The Threatening Storm: The Case for Invading Iraq
by Kenneth M. Pollack
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Hardcover (18 September, 2002)
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Reviews (91)

No forgiveness for you, Pollack
The passage of time has been devastating for this book, and the analysis of its author.While it could be argued that the removal of Saddam was certainly a plus for the people of Iraq, it was inconsequential on any geopolitical level.As was clear to anyone who properly studied the issue before the war, Iraq circa 2003 was no longer a threat to its neighbors, and now after the war this fact becomes doubly obvious.Those who had experience in Iraq, and specific knowlege of Iraq's weapons capabilities (Scott Ritter, theIAEA, Hans Blix, David Albright) were pretty uniform in their assessment that Iraq of 2003 was simply not the threat Pollack claimed.

Now that we can easily see firsthand the shattered infrastructure of Iraq, its depleted military, its decimated defenses and economy, it is clear that containment had worked--only too well, in many cases.The absurdity of Bush's--and Pollack's--claims have been laid bare.

The fact that Mr. Pollack essentially assisted Bush in making a case for an unwarranted, baseless pre-emptive attack and occupation on a defenseless, non-threatening nation is inexcusable.This level of appeasment is tantamount to a modern-day Chamberlain.Pollack is not, and should not, be forgiven.All those who supported this war, freely sacrificing our troops to this unworthy cause, bear a horrible scarlet letter.The blood of our troops is absolutely on Pollack's hands, as it is on any who supported this war.

Any evaluation on the pros and cons of the war must conclude that this has been a net loss for America, and the world.While undoubtedly an improvement for Iraqi citizens, it has made the world at large more dangerous, and America in particular more open to pre-emptive attack.The rationale of pre-emption is now a reality, waiting to strike America, or other nations, at an opportune moment.The overall geopolitical consequences of the Iraq War are devastating for America, and we now face a much larger conflict with the Muslim world than we ever did before.Sixty-year alliances are now shattered, and America is distrusted--for what?A free Iraqi soccor team?

I agree with a previous reviewer--this book should remain in print solely as a warning to future generations.When otherwise responsible, progressive intellectuals get into bed with thuggish warmongers, the results are disastrous.I now know what it was like in Germany during the 30's.

The benefit of hindsight
I read this book when it first came out. I thought it was very well researched, well written and had some very useful insights into reasons for going to war with Iraq.

I've re-read parts of the book recently with the benefit of more than a year in hindsight. Pollack's claims of WMDs - similar to the claims by both US and foreign intelligence agencies - proved to be totally wrong. Some of Pollack's other reasons for going after Saddam (that he was a very bad man and did very bad things) could just as easily be applied to dozens of other countries all around the world. (One could take many of those arguments, apply them to North Korea, and ask why when we have totally verifiable proof that a rogue nation with a history of aggression towards its neighbors and the US is in possession of WMDs, our response is to do nothing more than talk.)

Yet although one premise of Pollack's book turned out to be totally wrong, the book still has useful background on recent Iraqi history, Saddam's rise to power, and the US approach to that part of the world. It also features some good information on the various factions and elements that make up Iraqi society. But it is difficult to read the last chapters and not chuckle sadly - Pollack makes some good recomendations on how to rebuild Iraq after a war. The problem is that his recomendations did not take into consideration the political realities of Washington or of the possibility that Iraqis might not be so amenable to dealing with an occupying force of coalition troops.

If Pollack's book is a good reflection of what Washington policymakers believed in the run-up to war with Iraq, then it shows how badly off the mark everyone was.

debunked
I wonder how all these bobbing heads feel now that Pollack's vision has been debunked.There are no weapons of mass destruction.Saddam was never a threat to the United States.No nuclear sales or development took place.If any of this were true, the Bush administration would be crawling over themselves to justify themselves to a doubting public.This book should stay in print just to prove how swindled a "democratic" society can be by their leaders, who clearly have their own personal, financial agenda at stake. ... Read more

Isbn: 0375509283
Sales Rank: 29057
Subjects:  1. 1991-    2. Iraq    3. Middle East - General    4. National Security Issues    5. National security    6. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    7. Political Science    8. Politics - Current Events    9. Politics and government    10. Politics/International Relations    11. U.S. - Middle East Relations    12. United States    13. Political Science / International Security   

How Did This Happen? Terrorism and the New War
by Gideon Rose, James F. Hoge Jr.
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Paperback (November, 2001)
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Reviews (15)

Quite an interesting collection of essays
I found many of these essays quite interesting of various standards. Particularly Michael Doran essay on whether we are getting involved in someone's civil war.

Why Did it Not Happen Sooner
Although this book was a rush job right after the 9-11 attacks it does cover some very interesting issues and points of view. The book has essays from a number of foreign policy and terrorism experts on topics ranging from the CIA efforts in Afghanistan, the cultural environment in the Middle East, airport security, bio-weapons and the ability of the US armed forces to handle this new threat.The topics covered are very interesting and gives the reader and good overview of the different issues involved in this complicated foreign policy and security issue.The essays are also minus most of the emotion that many other books on the 9-11 attacks have.This is probably due to the topics of the essays and the limited space each author was given.The editors also did a good job of arranging the essays so that the book had a good flow and the items lead into one another.

Overall my only real complaint with the book is that there were a few errors here and there, but they are due to the quick publishing date of the book and do not take away much from the points. Also reading a book with a new author per chapter you do not have a consistent writing style but the editors did a good job in that the wide range of authors is not a detriment to the flow of the book. I assumption is that the test of some was edited with a heavy hand to provide the consistent writing style.Overall the book is an interesting look at the causes of the 9-11 attacks and well worth reading.

Compilation Falls Short of Answers
With such an indispensable question asked of this book's title, the book never reaches it to that indispensable mark.It certainly hits all around the dartboard like a late night drunk randomly firing darts in his favorite corner bar at three in the morning.But to answer a question like "How did this happen (9/11?" we need a stone cold sober dart champion focused and singular firing bull's eye after bull's eye.

Here's what I mean, in the same book we get disparate articles on "The Biological Threat From Abroad," by Richard Butler, "What's next for U.S. Armed Forces," by Gen Wesley Clark, and "American Society Responds to the New War," by Alan Wolfe; none of which go towards answering the question that continues to burn in the minds of free people across the world, "How did this happen?" or more succinctly "Why?"

Give credit where it is due to the editors of Foreign Affairs (one of my favorite journals) for assembling such a powerhouse of national policy experts writing about the topics they know best, but to unroot the causes of Islamic extremist one book alone won't cut it.Delve much deeper than what this book has to offer.Check out some of the assembled suggested reading listmania lists here on "Amazon.com" and start digging in.I've read about 10 books on the subject to date and feel like I have ten more to go to scratch at some sort of understanding.

What we need to here from is from inside the Maddrassas that ingrain a hatred of the West from an early age.These schools are all over Pakistan and dotted about the Middle East.If we can get at why these children are taught to hate and are hijacking a peaceful beautiful religion maybe we can get closer to answering the question, "How did this happen?"

Read this book to hear how the leaders in their respective fields view the terrorist problem and what is to be done all from a US perspective, but don't buy into the preconception that it will answer the question published on the title. ... Read more

Isbn: 1586481304
Sales Rank: 366253
Subjects:  1. Case studies    2. History & Theory - General    3. Political Freedom & Security - General    4. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    5. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    6. Political Science    7. Politics - Current Events    8. Politics/International Relations    9. Prevention    10. September 11 Terrorist Attacks    11. September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001    12. Terrorism    13. United States   

Inside Terrorism
by Bruce Hoffman
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Paperback (15 April, 1999)
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Editorial Review

The word "terrorism" first became popular during the French Revolution, when the régime de la terreur was initially viewed as a positive political system that used fear to remind citizens of the necessity of virtue. The use of violence to "educate" people about ideological issues has continued, but it has taken on decidedly negative connotations--and has become predominantly, though not exclusively, a tactic deployed by those who do not have the powers of state at their disposal.

Bruce Hoffman, the director of the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, has written a clear summary of some of the major historical trends in international terrorism. He makes careful distinctions between the motivations that drive political (or ethno-nationalist) terrorism and religious terrorism, and he also shows why the rise of religious terrorism, coupled with the increased availability of weapons of mass destruction, may foretell an era of even greater violence. In the past, Hoffman argues, the main goal of the terrorist was not to kill, but to attract media attention to his cause in the hope of initiating reform. "For the religious terrorist," however, "violence is first and foremost a sacramental act or divine duty executed in direct response to some theological demand or imperative ... religious terrorists see themselves not as components of a system worth preserving but as 'outsiders,' seeking fundamental changes in the existing order." Hoffman does not "choose sides" in this framework, pointing to the bombings of the World Trade Center and Oklahoma City and to the sarin nerve gas attacks in Tokyo in order to demonstrate that fundamentalists of any religious denomination are capable of extreme acts of terrorism. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A highly relevant work on an extremely important topic
Dr. Bruce Hoffman, long regarded as an authority on terrorism, adds great insight through his book Inside Terrorism.Continuing on the good work done on the subject by Paul Wikinson and others at the leading terrorism institution- University of St. Andrews, Scotland- Hoffman illustrates for the reader the key components of terrorism and goes on to tackle very important and complex aspects of the subject.

This book is certainly a MUST READ for any serious study of terrorism.

Great introduction to terrorism studies
A definite must-read for beginners.Hoffman discusses everything from "what is terrorism" to various major terorrist groups.The book progresses logically and reads well.It's broken up into subchapters and offers extensive endnotes for further reading, should you so choose.

Excellent one volume introduction to the subject
Bruce Hoffman, long one of RAND's key terrorism-wallahs and an affiliate of St Andrews University has written an excellent book on a controversial topic.

There was a fair amount of literature on terrorism prior to September 11th and, my, but there's even more now. A lot of it was a load of old rubbish prior to September 11th and even more of it is now. Hoffman's book is a work of substance which in itself puts it ahead of much of the pack.

"Inside Terrorism" covers a variety of areas. It opens with a discussion about the lengthy (and continuing) debate that surrounds the issue of defining terrorism - an issue which has stumped everyone from academics to the UN. What and who exactly IS a terrorist? Hoffman doesn't provide a clear cut, definitive answer but he does provide clear coverage of what is framing the argument, along with some of the possible answers which are being put forward. Whether you consider this level of debate to be self-indulgent and ivory tower or not (as I increasingly do, interesting thought it is) it is important to know that the debate does exist and what it's all about as it goes to the heart of some real-life anti-terrorism policy making, especially with regard to multilateral attempts to curb terror groups.

Hoffman moves on to cover Post-colonial ethnic or nationalist terror groups, international terrorism, Religion and terrorism, Terrorism, Media and public opinion, Terrorist methods and mindsets and the potential future of terrorism. All in all, it adds up to a fairly comprehensive introduction to the subject. Some of Hoffman's conclusions aren't to everybody's tastes, but terrorism is an inherently controversial and hotly debated issue, it's the nature of the beast.

Overall, this is an excellent overview and introduction to the subject of terrorism. Certainly better than the recent work of Walter Laqueur. The newcomer to the subject would also be well advised to check out Christopher Harmon's "Terrorism Today" as well, along with Paul Wilkinson's "Terrorism and Democracy". Ken Booth's "Worlds in Collision" is an excellent collection of essays by various authors that is ideal for somebody with an interest in the post-September 11th world.

Hoffman's writing style is not immediately engaging (I found the book far more digestible on a second reading), but this is still an excellent work for the beginner. In a field that is both crowded and shallow, Hoffman has produced a book of genuine substance and for that he deserves credit. ... Read more

Isbn: 0231114699
Subjects:  1. Criminology    2. International Relations - General    3. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    4. Political Science    5. Politics - Current Events    6. Politics/International Relations   

The Age of Terrorism/a Completely Revised and Expanded Study of National and International Political Violence, Based on the Author's Classic, "Terror
by Walter Laqueur
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Hardcover (01 June, 1987)
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UNDECLARED WAR
THIS BOOK GIVES A GOOD EXPLANATION OF HOW THE WORLD DISCRIBES TERRORISM. ... Read more

Isbn: 0316514780
Sales Rank: 1028416
Subjects:  1. Political Terrorism    2. Politics - Current Events    3. Sociology    4. Terrorism   

The Age of Sacred Terror
by Daniel Benjamin, Steven Simon
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Hardcover (01 October, 2002)
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Reviews (34)

Best book on Terrorism yet
If you're interested in how today's current terrorist threat evolved over the centuries, through the 1980's Afghanistan War, and throughout the 1990s - read this book.I have given out many copies after first reading it.I had an opportunity to spend two hours with Dan Benjamin in a very small group setting after reading this book.He's a wonderful person, very passionate about the subject, and extremely non-political - unlike other counterterrorism authors coming out of the intelligence community.

Fundamental Islam not all encompassing
A good book to help understand fundamental Islam, however it is also important to understand ordinary Arabs (so as not to make prejudgements), the majority of who have nothing to do with terrorism.A great book that does this is Arab Voices Speak to American Hearts @ www.arabvoicesspeak.com.

A must read!
The Age of Sacred Terror is a good book that details the modern threat of terrorism. It explains the roots of the ideology of what is known as Wahhabism. Wahhabism is said to be the excuse that people like Osama bin Ladinuse to spread his hatred. This book gives you the history of Wahhabism and the link it has to terrorism. The book truly illustrates the new threat that the world faces and that we should not underestimate religious radical groups and what they are capable of achieving. The one problem I did see with the book is that it uses unnecessary words that require a dictionary and long tangent explanations. Over all I loved the book. I would recommend this book to all studiers of terrorism. ... Read more

Isbn: 0375508597
Sales Rank: 151333
Subjects:  1. Islam    2. Islam - General    3. Islam and terrorism    4. Jihad    5. Middle East - General    6. Political Freedom & Security - Intelligence    7. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    8. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    9. Political Science    10. Political Terrorism    11. Politics - Current Events    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Prevention    14. Religious aspects    15. Terrorism    16. Current Events / International   

Holy War, Inc.: Inside The Secret World of Osama Bin Laden
by Peter L. Bergen
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Hardcover (07 November, 2001)
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Reviews (72)

Great Book
Holy War, Inc. What a good book! I loved the humorous sarcastic jokes that dot the book ever so strategically placed. The book is a good source of basic information about Osama bin Ladin and Al Qeada. I found the book to have no bias spin to it, Bergen is a true tell it as it reporter. Over all I recommend this book to all who are interested in this subject. I would read any book by Peter L Bergen after reading this one.

Intelligent, Interesting & Informative......
If like several other Americans you would like some answers as to the WHY behind 9/11 --- read this book! It is well-researched and goes in depth into Osama bin Laden's background, motivation etc along with those of many of his followers. Al Qaeda is exposed as a world-wide terror network with varied sources of financing and support. The chapters are broken down so that each provides a new and unique piece to the puzzle. It also dispels some myths that were found in another book about Osama called: 'The Man Who Declared War On America' by Yousef Bodansky. The global reach of Al Qaeda as reported here is truly frightening! If winning the war on terror requires knowing your enemy, then this book goes a long way towards that goal.

OK, where is he now?
This book was written prior to 9/11.The author even interviewed Osama bin Laden!The book was at the publisher's in August 2001 and an afterword was added after 9/11 to tie everything together.It is almost as if the author was leading to an event that he didn't know was coming!Too bad Bush and the leading members of Congress didn't have a chance to read it before 9/11.I recommend this book for an insight into the mind of bin Laden! ... Read more

Isbn: 0743205022
Sales Rank: 211417
Subjects:  1. 1957-    2. Bin Laden, Osama,    3. Current Affairs    4. Government policy    5. International    6. International Relations - General    7. Islam    8. Jihad    9. Political Discontent And Violence    10. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    11. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    12. Politics - Current Events    13. Politics/International Relations    14. Religious aspects    15. Terrorism    16. United States    17. Current Events / International   

Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia
by Ahmed Rashid
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Hardcover (March, 2000)
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Editorial Review

This is the single best book available on the Taliban, the fundamentalist Islamic regime in Afghanistan responsible for harboring the terrorist Osama bin Laden. Ahmed Rashid is a Pakistani journalist who has spent most of his career reporting on the region--he has personally met and interviewed many of the Taliban's shadowy leaders. Taliban was written and published before the massacres of September 11, 2001, yet it is essential reading for anyone who hopes to understand the aftermath of that black day. It includes details on how and why the Taliban came to power, the government's oppression of ordinary citizens (especially women), the heroin trade, oil intrigue, and--in a vitally relevant chapter--bin Laden's sinister rise to power. These pages contain stories of mass slaughter, beheadings, and the Taliban's crushing war against freedom: under Mullah Omar, it has banned everything from kite flying to singing and dancing at weddings. Rashid is for the most part an objective reporter, though his rage sometimes (and understandably) comes to the surface: "The Taliban were right, their interpretation of Islam was right, and everything else was wrong and an expression of human weakness and a lack of piety," he notes with sarcasm. He has produced a compelling portrait of modern evil. --John Miller ... Read more

Reviews (128)

Best book on Afghanistan you'll find
I've read tons on Afghanistan and been there a few times...this was BY FAR the best and most complete book on not only the Taliban but the country as a whole.This book spares nothing and addresses a lot of issues and events that happened but have been largely unaddressed by the politically correct Western pundits.It is required reading for my subordinates.

Essential Background
This book provides excellent background material for understanding the rise, rule, and fall of the Taliban.Though written in 2000 when the Taliban were at the height of their power, and before the September 11th attacks, the book is far from outdated.The narrative begins in 1994 in Kandahar, with the rise of Mohammad Omar.Rashid then takes us on a blow-by-blow account of the battles that took the Taliban to Kabul.The second part of the book discusses various topics relating to Taliban rule, including Islamic Fundamentalism, the Taliban's political and military organization, the banning of women from public life, the basing of the economy on drugs and transshipment (smuggling), "Arab Afghans", and Osama Bin Laden.The book closes with a section that analyzesTaliban-run Afghanistan in a regional and global context.This section takes up the mutual influences and enmities between the Taliban, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the US.End material includes a sampling of Taliban decrees, a listing of Taliban leaders and the positions they held, a chronology of the Taliban from 1992 to September 2000, a chronology of the struggle to develop oil and gas resources and a pipeline through Afghanistan, a glossary of Afghan terms, a bibliography, endnotes citing sources for all factual material in the text, and an index.

Rashid was very well qualified to write such a book.As a Pakistani journalist, he had covered politics and wars in Afghanistan from the 1978 Soviet invasion.One striking observation that he makes about the difference between the Mujaheddin and the Taliban fighters early on was the cultural ignorance of the Taliban.When Rashid met and talked with Mujaheddin fighters during the 1980s while they were on maneuvers, they spoke to him as tribal members.Many did not have formal schooling, but they all knew their ancestry back many generations, and they had a trade or could make a living from the soil.Many Taliban fighters, on the other hand, had been raised in refugee camps in Pakistan, often as orphans.They were ignorant of their ancestry and tribal customs.Though they had attended "school", it had been at madrassahs, were they got rudimentary training in the religious ideas of mullahs, many of whom were unqualified as Islamic scholars. As refugees, they knew no trades, and had no connection to the land.Many had grown up outside of family structures and had no memories of interactions with women, not even with close female relatives. Thus it wasn't surprising that they had no skills at running a government or even interest in such activities once they came to power, or that they seemed to want women to just disappear.

The chapter on the Arab-Afghans is especially interesting.In it, Rashid documents the early influences the Saudi government and the CIA had (under the leadership of William Casey) in laying the groundwork for the Taliban.As far back as 1982, Pakistan had been allowing Islamic radicals free passage so they could fight Communism with the Mujaheddin.In 1986 and 1987, Casey got the CIA to support the Pakistani ISI in recruiting Islamic terrorists worldwide to fight with the Mujaheddin.The Saudis joined in, eager to both push Wahabbism in the region, as well as to provide a worthwhile cause for their own radical malcontents like Osama Bin Laden.Rashid describes how these radicals established terrorist training camps both in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the relations between the Taliban and these foreign thugs.

Another point that Rashid raises in several places is the idea that is apparently common throughout the Islamic world that the fall of the Soviet Union was due primarily or solely to the Muslim Mujaheddin.In the West, we assume that the Mujaheddin played a small role in the drama, and that what really happened was an economic collapse, both because the Soviet system was rotten to the core, and because the Arms Race forced the Soviets to spend their last kopeck.This difference in opinion about the demise of the Soviet Union provides some insight into how disparate the worldview may be between the West and Islamic countries.

Any reader of this book when it first came out in 2000 could see that Afghanistan was a disaster waiting to happen.Rashid warns us that this is not only a powder keg waiting to blow, but that the fuse has already been lit.He stresses the dangers of ignoring the crisis, and continuing to make due with the status quo.But not even he could guess at the magnitude of the explosion when it finally came.With this in mind, one particularly ominous observation from Rashid is the following "The radical Islamicist discourse suffered from the same weaknesses and limitations as the Afghan Marxists did: as an all-inclusive ideology, they rejected rather than integrated the vastly different social, religious and ethnic identities that constitute Afghan society.Both the Afghan communists and Islamicists wanted to impose radical change on a traditional social structure by a revolution from the top.They wished to do away with tribalism and ethnicity by fiat, an impossible task, and were unwilling to accept the complex realities on the ground."Let's see-when the Coalition Forces threw out the Taliban and the UN stepped in to establish a new government, did they try to impose a democratic revolution from the top?Are they doing enough to understand how this complex traditional society works?Are they taking care of the needs of the all the disparate ethnic and tribal groups without showing undue favoritism?Could this be a factor why peace has yet to be established in Afghanistan?

Still the best history of the Taliban available
I recently had the opportunity to interview a number of Afghans who had fought throughout the mujahadeen and Taliban eras. Without Ahmed Rashid's wonderfully well designed book, I would have been totally lost. Using it as my primary reference always kept within immediate reach, I managed to muddle through quite well, and made some level of sense of the complicated ebb and flow of power in Afghanistan since 1979. If you are going to Afghanistan for professional humanitarian or military reasons you cannot afford not to have a copy of this outstanding work. ... Read more

Isbn: 0300083408
Subjects:  1. 1973-    2. Afghanistan    3. Contemporary Politics - Middle East    4. Government - Comparative    5. History & Theory - Radical Thought    6. Islam - General    7. Islam and politics    8. Islam and state    9. Islamic Government    10. Islamic fundamentalism    11. Political    12. Political Science    13. Politics - Current Events    14. Politics and government    15. Politics/International Relations    16. Taliban    17. Current Affairs   

America's Achilles' Heel: Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Terrorism and Covert Attack (BCSIA Studies in International Security)
by Richard A. Falkenrath, Robert D. Newman, Bradley A. Thayer
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (26 June, 1998)
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Reviews (3)

Comprehensive, realistic approach
This is a comprehensive analysis of the threat without being alarmist.

It is far too easy to find shocking explanations of the biological weapons potential that do not describe some of the difficulties in their procurement and delivery.This "sexy" approach captures our attention and makes for good entertainment, but the `Chicken Little' approach doesn't help us develop rational methods for dealing with the issue.

Read this book if you want a levelheaded examination. It also contains a good description and solid recommendations for a national strategy.

Systematic, thorough, detailed, very solid...
In a very good way, I got more than I bargained for by reading this book.While seeking a solid source to inform myself on the "nuts and bolts", policy implications, and development of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), I continued to come across this title.Expect some dense and intense reading; there is not a wasted word here.The book focuses exclusively on the covert delivery of a nuclear, biological, or chemical weapon against an American target, exploring possible methods, limitations, locales, preventive measures, and consequences.This book will considerably broaden the knowledge of any first-timer looking into WMD and likely provides substantive material for discussion among policy makers and experts in the field.

The Complete Guide to Understanding Bioterrorism
I picked up this book as a research tool for a paper.Not only did I find the book to contain everything I needed, I became so enveloped in the reality of what I was reading that I couldn't put it down.A fan of TomClancy novels, this book describes the harsh reality that we live in, whiledetailing both the strengths and the weaknesses of the US response tobioterrorism.A must read for those with an interest in national securityissues. ... Read more

Isbn: 0262561182
Sales Rank: 148406
Subjects:  1. Bioterrorism    2. Chemical And Biological Warfare    3. Chemical terrorism    4. Government - U.S. Government    5. History    6. Military    7. Military - Biological & Chemical Warfare    8. Military - Nuclear Warfare    9. Nuclear Warfare    10. Nuclear terrorism    11. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    12. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    13. Politics - Current Events    14. United States    15. Weapons of mass destruction   

The Reluctant Sheriff: The United States After the Cold War
by Richard N. Haass
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Paperback (01 June, 1997)
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Editorial Review

Imagine Gary Cooper or John Wayne at the head of a posse, riding after the outlawed Bosnian-Serb leader, Radovan Karadjic, and you've captured the dominant metaphor for America's position on the world stage. So says author Richard N. Haass, a former official in the Bush administration, in The Reluctant Sheriff, a response to what he sees as a resounding lack of interest in American foreign policy at the highest levels. Haass believes that the United States has the power to determine history, and he advocates taking a strong and active role in the post-Cold War era.

The Reluctant Sheriff explores two premises: the first is of a "deregulated" world, a time when the old rules no longer apply and each nation puts its own interests first--a kind of deregulation potentially hazardous to the international scene. Enter the second premise: the United States as international sheriff, charged with maintaining peace by garnering the goodwill and firepower of like-minded friendly citizens--much as cowboy heroes in old westerns rounded up a posse. Haass doesn't believe that America should be the world's policeman, but he does think it has a responsibility to lead a communal effort to stamp out aggression, instability, and violence whenever necessary. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Necessary to understand Bush's foreign policy?
The author heads the Policy Planning Staff in Colin Powell's State Department - the position George Kennan held decades ago.As Kennan's containment policy became the strategic guide for U.S. foreign policy (but see Kennan's own thoughts on this in his Memoirs), so too might Haass' thoughts hold sway for some time.They certainly are important in the Bush administration.

Haass' book (first published in 1997) is based on his complaint that the U.S. by then had not yet formulated a real post-Cold War foreign policy. (Similarly, see Kissinger's Does America Need a Foreign Policy?). For Haass, the new world disorder ought to be called "deregulation" - the dissolution of Cold War assumptions and norms, the weakening of the state as principal actor on the world stage, and the seeming success of liberalism as the model for governments.His prescription is a doctrine of "regulation."This means a policy based on realism (but not excluding some Wilsonianism, economics, and other internationalism when appropriate), acting multilaterally when possible, alone when necessary.Rather than relying on Cold War era institutions, though, Haass argues that ad hoc posses - "coalitions of the willing" (page 93) - will need to be developed as situations dictate.

In addition to exposing students to the fundamental arguments of an influential voice in the administration, chapters 2 and 3 on deregulation and regulation, respectively, serve as models for understanding how to approach some kinds of comprehensive-exam questions.One caveat is that the key terms, deregulation and regulation, suggest a much more judicial/legislative/institutional approach than the book actually argues.An important complement to the book is Haass' April 2002 (and thus post-September 11) lecture, "Defining U.S. Foreign Policy in a Post-Post-Cold War World," available at the State Department web site.

A Realist in Sheep's Clothing
No matter that Richard N. Haass is the Director of Foreign Policy Studies, a think tank with a moderate leftist reputation.He may cloak his words in liberal rhetoric, but the ideas he presents belong firmly to the Realistcamp.For instance, he argues that the United States, while remaining amember of the UN and using it for our purposes, should not allow the UN todominate us.Ideas originating in the Realist camp abound in this book.

The basic premise of this book, wonderfully supported, is that the UnitedStates should, as the title implies, conduct foreign policy "byposse".Whenever possible, the United States should engage our allies(or others when appropriate) in pursuing our objectives, but we should notallow the need for agreement to prevent us from pursuing those objectivesimportant to us.A prime example would be the Persian Gulf War: PresidentBush devoted an extraordinary amount of time and effort into building theinternational coalition which defeated Iraq, but he also stated that ifneed be, the United States would stand alone.

Another important ideaHaass writes about is that of the "deregulated" world.With theend of the Cold War, many of the restraints imposed by the superpowers havebeen removed as well.We can expect to see all of the smaller conflictssuppressed during the Cold War to come bubbling back to the surface.Thisincrease in the sheer number of conflicts is going to pose problems for theUnited States, particularly if they are handled in a haphazard orirrational way.Here his Realist side peeks out from under the sheepskinagain: he tells us that the United States must decide whether to interveneguided not by moral concerns or the dictates of the UN, but based on arational evaluation of whether it would serve American interests.

Thisis an excellent book covering the general world state that Americanpolicymakers face today.I almost gave this book four stars out of spite:I didn't want it to end. ... Read more

Isbn: 0876091982
Subjects:  1. 1989-    2. Cold War    3. Foreign relations    4. International Relations - General    5. Political Science    6. Politics - Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. U.S. Foreign Relations    9. United States    10. United States - General   

Terrorism and U.S. Foreign Policy
by Paul R. Pillar
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (30 April, 2001)
list price: $34.95 -- our price: $34.95
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Reviews (8)

Must read
Mr. Pillar makes many very interesting and well-balanced points in writing this book.His suggestions are quite well founded and realistic.

Too often suggested methods to combat terrorism are either inadequate or too extraordinary to be accomplished.Pillar offers very plausible and level-headed suggestions and expectations for the United States' counter-terrorism programs.

The best book I've read on terrorism
This is not a book about secret operations or police actions against terrorism.This text is about the phenomenom of terrorism, its different manifestations and the kinds of groups related to this activities.Mr. Pillar explains the methods for answering the terrorist threat and -contrary to what many may think- he relegates military actions to the last place of the list.This book was written before September 11, 2001, but certainly it helps explain why the attacks took place and sets the path to prevent such acts in the future.This book is also important for those interested on the legal aspects of terrorism, because it deals with different instruments adopted to combat this threat.For every person who would like to form his/her own opinion on how to fight terrorism, this text is a must read.

Excellent resource
This book is an excellent resource for anyone studying terrorism. I used it as part of a bibliography for my final Army War College paper.Though the paper was about National Missile Defense, I found an incredible amount of data I could use.It is sober, insightful, and easy to read....unlike many books on the same topic.I have loaned my copy to other Army officers as a primer for curent events.Hope I get it back. ... Read more

Isbn: 0815700040
Sales Rank: 205630
Subjects:  1. Foreign relations    2. General    3. Government - U.S. Government    4. International Relations - General    5. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    6. Political Science    7. Politics - Current Events    8. Politics/International Relations    9. Prevention    10. Terrorism    11. United States   

On War
by Carl von Clausewitz, Michael Eliot Howard, Peter Paret
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 June, 1989)
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Reviews (42)

Caveat Emptor
"Buyer Beware!" The Penguin edition of On War is abridged and is missing Chapters Five, Six, and Seven (actually Books Five, Six, and Seven). The Princeton edition and the Everyman edition are edited by Peter Paret and Michael Howard and are complete and unexpurgated. For some strange reason, the reviews of the Everyman edition of On War and the Penguin edition are combined giving readers the idea that reviewers are discussing one edition when they are actually talking about another. The only thing the Penguin edition has going for it is that it is cheaper, so it might be useful for college students taking a course during 1 semester. Otherwise, get the Everyman edition.

Diplomacy By Other Means
Carl Von Clausewitz (1780-1831) was a Prussian aristocrat who served as an officer during the Napoleanic Wars and who began writing this treatise on warfare upon the conclusion of the conflict.Although primarily philosophical, Clausewitz' efforts are to explain the nature and the dynamics of war.Unlike Sun-Tzu's "The Art of War" which is primarily a work of maxims or dictums, Clausewitz tried to put such concepts into a theoretical and empirical framework.

This edition does a fine job at clarifying the historical context in which Clausewitz was writing his work as well as what issues he was trying to address.Clausewitz never found his works to be ready for publication but his wife had them published shortly after his death.One can see Clausewitz' efforts to categorize his concepts were strongly influenced by Emmanuel Kant's philosophy. This factor,in addition to his work being mostly rough drafts, can make Clausewitz a difficult writer to follow.

Clausewitz' most important and relevant concepts to the world today would be his "Books" 1-4 and 8 which deal with the theorical and philosophical aspects of war: his most famous phrase being that war is the execution of a state's diplomatic policies by other means (i.e. organized military force.)The objective of war is to make the enemy do your will (ideally with unrestricted force) which is to make him surrender unconditionally.The question then being who has the means and methods to put those principles into effect successfully.Clausewitz then goes into the concepts of leadership and strategy that are important in winning a battle or a war.Clausewitz' remaining works on offense, defense, and military forces are less relevant as they are more products of the Napoleanic War: their tactical and strategic insights are of limited use in the context of modern mechanized warfare.

This is a great edition as it is accompanied by a very detailed preface and introductory essays that clarify Clausewitz' convoluted manuscripts.The essays bring his work into modern perspective and discuss its important contributions to modern political and military thinking.I strongly recommend this edition and translation over other works as the reader will simply get more bang for their buck compared to publications by Penguin or others.

DO NOT BUY THIS EDITION OF ON WAR!!!
On War is an incredible work, but the Penguin Classics edition is terrible - the translation was done by an editor who was openly hostile to Clausewitz, something to do with Kissinger (whom our editor detested) being a Clausewitz fan.There are entire sections that are specifically translated in ways that make Clausewitz look bad, and edits to the same effect.

I highly suggest that you read this book - but read the Everyman's or Princeton version - those editions have the Peter Paret translation and are far superior in every way.The Everyman's edition in particular is fantastic - hardcover, elegant, and only a few dollars more than Penguin's steaming pile of excrement. ... Read more

Isbn: 0691018545
Sales Rank: 132354
Subjects:  1. History    2. History - Military / War    3. Military    4. Military - Strategy    5. Military Science    6. War And Peace    7. European History    8. History / Military / Strategy    9. Political Science and International Relations   

History of the Peloponnesian War, The : Revised Edition (Penguin Classics)
by Thucydides, M. I. Finley, RexWarner
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (30 September, 1954)
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Reviews (31)

A Greek War Classic
"History of the Peloponnesian War" is Thucyidides' account of the 27-year war between Athens and Sparta which began in 431 BC.The Penguin edition is just over 600 pages and can be very slow for a modern-day reader, but it is worth the effort as much of it is still amazingly practical, especially in today's wartime world.Unfortunately Thucydides' account ends 7 years before the end of the war (which Sparta won, but in a rather Pyrrhic victory) so be prepared for some disappointment at the conclusion of a long read.

The narration of the book is rather dry at points (which is understandable in that it was written 2400+ years ago), but Thucydides' summations of the major speeches at high points of the war are excellent.His recap of the speech made by the Athenian general Pericles, appealing to his people for continuation of the battle at a point when their morale was very low, reads like it could have been taken from a present-day newspaper within the past few years.

Be prepared to have to give some effort to get through this book, but you'll be better off for doing so.

Unparalleled
I will spare a full-blown review. But if you have the extra money or could easily afford it, I would recommend the newer more expensive edition of this book with the introduction by Victor Davis Hanson. There, you will have maps to your hearts content, including chapter summaries. This edition lacks in both of these areas. As a result, this edition gets 4 stars, while the history written by Thucydides is beyond measure.

A milestone, and recurrent justifications ....
"History of the Peloponnesian War" is, superficially, merely an account of a war that happened centuries ago, the Peloponnesian War, between Athenas and Sparta. Of course, you might think that the subject is trivial to you. After all, how important can a book like that be?. Well, if you were to think that, you would be enormously mistaken.

To start with, this book is a milestone you need to be aware of. Thucydides, its author, is very possibly the first modern historian. He tried to explain the causes of the Peloponnesian War, without reducing its complexity by saying that the gods had motivated it. Thucydides doesn't follow the easy path; instead, he searches those causes in human nature, and in power. He doesn't weave tales, but tries to write History.

It is rather astonishing how objective this Athenian was when he analyzed the war, and all that happened immediately before it. He examines methodically many events, paying special attention to facts. The author also gives his opinion from time to time, but he doesn't judge whether an action is good or evil: he merely shows that those that have power can use it as they see fit. Due to that, Thucydides is called by many the first realist theoretician.I was especially taken aback by how well he expresses his ideas regarding the fact that "power makes right" in the Melian debate. I don't agree with him, but I cannot deny that he makes a powerful case, and that his point of view is shared nowadays by many noteworthy thinkers.

It is important to point out that in "History of the Peloponnesian War" you will find a painstaking account of many things that actually happened, but also some speeches that weren't made by the actors, but could have been made by them. To explain that more clearly: Thucydides wrote some political dialogues and monologues that allow us to understand some aspects of the conflict (and many of his ideas) better. The introduction to this edition also highlights that the author sometimes made up some of the speeches (from the data he had), and was present when others were pronounced. My favorite speech is the one made by Pericles, in honor of the men who died during the war. In that discourse, he explains why those men fought and died to defend Athens, and what Athens meant not only for Athenians but also for Greece.

This book isn't easy to read, but it is well-worth the effort. The translation is quite good, so that will make your task a little easier. If you don't feel like reading this book all at once, try to read it little by little. The results will be the same, but you won't feel dismayed by the need of finishing it immediately.

Also, if you can, try to relate some of Thucydides themes to our modern world. You will find that easier that you might think, and it will make you pay more attention to what you are reading. You are likely to be very surprised, for example, at how similar some of nowaday's justifications for taking advantage of power without paying attention to justice are to those that Thucydides already made a long time ago. On the whole, I highly recommend this book :)

Belen Alcat ... Read more

Isbn: 0140440399
Sales Rank: 26412
Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Ancient - Greece    3. Classics    4. Fiction    5. Greece    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. Peloponnesian War, 431-404 B.C    10. Ancient Greece    11. European history: BCE to c 500 CE    12. History / General   

Ways of War and Peace: Realism, Liberalism, and Socialism
by Michael W. Doyle
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 May, 1997)
list price: $30.00
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Reviews (4)

Overrated
Section of Realism is extraordinary, but the chapters Socialism and Liberalism are somewhat weak.

Excellent Foundation for Understanding International Rel.
I recommend this book to any student of International Relations or Political Philosophy. Doyle does an excellent job of describing the foundations of the main theories in the discipline of InternationalRelations. By starting with the philosophers behind each school of thought,he reveals the often misunderstood assumptions made by scholars in eachschool. Thus, he shows us why scholars in International Relationsfrequently talk past each other when discussing a topic.

great synthesis of philosophy and international relations
Before reading Doyle, I had never really come across a good survey of political philosophy which logically relates the classical political theories to their practical corollaries in international relations. I mustsay I am very much impresssed with Doyle's effort and am delighted to findhow well he is able to put all theories (he deals with realism, liberalismand socialism) in an illuminating perspective, and how he is able toingeniously distinguish the different strands within the respectivepolitical theories. What I like in particular is how he associates certainstrands of thinking with certain philosophers, and how he then combines andcompares these different views within a larger theoretical perpective, thusproviding a clear overview on the theories at large. I must admit onlyhaving read parts of it, most of the section about realism, all of it onliberalism and some of it on socialism, but still think I have a goodenough idea to be able to comment on this book. I initiallty felt inclinedto give this book only four stars, since it only deals with a small numberof thinkers and theories, but realising the vastness of the subject, I feltI could not withhold Doyle's book the 5th star. So for those seeking thebroader view of international relations, going beyond the confines ofconventional IR theory, Doyle's book is an absolute eye-opener. ... Read more

Isbn: 0393038262
Sales Rank: 1188051
Subjects:  1. International relations    2. Peace    3. Philosophy    4. Politics and war    5. Politics/International Relations    6. War And Peace    7. Political ideologies    8. Political science & theory    9. Western philosophy   

Present Dangers: Crisis and Opportunity in American Foreign and Defense Policy
by Robert Kagan, William Kristol
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 September, 2000)
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Editorial Review

Two leading advocates of "conservative internationalism" in foreign policy assemble a like-minded group of deep thinkers in Present Dangers. According to the editors--Robert Kagan of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and William Kristol of The Weekly Standard--America's most significant threats come from within, rather than without. They worry that "the United States, the world's dominant power on whom the maintenance of international peace and the support of liberal democratic principles depends, will shrink its responsibilities and--in a fit of absentmindedness, or parsimony, or indifference--allow the international order that it created and sustains to collapse." As might be expected, the Clinton administration comes in for a thrashing on these pages. Ross H. Munro, an expert on China, writes: "However history judges [President] Clinton, the assessment of how his administration dealt with a rising China is certain to be harsh." In a chapter on Russia, Peter W. Rodman slams the Clintonites for "sentimentality," an "absurd doctrinal fetish" with arms control, and "an unwillingness to assert major American strategic interests and impose a penalty for harm done to them, lest the poor Russians feel hurt." There are other essays, too: Richard N. Perle on Iraq, Elliott Abrams on the Middle East, and William J. Bennett on the importance of morality and character in foreign policy. Clear thinking and straightforward writing mark each chapter.

As a whole, Present Dangers is an excellent primer on how a Republican foreign policy might look in the early years of the 21st century. But to be sure, a Republican foreign policy would not inevitably look this way; in one of the book's best sections, James W. Caesar examines the realist and isolationist schools of conservative thought and contrasts them with the view expressed throughout Present Dangers. Yet this is a strong and convincing call for "a strong commitment to vigorous American global leadership, to American power, and to the advancement of American democratic and free-market principles abroad." --John J. Miller ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Not worth buying or reading
While I disagree with much of the content of this book, that is not why you shouldn't buy this book. The reason not to buy is that this book is greatly out-dated. It was from before 9-11, and the neo-con perspective and focus on the world is now quite different.

Neoconserative fantasy foreign policy
The problem with neoconservative foreign policy is not that it is conservative and realistic but rather that it is liberal. The descriptions of problems here presented are real enough but the policies advocated in response are simply unrealistic precisely because they are imbued with a kind of moralizing and crusading liberalism that is not going to solve America's foreign policy problems but rather exacerbate them. Doubtless American intervention is required in many areas (and not in the form of social work as advocated by the UN and the Left), but proclaiming complex problems to be simple forces of good and evil that can be solved with the revolutionary and forceful imposition of democracy is classic Wilsonian liberal nonsense. It is simply a liberal-minded fantasy that you can import democracy and human rights to places that do not have the historical and institutional background to support it. It is true that a realisitic foreign policy that encourages intervention without the aid of some rhetorical flourishes of high-minded but naive and impractical principles will fail to be legitimized in the mind of the demos; however, to go so far as to actually implement these principles as policy is not only doomed to failure but will most certainly result in "blowback" against American interests. Much more prudence and the reassertion of realistic geopolitical strategies wrapped in the rhetoric of Wilsonian fantasy worlds is needed in place of the actual implementation of crusading liberal ideologies when it comes to foreign policy. We should expect much more especially from William Kristol, being the student of the great Machiavellian scholar Harvey Mansfield.

Absolutely a must-read: know your enemy!
This is undoubtedly one of the most important books on US foreign policy published in recent years and should be read by anyone who cares about the future of the United States and the rest of the world. This is the manifesto of "conservative internationalism" whose proponents, including many of the books authors, now infest the Bush administration and are his loudest ventriloquists. Here, then, is the current administration's strategic vision.

The basic argument is that the US needs to exercise world domination, here spun as "benevolent global hegemony" and that there are a number of external obstacles which stand in the way and must be dealt with. These are Iraq, Iran, North Korea, China, the Middle East peace process and an independent Europe. In its clear and reasoned enunciation of strategy and future plans, it both rivals and surpasses the later chapters of Mein Kampf. Here is the game plan which must be read to understand where these people intend to take the world next.

If we ignore the desirability of this mission, its feasibility (the cost in money, lives and freedom) certainly merits discussion, but here the book is thin, relying on fairy story assumptions (budget surpluses!!!) and wishful thinking.

The one distasteful aspect of the book is the attempt to wrap the entire endeavour in the cloak of "American morality", understood as protecting citizen's liberties. This is breathtaking stuff from accomplices in the most extensive attempt to incinerate the Constitution in recent history.

Stripped of its ideological air cover and romantic fantasies, this is still an important, timely and lively document since this is the future course of foreign policy which the Bush administration plans to pursue. ... Read more

Isbn: 1893554163
Subjects:  1. 1989-    2. Foreign relations    3. Government - U.S. Government    4. International Relations - General    5. Military policy    6. Philosophy    7. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    8. Political Science    9. Politics - Current Events    10. Politics/International Relations    11. United States   

Another American Century?: The United States and the World After 2000
by Nicholas Guyatt
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (13 January, 2001)
list price: $17.50 -- our price: $17.50
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Reviews (5)

A good introduction to the world we live in.
Unlike the other reviewers, I found this book balanced and well-researched.

I didn't find it "unamerican"(whatever that means, if someone would call me unswedish I would probably laugh myself to death)...

The book gives a good account of the history of the contemporary economic order and the third-world debt crisis and how it has been handled to ram open new markets for western investors. It also examines the policies of the United States government to the different economic crashes of the nineties(Mexico/Asia/Russia) and how they have behaved to "socialize the cost, privatise the profits" of exposed mainly Wall-Street firms. The most interesting part of the book examines the basic assumptions and values of policymakers and foreign policy experts that shapes their perception of the world.

A must-read for anyone interested in global politics.

Reviews from the book jacket
'A powerful analysis [that] raises fresh, fundamental questions about an entire range of US foreign policies that have deep roots in the American economic and cultural experience.' - Walter LaFeber, Department of History, Cornell University, author of Michael Jordan and the New Global Capitalism.

'Nicholas Guyatt has done us a great service. With this book he has given us a succinct, bold and penetrating critique of the triumphalist ideology which insists on American domination of this and the next century. Another American Century? is both sweeping in its argument and rich in the evidence it produces to show the dangers to us all in the idea that our country has the right to impose its will on the rest of the world.' - Howard Zinn, author of A People's History of the United States

'A cogent and incisive history of the present. Guyatt situates major debates about American foreign relations (the consequences of globalization, Washington and the United Nations, the role of the Pentagon after the Cold War, humanitarian interventions) in a concise but sweeping interpretive history going back to the Depression and World War II. In so doing he skewers a number of shallow and insubstantial foreign affairs pundits who may get a lot of media attention, but get few things right about the problems and perils of American foreign policy in a new century.'
- Bruce Cumings, Department of History, University of Chicago

Who is Nicholas Guyatt?!
I read this book, thinking it would add some kind of meaningful information about the US and their current position in world politics. I had read the previous negative comment on amazon but I thought I would buy it anyhow and give the book a chance. However, I now regret making that decision. Who is Nicholas Guyatt anyways? I've never heard of him before even though I've been involved in political science for a couple of years now. He acts like he's some kind of "expert" on the US, but his knowledge of US politics seems to be very limited and his explanations are clearly biased (to say the least!). For example, all the stuff he writes about why the US helped Mexico and Russia; His view is completely biased on those issues... He provides the reader with loads of references, however these are, for the most part, books and magazines that are not considered scholarly and are not read by political scientists (e.g. National inquirer (!), Time, etc...). Why doesn't he use journals such as Foreign Policy? Is it because they clearly don't support his political theories and political models? That is what I suspect in any case. I give this book 2 stars just because of the effort he took to write it. But I don't recommend anyone to waste money on that book. There are clearly loads of other, much better books out there. ... Read more

Isbn: 1856497801
Sales Rank: 1025061
Subjects:  1. American    2. Current Affairs    3. Economics - Theory    4. Forecasting    5. Future Studies    6. International Relations - General    7. International relations    8. Political    9. Politics - Current Events    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Political Science / General