.
   
   An army officer at the funeral of a soldier killed in battle, who is forbidden by the army from saying to the family, "God bless you and God bless the United States" even though the family has requested it.
   
   A newspaper that is not allowed to print mug shots of 18 murderers whom the police are having trouble finding because all 18 are minorities (even though all the murderers at large in that city at the time were minorities).
   
   A newspaper that is afraid to give the race of a gang of thugs that is terrorizing a neighborhood because the race was not White.
   
   A child who was not allowed to read his favorite book in school because his favorite book was the Bible.
   
   A bank that is penalized because its predecessor company 225 years ago owned some slaves. As one newspaper put it in an article titled "The Slavery Shakedown": It "was for something Wachovia didn't do in an era when it didn't exist, under laws it didn't break. ... it can now expect to pay millions of dollars to activists for a wrong they never suffered." (p. 119)
   
   A university forced to change the name of its football team because the name was an American Indian name, even though the Indian tribe itself officially approved.
   
   A cop killer is turned into a national celebrity because he is black and has adopted an Islamic name.
   
   Howls of protest because a parade includes a show of a captured Osama bin Laden.
   
   Howls of protest against a network TV show for portraying terrorists as Middle Eastern.
   
   Refusal of mass media to use the word "terrorist" or "terrorism."
   
   What Smerconish doesn't seem to appreciate is that it is not only the mouths of conservatives that are muzzled but the minds of many people. This is the cognitive illness that is spreading in America. If you want to know more about it, read the second two-thirds of While America Sleeps: How Islam, Immigration and Indoctrination Are Destroying America From Within.



5. 
   "Muzzled" is a collection of 28 chapters about PC behavior that Smerconish
   disapproves of. The author has a talk radio show in Philadelphia and
   some of the topics are more local than national, but I suspect all the
   topics could be interesting to readers anywhere. The muzzling behavior
   is well documented in notes totaling almost 10% of the book. He seems to
   seek out poeple on both sides of issues. In the few cases I am familiar
   with, he got the facts right, so I suspect you can trust the material
   that is presented. Of course, there might be material not presented.
   
   Here are a few of the topics; the numbers identify the chapters.
   3. A paper prints pictures of 18 men wanted for murder, none white,
   out of the 56 wanted for murder, none white. 4. cowardly sales manager
   gives "Dress For Success" to entire staff because one woman needs help.
   Black man screams racial harassment. 5. Increasing business by having
   "ladies night" is wrong. 7. Fired for "God bless..." 8. Preventing
   a kid from putting flowers on military graves. 11. You can't call your
   maid service a maid service. 13. The famous U. Penn. "water buffalo."
   18. Scolds both sides of the intelligent design controversy.
   20. Protesting a Mexican postage stamp in USA. 25. Don't depict any
   Muslim as a terrorist. 26. Don't even use that word. 27. Airline
   security.
   
   That last chapter is the most serious. It includes new horror stories
   beyond his "Flying Blind".
   
   The topics run from trivial to serious. The tone is typical talk radio
   shock, with attempts at humor. The book is not a serious attempt to
   understand the PC phenomena. It is like the program, an attempt to
   attract and hold an audience. Of books by broadcasters and columnists,
   this is in the top third, perhaps the top quarter.
   
   

5 comments about War by Other Means: An Insider's Account of the War on Terror.

1. In "Not a Suicide Pact," Judge Richard Posner offers an argument for sweeping executive power in the "war on terror" both better reasoned and more thoughtful than John Yoo does here. Still, as one of the architects of the Bush policy, Yoo's work offers a fascinating, and at times chilling, insight into the thinking within the White House. For the most part, Yoo's arguments remain on at best fragile legal footing, often cherry picking evidence and benefiting greatly from the fact that this book, like all books, is a monologue rather than a discussion. Despite that, one might at least hope that, as a lawyer, Yoo would at least create defenses that pass the smell test.
   
   Examples abound of thin arguments in support of administration policies. One must, however, give Yoo credit for taking positions few would want to make, such as arguing for the constitutionality of the since repudiated internment of Japanese in WWII as an example of the legitimate use of executive war powers. Of course that the Senate had, in '42, actually declared war, is a detail given scant attention. Nor does the author ever give much consideration to the rather ambiguous notion of "a war on terror" never choosing to wonder as to how one determines the end date to such a struggle. Likewise does this self proclaimed conservative claim that the post 9/11 Congressional resolution for war in Afghanistan gave the president cart blanch to violate civil liberties, this despite the fact that the majority of legislators state that this was far from their intent. So much for conservative notions of legislative intent.
   
   Nor does Yoo seem bothered by contradictions in his own argument. Thus, he claims that citizens need not worry about executive excess, since these will be reined in by the judiciary. Yet at the same time, he decries the judiciary as overly meddlesome. Similarly disturbing is the author's apparent ease in dismissing the central role the constitution gives the legislature in governing, in effect turning the Framer's intent on its head by arguing for a near unrestrained executive.
   
   In the end, simply for the window Yoo offers into the administration, this book proves worthwhile, though all and all the view proves frightening. Though I disagree with him often in his book, Judge Posner offers a far more thoughtful and honest defense of current efforts by the White House to claim greater power. Yoo, on the other hand, here will convince no one other than those true believers who've already shared the cool Aid.



2. WAR BY OTHER MEANS: AN INSIDER'S ACCOUNT OF THE WAR ON TERROR is not your ordinary survey of 9/11: comes from one of the members of a skeletal staff at the Office of Legal Council who stayed behind while Washington, D.C. evacuated in the aftermath of events, and thus offers the observations of one who had a ringside seat to the politics behind the response to al Qaeda. It was John Yoo's analysis which led to some of Bush's most controversial approaches and politics, from Guantanamo Bay to military trials and the Patriot Act: WAR BY OTHER MEANS surveys not only events and personalities, but the even more important legal foundations of these decisions, offering an unprecedented view of events key to any thorough understanding.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



3. John Yoo saw himself as a king-maker. The only trouble was that he chose as his "king" a deeply flawed man. Now, he is into C.Y.A.
   
   Maybe if Yoo had experienced torture himself, he would bring real understanding to the subject.
   
   My only question is: why is he still on the faculty of a prestigious university?



4. Anyone who really wants to understand how the legal decisions in the War on Terror were made, rather than depend on the red state-blue state polemical attacks, should read John Yoo's book. That he perceived his first duty to be to protect the nation and to protect those in our military and intelligence services, who are on the front lines, rather than to protect political correctness or the Bush administration, is to his credit. He, too, is a soldier defending us, but in his case, moral rather than physical courage was called for. This Marine veteran says thank you to him.
   
   Robert A. Hall
   Author of "The Good Bits."



5. John Yoo is a short-sighted and dangerous man, and is quite possibly a war criminal. It seems ironically obvious that if you want to claim the moral high ground, you better HAVE the moral high ground; this book attempts to argue, in eight painfully dry chapters, why torturing goat farmers and bugging your own people is, somehow, that high ground.
   
   Insane.
   
   Certainly, it sheds light into how someone claiming to be a "compassionate conservative" and "loving guy," as George W. Bush has, would likewise attempt to claim that waterboarding someone who may or may not be guilty of a crime is a good thing. Like any drug addict (and Bush, as a dry-drunk, is most certainly that), our President has found a new fix: power. And John Yoo is an all too eager enabler.
   
   Reading this book was like watching a car crash is slow motion...from inside the car. I had to take a shower three times to wash the stink off...

5 comments about Why We Want to Kill You: The Jihadist Mindset and How to Defeat It.

1. Human civilization has not always had a smooth path. We've had our share of natural disasters and self-inflicted wounds. As recently as the fifth century, we had a Dark Ages in Europe, in which reason was virtually repudiated in favor of tyranny. There was a threat of a repeat of that in the 1930s and 1940s in Europe. And there may be a similar threat at present.
   
   Walid Shoebat, a former terrorist, shows, in this somewhat scary book, how serious the problem is. Quite a few people are being trained as destroyers of society. And if they succeed, that will be bad for virtually everyone.
   
   What do the Islamic fundamentalists say? Well, they say whatever they please. And they come up with all sorts of demonizing propaganda against Western society. But to me, it all reads pretty much like a repeat of the refrain "we're going to slice and dice you." No, that's not a quote from Shoebat's book. But that's my summary of how I read Islamist propaganda. I'm a Pagan, not a Muslim, so that puts me on the wrong side of the slicing and dicing. But there really is no right side of that.
   
   How does one reply to the Islamists? Well, there are plenty of ways. One can come up with a reasoned rebuttal. Or one can simply describe reality and warn that what goes around can come around. Or one can even answer insults with insults. But none of it does much good. We all need to value truth more in order to combat this threat to society. Right now, there's plenty of pressure on many Muslims to support the Islamists, and the main question seems to be how much support to give them. I think this book shows that we need to draw the line at demonizing untruths. I think agreeing with such lies, as a matter of course, as a matter of loyalty, as a matter of principle, as a matter of laziness, as a way to avoid trouble, whatever, is a giant leap over the line. That's what leads to the recruitment of terrorists, and we see the pattern of behavior described in detail in this book.
   
   Shoebat makes a few specific points that I especially like. One of them deals with the "right of return." Arabs, Jews, and others lost their homes in the 1940s. What ought to be done about it? I basically agree with Shoebat's solution: nothing. No one should have a "right of return" to them. Not Arabs to the Levant and Israel, not Jews to Europe, Africa, Iraq, Yemen, and elsewhere, not Germans to Poland and the Czech Republic, not anyone. I would add that very few people who lost their homes in the 1940s are still alive. Oh, sure, people who lived in those homes are still alive. But most of those were kids, not owners. These kids never owned the homes, they never developed them, they never paid property taxes on them, and they may not ever have been the actual heirs to them.
   
   Shoebat also discusses "reversalism," which is just one more way in which pro-tyranny thugs use words as weapons rather than as tools of communication. This is a way of simply making things up as one goes along, and it generally involves a fair amount of projection. Is one a big fan of the National Socialists? Then why not call the Jews National Socialists? Why not call liberation "occupation," why not call sorrow "joy," why not call victims "terrorists," and why not call the conspirators to terror "victims?" And we see plenty of examples of this process.
   
   Is Islamist terror a problem for Muslims in general? You bet it is, just as National Socialism was a problem for Germans in general. And it is, of course, a problem for non-Muslims, just as National Socialism was a problem for non-Germans. One example Shoebat gives is a poll of Indonesian Muslims (Muslims are a big majority in Indonesia). "Sixteen percent of Indonesian Muslims (almost thirty million people) supported bombings, while a further twenty-five percent declined to offer an opinion." That impressed me: one would think that folks would know that suicide bombings are not doing anyone much good and that what goes around can come around. Shoebat says that a more recent survey showed that only ten per cent supported these bombings, but that is still eighteen million people. That's a problem for society. As Shoebat explains, that same survey showed that sixty-five percent of Indonesia's Muslims "do not believe that the September 11 attacks on the United States were carried out by Arabs!" That is a very big problem as far as I am concerned. This is a key untruth, and if it stands, I think it helps put civilization at serious risk.
   
   What's the goal of the attacks on Israel? A new Arab state? No. As Shoebat tells us, it is the prosecution of jihad against the West. And what do some Western academics have to say about all this? Shoebat does mention that there is a problem here, and he quotes a few, including a couple who are at Columbia University. Yes, Columbia has a problem, but there are some other universities that probably ought make a more serious attempt to enforce academic standards.
   
   What is to be done about the threats posed by radical Islam? Shoebat has some ideas, including removing the leaders and dismantling hate-filled mosques. He also favors presenting truth in the media and in academia.
   
   I highly recommend this book.



2. Mr. Shoebat describes a frightening "death cult" that has emerged from Islam. A nice analogy I use is that the Jihadis are to Islam as the Inquisitors were to Christianity. There are ways to interpret religious texts in such a way to justify great cruelty in the service of human lust for power. Shoebat describes this phenomenon in Islam. What is scary is that most Islam in the Middle East is under the sway of these Jihadis, either to preserve the political order where loyalty and connections trump merit, or as a reaction to the speed of change in a modernizing world. Shoebat has converted to Christianity, so has a convert's zeal in seeing the flaws of his previous belief system. However, he details the abuse of women and non-Moslems, and the demonization of all who do not follow the path of whichever charismatic leader has killed his way to the top of the heap. To paraphrase him, evangelical Christians annoy you by wanting to change your head. Islamists want to cut off your head. There are other more scholarly works about the dysfunction in Islam, but Shoebat provides a raw insider's view that makes this danger very clear.



3. This book makes for interesting reading. Anyone who wants to know why there is so much dissension between muslims and other relighons should read this book. It provides insight into their beliefs, the war and many other issues.



4. One day at the school we were talking about different cultures and one of them was about the muslims. This book has been very helpful to me because it talks about reality. When I started to read I said oh common is this the book for which I payed ?? dollars, I say this because i don't remember how much I payed but when I started getting deep into it i realized that I had made a good investment. It's really helpful.
   
   For anyone that loves to know another cultures this is the right book to start to know the muslims and why they do all of this. You'll find out



5. This is a very well done book that backs up its assertions if not impenetrably, very close to being so. I sometimes wondered why he included all the history about links from Islamic fundementalists to Nazi Germany and things about the Ottoman empire in Turkey but when you see it all together the impact is really pretty striking.
   
   From a tone perspective, the style is very casual - as though you were sitting across the coffee table with Mr. Shoebat and he was sharing his thoughts. I found it very easy to pick up even when I knew I had only a few minutes to read.
   
   If you want an insider's view of the role of violence in Islam throughout its history and today, this is the one you should read.