Customer Reviews

Man Without a Gun : One Diplomat's Secret Struggle to Free the Hostages, Fight Terrorism, and End a War

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Mr. Picco and I are bonded more tightly than most: my husband, Colonel William ("Rich") Higgins was a part of the filthy hostage fabric, and is a part of Mr. Picco's story. My husband, however, was one of the few that did not come home to a joyful reunion with his family and the Marine Corps he served for 22 years. But, thanks only to Mr. Picco, his remains did come home, almost 4 years after he was taken.

Reading the book was fascinating to me, in a way only one who lived every moment with Mr. Picco could be. As I wrote in my diary, Mr. Picco wrote in his. As I wondered where Rich was, Mr. Picco was looking. As I wondered if the media reports that he had been murdered could be true, Mr. Picco was hearing them from the shadowy kidnappers and their sponsors. I had never personally met or heard from Mr. Picco before reading the book, and only knew of his existence very late in the game. I only wish Mr. Picco had entered the darkness earlier. The book strengthens my assertion that my husband suffered from bad timing and bad bureaucracy, as much as he did from his treatment. Thank you Mr. Picco for your courage and your honesty.

I found this book to be absolutely fascinating. I went into it with a limited memory of what I had heard through the news of the time of the hostages and the Iran-Iraq war, but came out with a much deeper understanding - not only of the times, but also of the people, the real players. I have come to appreciate the work of the brave Mr. Picco and those who worked along with him, and I am grateful for their service to those who could not serve themselves.

I usually read at the least a couple of books together. With this one, I could not. It occupied my time, my mind, and my emotions. It is well written in expression of human dilema, complexity of the region and the world's web around it, and the author's integrity and belief in goodness in human beings, in spite of their differences. Also, another lesson for me personally, what else is going on that we do not know about. Thank you for this opportunity.

I recently happened on to this book and bought one used from Amazon. I found it to be an interesting and very personal account of dealing with Iran behind the scenes. I think it is helpful and very applicable to the current situation with Iran. I found it to also be a quick and easy read that kept my attention throughout. You will like it - enjoy!

Picco's vivid description of his courageous efforts to win the freedom of all persons (not just the Western hostages) who became involuntary pawns in the politics of Lebanon's civil war is fascinating indeed. The most remarkable aspect of Picco's work was his ability to gain and keep the trust of the kidnappers, despite the actions of the U.S. and Israeli governments which often undermined his efforts.

Picco is to be commended for risking his life on multiple occassions to save the lives of people whom he had never met. He did it because it was the right thing to do. Picco is a remarkable diplomat who simultaneously juggled the conflicting interests of the kidnappers, Iran, Israel, Syria and the United States.

This was definitely a story that needed to be told. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the now largely forgotten hostage crisis in Lebanon.

Is a good book as information to know the person involved on that situation, but it is boring so long and not so much attractive .

In the dangerous post 9/11 world we live in today, Giandomenico Picco's "Man without a Gun" should be a primer for anyone wanting to understand the complex intricacies of Middle East politics. "Man without a Gun" is an unique firsthand account of Mr. Picco's diplomatic experiences at the UN during the 1980s and early 1990s. The setting of "Man without a Gun" takes place in some of the most volatile areas of the world: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Israel.

It is fascinating to read Mr. Picco's first hand account from someone who successfully negotiated some of the most intractable crisis of the late 20th century including: Afghanistan/ Soviet-Russia war, Iran/ Iraq war and the Lebanon hostage crisis. Very interesting for US readers is that Mr Picco as an Italian and a UN diplomat, provides an important outside the Beltway perspective that Americans need to hear. Too often the US views the world as black and white, this simplistic world view has been the cause of many misguided US policies, not the least was our myopic view of communism. Mr. Picco refers to this US narrow world view when he describes how the US continued to provide arms to the Afghanistan Mujahideen in violation of the peace treaty signed with Soviet Union in 1988. Ultimately, the US arms hasten the fall of the Afghanistan government in 1992 that led to more fighting and ultimately led to the notorious anti Western Taliban regime.

The highlight of the "Man without a Gun" is Mr. Picco's successful efforts to free the Western hostages based in Lebanon. Its a fascinating to learn about the behind the scenes intrigue and the Herculean efforts pursued by Mr Picco in the Middle East and beyond to free the hostages. At a great personal risk, Mr Picco describes how he made secret rendezvous with the hostage takers and gradually over time earned their trust that formed the basis of the successful negotiations to release the hostages.

Unlike so much of the disturbing news coming today from the Middle East tinderbox, during Mr. Picco's tenure at the UN there was a streak of successfully negotiations with this part of the world and there seemed to be genuine hope for deceleration of tension in the Mid East. "Man without a Gun" provides insightful lessons on how the West can co-exist with the Middle East regimes. It is a shame that Mr. Picco's book is currently out of print, "Man without a Gun" should be re-issued so that more readers can have access to Mr. Picco's vast experience and excellent analysis.

My summation of this book can best be described by the self-explanatory quote from the author: "Principles matter more than life itself." That sentance exemplifies the level of intregity that Mr. Picco brought onto the scene of every place he set foot...the drama of so many world stages. By reading this book, our insights are enlarged and newly questioned, unexpectantly, as it encourages reassessment of recent history. Once you have read the book, this will be just one of the aspects that from which you will benefit.

Thanks for enriching and inspiring us again with your views on the true art of diplomacy. This book represents the materialization of something we were all waiting for after your unforgettable lessons in Gorizia. Credibility's once again is what will ultimately make us succeed in achieving results, a notion that may go, as it is masterfully explained in this great book, as far as saving human lives. Ancora grazie!

This book is something that your students in Gorizia have been long yearning for. Credibility is definitely a diplomat's most effective gun.. Grazie Professor Picco