No comments about Countering the Financing of Terrorism.

No comments about Trace Chemical Sensing of Explosives.

5 comments about The Culture of Terrorism.

1. Enlightening for those who suffer it; outrageous for those whoprofit from it. The culture of terrorism (overt and covert) is verymuch a global reality to deal with. A bad book for those whom the culture of terrorism has managed to brainwash into blind denial and self-censorship. An excellent book for us, 99% of the world oppressed by that culture.



2. Chomsky once again holds the mirror up to America and shows how blatantly hypocritical and disingenuous our foreign policy actually is. In this book his primary focus is on the Reagan administration and Central America, where corporate and military interests were promoted at the expense of the indiginous people and "true" democracy. Recent events (the 2000 Bush "coup", Webb's book on cocaine and the contras, the Columbia "aid" package, etc.) show how truly relevant this research is. Also, do not let the simpletons of the right and the mainstream (is there really a difference between the two anymore?) critique Chomsky without comment or evidence. His research, unlike theirs (on those rare occasions when they actually engage in true journalism) is meticulously documented and uses their own words and documents as source material. One last thing, if you don't get this book then get any book from Chomsky on American economic and foreign policy (I recommend his work on Israel and the Palestinians as a particularly contemporary selection).



3. It has become impossible to write a review of a Chomsky piece without focusing a large content of the review on Chomsky himself (witness ... slew of one-star versus five-star reviews of all his books, which often feature personal opinion rather than genuine, responsible argument). Being something of a free-thinker with an interest in politics and psychology, I've understandably been drawn toward the debate surrounding Chomsky and his stunning claims about the nature of Western (usually US) policy -- and have been very disappointed with the childish nature of that debate, as it has declined hopelessly toward name-calling and a ridiculous skewing of facts and quotes. How does a person know who to believe? (I should reiterate that it really has become a case of "who", not "what", as if the merit of an argument has anything to do with its author.)

   With that state of mind I decided that the best way to get a handle on these astonishing claims about Western policy would be to actually read a book by its most prominent critic. Deciding which book to read wasn't a problem, since, of the two bookstores and one library in my area, an obscure 1980's text called "The Culture of Terrorism" was the only of Chomsky's publications that I could find.

   The first two chapters, in introducing the main thesis -- that, unlike the US government's claim to "further the cause of democracy" worldwide, the US's policy is actually to maintain control of as much of the Third World as possible via manipulation of its governmental systems -- assume a familiarity with the Iran-Contra dealings and the US invasion of Nicaragua, and, since I was rather ignorant of these matters, at first the book only served to alienate me.

   But from Chapter 3 onward, the book is a focused exercise in intense -- and superior -- fact-finding, very effectively discrediting the popular, US media-supported claims that America was doing Nicaragua a favor by funding a guerrilla movement to destroy its government and replace it with a more America-friendly one. The book argues that the Sandinistas, far from being a perfect government, were certainly a step in the right (or, rather, left) direction for Central America -- making Nicaragua an intolerable ideological exception to the US's (unstated) insistence that the world remain effectively owned by businesses and the upper-class, at the terrible expense of poor people's rights and living conditions. Chomsky provides a thorough and shocking contrast of American media reports of the Central America situation (with even the "respected" media -- e.g. the New York Times, Washington Post, etc. -- acting as a virtual mouthpiece for US government propaganda) and the disinterested overseas media and human rights groups that reported much more objectively and responsibly on the same incidents.

   Half the book is about the reality of the US invasions of Nicaragua, while the other half is about how horrendously the submissive domestic media was able to butcher the facts. I found both parts of the book to be extremely well-researched and persuasive -- not to mention surprisingly hilarious in parts (nobody writes with more humor about state-sponsored terrorism than Noam Chomsky).

   Being born in America, and having grown to be very critical and cynical of it, I'm certainly susceptible to the idea -- as forwarded by most of Chomsky's critics -- that a major reason for his appeal is not because he is a great historian, but that he provides endless fodder for anti-American views. In other words, for people who call themselves "free thinkers" (as I did above), it becomes tempting to cling to the opinions of like-minded souls, regardless of the fact that their arguments may lack merit. I will allow that, to a certain extent, this phenomenon does apply to me. However, having finished "The Culture of Terrorism", I returned to the same old websites featuring the same slew of Chomsky-bashing, and tried to find coherent arguments to the effect that Chomsky's analysis of the US invasion of Nicaragua was anything but dead-on. I could find nothing. For this reason, I should stress that I wholeheartedly enjoyed "The Culture of Terrorism", I think its conclusions are extremely well-supported, and I have every reason to believe it is a landmark piece of nonfiction. As for other books by Noam Chomsky -- I haven't read them yet, so I'd feel ludicrous if I were to join all the cheering Chomskyheads in claiming that he can do no wrong. I apologize for writing a review that was probably too lengthy, but unfortunately I felt it necessary to emphasize that my complete, unreserved endorsement for this excellent book was actually a recommendation for the book's argument, not its author. This is a phenomenal study of US domestic and international policies regarding its dealings with Central America in the 1980's -- simple as that.




4. I am a true fan of Noam Chomsky. I have a collection of most the books written by Noam Chomsky. I like the writing style of Noam Chomsky and the way he presents his research, facts, and analysis regarding the subject. However; recently I read a book
   "Terrorism or Awakening" ISB number: ISBN: 969-8898-00-X
   One can check the introduction of the book from the website
   http://www.terrorismorawakening.com.pk
   
   The author of this book is so direct and to the point that it is a must have book even by Noam Chomsky.



5. While this might not be the best book to read if you've never before met this astounding intellect in print, it still serves to succinctly elucidate the most salient hallmarks of Chomsky's approach to world affairs and, more specifically, his country's foreign policy. These hallmarks include an incisive dissection of the subservience of intellectuals to state power, the flagrant hypocrisy of the US government, in this case the Reagan administration, as their public pronouncements project an image of inviolable nobility while their actions tell quite a different story, and the concentration of private power in a few hands which underpin, thus making possible, these disturbing aspects of American intellectual and political culture.
   The book began life as a "postscript" to a number of foreign editions of Chomsky's Turning the Tide, which dealt with many of the same points raised in this book, though The Culture of Terrorism deals with the Iran-Contra scandals at some length which the earlier text did not. Although the actual facts detailed in often exhausting rigorousness are well out of date, one is thoroughly exposed to the brazen dereliction of basic journalistic duty by those that Chomsky derisorily refers to throughout as representatives of the Free Press. They fall so effortlessly in line with state doctrine that the achievements, again noted by Chomsky, would make a totalitarian regime proud. That this happens in one of the freest countries in the world is nothing short of sickeningly scandalous. In case there are those that think Chomsky is a conspiracy nut or a devotee to the school of hyperbole he provides ample evidence which shows that even the so-called liberal press, namely the New York Times and the New Republic, are guilty of obscene apologetics for, and often advocates of, aggressive state terror.
   The Culture of Terrorism deals predominantly with the campaign of subversion and harsh repression conducted by the Contras in Nicaragua who were armed, trained, and constantly supplied throughout this terrible period by the US government. There were flights over the countryside on an almost daily basis and the examples of their weaponry cited in the book would put most armies in other third world countries to shame, let alone the guerrilla forces who were fighting in nearby El Salvador, a country Chomsky also sketches in much socio-political detail. In 1979 the Nicaraguans overthrew the brutal dictator Somoza, a member of a dynasty stretching back to the middle of the 1920s, whose reign ended with a "paroxysm of violence claiming the lives of 40-50000 people". This tiny Central American nation elected the leftist Sandinistas regime which immediately caused the big neighbour to the North considerable consternation. The Reagan Administration proceeded to destabilise this government by employing the Contras, many of them previously employed as members of Somoza's abysmally vicious National Guard, to raid innocent villages, destroy houses, steal livestock, and even kill Americans who had come to aid this miserably poor country that was improving dramatically under the Sandinista regime. These leaps ahead in terms of health care, education and reduction of poverty were documented by such aid agencies as Oxfam at the time who compared the situation in this country with that of Guatemala and El Salvador. The picture created in the US media was quite different, however, as that charnel house Guatemala, along with El Salvador where political violence, including rapes, mutilation, tortures, and `disappearances', were endemic, were described as "fledgling democracies". Conversely, Nicaragua under the Sandinistas was portrayed by the Free Press as a totalitarian state who was one of the tentacles of the Soviet Union. How interesting that by ordering an economic embargo of Nicaragua, and forcing allies to do the same, the Sandinistas are forced to turn to Russia for help which provides a retrospectively convenient basis for the Reagan Administration to scream from the roof tops that the Evil Empire is upon them. Also very intriguing, illuminated by copious quotations from leading journals and newspapers, that a country such as Guatemala, where it is estimated that around 150000 people may have been killed during the Reagan era, and El Salvador, the site of 50000 politically motivated murders during the same period, raise no impassioned denunciations of their odious socio-political conditions, or even an acknowledgement of these figures cited by human rights organizations and specialists of the region. Ignorance is indeed strength, as Chomsky notes in a very apposite evocation of Orwell, whom he often refers to throughout the book as the noted linguist creates for the reader a truly terrifying Orwellian world, all the more horrifying because it actually exists and is not only an acutely perspicacious exercise in allegory, where "democracy" implies regimes friendly to US business interests and "moderates" are people such as El Salvadoran president José Duarte who just happens to preside over a regime that assassinates Archbishops, union leaders, students, journalists of opposition newspapers, and just about anyone who dares to question the economically polarising policies of this staunch proponent of the US "development model", another term Orwell would be proud of as the development in question applies to rich folk while the poor become demonstrably poorer, as is still much the case today in our world of ever "freer" markets.
   The picture, as usual with Chomsky, is bleak, though when you have this much factual knowledge at your command, and have none of the necessary illusions required of the mendacious elites, then it is a tall task to be sanguine about world affairs, particularly those directed by the biggest terrorist state. The problem with reading a book published almost two decades ago about events that were then much publicized, is that much of the currency is unavoidably lost. At the very least the book provides an abundantly extensive historical overview of a time not all that different from our own, the primary deviation being the names of the victims and perpetrators, and at its most elevated altitudes of significant scholarship The Culture of Terrorism cogently demystifies the key characteristics, established by the voluminous historical and documentary record, of the most influential institutions in US society. This has always been Chomsky's greatest gift and this book amply, though not definitively, showcases his remarkable ability to not only render events in breathtakingly astounding detail, but always ensures that they are related to a wider context of previous incidents and current practices.
   This is not a book for those individuals who still foster illusions that the United States is the most benevolent super power the world has ever known. For those willing to look beyond the purposely constrained bounds of the mainstream media, as well as the limits of their own often self-willed ignorance, the book provides ample insights into past practices and their very grave implications for future conduct by the globe's sole remaining hegemonic force. Chomsky may be less a voice in the wilderness than he was when the book was published, but still not enough people are hearing his extremely vital message.

5 comments about The Coming Balkan Caliphate: The Threat of Radical Islam to Europe and the West.

1. Well documented and researched, Deliso significantly adds to the literature on Balkan radical Islam. Having seen first hand these so-called "mujahadeen" and radicals while stationed in Bosnia in 1996, he highlights issues that current Western Administrations wish to forget or simply ignore - the "blowback" of having supported sides with questionable backing. An outstanding and thought provoking book that needs to be analyzed and embraced by Western security and intelligence communities. Well done indeed.



2. With this outstanding book, Mr. Chris Deliso has given us a look into the little reported Balkans region.
   He shows us how after the defeat of the Soviets in Afghanistan, the West allowed, encouraged even, the radical Muslim fighters to go to the Balkans to carry out their fight for a radical version of Islam.We find a connection between the Balkans and Mr. bin Laden that is truly amazing. We are shown the influence of radical Islam in this region of Europe. The place where the tragic incident that touched off World War One took place. This powder keg is getting set for a new explosion thanks to the radicalization of a portion of the population of the region.
   We see the influx of foreign "investors" and monies along with radical teachings and weapons.
   This is not a very pretty sight to see. Some might even call it frightening, but either way, it is information that we need to have. We need to be aware of the happenings in this part of the world as it is the very entry to Europe and a likely place for future conflict. Considering how Kosovo is seeking to declare total independence from Serbia, this book helps explain what and why things are happening as they are today.
   I found it to be a truly informative, easy to read about an area of the world that is grossly under reported in America.



3. The Balkans is one of the most very important places today in the world and yet is completely over-looked. Like Afghanistan in the 1990s the world is sitting on a volcano as Islamism grows and spreads in Bosnia and Albania and elsewhere such as in Sanjack in Serbia. A fascinating study is examines the way in which the Balkan terrorist groups may spread out and pose a new threat to world civilization.
   
   Seth J. Frantzman



4. This is the best, concise yet thorough primer on the topic of militant Islam in the Balkans by a leading analyst who has been living in the region and analysing it for the last decade or so.
   
   Islam is not merely a religion. It is also - and perhaps, foremost - a state ideology. It is all-pervasive and missionary. It permeates every aspect of social cooperation and culture. It is an organizing principle, a narrative, a philosophy, a value system, and a vade mecum. In this it resembles Confucianism and, to some extent, Hinduism.
   
   Judaism and its offspring, Christianity - though heavily involved in political affairs throughout the ages - have kept their dignified distance from such carnal matters. These are religions of "heaven" as opposed to Islam, a practical, pragmatic, hands-on, ubiquitous, "earthly" creed.
   
   Secular religions - Democratic Liberalism, Communism, Fascism, Nazism, Socialism and other isms - are more akin to Islam than to, let's say, Buddhism. They are universal, prescriptive, and total. They provide recipes, rules, and norms regarding every aspect of existence - individual, social, cultural, moral, economic, political, military, and philosophical.
   
   At the end of the Cold War, Democratic Liberalism stood triumphant over the fresh graves of its ideological opponents. They have all been eradicated. This precipitated Fukuyama's premature diagnosis (the End of History). But one state ideology, one bitter rival, one implacable opponent, one contestant for world domination, one antithesis remained - Islam.
   
   Militant Islam is, therefore, not a cancerous mutation of "true" Islam. On the contrary, it is the purest expression of its nature as an imperialistic religion which demands unmitigated obedience from its followers and regards all infidels as both inferior and avowed enemies.
   
   The same can be said about Democratic Liberalism. Like Islam, it does not hesitate to exercise force, is missionary, colonizing, and regards itself as a monopolist of the "truth" and of "universal values". Its antagonists are invariably portrayed as depraved, primitive, and below par.
   
   Such mutually exclusive claims were bound to lead to an all-out conflict sooner or later. The "War on Terrorism" is only the latest round in a millennium-old war between Islam and other "world systems". Sam Vaknin, author of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited".



5. I have read Chris' book from a cop's eye view and in so doing examined it searching for inconsistent "testimony" as is evident in the usual contemporary journalistic rubbish. There is none. I spent several years in Bosnia and Croatia as a police observer. I also have spent time in Serbia including Kosovo and Montenegro as a tourist so I have the advantage of being able to compare on the ground gained experience with Chris' written facts who by the way has chronicled his by the same method of up close and personal interaction.
   
   THE COMING BALKAN CALIPHATE is a professional investigator's prime reference tool for getting up to speed on what's happening in the Balkans in regard to the scams being run there and is the Who's Who for who is operating them. On my return to my home city, New York, I felt relieved to be safe in the good old U.S.A. That is until I was driving to work on September 11, 2001 in Manhattan. Chris will tell you in detail just who was responsible for that atrocity. I am tired of 9/11 being referred to as a tragedy. It was an atrocity and a war crime. For those of you who are politically correct neurotics-take a hike.
   
   After you read Chris' book you will see that "it" is not the oil as is the usual war protestor's cry but the junk, skag, white powder or what ever you want to call it. The politicians are making deals with whomever will accommodate their mad dash for wealth and more and more power. The oil piplines and military bases are going up while the pushers are being given a pass to move their white death through Europe and into the veins of our American youth. So while many of our youth are fighting for their lives in the Middle East the rest of them are dying on our streets.
   
   If you want to really know what's going on behind the scenes read this book. Then put in on your shelf and see what happens next.

1 comments about Terrorism Handbook for Operational Responders, 2e.

1. This book is loaded with factual information that would be of value to any first responder, or anyone who just has an interest in learning more about potential hazards to local and national security. As a member of a local Medical Reserve Corps, I found this quite informative, and in some instances, detailed beyond my understanding. I did, however, think the author brought together a lot of valuable information in a solid one-stop resource.

No comments about Intervenciones.

5 comments about Blood From Stones: The Secret Financial Network of Terror.

1. This is a fantastic book for everyone interested in Africa, the diamond trade, or the money trail fueling global terrorist activity. The author takes the reader through the many webs of terrorist financing, including key personalities involved in the trade of diamonds and other precious stones. In addition, the author covers several civil wars in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Congo, which provides a great background to those conflicts. The author traveled extensively throughout Africa and the Middle East to follow the money trail. Farah is an excellent writer who writes in a clear and concise manner. This is an impossible book to put down. Academics and as well as lay people will find this book valuable. In fact, the American people should rush out and buy this book.



2. I suppose Mr. Farah is the type of journalist who loves to be loved. In reading twice through Blood From Stones, I felt as if Mr. Farah was pistol whipping me into believing his reporting. The reader has to first believe that all of Mr. Farah's sources and methods are right, air tight, and without question telling the truth. Yet at the same time, the reader has to leave Mr. Farah the luxury of betraying his sources and running to the nearest US Embassy any time he, the journalist, was under threat from the nasty warlord turned president Charles Taylor. Ok, Al Qaida members bought some diamonds and Taylor allowed them to do so. Great, bad thing, I agree.
   
   Several times through the first part of the book, Mr. Farah said this or that guy was his dream source. And if only those bunch of idiots back in Washington: CIA, DIA, State, etc, would listen, they would know that Al Qaida was operating in West Africa. While at the same time, Farah the patriotic journalist, turns over his sources to these same bumbling officials so that the sources can be polygraphed, debriefed, and prodded into turning coat and reporting for the good ole US of A.
   
   There is a lot of truth in Mr. Farah's analysis and work, but I wondered why Farah is so patriotic? His reporting in the Washington Post probably led to some of his sources being strung up in some lonely part of Liberia and Sierra Leone; killed for being outted in one of Farah's editorials or articles. In the book, Mr. Farah runs to the US Embassy in Abidjan and clutches to Embassy security officers as he and his family leave Abidjan under a threat from warlord Taylor. I said to myself, ok, you're a journalist who happens to be a US citizen, why not stick it out with your sources, send your family home, and deal with it. Instead Farah runs to his editors at the Post, with eureka, I have it, from my dusty part of West Africa, Al Qaida.
   
   At the end of the book, I just didn't know what to make of Mr. Farah's story: good information, nice second part on how terrorist networks work, and some good insider stuff on Liberia. But, comme meme, enough of Farah saying that these or those guys got it wrong, and I know better than you. Mr. Farah in the end is a journalist, who publishs stories about bad people, and hopefully someone does something about it. Not a patriotic dupe for the guys back in Washington who are dropping the ball.
   
   Well, with Charles Taylor still back in Nigeria and threatenting to eventually come back to join in Liberia's new democracy and avoid war crimes. I only hope Mr. Farah can use the good analysis and work in this book, and there certainly are good parts in this well written book, to bring pressure in Washington for Taylor to be brought to justice. Not out of patriotism, but out of sheer revolt for what this killer has done. You know, the book was about Al Qaida and using diamonds to finance its operations. If that what US senators and congressmembers need as an excuse to get Taylor, then so be it. Farah makes a good argument for blood diamonds, but what the heck do you think the bumblers in Washington could do about it anyways?



3. Want to try and understand why the Patriot Act and actions (all belatedly) by the Homestead Security powers will not work in the face of groups that are non-country specific and not driven by personal financial gain (plus can finance their actions on a shoestring based on the examples of 9/11 in New York; Madrid Metro and most recently London on 7/7)? Then this book while written mainly around pre and post 9/11 actions will be an eyeopener being a rare case of a book on investigative journalism delivering more than a scare story and with a real message to consider and debate afterwards.
   
   It is a book of two parts the first being the author's specific bad experience in Western Africa especially in Sierra Leone and Liberia pre and immediately post 9/11. This focusses on showing how use of high value non-monetary goods (diamonds in this case) allowed the use of non-banking arrangements like hawala and charities, to avoid standard intelligence approaches in blocking funds and in the process generate non-traceable routes.
   
   The second part is even more depressing showing how the use since 9/11 of high volume/low financial value per item scams such as baby formula foods and cigarettes avoid detection under old methods of policing since they are too low to attract high level interest, but can ultimately generate millions.
   
   Alongside this the stories told in passing of Russian and Israeli arms dealers cross border activities and endless in fighting between US government agencies over control not result, and the clear message is that the issues are still not fully understood or more critically the manner to detect and tackle yet been mastered and achieved.



4. Douglas Farah was not the first person to write about the conflict diamond trade but he was the first one to make the US government pay attention. His discovery that Al Qaeda was funneling their dollars for conflict diamonds so that the bush (not the president) wars could continue. This is truly one of the most horrifying operations occurring in the US where what can only be described as evil is profiting on all sides. It is an easy to read book with an important message. For those who want to learn more about the conflict diamond trade and the problems it causes this is a great book to start with.



5. I read through most of this book in the bookstore and found it quite disturbing. I'm not qualified to rate the accuracy of the authors claims, however, it wouldn't surprise me if they turn out to be 100% true. Sierra Leone and Liberia have suffered horrific civil wars. I have read other accounts of children being forced to join the army and turned into killing machines. I've also see photos of African children who've had their arms hacked off at the elbows by rebels.
   
   Since almost nothing is made in America anymore I sometimes wonder how much exploitation goes into various sundry items. There's really not much that one person can do about the world's injustices, however, since a diamond is a major purchase it warrants a little investigation. My understanding is that synthetic diamonds are virtually the same quality and cost a fraction of natural ones.
   
   Apparently there is also a lot of blood and destruction involved in gold mining as well, especially in Brazil right now.

5 comments about Enemy Combatant: My Imprisonment at Guantanamo, Bagram, and Kandahar.

1. Moazzam Begg has written a memoir about an experience during three years as a "detainee" that reminds one of Franz Kafka's fiction, but he claims that these things really happened and he writes with such clarity, conviction, and telling detail that I, for one, am convinced. Whether or not he was "guilty" is a mute point because although he was accused of many things - some quite fantastic and improbable - and even "confessed" under duress, he was never charged or tried for any crime. After three years of harsh treatment and over three hundred interrogation sessions, he was merely told he was free to go with no apology, thanks or recompense.
   Although I consider myself well educated, I know little about the language, culture, history, and religion of Muslims; I have few acquaintances and no friends from that world. In this respect, I believe I am typical of most other native born senior citizen of the United States. I am indebted to Begg for lifting this veil of ignorance for me; he is an excellent ambassador. Interspersed in this narrative about what Hannah Arendt called the "banality of evil" are asides and incidents revealing information and insights valuable to my understanding. If he is an example of Islam in practice, I want to know more about it. In the midst of his ordeal he was able to reach out to many of his guards and interrogators and establish a human bond. I was reminded of Pogo's memorable statement: "we have met the enemy and he is us." If you are old enough to remember that line, you may also remember the bad old days of McCarthyism and anti-communist hysteria and have a sense of déjà vu. You might do well to pay close attention to this book as a primmer on how to survive the kind of ordeal that Begg suffered through. In the current political environment of anti-terrorist hysteria, if you give aid, comfort, or support to Begg or people like him you could well be labeled "Enemy Combatent" and suffer the same fate or worse.



2. I am only half way through this book, but I can't resit writing a preliminary review after seeing the other reviews offered here.
   
   This book is not well written. It is endlessly repetitive and the timeline of events is often vague or ambiguous. You have to wade through dozens of reconstructions of Begg's conversations with guards, most of which attempt to show how easy it was to be one up on the American servicemen that he regarded as his social inferiors. He comes across as a self promoting prig and a pansy. This seems to be the pattern for the leading jihadis, they come from relatively privileged backgrounds. They are disaffected young men from comfortable backgrounds using terrorism as a way to work out their own internal conflicts. In Begg's case he has clearly been influenced greatly by the feeling that he was never fully accepted in the UK.
   
   I was a POW in Hanoi for six years. I can understand Begg's emotional response to his imprisonment. He has gone through the same emotional roller coaster that afflicts all prisoners, but that experience is universal and not the fault of the US or anyone else.
   
   I do believe that the Administration erred seriously in not giving all these detainees POW status. One result of doing so would be that there would be no discussion of habeus corpus or detention without trial or guilt. POWs are guilty of nothing but are detained until exchanged by agreement with the enemy or the conclusion of hostilities. They have no right to expect anything else. Almost all of the mistreatment that has befallen the detainees has been generated by confusion at all levels as to what the standards of treatment should have been. The confusion came from the top and worked down through all levels. The bad decisions were urged upon the Administration by a bunch of attorneys who, to be blunt, had no idea what they were talking about. They were way out of their league. Their prime motivation was merely to provide legal rationale for what the Administration was determined to do anyway. Advice from senior experienced military leaders was disregarded by civilian leaders. This is especially galling as many of those civilians evaded service during Vietnam while the senior military leaders all earned their hard won experience in Vietnam.
   
   The US fell into the same trap the Vietnamese did by denying a hated enemy the protection of the Geneva conventions. But there are important differences. Those detained by the US got enough to eat. To bad that Begg didn't care for the food- he got enough to eat. Reports are that most Gitmo detainees have put on a lot of weight. We who were POWs in Vietnam did not have that problem. The diet was semi starvation until the last months of the war. No, it wasn't because the guards didn't have anything better. They were well fed.
   
   Begg wrote and received mail. I didn't write or receive mail for almost four years, and then it was only a small six line form several times a year. The Vietnamese did not list me and most others as captured until late in the war. Like most, I was "missing presumed captured" and my family had no idea if I was alive or dead.
   
   Begg had paper to write with and books to read. We had none of that until the last month of the war. Six years with no way to make any use of your time except what was inside your head.
   
   Begg did not get as much opportunity to exercise as he wanted. Compare that to never.
   
   Begg was closely monitored and got adequate medical attention. We had none of that. Those injured prior to or during capture were lucky to live. If they lived they were to suffer for years with bones that knit together at crazy angles because they were never set. Wounds often drained and festered for years because the dressings were never changed and antibiotics were never used consistantly. Many died of their wounds. Ask John McCain. He was left to die until the Vietnamese realized he was the son of an Admiral and might be of some use. Even so the treatment given was so clumsy that he still has a gimp arm and other less visible injuries. About 137 Americans that we are pretty sure were captured never returned and no explanation has ever come from Vietnam. They either died of wounds not treated or were tortured to death or were executed. That's a pretty substantial number when you realize that the there were less than 600 American POWs. True, some detainees have died in our custody, and there may be culpability in those cases, but we are talking about a hand full out of thousands of detainees, most of whom were released and never sent to Gitmo.
   
   I haven't come across anything yet in Begg's book that sounds like torture. Torture was universal for us and there wasn't any doubt that it was torture. What happened met every conceivable definition, even the cockeyed one used by the Administration. Some died during torture. I almost did. I am alive only by a lucky accident I don't choose to explain here.
   
   Begg's places of detention were regularly visited by the ICRC. That never happened in Vietnam.
   
   I could go on, but when Begg finds so much time to complain about the fact that some of the guards were unfriendly or even insulting, he doesn't have much to complain about. Imprisonment is not pleasant and military discipline isn't either. Begg did not seem to have any background to prepare him for either- lucky him. Bottom line to me is that his experience was a cake walk except for the fact that he was detained.
   
   Of course, the real issue is whether he should have been detained at all. The answer to that is maybe yes, maybe no. He is certainly not going to admit in his book that he was working with Al Quaida. And guess what- he was released long before the war ended. Maybe he was totally blameless, maybe he was just no longer a threat. His release may have been conditioned on a pledge of good behavior and no further participation in efforts against the US. If he had had POW status, that would be called parole, which has a long history in international law. If a POW and not paroled, he would still be detained and would have no access to any court. Keep in mind that the status of "enemy combatant" is someone who has less protection from the Geneva Conventions than a POW. The reason for that is that the detainee has been captured in the field engaging hostilities without being a part of any recognized armed force. Then consider that a POW will be detained until the end of hostilities without accusation or trial of any kind. If "enemy combatants" have less protection than POWs, how is it that they should have access to our legal system? The Administration's use of the "enemy combatant" status has been an error that helps no one. It has caused a lot of confusion even among legal scholars who should know better. Had they been kept as POWs, they could be kept until the end of hostilities with out trial, accusation or access to any court. If the US had any reason to believe any of them were guilty of crimes against the laws of war, they could still be tried for those acts. POW status does not protect anyone from criminal prosecution.
   
   I'm not happy with the way we've handled our captives in this conflict, but I challenge anyone to name any enemy we have ever faced who has done as well as the imperfect performance we have delivered this time.



3. leaving aside his guilt or innocence and the question of whether his treatment was fair or inhuman......what you won't find here is a political rant, mystical "epiphanies",philosophical speculation or reflections on Islam (except for talk among prisoners as to whether their religion permits attacks such as that of 9/11).instead we are given a calm, clear-eyed, step-by-step account of his time spent in custody. there are descriptions of the various guards, interrogators, and their rules and, finally, when he is released from solitary confinement, his fellow "detainees". he relishes reading so it is surprising that his poetry is the worst doggerel i've ever read. however the prose is clear and precise and he even includes the times when he lost his composure.



4. The author, either a pious bookseller and humanitarian or a supporter of al-Qaida, depending on who you ask, was abducted from his house in Islamabad and spent three years in the titular prisons. Begg is, by other accounts, a reasonable and charming man, and was a model prisoner who got along with several of his guards. His personality shows through in his prose, which is readable, clear, and impassioned without veering into needless vitriol (though he does not bother to hide his disdain for American culture and political ignorance). There are two ways to read the book: the unrepentant apologia of a liar who got caught funding terrorism, or the clarion call of an innocent man nearly destroyed by an unjust and unthinking system. Personally, I think there's a bit of truth to both. Begg leaves out an earlier arrest in his memoir, and even at times condemns himself from his own mouth. It isn't just a post 9/11 America that suspected him; he was investigated by MI5 as early as 1998. He also defends the Taliban, claims that he was allowed to build a girls' school under them, hints that 9/11 was known ahead of time by US authorities who let it happen, and thinks that Afghanistan was attacked because it was a "purist Islamic state" (which is ludicrous). But at the same time, the outrage of this book is that even if Begg was as bad as Bush and company said, he should have gotten a trial. The charges against him should have been made public and plain. He and all the others should have been treated with a modicum of humanity (which is not the same as respect or complacency). And certainly, US and British intelligence should have conducted interrogations with intelligence and coordination, not the repetitive, unhelpful sessions by any number of alphabet agencies vying with each other instead of sharing information. At the very least, Begg's memoir shows that the aftermath of the War on Terror is as badly handled in the prisons as it is in the White House.



5. Very interesting with alot of good info, however, Moazzam comes off a little self-righteous and arrogant. Ok he MAY have been wrongfully imprisoned, but his persistent pushing of his horrible poetry really puts me off.

5 comments about Vixen 03 (Dirk Pitt).

1. Biological weapons are buried in a lake and the race is on to see who will get them first. More diving by Pitt and the NUMA team as they uncover mystery in the deep.



2. A great story, Clive cussler is a master of adventure stories, he has a cool way for mixing history with adventure and I find that I can realy belive that I could be there.



3. First off, I am an avid reader. I have read six Cussler Pitt novels. I like this one the least. First, there is an absence of Al, Pitt's sidekick. Second, the Admiral plays a more significant part. Third, it forgets to finish the side story. I thought this book was just Okay.



4. This was a commute read for me, and for that purpose it was fine. It wasn't a book I was excited to pick back up, though. I'm not saying it was bad, or anything like that. It was fine. There are better Dirk Pitt stories, though. The story just wasn't one which grabbed my attention.



5. I enjoy everything Mr. Cussler writes. This book like the rest is a treasure to enjoy.

5 comments about The Collapse.

1. This was almost painful to read because of the spelling and grammar errors. I made it all the way through (that would be "threw" in this book) the story but it was a struggle at times. There is a story in there somewhere; too bad the book was not edited before it was published.



2. This novel has a very good story line. Character development is good and the plot moves along quite rapidly. The author does a good job on spending a little time for you to get a feel for the character and what they'd be like and what they're reaction would be to certain things, but without going into too much detail.
   
   Is also doesn't try and avoid the sometimes touchy subject of racial conflict that would undoubtedly happen if things in the US got this bad and it's seems pretty true to life, but at the same time it avoids being like the Turner Diaries or Hunter where the whole book is about race. In a any major crisis people are going to look to their own and they'll usually see outsiders that aren't the same race as they are as a potential threat, that's just the way it works in the real world. I liked the book Patriots, but I didn't see it's entire cast of bad guys (which were all bikers or N.W.O. soldiers) as being very true to life. How many bikers did you see ripping things up during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and during the L.A. Riots? I didn't see any either. Anyway it's realistic and the situation that the characters get into seem true to life if something like this happened.
   
   The story starts out with tension building between the US on one side and China and North Korea on another. Tension breaks out into all out war when North Korean Terrorists are sent to create chaos with nerve gas and sabotage. The whole country goes nuts and busts at the seams and it's up to every man and woman for themselves to survive as best they can. There's a whole cast of characters including people that are prepared for disasters and civil disorder (Survivalists), people that aren't prepared at all (Sheeple), North Korean Terrorists, Black Steet Gang Members, Outlaw Bikers, the Military and National Guard, FEMA Administrators misusing their power and former Cops and SWAT Team Members all looking out for themselves and choosing sides as their circumstances and position in life dictate.
   
   In fact this book would be THE best SHTF novel out there except one thing: the spelling.
   
   The author is really good at using imagery to describe events and character development, but the spelling is absolutely horrible or perhaps the person who transcribed it really sucks at his or her job. The proofreader didn't earn their money on this one either, if there even was one. It really detracts from a top notch story line and I didn't realize that it would bother me that much, but it did just because it was an issue every other page and it happens over and over again.
   
   At some point maybe there will be a "Revised Edition" as it really is a good story, but it needs to be fixed. Hopefully the author will see these reviews and will realize that he has a real gem of a story, but that THE SPELLING IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. The story line is good enough that I'd actually buy another copy if he did something about the spelling.
   
   If you like Dystopia, Survival and SHTF novels like Patriots, Lucifers Hammer, Molon Labe, Turner Diaries, Hunter, Unintended Consequences, Black Arrow, Enemies Foriegn and Domestic and Domestic Enemies: The Reconquista then you'll like this one as well and it's worth suffering through the spelling for just for the story line.



3. What a terrible waste of time & money. Extremely primitive writing. How any publisher could let this go out is beyond me. In terms of movies it have to be below a "B" movie. Do they give grades of F? The dialog, the predictable seqeunce of events, the fact that none of the "good guys" get much more than a scratch, The UN factor, the length of the book which is so boring, well it just stinks. I can't properly describe how painful the dialog is to go through.
   
   On the only upside there are some good list of equipment that would constitute survival kits for home or auto.



4. I really enjoyed this story. I found it to be well thought out and the characters well developed. It is action packed and yet not over the top. I found the premise quite realistic and engaging. I only rate it a 4 star because of the terrible editing. The grammar and spelling was quite annoying, and at times it distracted from what otherwise was a great story. None the less, I can safely recommend this first novel by Jeff Stansfield with the caveat for the poor editing. I believe this is one of those self published internet books which accounts for the lack of professional editing. I believe that this work will get Stansfield noticed by a publisher, and with some professional assistance I look forward to a Stansfield sequel.



5. What made this book gripping was the ever-present "What would I do..." question for the reader; as the different scenarios unfold. In truth, almost nobody can be as fully prepared as the end of society would require. You may have ammo, but no food, or food but no gas. Medical care is a tough one!
   I also felt the timeline was about right- near total breakdown of society in only a few days. A very thought provoking book...
   
   I found very few misspelled words! Instead it looks like a spelling checker was used and every single time a correctly spelled synonym was inserted. It didn't detract much from this fascinating and sobering book.