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Anonymous
Posted October 31, 2003
Perfect Recipe for Eternal Warfare
Based on the assumption that bombing civilians from F-16s and extra-judicial executions are not terrorism, this book is a very simplistic manual for combating terror with terror, oppression and totalitarianism. One chapter for instance advocates infringement on personal freedoms and civil liberties as the way to fight terror, which makes the ¿democratic¿ countries he supposedly wants to help no longer democratic. The book also advocates ¿active pursuit¿, otherwise known as ¿creating terrorists from ordinary civilians by bombing their friends and family¿, a policy whose consequences we have seen too well. In short, this book appears to be the perfect recipe for getting the world in an endless quagmire.
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Anonymous
Posted August 17, 2003
Wrong Premises
In ¿Fighting Terrorism¿, Netanyahu purports to offer the world some new methods of combating terrorism. The ideas in the book are drawn largely from Netanyahu¿s personal experiences as well as his country¿s experiences in that regard. ¿Fighting Terrorism¿ is very easy reading, largely thanks to the shallowness of the ideas contained therein. The book¿s arguments fail to convince due to the false premises on which they rely. First of all the book delves into the subject of fighting `terrorism¿ without a clear definition of what is meant by terrorism. Certainly, such a definition is needed, particularly when some of the `counter-terrorism¿ methods he advocates (such as lobbing tons of bombs into civilian areas) can be equally classified as terrorism. Secondly, ¿Fighting Terrorism¿ failed to convince me that it is of any use for the US, since the United States is in a completely different situation than Israel, and so many of the book¿s recipes do not apply, not least of which is its advice to trample on the people¿s civil rights and on the Constitution. Finally, one cannot help wonder, if Netanyahu (among other Israeli leaders) is such an expert at fighting terrorism, then how come his country has witnessed an increasing waves of (what he would call) `terrorism¿? Couldn¿t it be that his premises are flawed fundamentally? Couldn¿t it be that his methods are counter-productive and create an atmosphere of hatred for his country that breeds new generations of people willing to take revenge? Because of these fundamental deficiencies of this book, I do not recommend this book for anyone serious about understanding terrorism and fighting it effectively.
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Anonymous
Posted September 17, 2002
Required Reading for all Democrats in Congress
This book should be required reading for all members of congress especially democrats. Netanyahu has more insight to the middle east problems than any other person I know of. His suggestions for how terrorism must be fight are reasonable and do-able. I would bet that G.W. Bush has read and believes in the principles set forth.
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Anonymous
Posted October 9, 2002
Faces the problem head on. Highly recommended!
A first class book befitting the present climate following the September 11th terrorist attacks upon the US and the Palestinian terrorist upsurge against Israeli civilians in the Mid-East. Most people will be aware of Benjamin Netanyahu's history as a former Prime Minister of Israel, but few are aware of his service as a soldier in an elite anti-terrorist unit in the Israeli army. Netanyahu having considerable experience of fighting terrorism on the diplomatic, political and also military battlefields. Netanyahu pulls no punches in his direct, vigorous assault upon terrorism. This latest edition being published since the aforementioned terrorist attacks and includes reference and comment in relation to them. Anti-terrorism measures voiced by Netanyahu are weighed against the question of civil liberties and he also projects his views on the rise of Militant Islam and the nuclear threat provided by terrorist entities. The author candidly and honestly declares his opinion that, what is at stake today in facing the present upsurge of terrorism and fundamentalism, is nothing less than the survival of our civilisation. He advocates that any such talk in apocalyptic terms which might have been irrelevant exaggeration some ten years ago, is now becoming an accepted fact of life. Despite such a shocking affirmation, the former Israeli PM expresses confidence that the threat can be successfully tackled if the enormous reserves of power and facilities at the disposal of the West are appropriately and quickly marshalled. Netanyahu believes that no international terrorism can flourish without the support of sovereign states. He maintains that the latter train, arm and indoctrinate the terrorists within safe havens provided by these regimes, who more often than not share their agendas, dispatching these groups or individuals to serve as their proxies of terror. The views of the author have been proved true and accurate time and time again as the `war against terrorism' continues. One need look no further than Iran, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and the Palestinian territories. Fundamentalist Islamic terrorist groups are granted freedom to operate and receive the financial and political support from all these entities. Not to mention Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Arafat's rule in the Palestinian autonomous areas has seen the freedom and approval for the running of summer camps in Gaza where Palestinian children are openly seen receiving training to become suicide bombers, with undisguised instruction in the merits of martyrdom and the methods of murder. Yet the world looks on with apparent or wilful impotence. The author proclaims that `the success of terrorists in one part of the terror network emboldens terrorists throughout the network'. Enough said. Netanyahu adds that such small groups and individuals `...nullify in large measure the need to have air power or intercontinental missiles as delivery systems for an Islamic nuclear payload, as...they will be the delivery system'. The world would be foolish to ignore such a warning and it's potential consequences, especially with the hindsight of September 11th. The author asks the question, "..do we rally to defeat this evil, while there is still time, or do we press a collective snooze button and go back to business as usual ?" He continues to assert that, whilst the fight against terrorism might inflict some innocent civilian casualties, this in itself does not constitute a 'terrorism' of it's own, as some would argue. Such casualties,he states, are entirely unintentional,indeed regrettable, but are tragedies by comparison and appropriate measures must be taken to minimise them. To the contrary, terrorists do not unintentionally harm civilians! They deliberately murder, maim and menace civilians...in fact as many as conceivably possible! It is Netanyahu's opinion that NOTHING can justify terrorism. No cause, grievance or agenda, irres
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Anonymous
Posted December 26, 2001
Excellent and Must Read
Benjamin Netanyahu included his congressional testimony after the September 11th tragedy. The book is very rational and logical in presenting the issues surrounding terrorism and ways to eliminate it. It is a 'Must Read'. Very easy to read and understand.
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Anonymous
Posted September 27, 2001
Benjamin and Benyamin Netanyahu are a formidable team of writers!
Benjamin and Benyamin Netanyahu are a formidable team of writers who are only slightly biased.. A quote, ¿I have met the enemy, and he is us,¿came to mind after reading `Fighting Terrorism.¿ I was quite familiar with nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC - DoD term) weapons after serving 20 years in top secret black programs within the DoD. Einstein once said, `had I known, what would become of my work, I would have become a clock maker.¿ Had the Russian and US military spent the money they budgeted for biological weapons on cures/prevention for biological weapons, we wouldn¿t be in this fix. I have been reading about these things on rense.com for years. In the early eighties, Reagan ordered forty million doses of Smallpox vaccine destroyed that was being stored in Switzerland. We have only a few thousand doses of vaccine left, yet we have enough biological weapons to destroy the earth¿s population ten times over. The US has been the leading exporter of weapons for decades (tanks, fighters, radar, etc.). We armed Ben Laden and Saddam both. So much for our political leadership. You will find out all of this and more after reading `Fighting Terrorism.¿ Every time I get a little paranoid, I put run neurosync on my computer and it gives me peace of mind. Remember, if politicians had to fight in wars, there would be no wars. Although I don¿t agree with everything in this book, it is an important work for those who want information and not fluff.
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Anonymous
Posted January 5, 2001
A Primer for Students of International Politics and Terrorism
As a former Naval Counter-terrorism analyst, I look for books that provide factual material without a sugarcoating of political ideology. Prime Minister Netanyahu has well accomplished this feat within this book. By using both personal experience and historical perspective, PM Netanyahu provides a step by step program for the isolation and eventual defeat of terrorist organizations. He provides heretofore unknown facts that gives an insight into the mindset of the terrorists and those that fight them. This book is a 'must read' for any student of International Politics, Terrorism, those wishing to learn the truth of international terrorism.
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