1 comments about Military Tribunals And Presidential Power: American Revolution To The War On Terrorism.

1. You may have heard of military courts-martial, which in U.S. practice have evolved into something parallel to other U.S. courts, with independent judges and defense counsel, rules of evidence and procedure, military courts of appeal, and rooted in case law and applicable Constitutional law. The tribunals -- "military commissions" -- were different: an extraordinary and special proceeding with none of those guarantees, and, until 9/11, a freak wartime event last seen in WWII (Mr. Fisher's recent and excellent "Nazi Saboteurs on Trial" addresses one such case). Now the Bush Administration has revived the military commissions and this book is a timely (mid-2005) re-telling of the history and practice of these tribunals. I've written and researched on this topic and find Mr. Fisher's book is possibly the best single volume on the subject. His prose is clear to the layperson, he is brilliant in putting the tribunals in context, and is quick to find parallels in the detention (WWII + post-9/11) case law.
   
   (Postscript: the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, June 29, 2006, was directly on point to military commissions and Presidential powers. The book is still very worth reading in light of possible attempts in Congress to address the issue.)

5 comments about Hezbollah: The Changing Face of Terrorism.

1. Dr. Harik provides an in depth analysis of the struggle between Hezbollah and the Israelis as well as the roles of the U.S., Syria and Iran. I learned more in the first few pages than in hours of mainstream media. HIGHLY recommend it!



2. With 'Hezbollah: The Changing Face of Terrorism' Judith Palmer Harik has achieved a comprehensive and highly detailed history of the militant group. Her stated goal is to determine whether Hezbollah is a legitimate fighting force, as many in the Arab world believe, or simply a terrorist organization. While it is clear that the author leans toward the former, she does, to her credit, give an ample amount of attention to the view held by Israelis and Americans. So while her conclusions are certainly debatable, she essentially sticks to the facts. She thoroughly discusses Hezbollah's origins as a direct offshoot of the Iranian Revolution, for the purpose of combatting Israel. She discusses at length, their political objectives, their religious beliefs, and their transformation from radical militia, to mainstream political party. She also effectively puts the movement into the context of the general Mid-East conflict. My only criticism of the book, aside from the author's bias, is that it is severely academic in tone. The average lay reader might find it a bit too tedious. That being said, I would still recommend 'Hezbollah: The Changing Face of Terrorism' as a solid introduction to the the subject.



3. Harik is an American Political Science professor at the American University of Beirut and as such has had an upclose and personal perspective on Hezbollah for some time now. But rather than using her relatively unique perspective as an American academic to provide a revealing look at Hezbollah, Harik has written a fairly straightforward history of the group that does not go into enough detail and is hampered by her obvious sympathy for the group.
   
   The basic thesis of the book is that Hezbollah has transformed itself from what some would call a terrorist organization in the early 80s, to a legitimate Lebanese political party that is capable of compromise. She takes the reader through Hezbollah's early days and describes the domestic political context that led to the group's rise. She also places a fair amount of weight on the regional context and goes into great detail to explain to her audience how Hezbollah is affected by Israel, Syria, Iran, and the U.S. This is the book's greatest strength since these outside actors have a huge impact on Hezbollah and no book that ignores the regional context would be complete.
   
   However, Harik presents Hezbollah as if it were a homogenous actor that has no internal struggles. The only key figures of Hezbollah that Harik takes the time to descirbe are Hassan Nasrallah (some Americans will remember him from the war w/Israel in the summer of 06), and Mohammed Fadlallah. This is problematic because no political organization is without internal divisions or debates, but Harik never really acknowledges this. Presumably, she would have access to many members of Hezbollah and would be able to present a much more detailed look at the internal dynamics of the group, but unfortunately she never does. It seems odd that she would spend so much time describing the history of the group (which was already well-known) and not take the time to tell her audience how the group really functions.
   
   The other main problem with the book is that Harik is plainly a "fan" of Hezbollah and it is hard to tell at times whether or not she is leaving out a wealth of information that does not affirm her perception of the group. This becomes clear when she describes actions by the U.S. or Israel as always being negative in nature, when they're really just acting out of their own perceived interests in the same way that Hezbollah does. You don't have to agree with or like what the U.S. does or with what Hezbollah does, but when you clearly pick a side and cannot be critical of your side, the argument ceases to be a serious academic study.
   
   Anyone wanting to learn more about Hezbollah should read this book. For the most part it is well-written and easy to follow. At the same time, the reader should be aware that Harik is presenting a very one-sided look at her subject and that additional research will certainly be necessary after reading her book.



4. Hezbollah: The Changing Face of Terrorism provides detailed history of Hizbu'llah, especially insightful, when it comes to the Lebanese context and politics. It does not aim to cover all features of this organization, but rather focus on the transformation, in the opinon of author, from fundamentalist group to resistence and moderate potical actor.
   
   + an unorthodox point of view on Hizbu'llah, author tries to proove that it is not in fact a terrorist group. Debatable, but very interesting.
   
   + greatly covers the Syrian influnce on Hizbu'llah and the double track Syrian policy towards Lebanese government and the Party of God.
   
   + presents pluralistic political system of Lebanon and puts Hizbu'llah in it's framework.
   
   - biased, favouring Party of God.
   
   - does not cover changing relationship between Tehran and Hizbu'llah
   
   - slightly outdated, Hariri's assassination, Syrian withdrawal, July war or recent skirmish between Hizbu'llah and government are not included. These events shed diffrent light on Hizbu'llah than Palmer-Harik presented.
   
   Summed up, great book that presents new insights, facts and ideas about Hizbu'llah. When read the shortcoming should be kept in mind to prevent biased and uncomplete image of Hizbu'llah. Still a must for anynone interested in Party of God.
   
   Petr Zelinka,
   Journal of Security Issues



5. This book is pretty good in that it gives a third-party, yet sympathetic look into Hizballah. The author's bias toward them permits her access, which leads to a very interesting read. The problem is that her bias also opens up the door to misinformation. I recommend this book, but I also recommend "The Voice of Hizballah" (English translations of Sayyad Hassan Nasrallah's interviews and speeches - an unvarnished view at his thoughts and motivations) and maybe an anti-Hizballah book sprinkled in.
   
   In the book, the author argues that Hizballah has basically removed itself from the business of terrorism since the early 1980s. She claims the Party of God has transitioned to a political party and social service provider for disaffected Lebanese Shia. The book provides incredible detail about Hizballah's social service programs (a hospital here, a water-purification facility there, schools, etc - how many people the services are helping, where the money is coming from, etc).
   
   Bottom line: This is a good source, but it shouldn't be your only source.

5 comments about Running Toward Danger: Stories Behind the Breaking News of September 11.

1. The photographs and the reporters' accounts of their September 11th experiences are a piercing and necessary reminder to all Americans of why the war on terrorism must be won.



2. The authors do an amazing job of letting the stories stand on their own in providing readers with a rare and engaging look at how the press responded to a national tragedy. Even just one year later, Running towards Danger, is already an important piece of American history.



3. From Library Journal Reviews ; October 1, 2002 Tuesday By Audrey Snowden
   The Newseum, an interactive museum of news located in Arlington, VA, was operating as usual on September 11, 2001. After seeing smoke billowing from the ravaged Pentagon, its staff members immediately closed the museum and worked through the night assembling an exhibit of wire service photos from around the world. This book is the outgrowth of that initial exhibit. What sets it apart from the plethora of books on 9/11 is its focus. Told chronologically through 100 first-person vignettes and 75 powerful color and black-and-white photographs, the book covers the varied experiences of members of the press. Big-name anchors weigh in, but the stage belongs to the reporters and photographers who usually work behind the scenes. Authors Trost, a former Wall Street Journal reporter, and Shepard, award-winning media critic, provide a firsthand - and very human - look at the process behind the coverage, revealing how the immediacy of ongoing television and Internet coverage helped journalists, photojournalists, and anchors shape a nation's perception of a tragically unique day. A valuable addition, especially to school libraries. - Audrey Snowden, formerly with Clark Univ., Worcester, MA
   Newseum with Cathy Trost & Alicia C. Shepard. Rowman & Littlefield. 2002. c.256p. photog. ISBN 0-7425-2316-0.



4. This is a round of fraternal applause for American journalists, who earned everyone's sincere respect on September 11th. Journalists from all levels of the profession who were on the story are interviewed. Their tales are then spliced up and laid out in chronological order, from onset to post-traumatic jitters. The professionalism on display here is absolutely superb. Most people have some idea of how hectic the job of getting the news produced each day is. Here we have the spectacle of these brave professionals getting the job done minus most of their familiar tools and surroundings, and plus a soul-sucking fear that they or their colleagues are about to die. No smirks, no condescension, no "women and minorities hardest hit" credentializing.

   So is this book an adequate tribute to them? Yes. Can't go wrong. The text is punchy and hot-off-the-presses, and the photos really crackle. There is a problem, though.

   The book seems to discriminate against Foxnews. Apart from a screenshot of Shepard Smith and a photo of a correspondent at the Pentagon, Foxnews is excluded from this collection. This is very strange, since Foxnews is based in New York and is the number four American news network, behind the networks and ahead of CNN. Could it be that the Newseum staff who edited this book don't consider those eeeevillll conservatives to be *real* journalists? That's a nasty thought, but what other explanation could there be? Even a reporter from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, in town for a fashion show and caught up in events, is quoted multiple times. To be sure, staff from the Wall Street Journal are quoted extensively, as their offices were hardest hit.

   Apart from that, the book is gripping. The journos' professional instincts snapped into action. Taking to bicycling when traffic congeals, giving the cordon police the slip, phoning Mom to relay a report second hand, the ingenuity and dedication is impressive. There's also a seldom-reported sensitivity. Some reporters pitch in with relief efforts. Some cry along with the sobbing victims they are interviewing. There's only one case of a reporter getting the bum's rush, from some firemen who were trying to catch their breath.

   We get all meat in this book. The actual TV broadcasts that day were teeming with hastily miked-up guests experts, helping the gabbling anchors fill air time until actual news got into their earpieces. But ever the pro, Peter Jennings signaled for silence on the set when the towers came down. No comment was necessary.

   It might have been nice to include a story or two from a West Coast news outlet. When the attacks happened, I couldn't get into any of the national news websites. I finally connected to the Sacramento Bee's site. The webmaster was frantically posting up wire photos and rolling copy through, with what must have been a small, sleepy crew.

   And then in a few weeks things were back to normal. NPR's Loren Jenkins blurted in an interview that he would "smoke out" and disclose the location of any U. S. troops on a secret mission, if it meant getting the story. The TV news people harrumphed at Fox for wearing lapel flags, fearing that the sight of the national flag on the set would signify support for the Bush administration and not the country as a whole. Reuters insisted on calling Arab terrorists "militants", and putting "terrorism" in skepticism-implying quotation marks. The liberal pundits covered the Afghan war like children in the back seat whining "Are we there yet?" New York Times editorial page editor Howell Raines concluded that the war on terror was Vietnam II, and used his page of that august newspaper to try to block further retaliation. But even with all its faults, the American press is mano-a-mano the greatest in the world. It's inspiring to see this record of how great it was on a day when it laid its faults aside.




5. A great insight into the world of the 'forgotten superheros', the people who deliver the news of the tragedies that occur. This is very interesting, giving lots of different points of view from across the affected area. It could have done with more pictures and photos, but the stories of the pressure-filled newsrooms paint a good enough picture to keep you interested throughout this book.

No comments about Prelude to Terror: Edwin P. Wilson and the Legacy of America's Private Intelligence Network.

4 comments about Terrorism and the Constitution: Sacrificing Civil Liberties in the Name of National Security, Revised and Updated Edition.

1. This edition is an updated version of the authors earlier book written in the wake of the 1996 Anti-Terrorism Act. Remember that Act? That was the one passed in response to Oklanhoma City and gave "sweeping new powers" to federal authorities, so that such a horrible act of terrorism, would never, ever, never, never happen ever again!

   Now with 9/11 and the "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism" (U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T) Act (how much time, do you suppose, does it take to come with these acronyms?), the authors are back with a critical look at a drive towards what has very little to do with counterterrorism and quite a bit to do with increasing and centralizing power.

   In the past 12 months we've had proposals for a national ID card, a missle defense system, legalized torture, suspension of writ of habeas corpus, a "homeland security" infrastructure that is heavily reliant on security technologies of dubious value. Basically the only thing that has changed that would have prevented the 9/11 are locked Cabin doors and the newfound general awareness that "cooperating with the hijacker" might not be the best policy for passeners.

   Also along the way, a steady trickle of stories of missed opportunities, ignored warning and frustrated investingations have come out regarding the FBI and others to use the powers they already do have.

   The bulk of the book deals with FBI misdeed during the Cold War and proposes an unfashionable counterrorism strategy that emphasizes the responsibility of actors, not ideology. Basically, trying to treat terrrorism as a crime not as war.

   The proposals are a little narrow. Terrorism of the sort represented by al Quaeda is international, not just national. The fight against it will share more with racketeering and global criminal networks. And a world court is needed. I'm not sure if dealing on a purely "case-by-case" basis will do the trick.

   Nevertheless, the authors have offered a well reasoned case and in the current climate when we are asked to give up so much with only the assurance of "trust us" we would do to heed their call.




2. This book gives a frightening look at how post-9/11 paranoia and the aftermath of that horrific event have lead to the diminution of civil liberties in the U.S.. The passage of the so-called "Patriot Act(s)" will not only make ethnic groups (particularly Arab/Muslims, given that 9/11 was perpetrated by members of that ethnic group) [a] cause to worry, even Americans may be, if their views don't match the current Administration's views, subject to loss of constitutional rights. [The ACLU would have a field day about this, if the premise of the book is true.] It is an important book to read and should be read by everyone who thinks that their civil liberties are unable to be violated by the government. (Conservatives will call this book nonsense, but most of us [moderates and liberals] will find the book an eye-opening study of overreaction and paranoia, by the government, as a result of 9/11.



3. Government response to 'terrorism' is not new; we have previously understood that in 'times of war' civil liberties were suspended (supposedly for the national good). We also know that times of panic (Joe McCarthy) had also prompted otherwise reasonable people to abandon their civil liberties for the now-familiar promise of 'national security'.
   
   Yet, what is new about the post 9/11 climate is the depth of these anti-terrorism policies and the general public's apparent willingness to sacrifice their freedom inexplicably to receive 'security'.
   
   Whether it is the terror alert 'color' of the day, or the list of people who can/cannot fly on planes, national security could instead be used as a tool to generate even more fear...or a weapon to attack political dissenters.
   
   A government effectively stifling criticism of its policies as `being for the terrorists' is allowed to do whatever it wants to citizens whenever it wants. Reminiscent of Nazi Germany, people who still attempt to critique government policy (including the Patriot Act) quickly find themselves labeled as an enemy of the state.
   
   It is significant that the first edition of this book was published after the Oklahoma City bombing. Everybody had agreed this event was a national tragedy, yet the government did not use it as a battering ram to dismantle citizen civil liberties and/or eliminate people whom they have disagreed with. By focusing on case specifics, the Clinton administration found the people who were responsible for that incident (two disgruntled veterans from America's heartland!).
   
   Sharply contrasting, the measures taken in response to 9/11 demonstrate excess and paranoia. "Homeland security" permits the Bush White House to target ANYBODY it does not like.
   
   How else to explain why Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D MA)'s name has repeatedly turned up on the nation's no fly-list, despite a public service career whose length easily exceeds that of many "Homeland Security" officials themselves?
   
   And then there is the issue of increased FBI surveillance to 'combat' terrorist threats. Again, because the FBI had spied on dissenting groups until Hoover's death, there is a strong case that this same government agency will not ethically be able to conduct impartial investigations today.
   
   It is indeed a sad day when we want the rest of the world to be democratic but cannot bring ourselves to have similar conditions inside this same country. The greatest causality of the war on terror is the American Bill of Rights.



4. This book appears more to be an alarmist than pointing out a real solution to what the author considers as a growing problem. Since 2001 PATRIOT Act, the main problem civil liberities activists have is monitoring international calls from suspected terrorists. If this is all the problems these people have including the author, other than speculating what might happen, then there is no real problem with the 2001 PATRIOT Act that's going to take the average American's liberities away.

1 comments about Civil Liberties Vs. National Security In A Post 9/11 World (Contemporary Issues).

1. This book gives an excellent review of the many issues presently being debated concerning the balance between civil liberties and an effective national security. The essays that the editors have chosen are concise and cogent arguments for the different positions. It is very easy to pick up and read one essay at a time right before bed. Overall, a worthwhile purchase for anyone interested in an accessible analysis of the divergent viewpoints on this issue. While not the most in depth book available, it definitely gives a decent analysis of the key issues from racial profiling to torture to surveillance. Recommended for those with an interest in this debate.

5 comments about Terror on the Internet: The New Arena, the New Challenges.

1. This is a scary book about the ways terrorists are using the Internet. It is very interesting, well documented, well-written (easy for people like me who are not sophisticated Internet users) and very alarming. The author knows well the dark sides of the Net and guides the readers to the darkest virtual streets modern terrorists take when using the cyberspace. The book is loaded with examples from various terrorist groups (all are now on the Net) and relates the findings to the framework of communication studies and psychological warfare. What to do about it? Well, read the book's last chapters...
   I highly recommend this book though it left me troubled and scared.
   Michael Wise



2. Good book to get a clear picture of how terrorists now use the Internet as a central part of their operations. Weimann is a well-respected scholar who cleary has his finger on the pulse of modern terrorism.



3. Mr. Weimann from Israel wants American government control over access to certain Internet websites so that terrorists won't be able to communicate; or perhaps the real reason is to block Moslem news and propaganda so that we will be exposed only to Israeli-slanted news and propaganda. That way the US can continue to support Israeli efforts at ethnic cleansing from all the land which they say God promised them. Still not convinced? Mr. Weimann is a fellow at the ironically-named United States Institute for Peace, a neocon thinktank.



4. 
   Terrorist websites have increased from several hundred a few years ago to over 5,000 at this time - and that only counts those documented by strict criteria. Hezbollah has cartoon websites targeting children that depict beheadings and advocate all the atrocities committed by adult terrorists. Al Queda and others have websites targeting women. Throughout the web, messages from various organizations glorify suicide attacks.
   
   These websites are used for recruitment, distribution of literature, manuals, instructions, fund-raising, car-bombs, use of missiles - any needs of the organization. A jihad on-line encyclopedia is available, and participants may come and go with anonymity.
   
   Chat rooms contain debates between members of different organizations - which certainly open the door for counterterrorism efforts. These sites are monitored by government agencies from many countries.
   
   All methods of censoring these sites run the risk of damaging our civil liberties, although this is not a problem for some countries.
   
   The author covers the material well and ends with a caveat and a recommendation. Caveat - that this is a psychological war over minds and hearts. Recommendation - that we be proactive by producing anti-terrorism websites. Most young people participating on terrorism websites never see another version of life and truth.



5. This is a comprehensive study of the Internet, how it is used by terrorist group--not just Islamic terrorists or al-Qaeda, but also the IRA, and South American terrorist groups as well--and what measures are being taken to combat the growing use of the Internet by terrorists. Perhaps the most valuable portion of the book is the discussion of civil liberties and tracking/surveillance of the Internet. Mr. Weimann does an excellent job of pointing out the problems inherent on both sides of the issue, but does more than that--he offers solutions to the questions he raises. A bit outdated, the Patriot Act update was not yet passed by Congress when this book went to press. Many of the concerns of Internet surveillance were addressed in the Patriot Act update of 2006. Still, a great resource for the average thinking person who wants to be reasonably informed on the dangers facing our country. Politically neutral.

5 comments about The Nazi Connection to Islamic Terrorism: Adolf Hitler and Haj Amin al-Husseini.

1. Haj Amin al-Husseini represented the opposite of the noble Emir Faisal Ibn Husein, the enlightened Arab King of Hejaz who had cordial relations with Chaim Weizmann and wanted to achieve a peaceful Middle East with co-operation between Jew and Arab.
   
   Unfortunately Al-Husseini's ideology of hatred won out. As Grand Mufti of Jerusalem he spearheaded the imperialistic or utopian strain of Islam that has turned into a modern hydra. In 1920 he organised the murder of Jews who were praying at the Wailing Wall, and he never looked back. Throughout the rest of his time in Palestine he furthered his murderous designs because of the British policy of appeasement, with further campaigns in 1929 and from 1936.
   
   In the 1930s Al-Husseini became a proponent of Hitler, eventually settling in Berlin where he encouraged the annihilation of European Jews and planned to become the leader of the Arab world in expectation of an Axis victory. He unceasingly promoted the Holocaust and Nazism amongst the Arabs. This strain of Nazism was a blend of National Socialism and fundamentalist Islam that would make deep inroads into the Arab world.
   
   After the war Al-Husseini fled to Cairo where was instrumental in accommodating fleeing Nazis and organising for the destruction of Israel. The hatred of Israel now took on a Leftist flavour as the Soviet Union became the champion of the Arab cause. Arab leaders like Gamal Abdel Nasser, Saddam Hussein and Yasser Arafat were all influenced by his hateful ideas.
   
   Al-Husseini did not only target Jews, but also moderate Arabs and the free West in general. Nazism was the spiritual and physical bridge by which Islamic extremism became prominent in the Arab world. He introduced the demented belief that utopia could be achieved on earth by the destruction of Israel and the annihilation of the Jews.
   
   This malevolent Islamo-Fascism is the cause of much of the misery in the Arab world today and at the root of the hatred of non-Muslims, particularly the United States and Israel. In this, the extremists are assisted by international leftists. The Western democracies are now tasting the fruit of a decades long policy of appeasement towards this odious movement and its demonic founder.
   
   But there is still a chance that the legacy of Emir Faisal might prevail, although recent developments in France and Europe as a whole do not look promising. Al-Husseini was without doubt one of the most evil personalities of the 20th century as meticulously documented in this revealing book.
   
   Plenty of black and white photographs enhance the text, illustrating Al-Husseini's meetings with Nazi and Arab leaders, and of Bosnian Muslim brigades in World War II.
   
   There are nine indices with documentary evidence of the historical narrative. Appendix A is the Balfour Declaration of 1917, B provides excerpts of the correspondence of King Faisal, C is the Weizmann-Faisal Agreement of 1919, D provides a dialogue between Lord Peel and Husseini from the Palestine Royal Commission Report.
   
   Appendix E gives the minutes of a meeting between Hitler and Al-Husseini, F is an excerpt from the diary of Al-Husseini on his meeting with Hitler, G is a letter in which he asks the Hungarian government to send 1000 Jews to their death in Poland instead of allowing them to escape to Israel, H is his address to Arab-Americans and I is the Palestine National Covenant that denies the right of Israel to exist.
   
   The text concludes with a moving prayer for the state of Israel by the Chief Rabbinate. It is a prayer that all true Christians would do well to heed and incorporate into their worship in these trying times. The book concludes with notes, an index and biographical information on the author.
   
   I also recommend The Other War: Israelis, Palestinians and the Struggle for Media Supremacy by Stephanie Gutmann, Our Hands Are Stained with Blood by Michael l Brown, Dream Palace Of The Arabs by Fouad Ajami, Israel: Life in the Shadow of Terror by Nechemia Coopersmith, Myths And Facts by Mitchell G Bard and Unholy Alliance: Radical Islam And The American Left by David Horowitz.
   
   Peace: The Arabian Caricature of Anti-Semitic Imagery



2. A very informative and revealing book on the role that Al-Husseini played in bringing about the dangerous situation in which we, in all the world, are living today. It leaves many questions unanswered, though, like: how or why the British, and later the French, favored this psycho so unashamedly. The crimes of this devilish man being left unpunished -even covered-up- claim for an explanation that is not offered here.
   
   About 130 pages of fast and furious read. Very relevant to understand today's crisis between the suicidal West and the paranoid Muslim world. It has some very good analyses of the Palestinian conflict. It covers many issues related to the terrorism suffered by Israel thru the personal observation of relevant figures, not only Al-Husseini.
   
   A book covering the whole 20th century, and practically the whole world geographically.
   
   The Holocaust denial that is emerging in some parts of the West is a clear sign (as referred to in page 100) of more trouble on the horizon.
   
   Do you still not know that God will bless those who bless Israel, for truly it is His people? So, also, he will crunch those who mistreat her.
   Things pass slowly but surely. This short book gives a tremendous global view of what really matters in the world today. Capture the vision.



3. This is an important book for many reasons, especially for providing one especially significant and important aspect concerning the origin of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The author's thesis is that Al-Husseini, the Mufti of Jerusalem, successfully merged his Islamic fundamentalism with the theology of Hitler's National Socialism. He supported the final solution in Europe, rallied Muslim troops to support and perpetuate the final solution, planned to import the Holocaust to the Middle East, and influenced future Arab generations. As a historian, the author pulls together many esoteric events (such as the Weizmann-Faisal peace agreement)that may surprise those who thought they knew the history pretty well. Morse illustrates how one individual can spread enmity and hate for thousands across generations. Recommended for those who want to gain more insight.



4. Author would do better if he was not so repetitive. Still it is worth reading as one realizes that Islamic Terrorism is not a new thing starting in recent years, but has deep historical antecedents.



5. In 1919, the international community saw the Faisal-Weizmann Agreement, an agreement between the King of Iraq (Faisal) and the eventual president of the World Zionist Organization (Weizmann) that set reasonable conditions for mutual recognition of a Jewish homeland in Palestine and an adjacent Arab Nation. Today, a large number of Middle Eastern nations refuse to recognize Israel's right to exist. Ever wonder what happened? This book offers a significant piece of the puzzle.
   
   This book focuses on the Grand Mufti of Palestine, Haj Amin Al-Husseini, and his influence in funneling anti-semitic, Nazi propaganda into the Middle East. From reading this book, you will learn about Al-Husseini's frequent meetings with the Nazis, including Adolf Hitler, Al-Husseini's push for extermination of the Jews and his responsibility for disseminating volumes of ludicrous Zionist conspiracy theories into the Middle East. You will also learn about Al-Husseini's significant influence on Yasser Arafat and former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser.
   
   The appendix of this book also contains a number of historical documents, including meeting transcripts, letters of correspondence and other relevant documents such as the Faisal-Weizmann Agreement and the Balfour Declaration.
   
   I have a few complaints about this book. First, it is too short. Second, there are many egregious spelling errors, which is very unprofessional. Most importantly, although I think Morse has made a compelling case to argue al-Husseini's influence on the modern anti-Israel facet of Islamic terrorism, I think he overlooks the most significant driving force behind Islamic terrorism: religious fundamentalism. Unfortunately, this is a common oversight of many religious conservatives, who often seem too overzealous in identifying secular roots for acts of terrorism.
   
   Overall, this book is an important chapter in the ideological origins of Islamic Terrorism.

5 comments about Inside Job: Unmasking the 9/11 Conspiracies.

1. Jim Marrs has published a new book "The Terror Conspiracy", incorporating "Inside Job" along with a lot of new material. "Inside Job" is now out of print although some copies may still be in circulation. In any event, everything in "Inside Job" is in "The Terror Conspiracy", updated, expanded and in the context of a much wider ranging book.
   
   "The Terror Conspiracy" is available now for immediate shipping.



2. This is the same Jim Marrs that has been writing about the JFK conspiracy for 40 years. Well, looks like he found another topic to fatten his wallet. Don't waste your time with this boring nonsense.



3. Good overview that shows the complete and total impossibility of the US governments official story of what occured prior to and the day of the 9/11 attacks. This book is a little outdated and there are several more thorough and up to date books but this is worth reading. Personally I believe 9/11 was an "inside job" but whether you believe that or not only a complete and total moron believes the official story. But considering a good percentage of Americans actually think Saddam Hussien was in on 9/11 the controllers can more or less get away with anything given the average American has an IQ a few points below that of plant life.



4. As always, Jim Marrs does an exceptional job illuminating the dark side. His books are always such a pleasure to read and re-read; loaded with factual reporting, and replete with reason - to be recommended highly.
   I have yet to be disappointed with anything that comes from the pen (computer? typewriter?) of Jim Marrs.



5. For those of you who for one second actually believe this, please, please, please get out of the house. There is no secret on the dollar bill. Lee Harvey Oswald killed Kennedy. We did not blow up our own cities on 9/11. The Rockefellers are not in charge of the world.
   
   Get a life.

No comments about Tearing Apart the Land: Islam and Legitimacy in Southern Thailand.