4 comments about Terrorism and Counterterrorism: Understanding the New Security Environment, Readings and Interpretations (Textbook).

1. This is a very timely book which draws on the expertise of many first rate people. I especially liked the articles by Russ Howard and Richard Betts. Must reading for all citizens interested in the most important issue of our day.



2. This volume of essays was written and compiled as a college textbook for upper level undergraduate and graduate level seminars on terrorism and counterterrorism. These essays were written on both sides of the 9/11 divide, as such some of them predicted the occurrence of (large scale)acts of terror on American soil while others prescribe strategies for countering the terrorist threat in the future. Readers other than college students will find the book of interest too. After all, members of the general public, not simply college students, have asked such questions as "Why does America inspire such hatred?" or "What strategies should the US employ in the war against terror?" This book addresses these, and numerous other questions.

   Although written by a variety of authors, the volume is well edited. Any work dealing with the US government and the bureaucratic responses to terrorism could easily be overwhelmed by a host of acronyms offputting to the general reader. The editors avoid this problem by consistent definition of acronyms and generous appendices covering foreign terrorist organizations, significant terrorist incidents, and weapons of mass destruction.

   In addition to its coverage of specific incidents, the book addresses theoretical issues which will remain current in spite of the developments which will continue to unfold across the front pages of our daily newspapers. My favorite essays in the book were the ones which dealt with the intelligence failures prior to 9/11 as well as the ones which made specific recommendations to change or improve the intelligence community. I'll be curious to see which recommendations are incorporated into US policy in the future.




3. This book is most certainly an excellent guide to anyone who has the slightest interest in Militant groups. Terrorism may be a pejorative term, and this text attempts to take the reader beyond that and into an in depth analysis of trends, tactics and much more. Though I may be biased since it is required reading for my POLS376 class (Political Violence), it is most definitely not for everyone as it is not an easy read. Though the Cindy Combs book "Terrorism in the 21st century" may be the most definitive source on this subject next to Hoffman, I still must give credit where it is due. However, I did have one major gripe with this text. The coverage of terrorist tactics and training was lacking to say the least, so I recommend that you buy pick up the Combs book to complement this one. Wish me luck on my midterm! lol



4. Brings up good points about various weaknesses and problems in preventing future attacks. Many of the included essays are redundant because the authors bring up parallel points making the book dry, especially after the first two or three chapters.

5 comments about Why We Fight: Moral Clarity and the War on Terrorism.

1. I am a British citizen. I have just read this book and it left me stunned. I can only conclude that the author is barking mad and the positive reviews of this book are written by people who were educated in DisneyLand.
   
   If this book made you "feel good" for being a patriotic, right-wing, conservative American then all I can say is: Use the internet to LEARN stuff instead of looking at porn sites.



2. I was reading a debate between Noam Chomsky and William Bennet on their new books, so I decided to buy them both. I won't review Mr. Chomsky's book here, but Mr. Bennet's book is terrible. I thought it was bad enough to actually write a review so other people do not buy this book. The message is basically, if you love your country, agree and support what your government does.



3. Bennett's own logic undermines itself. He is in essence arguing that to be a truly patriotic American, one must check your brains in at the door and unquestioningly accept everything our government tells us. Welcome to the machine.
   
   Our country was founded on the premise that individuals should have the capability to think for themselves and critique those in power. It's time that we rediscovered that to appropriately confront those in power is true American patriotism.



4. The media dwells on American actions, with their armchair quarterbarck view. We face difficult decisions but the existential threat is real - and the need to face those threats is clear.



5. For too long we have allowed the PC view of the world to control our thoughts, making some of the most absurd positions the accepted "truth". William Bennett here lays it all out in a succinct and clear fashion, helping bring us back to reality, and showing us why we must maintain and promote moral clarity in the face of sworn enemies.
   We cannot assume that all nations and peoples will act benevolently towards us when we do so towards them; that is the utopian wishful thinking of the 60's which history clearly debunks. We also cannot lose sight of the fact that Islam is not just a religion but also a political system whose major tenet is that of converting the world to its religion, and submitting it to its political control. That, above all else, has been behind Muslim agression for 1300 years, and the "excuse of the week" (Israel, our presence in the Gulf, etc.) is only used as a means of continuing the Jihad duty to which all Muslims are sworn and to convince ignorant Westerners of the justness of their "struggle".
   Read this book and bring yourself back to reality.

5 comments about Outsourced.

1. I just finished reading "Outsourced". GREAT BOOK! I was impressed with the depth of knowledge and reserch R.J. Hillhouse put into this book. It gave me a lot to think about when it comes to our government and the freedom we take for granted. There are huge prices that are paid, with so many we will never know about. The story let you see a true possible senerio that real people can go through in the day to day situations that come in times of war. It is not a blanket story that is reported a lot of times by the media or by the government. It sparked a deeper interest in our government for me, and opened up a bounty of questions.
   The lead character being a strong woman with brains is brilliant! I like to see that women can be portrayed as they truely can be.
   I definately recommend this book. You won't be able to put it down. I will problably read it again. I can't say that for too many books I have read.
   I have also read her first book, "Rift Zone". Totally different then this one but nonetheless a great book to read.



2. I keep recommending this book to people. I can't speak highly enough about it. Although it starts off a little rough (there are a lot of characters to keep track of), the book found its footing around page 60 and stayed good for the remainder. It's as fast-paced as "24," but with more realism. Interspersed throughout various chapters are media quotes that relate to the events being fictionally portrayed in the book, giving the reader an education in addition to entertainment. At the end, there is even a section called "The Facts Behind the Fiction."
   
   "Outsourced" is a great story overall; plenty of action, espionage, location changes, and even a little romance here and there.



3. Read "Outsourced" because R.J. Hillhouse demonstrates how the current practice of outsourcing intel and military ops to private business plays out. She demonstrates what it means that 70% of operations in Iraq are carried out by private corporations instead of the U.S. Armed Forces and the CIA.
   
   Be patient because the author, a Political Scientist, is no novelist. Be patient because you will find neither rich and subtle characterization nor beautiful style. Let the rapid action and intrigue pull you into a world that most of us have never and will never experience.
   
   Your patience will be rewarded because you will understand why the U.S. Government does not really control the military actions being carried out in its name. You will see how private ops corporations serve their own interests; how they take care of their own before considering the goals of the elected government. You will also see how easily competition for rich government contracts leads to corruption. You will also contemplate how outsourcing can undermine the concept of the public good.



4. What have we got ourselves into? The privatization schemes of Milton Friedman have led us to a return to a feudal world of private armies. The U.S. militias are too similar to the militias that exist around the world. I am not sure how we are going to get out of this mess, but Hillhouse describes it well. Fits in with Naomi Klein's The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism.



5. I had no idea that war was so complicated. That shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who happens to be in the military, when you're considering that this review is written by a civilian... one who's closest encounter with the military has been that of watching war movies, playing the occasional military themed game, and of course the time I got to fire off various pieces of military hardware when I was living in the Philippines.
   
   I always thought that it was pretty black and white, I didn't realize there were so many gray zones when it came to the military.
   
   Particularly when it comes to the fact that, if even 10% of what was hinted at in the book Outsourced was true, that the US military, nay the US government has gone into using mercenary companies to bolster the amount of troops that they actually have on the ground at the moment.
   
   In order to circumvent the laws passed by congress.
   
   Now, again, if even a fraction of the things hinted at in the novel are true, then Mercenary companies are becoming a pretty major player in the military world, and that there is a great deal of money to be made by these companies across the globe, wherever there are hotspots that the US military happen to be involved in.
   
   It certainly opened my eyes when it comes to what is happening behind the scenes.
   
   Now, for the review. As per usual, I will not give out any spoilers that one can't find out on their own by reading the back cover of the novel. I hate ruining things for people.
   
   The novel, written by R. J. Hillhouse in short, is about a mercenary outfit working in Iran for the government, acting as support for the troops, and taking on independent missions for cash.
   
   Enter Camille Black, the head of a major player in the Mercenary Outsourcing world. She has been hired by the CIA to track down her former lover, who was supposed to have died several years before, and kill him.
   
   It's a novel about betrayal, secrets, terrorism, and subterfuge. Oh, and of course Mercenary companies hired by the U.S. Government to do things that they don't want the public to discover.
   
   And about the fighting between the different companies for contracts and sources.
   
   Overall, it was a very well written novel, with plenty of action to keep the most adventure hungry reader satisfied.
   
   The descriptions and the characters were well constructed, although at times I found several of the characters in the novel to be too cliché.
   
   One thing that really stuck out about the novel and something that really bothered me was how the main character acted at times. I swear to go she was schizophrenic. It was as if she couldn't make up her mind about a certain character.
   
   I can't go into too much detail as it would be considered a fairly major spoiler, and as I have stated, I don't like to spoil things for potential readers.
   
   The overall plot wasn't that difficult to follow, and even though there were some minor side plots, it all meshed together smoothly.
   
   The thing is, I can't say how much of the plot happens in the real world, and I never will be able to say... you know, the bit about the U.S. Government outsourcing to mercenary companies to bolster the troops in the Middle East and Afghanistan, using them to conduct `black' operations that would drag people through the mud if it was ever found out, that sort of thing.
   
   But, it read like it was all true, and felt very real as I devoured page after page. Even the location descriptions were very well done.
   
   It wasn't a super novel, but it was definitely worth reading, even if just to open your eyes to the whole Mercenary world that exists - or could exist.
   
   3.5 out of 5.

1 comments about Two Birthdays in Baghdad: Finding the Heart of Iraq.

1. I found this book to be intriguing and uniquely personal. I highly recommend this for anyone who really wants to know what it is like in Iraq - I'm here and I know that the writings of Ms Prouse are accurate.
   
   She captures the essence of the challenges we face here at a time when there are many questions that really need serious answers. I highly recommend this for anyone who is wondering what is really going on over here.

2 comments about Terrorism, The Laws Of War, And The Constitution: Debating The Enemy Combatant Cases.

1. This edited book is useful for attorneys that follow constitutional law issues and the debate on Qitmo detention issues. John Yoo writes an easily understood article that summarizes the Bush Admin argument. Unfortunately, the other authors were not selected to offer a different argument. Regardless of the absence of competing arguments, the summary of the enemy combatant cases is comprehensive and two authors provide unique perspectives of the response by the three branches of US govert. In short, four of the articles make this book worthy of your time, but buy the used book.



2. This book gives one a view about what's wrong with the thinking that led our country to commit torture and to think that it is morally correct. The only purpose for reading this book is to see how morally bankrupt our current political leadership is. I couldn't have imagined that in my lifetime I would find people who with a straight face encourage actions that in previous days would not have been allowed to be spoken of in polite company. Who would ever believe that we would allow such an attack on the US Constitution and American values!

1 comments about Where Is God?: Earthquake, Terrorism, Barbarity, And Hope.

1. The Reverend Father Jon Sobrino suffered the agonizing yet somewhat anticipated martydom of his dear friend, His Eminence, the Blessed Monsenor Oscar Arnulfo Romero, who was massacred in 1980 at the Offertory of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in his small hospital chapel in San Salvador when a US trained and supported sniper entered the chapel and shot him through the heart while the Archbishop elevated the host and wine in the Offertory, offering up as well his own life. The Reverend Father Sobrino reflects as theologian, companion and friend upon the significance of this martyrdom for Our Faith in Archbishop Romero: Memories and Reflections.
   
   At the end of that bloody decade in El Salvador, the Reverend Father Jon Sobrino's entire Jesuit community in San Salvador's University of Central America, was martyred and massacred, including the great and very Reverend theologian and Catholic Priest, Father Ellacuria, professor of theology and author of several influential works such as Freedom Made Flesh: The Mission of Christ and His Church and Mysterium Liberations: Fundamental Concepts of Liberation Theology. Several introductory texts are available to make accessible the often highly academic and specialized writings of the Reverend Father Ellacuria, including the noted The Ground Beneath The Cross: The Theology Of Ignacio Ellacuria (Moral Traditions) and Love That Produces Hope: The Thought Of Ignacio Ellacuria as well the Reverend Father Jon Sobrino's own studies of his close companion and guide in Catholic and Jesuit community, such as Systematic Theology: Perspectives from Liberation Theology (Readings from Mysterium Liberationis) and the post-martydom, poignant and perceptive Cartas a Ellacuría (1989-2004).
   
   The Reverend Father Jon Sobrino missed his own martyrdom that evening in his Community in San Salvador when US supplied and directed military forces enterd that holy ground to murder everyone present, including the cook and her daughter, as the Reverend Father Jon Sobrino was felicitously absent from town despite his expected arrival. The Reverend Father Jon Sobrino records this history in his work Companions of Jesus: The Jesuit Martyrs of El Salvador.
   
   Thus the Reverend Father Sobrino, having passed through the agonizing fires of survivor's syndrome, finds hope in such devastating and total loss of community and of the Blessed Archbishop Romero, a hope which lies alone in Our Faith and Love of Jesus Christ. As a trained and academic theologian and prolific writer of Catholic theology, the Reverend Father Jon Sobrino discovered most unwillingly that he must apply the theory of our Faith to his own life, and thus discover the strength to carry on alone in the pilgrim mission of our evangelizing Church which liberates us from the horrors of relentless death and martyrdom and gives us live. "Oh, Death, where is thy victory? Oh, Death, where is thy sting?" NON MORIAR SED VIVAM reads joyously Psalm 117: I shall not die but live and praise the name of the Lord.
   
   The Reverend Father Jon Sobrino thus "tried like gold in the furnace" and purified and strengthened in this very dark night of death, finds the hope of the Resurrection, and shares that hope with all of us in this landmark work of our true Faith in Jesus Christ and the hope He gave us after Calvary.
   
   For truly the Reverend Father Jon Sobrino has passed through a passion and suffering few of us can even imagine: the total and absolute destruction of the finest priests of his local Catholic Church, and countless holy poor in the surrounding mountains, all by a genocidal and oppressive US policy which funded and supplied and directed the far right wing military groups which martyred his prayer community, without cause and against justice. This same military and terrorist regime through its blood stained political ARENA party remains in power in El SAlvador, with unquestioning support from the USA, with the CAFTA agreement which is privatizing the natural resources of El Salvador and selling them to private US interests, which recently brutally suppressed the San Salvadoran street vendors so common throughout Latin America, as they do not give kick backs to ARENA. Meanwhile through CAFTA the ARENA party imports US grain, putting the local farmers out of work, furthering the remorseless and killing injustice against which the Blessed Archbishop preached, which even the recent papal exhortation Sacramentum caritatis decries as an unjust economic structure leaving the vast majority destitute, structures which the Eucharist itself compels us to alter.
   
   We cannot imagine the agony through which the Reverend Father Jon Sobrino passes each day inexorably, yet rather than writing of this great pain and endless personal suffering this great Catholic theologian here writes of his hope and Faith in Jesus Christ, a universal and transcendental Hope, a hope which all believers may come to find even or especially when confronted with devastating situations of natural and man-made disasters such as earthquake, terrorism, and barbarism.
   
   Examining each of these disasters, including earthquakes we are not permitted to be aware of here in the USA, from a theological viewpoint, applying theory to very harsh realities, the Reverend Father Jon Sobrino, suffering his own profound and desperate tragedies, brings us with him to the point of Hope. Let us gratefully and respectfully and joyfully join the Reverend Father Sobrino in our Pilgrimage to Hope and to Peace in Jesus Christ as he guides us upon this spiritual path which he himself is required to walk. We have heard the question: Why do bad things happen to good people? Here may we find solace and hope even in that incompehensible phenomenon, through the skilled, scholarly and experienced preaching of the Reverend Father Jon Sobrino, well grounded in the reality of Our Faith and our cardinal virtues, as we anticipate reading His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI's own reflection on Hope in Saved in Hope: Spe Salvi.

No comments about Full Metal Panic! Volume 6.

5 comments about War Footing: 10 Steps America Must Take to Prevail in the War for the Free World.

1. This is the first book I have strongly urged anyone to buy, ever. It is the most chilling book I have yet read and It should be required reading for every American, because it will take a few million of us to become politically active enough to start making a difference.
   "Is it accurate?" The contributors all have very strong pedigrees and it is heavily footnoted. Researching the footnotes reveals that not only is Gaffney & company not exaggerating, in some cases they may be understating the threat.
   
   This is not about liberals and conservatives. This is about having the freedom of choice and the way of life we enjoy today. I urge you to buy it, read it, and pass this information on to your trusted networks. We must get this knowledge in the hands of as many Americans as possible, and quickly.
   Here are some of the subjects it explores:
   1. The rise of Islamofascism, a totalitarian ideology that masquerades as religion; how it is funded; and how it threatens today's Free World and how it poses an even more immediate menace to the majority of Muslims who do not agree with their agenda.
   2. The very real nuclear threat to the U.S. that makes bombing a major city small by comparison; and what our threats 1) know about it, and/or 2) could possess the technology.
   3. The rise of totalitarian regimes in oil-rich states and the rising economic and military power of one not-so-oil-rich nation; including Dictator Hugo Chavez' rise to power, his dismantling of Venezuela's democracy, his intentions for the US and how he'll pay for it.
   4. What the porous ness of our border system means to our country's security.
   5. The alliances (of 1 & 3 above) that the "bad guys" have formed or are forming; their goals and objectives.
   6. The international political war that our enemies are waging against the Free World, and our lack of effective response.
   7. And several subjects regarding "return-on-investment" for Federal funds expenditure directly relating to our national security.
   At each step of the way, the book spells out what must be done. Much can be done by the American people, becoming pro-active and working to shape the policies and actions of the politicians, and other government/corporate institutions who can turn the tide.



2. This is a great book and really explains, in one place, every aspect of the war we are facing: from what needs to be done from a military point of view, to cultural initiatives. It explains that we are NOT fighting the religion of Islam, we are fighting people who hold the IDEOLOGY of (Saudi Wahhabist) islamo-fascism, or "Islamism", (or just: Islamic fundamentalism). This book discusses everything from illegal immigration, to EMP attacks (electromagnetic pulse attacks that would knock out our infrastructure). This book puts it all together in one book. Each page contains insights that cut right to the chase, without any "grandstanding". There is more in this book of real value than in 10 other books on the subject, combined. I just hope our politicians are reading it.



3. This book details some of the best methods for dealing with homeland security,oil dependency,jihadist and radical regimes,and an emerging China to challenge the U.S..I wish that George Bush had followed these ideas that deal with our weak spots of our nation's security.Even some critics of Bush would back some of these suggestions as a plan for true homeland security



4. This book was an eye-opener for me. I can't believe that our leaders haven't put all 10 steps into action to win the war for the free world. This book made me realize that we all have to get actively involved in preserving the freedoms we enjoy today and ensuring that our children and grandchildren understand the threats we face and how much we have to lose.



5. Every US citizen who cares about their continued safety and the ongoing freedom of this country should read this book. The 10 steps that Mr. Gaffney outlines in it are frightening, enlightening and motivational all at the same time.
   
   I truly believe that this book, and the principles within it should be part of the required curriculum taught to our children in all public schools in the US.

No comments about Global Jihadism: Theory and Practice (Cass Series on Political Violence).

4 comments about Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Containing and Preventing Biological Threats (Butterworth-Heinemann Homeland Security).

1. I was very impressed by this text. It is easy to read (without being simplistic), well illustrated, and it covered most of the area. If you are interested in biosecurty, I suggested that you get this book. I am not easliy pleased but this is a good book.



2. I just finished reading this text for a class. It is well written, easy to follow and contains a lot of detail. Bioterrorism is a multi-faceted subject and this text covers each aspect of the subject very well. I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in biosecurity.



3. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the study of biosecurity and bioterrorism. The book is well written and easy to read. Of the many books on this subject I have read, this one covers more areas of knowledge than any. Ryan and Glarum are true experts in the field of biological agents and this book shares that knowledge with the readers.



4. As an Emergency Preparedness Planner, I found this book to be valuable. Ryan and Glarum cover not just human diseases, but all potential biological threats and means to mitigate, prepare for, respond to and manage the consequences.
   
   Well organized, with content understandable to both the non-medical and medically backgrounded EM professional. Information in previous chapters make the more complex concepts found in later chapters comprehensible. There is a helpful balance of illustrations and sidebars that reinforce the content. The list of references with each chapter will give you deeper background into the subject matter. By considering the critical thinking and discussion questions, key concepts are reinforced.
   
   If you have a need for this knowledge, I highly recommend this book.