No comments about The Triumph of the Martyrs: A Reporter's Journey into Occupied Iraq.

5 comments about The New Jackals: Famzi, Yousef, Osama bin Laden, and the Future of Terrorism.

1. The New Jackals is, on one level, a straightforward true crime saga. Yet it remains an early and insightful account of the rise of Islamist terror.

   Author Simon Reeve was an English journalist who was largely ignored on the subject of terror prior to September 11th. Earlier books such as Reeve's The New Jackals (published in 1999) expose as the theatre of the absurd the recent political grandstanding about "who knew what and when." Everyone, it seems, knew for more than a decade the United States was at war, and no one, it seems, bothered to treat it as such.

   As the author reminds us, the World Trade Center was bombed almost a decade before it was hit September 11th. London-based Reeve recounts the police investigation that followed the first tragedy. The details of the ensuing manhunt represent true crime writing at its best. Unless a reader closely followed the trial of those eventually arrested and convicted, the information is jarring and, in light of what later happened, dismaying. Reeve writes in a crisp, fast-paced style that captures the frenzied efforts of federal and local law enforcement officers to bring the first bombers to justice.

   The bulk of the book focuses on the terrorist masterminds. Author Reeve chronicles the now-familiar story of how the "Afghan Arabs" who fought the Soviets later turned against the Americans. Ramzi Yousef, who has been described as what Osama bin Laden would like to be, did not run and hide after he engineered the first bombing of the WTC. In fact, the terrorist went on to plot the bombing of American airliners over the Pacific Ocean. Yousef, now imprisoned in the United States, represents one of bin Laden's more terrifying footsoldiers. As Reeve chillingly points out, there are many on the outside ready to step into Yousef's shoes to carry out bin Laden's goals.

   Some of the book's particulars are outdated. For example, the once widely held belief that bin Laden worked closely with Saddam Hussein has been debunked. Even so, The New Jackals' revelations should have been the 2,000-pound gorilla in the room. It remains an important account of how terrorists are brought to justice--and how their replacements are created. With 20/20 hindsight, the book also demonstrates why the real tragedy of the first WTC bombing was the lack of any real action against the Islamist terrorists in the decade that followed.




2. This book proves that a gum shoe journalist can have a clearer understanding of this issue than the US administration - with all the zillions it spends on defence.

   As Mr Reeve indicates, it is quite possible that other intelligence agencies [eg. the Israelis] were more aware of what was coming than the US authorities. It was certainly in Israel's interests to keep quiet and thereby bring the US into their war - as they would see it.

   For anyone trying to make sense of the senseless events of 911 - I would recommend this book.




3. Simon Reeve did a good job of displaying the most potent forces in the world of terrorism today.Reeve points out that the war in Afghanistan produced two of the most evil terrorists
   who are on the world stage today.After the first bombing of the
   World Trade Center the FBI began a pursuit and investigation of
   Ramzi Yousef.During their worldwidw investigation of Yousef the
   FBI discovered another factor in the world of terrorism.The FBI
   found that Osama Bin Laden,behind the scenes,had been financing
   terrorist operations all over the world.It was found that Bin
   Laden was an Arab millionaire who could well afford to finance
   terrorist operations.This is a well researched book that makes
   for interesting reading.



4. This book is far and away the best "terrorist history" I've read. Even better than "The Cell" (and that's saying something). The author brings exhaustive and original research to the task and engagingly tells the tale of two master terrorists. First is the ungainly, awkward looking Ramzi Yousef. Upon reading this account, my respect for his dark talents increased manifold. A true genius, albeit in the art of mass murder, Yousef brings an unfettered, focused malevolence to his work - as he plans the deaths of literally thousands of unsuspecting victims. His evil is made the more evident by the fact of his non-affiliation: that is, although influenced by his evil uncle Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (architect of 911), he is nonetheless a free lance terrorist - no ideological stars in his eyes, not a mere subset of someone else's evil: he sees clearly, calculates coolly - and is greately disappointed when the 1993 WTC bombing only kills 6 - instead of his target of 250,000 casualties (!!??). The section on Usama Bin Laden is shorter, but still enlightening.
   This book is an articulate, engaging, easy read and very much worth the time.... I highly recommend it



5. well researched book that discusses the origins of terror without the usual handwringing... also discusses bin laden in Iraq, as well as other subjects....

No comments about Less Safe, Less Free: Why America Is Losing the War on Terror.

2 comments about 21 Debated: Issues in World Politics (2nd Edition).

1. When I read this book , I thought its diverse topics which has been written by the professionals of its area,made the issues of contemporary politics clearer in understanding, and percieving either for beginners or others. The format and the concept are very useful for the students and the instructors to discuss in the class. The issues begin with globalization,the most talked and debated phenomena of recent two decades, through environment and health, rising a new dimension of politics.You can find almost everything what you would interested in today's global politics. The pro-con format of the book provide an in-depth analysis of two sides making the controversy as a battle of thoughts.Also the discussion questions provide the student more complex evolutionary process of brainstorming. Finally, the book is a must read for the international relations students as well as the others in political science . I think this kind of edited books are very helpful. Thanks for Mr. Scott's great effort.



2. In November this country will elect the first President of the New Millennium and as such we as a nation have an obligation to make sure that we understand the issues and the ramifications of the choices made by those we elect to govern us. This book will delve deep into 21 issues that have a major impact on what happens in the next century.

   Dividing the book into six parts or sections, the authors take a look at such topics as global economy, national & international security, democracy, conflict resolution, Environment and health. They then break down each section and present the issue that are core to that topics.

   What surprised me most about this book is that the authors never, repeat never tell you how to think, they instead give you arguments from both sides and you must make the most informed decision possible. The book is the first I have read that is truly a debate about the issues rather than a political bashing of one party or the other.

   387 pages of a first class work makes this book a must read for every voter. This is also a great additional text reference for every first time voter to make sure that they understand what is facing this nation. Outstanding work and I highly recommend this book to everyone.

5 comments about Women at Ground Zero: Stories of Courage and Compassion.

1. Very good book! Amazing stories from very brave and courageous women! You Go Girls!



2. When I wrote my review of this incredible book, I accidentally gave it 2 stars instead of my intended 5 stars. I apologize for my mistake and give this book the highest points possible. It will move you deeply.



3. Susan Hagen and Mary Carouba did an excellent job of bringing to the readers of "Women At Ground Zero" the fact that women also served, were injured, or killed at the World Trade Center complex in New York City. They knew women had to be there but yet the media didn't cover them. So they went in search of them. People forget that women are also members of the fire, police and medical departments around the country. They didn't "want the women...to fade into the background of American History" nor "future generations of children...believing that only men are strong, brave and heroic."

   They interviewed women from the NYPD, FDNY, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department (PAPD), and other women who were there that fateful day and many days thereafter. Each chapter tells another woman's story so be prepared to read 30 gut-wrenching stories. They also interviewed women who were at the scene in other capacities. AND something very few people know about-three women died that day while in the service of saving others: Captain Kathy Mazza (PAPD), Moira Smith (NYPD), and Yamel Merino (EMT). There are chapters about those women as well.

   These women and so many others saw crushed vehicles, dead bodies and body parts, along with airplane parts. They witnessed more in a short period of time then most people do in a lifetime. Some of their stories are very graphic while others brushed over that part. They talked about what they experienced and saw, their injuries, feelings and more. Its no wonder they continue to have problems BUT more importantly-most of them have all returned to the jobs they held on 11 September 2001. They continue to serve their community. They are all heroines and definitely role models for young girls to follow in years to come.

   This is a book well worth reading though if you are like me it may take you awhile to get through it. I admit I had a hard time reading each chapter. With my background I felt everything these women went through without actually having been there. Be prepared for your own emotions to run the gamut. Be prepared to relive that day and the days that followed over again through these women's eyes. But take the time to read "Women At Ground Zero".




4. Harrowing, engrossing, and well-written firsthand accounts put you right beside police officers, firefighters, and paramedics on that terrible day 9/11/01 (and afterward, too). I could not put it down.



5. I loved this book! It brought out stories that I never heard in all the media blitz after this unforgettable and horrific event. It truly shows another side of the story, and yet they made it very clear that the book was "not to diminish the contributions of the men who lost or put their lives at risk at Ground Zero". I had hesitated and worried that this might be a "feminist - male bashing" viewpoint. Not at all!

   It rounds out the story. Something that needed to happen. I feel more of a connection with what happened now than ever before.

   I highly recommend this to all - men and women alike. I hope it becomes a standard for reading about women in history and should be in every home for pre-teens on up to learn more about what happened and to offer inspiration.

   Buy it! It's a keeper!!

5 comments about Intelligence Wars: American Secret History from Hitler to Al-Qaeda (New York Review Books Collections).

1. I'm writing this to counter the troglodytish review posted by the unnamed reader from Alexandria, Virginia. My career was in the national security establishment--defense industry and State Department. I, along with Forrester, also have "no connection or history within the intelligence world." The New York Review of Books serves intellectuals like myself, however, not intelligence professionals. As such, his reviews and this book provides a timely refresher course in the scandals and triumphs of American intelligence over the last some sixty years. It is especially welcome because of the arrival of more scandal in regard to 9/11 and Iraq weapons of mass destruction, and another triumph in the defeat of the Taliban. INTELLIGENCE WARS is stimulating, well written, and engrossing.



2. This book is not for people with an amateur interest in American secret intelligence. I didn't make it past the third chapter so my review is based on the first two in which the author discusses some underground operations that occurred during WWII and a failed conspiracy to kill Hitler. The book is compiled of a collection of writings that the author did for the New York Review of Books. In these essays, the author often throws out the names of 10 or 12 people in only a few pages and it is difficult to keep track of who they are and what they did... "Smith and Clark got together and met with Jameson. Then on the third day they went to see Johnson and Clark and Smith told Johnson about their meeting with Williams and bla, bla, bla" He just begins talking about them as if they were big names in American history and discusses their involvement in the subject being discussed. He also refers to them by last name only which makes it even more difficult to follow. He'll mention a name once and you won't see it again for 8 more pages and you have to go back and see who the hell he's talking about. Aside from this, which I found really annoying, the subjects being discussed are not that interesting. A whole chapter is devoted to whether or not some of the members of the Manhatten Project (those involved in building the atomic bombs used on attacks in Hiroshima and Nagasaki) may have been a communist. So what? He goes on and on for pages about one guy who had connections with communists in Russia. It's over and done with. Does it really matter 60 years later if a member of the Manhatten Project knew a communist? And when the author discusses a failed attempt to assassinate Hitler, he writes as if this was the only attempt made. I'm sure that at the time, several hundred, if not thousands of people were plotting to kill Hitler. This one teeny tiny incident he mentions wasn't even significant enough to make it into elementary school history books. I want to know about real exciting stuff like who may have killed JFK. And I don't want to know about a grocery list that some guy wrote who was the friend of a cousin of Lee Harvey Oswald's babysitter. This book would make good kindling for the fire, but I think I will try and sell it to a used book store in an attempt to get some of the money back that I wasted on it.



3. Despite the alluring subtitle boasting coverage from Hitler to Al-Qaeda, the bulk of the book (likely from the first edition - delineation of new material is not clear) is dedicated to cold war spying issues and the Soviet Union. Many of the stories covered of that time are done so in great detail, sometimes overly monotonous. As the book moves on, I was hoping to learn more about American intelligence efforts in other theaters, but the material is limited. Hitler, South American and the Middle East pre-9/11 are all given little attention and scant new information is available, even for a moderate follower of the subject. Further, as the coverage shifts more to the modern day and the post-9/11 world, the book takes on a sanctimonious tone on what, based on earlier writings on the subject, would still be considered limited information from the intelligence world. Material that likely makes up the revised edition appears sounds more of Monday morning quarterbacking thrown together quickly to take advantage of the current public interest.



4. This revised and expanded collection of Thomas Powers' reviews of books on intelligence and national security for the New York Review of Books is an excellent resource on a wide range of topics. Powers has a demonstrated knowledge of many aspects of the history of US intelligence gathering since World War II, and he shows it in this collection.
   
   Beginning with a review of the life of Billy Donovan, the progenitor of WWII American espionage, and ending with a review of books on the current threat from international terrorism, Powers covers a broad spectrum of topics. Though he is much stronger on the Cold War history, the author is able to bring his background in history to comment on current threats. I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in national security and the intelligence world.



5. i learned a lot about this history. was useful for the papers that we had to do in class.

5 comments about Pakistan's Drift Into Extremism: Allah, then Army, and America's War Terror.

1. Surprise, Surprise: " Lal Krishna Advani, apologises for the destruction of the Babri mosque during a visit to Pakistan; Gohar Ayub Khan, son of Field Marshal Ayub Khan, pinches some of the headlines with the titillating claim that an Indian brigadier sold India's 1965 war plans.Who is this top spy? Mr Khan refuses to reveal the identity but strews the path with teasing hints. The spy is still alive." says MJ AKBAR, Editor, The Asian Age.
   
   If you've found Mj's Byline (Surprise,Surprise)Interesting read on the facts of three surprises in the war of 1965, here is a book on Kashmir by MJ Akbar that you will find an interesting read on Kashmir History.
   
   But, 'Here is an engaging book on terrorism's largest growing market:Pakistan'This books comes from Hassan Abbas, a Harvard fellow and former officer in President Pervez Musharraf's anti-corruption police force. He is also a PhD. candidate at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. The book is rated at Amazon and stand Top 100 at Barnes and Nobles. Abbas examines the rise of religious extremism in Pakistan and analyzes its connections to Pakistan Army's policies and the fluctuating US-Pakistan relations. It includes profiles of leading Pakistani Jihadi groups and gives details of the conspiracy behind General Zia-ul-Haq's plane crash in 1988, a botched military coup by fundamentalists in army in 1993-94 and lastly about how General Musharraf handled the volatile situation after the 9/11 attacks.
   
   Hassan Abbas exposes failure of 'Operation Gibraltor' and is a pure historical narrative about India and Pakistan. He has analyzed crisis in terms of capabilities of terrorist groups, impact of Musharraf's bold decisions to reform and policy prescriptions about how a constructive change is possible.
   For those interested in India-Pak issue and Muslim states and society, the book is an additional read to MJ Akbar's books and bylines and derive to the factual understanding and knowing the History - the crosscurrents of history sweeping through the larger stage!



2. This novel is basically written as two different nonfictional thrillers in one. The first is the historical upbringing of a young nation and the events that led to the aggressions between Pakistan and India. In my opinion this part of the book is nicely written and is more of a historical outline rather than an opinionated article, even though the authors do put some witty comments explaining these past events. The second part of the novel is a little more opinionated, explaining the current drift of Pakistan with religious factors involved. This part of the book seems a bit one sided and doesn't put all the perspectives on the table. I have lived in Pakistan and the religious extremism is defiantly does not represent the majority of the country. This is a good reference book to read in order to understand the current situation with Pakistan and the American so called War on Terrorism but is defiantly not the only source on should use to understand such a deep topic.



3. Very intriguing and bold work - exposes how religious bigots and fundamentalists have entrenched themselves in Pakistan. It doesn't spare anyone - Pakistan army and its intelligence, American foreign policy blunders, Indian intransigence and failure of Pakistan's political elite - a very balanced treatment. I read the book as a required text for a course on South Asia and conflict resolution and its best part is that its written in a story like fashion, so its actually fun to read the book.



4. Hassan Abbas has written this book in a interesting way such that it is fun to read. However, the intended audience of this book is mostly the American scholars/students as they will find this book somewhat along the lines of what they hear on TV but not too radical, however there are other realities which are not mentioned in this book which are extremely important. It does provide a good picture of politics in Pakistan but not the complete picture.
   
   The book describes very clearly the threats, killings, rapes, abductions and lawless politicians but one finds no mention of the police. Army is shown as the interferer in every aspect of government. The real question is where is the law enforcement agency known as Police.
   Hassan Abbas should write his next book on this subject and reader will realize what lead Pakistan to this point. As a Pakistani I can tell you that Pakistani police is one of the most corrupt and dangerous dept in the world. Simply put, if you need to have someone murdered, you contact the police and they'll do it for you, of course for a price. The Pakistani police is not only involved in corruption, but also other crimes such as smuggling of arms and ammunitions, narcotics, torture & rape cells, cover ups, kidnapping , you name the crime and Pakistani police is the leader in it. And most important of all the crimes against women are so common because the criminal can easily pay the police and get away.
   
   I'd love to blame the army but its not army's job to enforce local law and order. Although a lot of blame goes to the army and the mullahs but the Pakistani police had an equal if not bigger hand in the plunder of the country and were the biggest protectors and collaborators of the local mullah's.
   
   I would highly recommend this book.



5. I read a novel set in Portugal and realized that I knew very little about that country. I've visited Spain, I've read a history of the Spanish civil war, I know something of the part that Spain played in European history. But I know very little about Portugal.
   
   Portugal does not have large oil reserves, have paroxysms of mass killing or possess nuclear weapons. Portugal's colonial past is behind it and they no longer seem to threaten anyone. In the modern world, Portugal seems to just exist quietly in Spain's shadow. Perhaps the fact that I know so little about Portugal means that they are currently a relatively happy country.
   
   In contrast to Portugal's modern history, Pakistan has a history full of tumult. Pakistan was founded during India's independence from Britain in 1947. By some estimates, during the partition from India a million people died. Pakistan and violent Islamic Jihadism are intimately intertwined, starting with the support of the resistance to Soviet occupation in Afghanistan to the current time when Pakistan provides a haven for violent groups like Al-Qaeda. On top of all this, Pakistan is a nuclear power with an antagonistic relationship to its neighbor, India.
   
   Unlike Portugal, Pakistan is a country that people pay attention to. Many books and academic articles have been written about Pakistan. In Pakistan the educated elite are usually fluent in english and some of these books are written by Pakistani intellectuals. One of these books is Pakistan's Drift into Extremism: Allah, the Army, and America's War on Terror by Hassan Abbas.
   
   According to the brief biography in the book, Mr. Hassan served in the Pakistani government, in the police. He published this book while he was a graduate student in the United States.
   
   Pakistan's Drift into Extremism is a history of Pakistan from its founding in 1947. Mr. Abbas covers the various regimes that have ruled the country as it moved between military and civilian rule. Pakistan is a country with a tragic history of violence, turmoil and instability. Throughout Pakistani history the military has been a constant part of the government structure.
   
   The combination of Islamic fundamentalism, Jihadism and nuclear weapons have prompted some people to describe Pakistan as the most dangerous country in the world. In Mr. Abbas' account, Islamic factions have been a core part of Pakistani politics since the rule of General Zia. So far the rulers of Pakistan have not been Islamic fundamentalists, but they have used Islam as a political tool.
   
   The Afghan resistance to the Soviets and the huge influx of US money and arms gave birth to the Jihadists. Zia and the Pakistani intelligence service, the ISI, used these factions for a number of purposes. Some of the warriors who were trained in the Afghan resistance were turned loose in Kashmir after the Soviets left Afghanistan. Like Frankenstein's monster, the Jihadists have taken on a life of their own and have not always been controllable by their masters in the ISI. Some of these groups have turned on their masters and have attempted to assassinate President Musharraf, the military ruler of Pakistan.
   
   Hassan Abbas is an armature historian. Several reviewers have commented that this history of Pakistan is readable. Perhaps that begs the question: Compared to what? Compared to a historian like Adrian Goldsworth, who wrote the excellent Caesar: Life of a Collossus, Pakistan's Drift into Extremism can be a tedious read. I did not find the book terribly well written. The structure of the book follows the history of Pakistan, but its structure is somewhat idiosyncratic. There is a long section on a brief attempt under Musharraf to fight corruption in the government. There is another fairly long section that covers the death of General Zia in an airplane crash. This crash may not have been an accident and Mr. Abbas discusses who might have been responsible. Mr. Abbas covers the rise of the Islamic political factions. Only at the end of the book does he discuss the armed Islamic factions. The "War on Terror" may have been tacked onto the title to increase the sales of the book.

5 comments about In the Line of Fire: A Memoir.

1. Chinua Achebe once said that ,"Until the lions write their own history, story of hunt will only glorify the hunter", and in the dense forest of Pakistani politics no one can say who is hunting whom or who deserves the glorification? . Reading the chapter Coup where Nawaz Sharif is the hunter and Musharraf the glorious lion who will came out victorious luckily and eventually was real fun. As I did not approach the book in search of some political truth so i did not get my heart swell or mind numb in an attempt to weigh the truth________ burning In The Line of Fire! However i felt like coining new words such as 'stubborn confidence', 'humble pride', and above all 'dictocracy'. Despite his secret prayers to serve the country as a President( to seek sole power) he remains innocent as to why God has chosen him for this difficult task of steering the nation aright. Little did he know that with pains men come to greater pains and this was exactly what he had come to. And one wonders why a man has to be a president to serve his nation why not serve any other way...or perhaps its the juicy seat after all!
   
   Worth appraisal are his views regarding education, economics , women's emancipation and tourism. No doubt they are well articulated but how you achieve them is as important as how you say it. Just hope he has wits enough to translate these ideas into practice rationally. I must quote :
   
   "To speak now of the true temper of empire, it is a thing rare and hard to keep; for both temper, and distemper, consist of contraries. But it is one thing, to mingle contraries, another to interchange them." (Bacon)
   
   I wish that a cultural unification is achieved through media and spirit of Nationalism is inculcated one that is in keeping with our ideologies. This is to say that Musharraf must take care in not interchanging national values and interest . Pakistan needs a mingling of contrary elements(such as secularism ,fundamentalism etc ) in order to produce a moderate decent state. After reading the book i could see that Musharraf wants to inculcate nationalism to project 'soft image' of Pakistan through the means of cultural unification and polarity. The thought is brilliant but on the other hand the wise man himself is seeing in to the vast breach between civilian politicians and Army and then again in the army itself!
   
   Kargil event is one example of the gulf between the politicians and the army . I cant see how in a country where everything is divided good will can multiply? This is not provocative cynicism but awake one to the need of unity. Anyhow Kargil heroes i believe deserved the glorious justification that has been given to them. Moving on words the chapters narrating his choice to help America in anti-terror war were not convincing. The lines in the review that he is doing "single most crucial job in the global war on terror',... were mostly likely written to attract the readers all over the world. The fact however is that Musharraf's ambivalence has baffled all__the reader ,the Nation and the World! This is what i think makes him a true politician.
   
   
   



2. Disclaimer - I support no political organization and do not have an 'Indian' mindset. I was born in Pakistani middle class, educated family (just like Musharraf) and consider myself 'Pakistani' to the core.
   
   Review - This book is an interesting read but one should not expect a sitting head of state to publish a book that is 'honest'. For that matter, its naive to expect any politician to write a book that details facts honestly and analyzes them objectively.
   The book is a narrative of the 'great' things Musharraf is doing for Pakistan. Its a narrative of self-praise and vitriolic spite for enemies. I would take all facts stated with a pinch of salt.
   Finally, the timing of the book, when YOU are the sitting head of a country, is a way to make a quick buck with blatant disregard of the ruckus your self-eulogy will cause.
   
   The facts speak for themselves:
   1. Musharraf continues to remain a sole monarch where the Chief Justice, the guardian of law and order, is forced to resign by men in uniform.
   2. Poverty and inflation are rampant at the same time. The rich drive inflation high and the poor become more poor.
   3. Crime is rampant, people get mugged, shot at during daylight. Every urban family has experienced a car-jacking at gun point.
   4. Corruption has permeated every government and semi-goverment organization. Religious clerics have declared bribery justified because without it nothing gets done.
   
   This is the 7 year legacy Musharraf intends to leave behind, assuming that he intends to or forced to leave, ever. The same legacy left by Bhuttos' or Nawazs'



3. The problem with most dictators is that at some point of time they begin to believe the propaganda that they put out about themselves. For example, Musharraf, tells an anecdote about his uncle who wagered that he would slap the bald head of a stranger three times. This old joke has been doing the rounds of India and Pakistan for the last fifty years and I find it oddly disturbing that Musharraf can attribute it to his own family. Knowing that this is probably an untruth, I begin to question almost everything else in the book, including his own loyalty in the war on terror as well as his intentions towards India.



4. I highly recommend Pervez Musharraf's memoir In the Line of Fire. When reading someone's memoirs the reader has to keep in mind that those words are written from one person's perspective on events throughout that person's life. That is what President Pervez Musharraf's In the Line of Fire is - this individual's perception on the way he sees things and the events he participated in.
   
   For what it's worth I'm glad I now have a good understanding about why Western-styled democracy doesn't really work in Pakistan. If a nation is half illiterate (48%) and people cannot read or write, they won't be able to understand or debate the issues. For a nation that is still very feudalistic with tribal loyalties and clan loyalties and with an elaborate caste and sub-caste system as described by President Musharraf, then democracy won't work. When the Bhuttos claimed they were "democratizing" the nation, they didn't do it - they copied off the Soviets where they removed private ownership of all businesses and everything was under the control of the government. This is socialism.
   
   President Musharraf also stated that the movie Blackhawk Down featured only American troops in the battle in Somalia. Interesting how the movie producers neglected to mention that other countries had sent troops in, and that it was the Malaysians and the Pakistanis who helped rescue the trapped crew from the Blackhawk helicopter after it was shot down inside Mogadishu, not American forces, as we were all led to believe.
   
   Perhaps the President revealed too much about how they tracked down those who were involved in the suicide bombings in the assassination attempts on his life. Now perhaps the planners or plotters will think twice about trying any future assassinations because eventually they will get caught. But here is something for would-be assassins or terrorists to ponder if they ever have a chance to read this review: even if you do succeed in blowing up one another, using robots or technogical devices, and shattering infrastructure, evidence can be gathered at crime scenes and others who were involved will eventually be found.
   
   As far as President Musharraf removing A. Q. Khan from his position and placing him under house arrest, the Pakistani people may need to take a hard look at the countries he sold the technology to - countries that are considered by the West as rogue nations and are very dangerous. I understand that when Bhutto and A. Q. helped establish Pakistan's top-secret weapons program for the nation, it placed Pakistan on an even footing with its neighbor India and, more importantly, with Israel. It is one thing to develop a nuclear weapons program for your own country's use and protection - it's quite another to sell that technology to very dangerous countries such as Iran and North Korea. And A. Q. Khan should be thankful that the most punishment he got was house arrest because what he did was very treasonous behavior; in many countries treason carries a penalty of death.
   
   It was a good thing to read that Pakistan has taken steps to revamping their madrassas. I was glad to read that madrassas are required to register with the government of Pakistan and that all subjects are taught, not just religion. Those who comply with government standards in accordance with a syllabus provided by the government are the ones who receive funding. I would say those changes are long overdue.
   
   In the chapter called Manhunt it was fascinating to learn that many foreign fighters in Afghanistan fled the battlefield (not so brave, are you?) and crossed the mountains into Pakistan where they were eventually captured. When Pakistan offered to extradite them back to their home countries and if the country refused them (who wants a troublemaker on their soil anyway?) they were then handed over to the United States.
   
   President Musharraf stated that he has done what he can to help build tourism in his country - something else that has not been done before. Also establishing a cultural arts program for Pakistan may help the rest of us understand what Pakistan has to offer the world. And, yes, I'm glad that he defied his country's religious leaders by counter-arguing that music and dancing are not "un-Islamic".
   
   Since I am not a historian, nor a Pakistani, nor an Indian, nor a Muslim, nor am I familiar with all events in Pakistan or in Central Asia but instead a private citizen who is interested in various parts of the world, I have found President Pervez Musharraf's memoir to be of relevant value. I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like an inside look at one of the countries who aligned themselves with the U. S. in the global war on terrorism.



5. The Prime Minister of Pakistan speaks, and what a story he tells. Basically, Pervez tells the story of his life, the India/Pakistan conflict, and the post 9/11 world we live in. Al Queda hates this guy and has tried to kill him several times, but being a former commando and lifetime military guy, Pervez isn't easy to kill, or intimidate.
   
   One has to say that if there is any country on the planet that remains an enigma; it is Pakistan. Not really an Arab nation, but unique in its history and people, Pakistan is the critical mass for the war on terror. They have nukes, and lots of them. They have their own agenda, but with their proximity to the terror shop that Afghanistan became, there simply is no pulling the country out of the place it now finds itself.
   
   This book is full of interesting information that I wasn't aware of. I won't list it here but anyone interested in politics, al Queda, 9/11, or Pakistan will find the book very worth the time to read.

2 comments about Blood That Cries Out From the Earth: The P of Religious Terrorism.

1. Dr. James Jones book, "Blood That Cries Out From the Earth" is the most important reflection to date on the relationship between psychoanalytic theory and the psychology of religous motivated terrorism. His approach is based on extensive research not only from a political, cultural or mitliatry nature but with a specific focus on the role of the religious mind. The world needs a spiritual/religious response in this time of terrorism. Jones outlines the underlining journey into the shame/humiliation, rigidity and splitting of terroism and leads the reader back to a vision of hope. Future engagement with this area of study must begin with facing this dreadful reality and forge forward with wisdom and compassion. PaulaJHamm, LPC,Member of American Psychoanalytic Association



2. The arguments of James W. Jones's new book do not merely balance the psychological lens with the socio-political lens when studying terrorism, they produce a fine-grained mode of analysis that enables readers to see how both lenses are always essential to understanding the genesis and virulence of terrorism. Historical examples and conceptual rigor are woven together in a remarkably accessible prose. Jones' achievement is to offer a book that is unique, one that stands out above the myriad of works treating terrorism today.
   
   Mark Lewis Taylor
   Maxwell M. Upson Professor of Theology and Culture
   Princeton Theological Seminary

5 comments about War, Evil, and the End of History.

1. Edit of 20 Dec 07 to connect to more recent books.
   
   There are some gems in this book, but it is *not* anywhere near the kind of blindingly brilliant, deeply philosophical work that the publicists would have you believe. He is a talented and very wealthy (inherited wealth) Frenchman of the Jewish faith who could be called the Bill Gates of French philosophy, fwith irst-rate marketing.
   
   The author is clearly a courageous and inquisitive individual, and I would rank him third, after Robert Young Pelton and Robert Kaplan, in the "journalist-philosopher-adventurer" category. He has been to all of these places, he has seen with his own eyes, and he writes thoughtfully, if often tediously, about what he has seen.
   
   The real gem in the book is the connection he makes between 9-11 and our deliberate ignorance of the many wars, genocides, crimes against women and children, torture, corruption, etcetera that we in the West have manifested. He writes with conviction and insight about the "meaningless war" across Africa, South Asia, around the globe, where entire regions have descended into a chaotic hell of kill and be killed, work and die, slavery or death, rape then death. His point, which I like very much, is that history does not end, it recycles, and in 9-11 and the global war on terrorism what we have is a "homecoming" of all these wars to America and its Western allies.
   
   This is not, however, completely original, in the sense that the "Map of World Conflict & Human Rights" that I have been handing out to my adult students (thanks to Berto Jongman in The Netherlands for creating it, and to the European Centre for Conflict Prevention and Goals for Americans Foundation, among others, for funding its creation) ably documents all of this is a single compelling document, and many books in the 490+ that I have reviewed cover all aspects of these "ungovernable regions" in great detail.
   
   The author is half absurd and half correct when he condemns the United Nations for its zealous pursuit of Israel as a racist and terrorist state, while the United Nations largely ignores the many genocides taking place from Russia and China to Indonesia and Brazil and Central America and onwards. He is absurd on the first count, correct on the second.
   
   The book is fully worth four stars, definitely worth purchasing, for its articulation of a European view on "the heart of darkness" as it exists today. I was especially taken with his discussion of Buddhist versus Hindu terrorism and extremism and the use of child soldiers in Sri Lanka, since it makes the point that other religions, not just Islam and Christianity, spawn cycles of terrorism and ethnic violence.
   
   The book concludes on a note worthy of the greatest philosophers, a reflection on the death of memory within Western civilization, the death of *moral* memory. Having just returned from Denver, where I was privileged to observe a two-week Office of Personnel Management course on National Security, a first-class endeavor, I was struck by the recurring theme, across virtually all of the world-class lecturers: "morality matters." Morality has a tangible value in helping nations, organizations, and individuals "get it right." The last two pages of the book are the best, and conjure up clear and frightening pictures of billions of dispossessed swarming over the European and US cities, bringing the despair we have ignored to our doorstep. Ignore history, ignore evil, and it will eventually, inevitably, come to your doorstep. We--or perhaps even more sadly, our children and grandchildren--will pay for our moral cowardice and our historical blindness. In these final reflections, the author does demonstrate a brilliance that requires us to attend to his future reflections.
   
   More recent books supportive of this author's insights:
   Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA
   Web of Deceit: The History of Western Complicity in Iraq, from Churchill to Kennedy to George W. Bush
   The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 (Vintage)
   9/11 Synthetic Terror: Made in USA, Fourth Edition
   The Sorrows of Empire: Militarism, Secrecy, and the End of the Republic (The American Empire Project)
   The Fifty-Year Wound: How America's Cold War Victory Has Shaped Our World
   War Is a Racket: The Anti-War Classic by America's Most Decorated General, Two Other Anti=Interventionist Tracts, and Photographs from the Horror of It
   Blood Money: Wasted Billions, Lost Lives, and Corporate Greed in Iraq
   Rumsfeld: His Rise, Fall, and Catastrophic Legacy



2. This book consists of two parts: "The Damned", a collection of BHL's adventures in war torn countries, and "Reflections", philosophical ramblings intended as "extended footnotes" to "The Damned". ("The Damned" is 1/3 of the book, "Reflections" 2/3.)
   
   "The Damned" is not bad. BHL wanders through Angola, Sri Lanka, Burundi, Columbia, and Sudan and witnesses much devastation. (Note: Wandering seems to be BHL's MO -- it is never clear what he is doing in any of these places.) The combination of BHL's aimlessness and the observed devastation, plus the absence of any historical background, give these pieces a wistful, dreamlike quality. Despite all of his traveling, BHL seems to hardly interact with anyone, and provides little insight into what's going on.
   
   "Reflections" is awful. It reads like a pastiche of college student stream-of-consciousness writing exercises. With absurd amounts of (philosopher name)-dropping. I suppose this might be acceptable if BHL's points made sense, unfortunately... His suggestions that these wars are different from previous wars and that they are especially meaningless, endless, or nihilist sound very philosopher-ish but gloss over reality. These wars are clearly fought over land, resources (e.g., diamonds and cocaine), religion, and power by men with tastes for such things. This is not new and neither is anything BHL writes here.
   
   BHL clearly wants the world to be a better place; it's too bad he's a philosopher. Despite my opinion, I hope that this book will raise awareness about the wars we've ignored.



3. After seeing the author on TV I was intrigued enough to buy all three of his books -- sadly, his newest, American Vertigo, was terrible. It seemed all the more so, however, in comparison with his other two books, which were both wonderful. Who Killed Daniel Pearl was a real thriller and very smart, but this book, War, Evil, and the End of History, was absolutely brilliant. It seems to be almost a model for American vertigo - reporting, followed by philosophical consideration of the reporting. But this book is about people and places that really matter -- Darfur, Sri Lanka, etc., not Sharon Stone and Warren Beatty. It is brave work -- Levy went to some very dangerous places -- and his writing about those places is stirring and beautiful. Thought provoking and like a trip to a totally different world and way of thinking; it made me see the world differently. Skip the new ones, read the old ones, especially this one.



4. Bernard-henri Levy is a French hero and intellectual. How many phiolospher can there possible be who would write a book called war, evil and the end the history? Unfortunately I do not read French and therefore cannot judge the quality of the translation of this book from the original text but I have heard Mr Levy spoke on TV in English with an excellent command of the language. I suppose he approved of this translation of his original text. If you are not intimately famililar with recent French,German,Amercian philosopher/writer/phychologist (I am not) you will lack the proper foundation to enjoy this book. Randomly selected from this book, he quoted Michel Focault, Nitzche, Jung, Kant, Proust and Fukuyama with great frequentcy and ease and most times without much introduction and explaination. For example , to expalin the End oF History as part of the title of the book, he stated: "Secondly, Benjamin. The Benjamin. Once again, of the These on the Philosphy of History. And the portrait, in "Thesis IX," of the one he calls "the chronicler" whose characteristic is that he "narrates events without distiction between the great the the small" (nothing, from the viwpoint of the chronicler, "nothing of all that has ever happpened" can or should be considered "of no use to History")...A philsophical logic: an effect no less mechanical, of the deconstrcution, following Franz Rosenzweig, of the concept of universal Histroy and the great signifying scenes summoned up-to say that History as such, does not exit, is to admit that there is no longer, anywhere, an authority or a judement upon which one can determine the meaning that should be accorded events" (Page 287) (What does "accorded" events mean? Does the author mean recorded events?)
   Some very provocative ideas and persuasive also, but who the heck is Benjamin and Franz Rosenzweig? Either the author nor the translator provided any backgroud or introduction to these writers and their thoughts. This book are full of examples of such event: beautiful ideas supported by famous and not so-famous writers of Philophopy and literature but with the writing style sometimes can make comprehension a little tought. (Translation problems or his style? Lots of sentences are not even sentences at all.)
   Despite my minor complaints regarding his style, this book gave me a better understanding how to percieve the world in this "WAR ON TERROR" kind of enviornment. He stated that war is just like birth, sex, sin and taxes--all unavoidable facts of life-war will be always with us and always be with us despite technological progress and the unfortunately invention of nuclear weapons. Mr Levy has personaly met some of these people who were waging wars around the world:Afganstain, Bosnia, Sudan, Iraq, and just from these interviews that he mangaged to get were well worth reading the book.



5. L'auteur narre ses aventures sur le terrain des conflits mondiaux. Il souffre du mal qu'il constate et des nombreuses injustices criantes, de la même façon que le téléspectateur devant le journal télévisé du 20h00 s'écrie: "que la guerre est moche!".
   
   Ce qui surprend, c'est la teinte "philosophique" qui colore le reportage, non pas qu'il soit hors de propos de vouloir réfléchir sur le mal, entre la soupe et le fromage, mais parce que la réflexion de l'auteur est uni-dimensionnelle. Hegel est à l'honneur dans ce livre ainsi que son disciple Kojève. L'auteur semble donner l'impression qu'en dehors de ces deux référents, malgré les limites qu'il pressent parfois, rien ne saurait être pensé.
   
   Si le livre était un film, il aurait rang de navet recuit. A éviter.