No comments about What They Think of Us: International Perceptions of the United States since 9/11.

4 comments about A Faceless Enemy: The Origins of Modern Terrorism.

1. This book was written in 1998, with a new preface written after September 11. The author's urgency about the threat of "superterrorism" on American soil was based on his extensive worldwide experience with a variety of international organizations. His comments on everything from profiling of airline passengers to the dangers of attacks of anthrax and weapons of mass destruction now seem eerily prophetic. At the same time, it is amazing in retrospect that al-Qaeda is not mentioned once in the entire volume, nor is Osama bin Laden -- a clear indication of how little attention we were paying to some very ominous developments in the 1990s. In this regard, the author's government experience and perspective is very instructive, and less reassuring. His sense of confidence about our intelligence and law enforcement capabilities seems based largely on how much money we spend and how many international forums we participate in, rather than on the difficult and dirty business of in-country military and intelligence action. Frequent references to the author's own extensive and fascinating experiences, particulary in the former Soviet Union, make an otherwise 'academic' study very readable. This important book -- perhaps inadvertantly -- is an excellent guide to both the strengths and the weaknesses of official governmental and international efforts to track and prosecute terrorism.



2. While the book is prophehtic and contains some little known facts much of the informtion in this book is common knowledge to the well informed. It often seemed to me to be a recitation of facts collected elsewhere and while the authors warnings and recommendations are extraordinary considering when the book was written. It comes off flat and uninteresting.

   For those less informed on the subject it's highly recommened for those looking for even deeper information I don't recommend it.

   Additionally the book does little to actually discuss the origins of terrorism as the title indicates. It is more about the possabilities today and the cross breeding of narco-crime and terrorism.




3. A Faceless Enemy first appeared in 1998, predicting high-impact terrorist attacks on America in the near future and even pinpointing the potentials of anthrax as a mail device. In the wake of September 11th its message is even more frightening as author Glenn E. Schweitzer's considers other possible scenarios of modern terrorism and the potential big-money interests which could finance them overseas. A new prologue for this edition of A Faceless Enemy adds impact and power to an increasingly relevant warning of the dangers to come.



4. No one can deny that Mr. Schweitzer has shed light on some topics which ceartanly deserve close attention. Whether it is
   the poisoing of water and food supplies or the stealing of Uranium from the former Soviet Unions weakly protected facilities.Terrorism today means killing on a large scale.

   However, the topic of Terrorsim has existed since Mankind and is not alien to any country, especially the United States.
   Mr. Schweitzer, working in the service of the USA, has as the most proposed Ideas which lay in the interest of the American people and promote Goverment based projects, and is therefore lacking in critizicsm of the USA,altough admitting that any country which uses Weapons of Mass destruction must not be hesitated to be labeled as a Terrorist state. This labeling can then ofcourse not exclude the USA, the only Nation ever to use Atomic weapons against another, to win a war whose victory was already in their hands.

   Ofcourse there is Fanatic terror, ideological terror, and simply material benefit terror. However, two categories must not be excluded and these are Democratic and Mediae Terror.
   The United States is expert in both. Having no regretts in pursuing their Goals they support Regimes, who later turn into cruel and backward dictatorships,with Financial and Material support, only to later replace them, under the false banner of Democracy, with a so called Democratic Leadership. The best example is ofcourse Iraq, which is now part of the "axis of Evil", and under target by the United States. Who can forget the picture of a smiling Rumsfeld shaking hands with Saddam Hussein? The support of Saddam by the United States with Poison gas, radar images, and money is to easily forgotten. With support of the United States Saddam Hussein managed to stage a successfull coup in 1979 and in turn started the war with neighbour Iran, which was developing in a dangerous opponent, not to be underestimated. This Terrible War cost a million people their Lives and yet today America can proudly proclaim that it is their duty to promoted freedom and justice.
   It is astonishing yet the same paradox policy existed in Afghanistan. The United States showed showed no regretts in supporing Osama Bin Laden, then a nobody, and his Mujahedden
   with three Billion Dollars, to help drive out the Soviet Union Soldiers. Similar with the Taliban, perhaps the most Mediae targeted regime ever, who have been labeled as the "embodiment of the backwardness of Islam". It only takes a little knowledge and common sense to realize that rather then Islam, the real reason behind their existence was controll and power.
   Having been trained in so called "Kuranic Schools" and supported by the Pakistani secret service, under the rule of Nuaz Shareef,( who can rightly claim that the Pakistani secret service did not work closely with the CIA?)they soon went to controll Most of Afghanistan.However, the most surprising support came from the United States which alone in years 2000 to 2001 paid 200 Million dollar to them. The simple question arises, why? The answer is just as simple. Iran was supportive of the Hazrat Shiia Minority in Afghanistan, whose center was in Mazar Shareef. Fearing that they would created a Shia State, which in turn would controll Afghanistans resourses. It is not surprising then when we conisder the Massacer in 1996, by which more then 6000 Shiias were killed in the most barbaric way by the Taliban? Or is it surprising to know that because of the brutal killing of Iranian Diplomats Iran was was on the verge of War? The most brutal and intoxicating way to controll a people( or to promote the "good and evil" cause of a so called super power) is through religion or unquestionabel ideologies like communism. The Taliban testiy to that fact.

   In this world is saddly the strong who rule, and democracy is something that is forced on with a gun. To give a fair and logical Picture of Modern Terrorism, the obsever has to analyze the motives and ambition of the Ruling Elite. It is through this that we gain a clear and unbiased picture of what polictics
   is really about, and that even the current Islamo-phobia trend is nothing buy a way for a ceartain fraction of society to convince and gain voices. As Ralph Waldo Emmerson said: Fear is the greatest Motivator.Any other discussion is pure side talk and is just resbosible for creating public panic. We cant avoid Terror, but we should examine its roots rather then its possibilty.

2 comments about Biowarfare and Terrorism.

1. The Bush administration has broken international and domestic laws related to the development of chemical and biological warfare. The facts are presented succinctly in this book by one of the authors of the very international agreements that are being violated. The book also sheds light on the anthrax attacks against two of the leading Senators who might have impeded passage of the Patriot Act in the confusing aftermath of the 911 attacks.



2. Prof. Francis A. Boyle sets out the facts in no uncertain terms. The ames strain of anthrax which was used on the biological attacks on the US Congress originated from the US military Fort Detrick laboratory. The anthrax attacks can't even be labelled a false flag attack because they were so blatantly an inside job.
   This book will leave you with more questions than answers and an uneasy feeling int he pit of your stomach.

4 comments about Nunca Mas: The Report of the Argentine National Commission on the Disappeared.

1. Nunca Mas, (Spanish for "Never Again") Is the official report of the Argentine National Commission on the Disappearance of persons (CONADEP).

   During the late 70's and early 80's, between 15,000 and 30,000 people were kidnapped, tortured and murdered in the name of "National Security" under the worst military dictatorship in Argentina's history. These people were 99% innocent civilians considered dissidents by the military, paramilitary, and the police.

   How can such thing happen? Think of it as a kind of a go-amok witch-hunt. Something akin to the US McCartheism during the 50's, except the coutry is not a democracy, rule of law is virtually non-existent and instead of losing your job for thinking in a certain way, you (and in many cases all your family) lose your life.

   In 1983, after democracy was restored in the coutry (following Argentina's rout in the Falklands War) the newly elected democratic government led by Raul Alfonsin appointed a national commission to investigate the mass disappearances.

   This book, the published work of that commission, is the authoritative source on the tragic events. It is based on the 50,000 pages of original testimonies of families and survivors given before the commission.

   It includes a Prologue by the chair of the commission, Ernesto Sabato and a terrifying yet revealing introduction by Ronald Dworkin.

   As proven over and over throughout history, such unbelievable things can happen anywhere and those who do not learn from history are bound to repeat it. Those who care should do themselves a favor and read this book so tragedies such as this one, the blackest period in Argentina's history, would never happen again.




2. For those looking for a detailed description of the atrocities committed by the argentine military the book is highly recomendable.
   
   For anyone interested in the full argentine history and in fact-checking, it is advisable to investigate the political turmoil and terrorist activity from 1970 on, otherwise It just may seem like the military just woke up one day and decided that they were going to overthrow the government and butcher a few thousands out of a whim. (Hint: check "Montoneros", "ERP", "Carceles del Pueblo", "Tucumán", "Triple A")
   
   Contrary to the "kind of a go-amok witch-hunt" commentary. The situation was NOT akin to the US McCartheism during the 50's, since McCarthy's victims did not kidnap, murder and torture civilians, neither did they organize attacks to military complexes, bombings, assasinations of military and policemen and execution of union leaders, nor was there a full-blown guerrilla army active in any US state.
   
   Also be advised that the figure of 30.000 "killed" is disputed, although this is a fact not widely known, (hint: books that challenge the official version haven't been translated into English). In any case, is not a fact. Check the various related human rights and NGO sites for your own conclusions as to the likely figures (hints: don't stop on the front pages: check the lists - don't stop on the word "dissapeared": check how many were not released later).
   
   In the early editions of the book (circa 1985) an attachment was provided listing the "dissapeared". Said listing had repetitions by listing names like "Perez" and "Peres" as different, but had the same ID number. Also not few of the missing people started to appear later, even as minister of the current government or as members of the current supreme court (hint: "Argibay"). The list is no longer provided with the book (at least, not the version in Spanish).
   
   Also to bear in mind is that the argentine congress mandate to the CONADEP was to compile testimonies on violations to the human rights, not to judge or rule, so any conclusions made by the comission is not authoritative.
   
   In conclusion: Worth reading for the good description of the barbarism reached by the military state and an authoritative source on the kind of atrocities committed. For statistical purposes, is not reliable as the incorrect information was hidden, not corrected. For historical purposes, its just a portion of the whole story.



3. Thoroughly and courageously researched reporting. As the review below shows, some people still support the killings and torture and belief the myths created to justify it. Who knows, whoever took the time to try and discredit hundreds of people's heart-rendering accounts of their personal suffering may have themselves likely been involved in the military.
   
   The truth is, the government both exaggerated the forces of the few hundred guerillas fighting for a more economically just order, and also in fact planted people in the guerillas to cause havoc and justify further repression. This is from declassified government sources themselves. Open your eyes and you'll see the story of Argentina repeated in different patterns throughout Latin America, usually with US government support. I guess those women and kids and old people they tortured and raped were posing a big threat to "Western Christian morals," as the leaders of Argentina and the previous "dissenting reader" contend.



4. Think about this. Lots and lots of people lost their lives and their loved ones. They did not have the freedom to choose their future. And it was all in the interest of "National Security?" Hopefully this will not ever, ever, never happen again.

2 comments about Intelligence and Human Rights in the Era of Global Terrorism (Stanford Security Studies).

1. This is a fantastic book, balanced, well written and insightful. The editor argues that we need to strike the right balance between the need to maintain security and protecting human rights. We not only need to stop terrorist attacks but also pre-empt terrorist organizations from recruiting more suicide bombers. This requires more than the effective use of force and intelligence. We need to prove our culture is genuinely superior, and this can only be achieved by respecting the rights of individuals. One of the chapters by a former senior Israeli intelligence officer is also amazingly insightful in explaining why Western Intelligence agencies all failed over the Iraq WMD issue prior to the invasion of Iraq. Most highly recommended.



2. In dealing with terrorists, it's a slippery slope to avoid to not become as bad as the terrorists themselves. Compiled and edited by Steve Tsang, "Intelligence and Human Rights in the Era of Global Terrorism" is an informative body of work focusing upon the 'War on Terror' and how to go about waging it while still respecting basic human rights. Stating that the best weapon is peace to turn potential terrorists away from becoming terrorists in the first place is just one among many other useful ideas and tactics to be employed if we are to succeed in overcoming global terrorism in the 21st Century. A very strongly recommended addition for community and academic library reference collections, as well as the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subject, "Intelligence and Human Rights in the Era of Global Terrorism" is a must for those who want a realistic plan for winning the war on terrorism.

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.

5 comments about In The Red Zone: A Journey Into The Soul Of Iraq.

1. Although he died while free-lancing in Iraq, I am thankful that this great journalist was able to write this book before he left us. It is an extremely interesting look at life in Iraq, the Iraqi people, and the challenges we face there. I'm sorry about his untimely death, and wish he could have stayed around to write many more compelling and inspiring books such as this one. God bless his family and bless the memory of this brave man.



2. First, let me say that Steven Vincent died for this book. He was murdered because he wrote brutally honestly about the dark underbelly of Iraq, about how here (and much of the Middle East) life is cheap and what passes for culture twists minds and perpetuates continued ignorance in the majority of the populace. Steven is gone now, but his opus is still available and if you only read one book about Iraq in your entire life, then In the Red Zone should be that one book.
   
   I read this book in one sitting, from cover to cover, all 240 pages in the span of about six hours. Everything you need to know about the war, Shia, Sunnis, Kurds, the occupation, what the future could hold - it's in here. The good, the bad and the ugly are all laid out for you. This book will be of equal fascination to both pro and anti-war readers because Steven didn't sugarcoat a thing when he wrote In the Red Zone. He didn't sugarcoat Iraq one iota and he died for it.
   
   Life is cheap in cultures that glorify death. Steven found that out the hardest way. His death has a silver lining - Nour - his brave Iraqi intrepreter. She was shot by the same vicious parasites that killed Mr. Vincent but survived and is still somewhere in Iraq (as far as I know), guarded, silenced or both. Steven and Nour are microcosms of the relationship between America and Iraq. Read In the Red Zone. It will force you to make adjustments to everything you thought you knew. In the Red Zone is Chapter 1 in the story of 21st century. Other Americans and Iraqis will be stepping forward to write Chapter 2. Are you one of them? Which side will you step forward on?



3. Freelance journalist Vincent first visited Iraq in September 2003. While other reporters sheltered in insulated compounds or heavily-fortified hotels of the "Green Zone," he lived and traveled in the "Red Zone," that is without security and among ordinary Iraqis. In all, Vincent has penned one of the best-written accounts of post-Saddam Iraq, one of the few that captures the debates, issues, and contradictory emotions that Iraqis are juggling.
   
   In the Red Zone fills a void left by the many think-tank pundits, academics, and journalists who wrote books in the wake of Saddam's fall, where the Iraqi voice is often lost. Vincent's account has the advantage of bringing to light his encounters with ordinary Iraqis. Among other experiences, he was in Karbala when a series of bombs killed 140 in the city in March 2004; and while traveling in Basra, he was briefly interrogated by U.S. intelligence. He makes no attempt to cover the minutiae of daily Iraqi politics but instead takes a big-picture approach.
   
   That said, In the Red Zone has its limitations. There is little discussion of the Kurdish issue and minor errors of fact pop up--for example, the date when Iran's Safavid dynasty began.
   
   In contrast to the usual journalistic practice of adding color to an article by including an occasional man-on-the-street interview, usually conducted by an Iraqi assistant, Vincent provides a deeper insight into Iraqis. He introduces the reader to Qasim, a Baghdad art gallery owner who, because of a club foot, managed to avoid the carnage of the Iran-Iraq war; Assad al-Abady, deputy director of the Iraqi National Organization for Human Rights; a secular Sunni woman torn between her love of freedom and the "humiliation" of having it delivered by foreigners; a Fallujah policeman who swears blood lust against Americans after U.S. soldiers kill his son; a Shi'ite taxi driver still euphoric over liberation; and a Christian woman in Basra whom Vincent later learns had been raped in her youth by Saddam's police.
   
   Vincent also spent time with foreigners. He details a long conversation with a Canadian antiwar activist who lectured him about U.S. "human rights violations" but would not condemn insurgent terrorist attacks on Iraqi civilians or visit Saddam's mass graves. Vincent also describes a surrealistic encounter with CodePink, an American peace group, during which one member doubted that Saddam really was that bad. He also notes the Iraqi reaction to Western peace groups. "How can people accept for so long the crimes of a dictator, then rise up to try and stop a war begun to remove that dictator from power?" one Iraqi lawyer asked. "Antiwar activists should examine their consciences."
   
   Michael Rubin
   Middle East Quarterly
   Summer 2005



4. I make it a point to read pretty much every book that comes out about Iraq and environs. Though there has been no recent shortage of first-rate books about the region, this one packs a punch like you wouldn't believe.
   
   To tell you the truth, I haven't seen the book since I first lent it out. The guy I lent it out to lent it out to someone else and so on and on. That I have yet to get it back should tell you something.
   
   The basic story is that Steven Vincent was your typical dingbat liberal living in the Big Apple as an art critic, believing that God was in his heaven and that all was right with the world . . . and that in particular Islam was a basically peaceful but tragically misunderstood religion.
   
   Then September 11th happened, and in a fit of shock, grief, duty, and curiosity, Vincent hied himself off to desert lands as more or less a roaming reporter for hire.
   
   The book relates his transformation from smug liberal to one who was truly concerned about constructing a fairer portrait of the chances for peace and progress over there.
   
   So far, so good. And whatever you think of his politics, and whatever your position on the war is, and blah blah blah blah.
   
   Listen: the thing that really pushes this book over the edge into the realm of greatest books I've ever read is what happened to Vincent after he wrote it. I won't spell it out here, but you can easily find out on the net.
   
   God, knowing the real ending makes the final third of this book unbearable. Truly unbearable. Some of the most emotionally exhausting and harrowing reading I've ever done.
   
   See, he meets this woman named Nour. And God! God! I can't take it.
   
   Sparrow, O sparrow!



5. This book manages to deliver a concise, beautifully written account of Iraq, as seen through the eyes of Iraqis and foreigners living there in the early post-Saddam years. We hear from Iraqi men and women of all backgrounds, American "activists", soldiers, policemen, and clerics...to name but a few!
   Mr. Vincent begins his journey on the highway that leads from Jordan to Baghdad. This highway gives the reader a pretty good idea of what Iraq as a whole will be like. On it, shiny SUVs and junkmobiles alike zoom at breakneck speed through the desert, avoiding roadside thieves and potholes. Should travelers need a break, they can lounge on one of countless picnic tables installed in years past on this road by Saddam's "planners", and refresh themselves with blasts of wind and sand under the 116 degree sun.
   The author travels to Baghdad, the Sunni triangle, Kirkuk, Basra, and to the Holy Shia cities in the south. He reports the views of the cynics, and the disillusioned, as well as those of the (not at all scarce) intrepid optimists who persist in believing in the possibility of a democratic Iraq.
   Mr. Vincent doesn't mince words as he describes the many unpleasant and even horrible scenes he finds throughout the country, but also of the growing pockets of Iraq reclaimed from destruction. Throughout he gives a very even-handed account, such that we can identify with both foreigners and locals, and with passionate Iraqis on opposite sides of many ideological wars.
   I found his chapter on the Shiite pilgrimages and holidays, excellent. (In order to gain entry to these, he poses as an American Shiite, and must recite boilerplate Muslim creed in his broken Arabic). Here, we join him in his immersion and admiration of the Shiites' as he recounts their history of perseverence in the face of centuries of Sunni domination, but we also join him as he confides his more cynical verdicts on the Shia glorification of bloodshed and death he witnesses during several religious celebrations.
   I also found his chapters on life in Basra outstanding. Here Mr. Vincent recounts his experience under the wing of a brave and iconoclastic Muslim woman, Nour, a Basra native. As his guide, she risks her reputation and indeed her life (she receives serial threats from those who view her as out of line), as she guides him to interviews with mullahs, fanatics, moderates, opportunists, party figures, and soldiers, and translates for him their warnings, criticisms, and their....occasional admiration, accompanied by pleas to carry on, and report the truth about Iraq and their dreams for its renewal as a nation finally free from dictatorship to us, the future readers of their story.

5 comments about A Secret of the Universe: A Story of Love, Loss, and the Discovery of an Eternal Truth.

1. Stephen Gibson has created a compelling novel that wraps a compelling and believable fictional story around a frank discussion of religion, ethics, and perception of truth.
   
   If you are open minded and interested in seeing things from a different point of view, but get tired of non-fiction books that push you relentlessly towards a conclusion while ignoring any contrary ideas or thoughts, then you will find this book to be a refreshing approach.
   
   I throughly enjoyed both the fictional story and the discussions that it wraps around. I highly recommend the book for anyone who feels like they have something to gain from open minded examination of how people perceive truth or why they believe what they do.



2. Its been weeks since I finished this novel. Been listening to the discussions from the authors podcasts for months before finally sitting down and reading this work. I haven't wanted to review the book until I had some time to think about if I liked it or not. I'm still not sure. The people and relationships do not seem genuine, at least I don't know people like that. I didn't bond with the characters like I wanted to. The long discussions were permissible as I understand the author really wanted to include the religious questions the book was really designed for. But they just seem so contrived and unlikely, I never discuss these kind of questions with my Christian friends. They are so not on the same page that we could never discuss calmly and with such education as these characters do again and again.
   
   I hated knowing what would be happening in the later chapters, all was given away in the first 15 pages of the book. Let events occur naturally, maybe already knowing that one main character would be cheating (right or wrong) on his wife made it impossible for me to ever like him.
   
   The arguments are well reasoned, the Secret was kinda impossible even after all the years they put into it.
   
   I will admit that I did cry several times when the parents die, but not when anyone else dies. You would think that the last few deaths would grab me more but I just didn't feel "it" towards them.
   
   So the jury is still out, maybe for others who are questioning their faith, this would help the sort out their feelings. The well reasoned arguments are helpful to both sides of the issues. I sure did learn a lot about pilots from this book.



3. This book is exactly what I have needed. My mind has been going crazy trying to read as much non fiction as possible. I do not normally read fiction, but this book was a welcome break from my usual reading. It is not a true story, but the ideas, and expressions of the characters as they try to discover truth are great. I have to rate this book as one of my favorites, and I feel it does a beautiful job stating opinions about truth that so many of us have. The story itself is filled with so much information that you can spend years researchig much of what the main character speaks about. The way truth is depicted throughout this fictional story, and the way so much real research went into it, had me finishing the decent sized book in less than a week. The author is great at articulating the feelings of those that follow honest inquiry, wherever it may lead. I was happy, mad, sad, and loved every bit of it. I hope to eventually buy copies for many family members and friends,and I recommend it to all.



4. I'm a little bit mystified by the heaping praise given by the reviewers here. I was fully expecting it to be lambasted by the religiously persuaded and shrugged off by the true skeptics as pure pedestrian drivel; I suppose you could count me in the latter category.
   
   I will confess I am sympathetic to Mr. Gibson's epistemological position, however, the mixture of pop philosophy and painful prose were at times excruciating (channeling Ayn Rand?). Much of the dialog sounds as if it were written by a grade school grammar teacher - very dry and almost 'Leave-it-to-Beaver-ish'. I can't imagine anyone outside of a 1950s sitcom engaging in dialog like that.
   
   It's not all bad. I'm not sure if Mr. Gibson is a pilot, but his descriptions of piloting small commercial aircraft were interesting and he seems to have done his homework regarding Christian apologetics and criticism. This book might be a good introduction to the subject for those Christians with at least a smidgen of an open mind, but in the end I'm afraid Mr. Gibson is not a good fiction writer.
   
   I would recommend many, many other non-fiction books on the subject before I would think of this one. Harris, Dawkins, Dennet and Hitchens(all referenced in this book) do a much, much better job. Although they do tend to be a bit more harsh on the religiously inclined. Gibson tries to top off the book with a warm fuzzy which is what most people want I guess; otherwise why would we need religion?



5. As I read A SECRET OF THE UNIVERSE I repeatedly saw parallels to my own journey from religious faith to religious skepticism. Others may read the book and recognize their journey to a deeper faith through a dark wood of doubt. Throughout the book I found myself identifying strongly with characters who voiced views that I agree with. A few pages later I would find myself empathizing with another character whose views and beliefs are at odds with my own, as the character struggled with an ethical dilemma or personal tragedy. The characters experience a full range of the joys and sorrows life offers. Their experiences impact with their most deeply held convictions and they are changed in ways they never imagined possible.
   
   The author, Stephen Gibson admits he is a reforming emotion driven thinker. His book TRUTH-DRIVEN THINKING: AN EXAMINATION OF HUMAN EMOTION AND ITS IMPACT ON EVERYDAY LIFE and his podcasts encourage readers and listeners to seek truth, elusive and complex though it may be; through dialogue, discourse, and inquiry. It would be wrong for readers to assume from these statements that their emotions will not be engaged while reading A SECRET OF THE UNIVERSE. It is not a dry and dispassionate story. Gibson recognizes the power of emotions in creating and sustaining relationships between people as well as commitment to a cause higher than one's own self. His own passion for the pursuit of truth is clearly evident in his writing. I recommend A SECRET OF THE UNIVERSE to theists and atheists alike.

5 comments about Chile: The Other September 11: An Anthology of Reflections on the 1973 Coup (Radical History).

1. It is quite an honor to review this book, which was promoted by Fidel Castro. Are you guys kidding? Or is "The Left" peopled by idiots?



2. I consider this book a far more emotional read than an academic read. It's full of personal accounts and poetry which really make you feel for the people of Chile. I agree with Castro's statements on Chile but in no way does that mean I am pro-Castro. He IS a dictator. Hands down. Joan Para's and the first writer's(i believe that was Ariel Dorfman) chapter's made the book.



3. "Chile: The Other September 11" is one of the best books available on the tragic events that inaugurated an era of terror and fascism in the small Latin American country. This is an astounding document of what took place when radical right-wing general Augusto Pinochet lead a CIA-backed military coup against the government of ELECTED socialist president Salvador Allende. The most powerful statement the book makes is that now both Chile and the United States share the dreaded date of a Tuesday, September 11 as a day of horror and death, this is eloquently expressed in a memorable essay by Ariel Dorfman. In-between the chapters and in an important chronology the Nixon White House plot to distabalize Allende's government is detailed, showing how the U.S. in part was deeply responsible for the coup and horrors that fell on Chile. Some right-wingers here cringe, trying to make the book sound "one-sided," maybe it is, but the facts sure aren't. It is also ridiculous that some reviewers here try to discount the brilliant speech given by Fidel Castro shortly after the coup. Castro is a revolutionary leader, something hard to grasp through American eyes eventhough now sadly, we can grasp a taste of what Chile experienced with our own day of terrorism and murder. Castro's speech is both a memorable tribute to the Chilean spirit, the Chilean revolution, Allende, and the solidarity between Cuba and Chile, and yet Castro still gives a well-calculated warning about unarmed nations being defenseless against the tyranny of fascist intentions. The book also features some wonderful poetry that expresses the FEELINGS of what happened, this is an insightful style for the book considering Chile is the home of one of the world's great poets, Pablo Neruda, who's sad fate following the coup is detailed here by his wife. The two most powerful chapters belong to Joan Jara, wife of murdered Chilean folk singer Victor Jara, she writes about her final moments with her husband on the morning of the coup as they held each-other for the last time before he leaves for the city's university, never to be seen again except as a bloodied, murdered victim of the military rulers. Jara also shares here her husband's final poem, written while imprisoned in a horrific sports stadium turned torture center. "Chile: The Other September 11" should not be read by just Latin Americans or history buffs, it should be read by Americans not just as a look into what we've helped unleash on other nations, but as a warning of what we shouldn't allow to happen here. It is easy to dismiss the crimes of men like Pinochet as something from "over there," when in fact, it can happen here because human beings are human beings no matter where they reside. When we hear about "the war on terror" and some of the frightening stereotypes being developed around immigrants and others, it would be wise to read this book and see what happens when ideaological paranoia produces a state of terror and oppression. Chile politically has emerged from the darkness of the Pinochet regime, Michelle Bachelet is now the nation's first woman president (and head of Chile's socialist party), but reading this book, one realizes there are national scars that take longer time to heal. "Chile: The Other September 11" is a book that refuses to be ignored and shouldn't be ignored, it is a look at the past, and a document that helps better understand the present.



4. This was a great book that really brought back many memories of that awful day. It gives first accounts of those who lived through some of the worst days in the history of Chile. The memory of Salvador Allende comes blasting out to show what a great man he was. The book also features a candid look at Victor Jara and Pablo Neruda



5. I was growing up under the regime of a series of military dictators.Violence was pervasive and even covetous act .As a naturally result of that, every town and community there are at least one or two who dissapeared for a while and returned with black marks all over their bodies. I heard so much horror stories about arrest, interrogation and of course torture. It's a regime imbued its citizens with social-darwinism, male chauvinism, excessive violence, and so-called Military virtue. Individual's liberty and freedom of expression were only existed in books.
   
   For an imbicile American who left scathing review on this book, these are no other than stories from remote third world countries and only possible under COMMUNIST DICTATORSHIP. No brother!
   
   my childhood experience probably led me to have a symphathy and emotional cameraderie to Chilean people who suffered so much under the authorative regime of Augusto Pinochet( By the way, it's third class comic opera . When Park Chung Hee was assasinated by one of his own henchmen, Pinochet , who admired Park so much, seriously considered to order entire chile to hoist half-staff . Yeah Dictators also have heartwrenching cameraderie!!)Probably , I am not brave enough to look at my country's history without shuddering .Reading about Chile might be a contingency experience for a coward like me.
   
   This book is consisted of first person anecdotes written by those who lost their loved ones during the septerber 11 1973 and subsequent repression that cost more than 3000 lives. The book's poignant title means more than mere title . It show how the destiny of common people of two countries forever entwined by tragedies happened coincidently on September 11. As the editor of the book wrote these tragedies forever rob people of U.S and Chile the innocent look at their surrounding and the world.
   This work is not history book. There are scarcely any detailed information of CIA covert operation and involvement.Nor are there any depth of information over the U.S corporate interest and the electoral victory of Salvador Allende.
   yet, this is a valuable historical evidence. Why? Because it's a book comprised of real people who provide their personal tragedy without any political agenda. yeah, Fidel Castro's piece are polemical and the work of demagogue.But, even his works contains enough honesty that show his personal symphasy to the destiny of Chilean people and especially President Allende. I was especially moved by Joan Jara's piece . It's a deeply moving book. Anyone want to know about the tragedy of Chile should read the book.

1 comments about Peace and Conflict 2008.

1. Although the data sets the authors have collected are useful, and although I respect their level of effort, it can be shown that there is a direct correlation between the US current account deficit and conflict in the 1-5 yr range.
   
   The current peace is directly related to direct military spending and artificially reduced interest rates for the last 7 years.