Customer Reviews

Origins of Terrorism: Psychologies, Ideologies, Theologies, States of Mind

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This book presents to its readers a clear foundation of the factors that lie behind the use of violence by groups, states, and/or individuals to gain their objectives.

The two primary articles in the book by Martha Crenshaw and Jerrold Post present two opposing views of the logic that lies behind political violent activity ("terrorists" activity). The case studies in the rest of the book support these two primary articles.

Any researcher in the field of political violence studies must have this book in their library.

Origins of Terrorism attempts to both be balanced and discuss the psychologies of terrorists. The chapter by Martha Crenshaw (I recommend reading her book on terrorism rather than just the chapter) presents the opposing view to the chapter by Post. While interesting, the psychology advanced is mostly the "crazy terrorist" psychology. I didn't get much out of the book, except for the first two chapters and chapter 10. Chapter 10, which discusses terrorist motivations, is incredibly useful. The rest of the book is average but unremarkable.

This book was written before the huge surge in interest in terrorism in the United States brought on by 9/11. Since so much has been written since 1998, to read this book alone would leave the reader a bit behind the times on the subject. Nevertheless, I would recommend anyone interested in the topic starting here.

The parts dealing with the psychology of terror are quite relevant - how do terrorists justify to themselves what they do and how can engaging in terrorist acts alter the views of those who commit them? How do the defenders of terrorism in the name of religion get around prohibitions on suicide? If ever there were a vivid description of rationalization, you'll find it in the account of the views of a Lebanese cleric that adapt to the level of enthusiasm of the public, the judgments of peers and the effectiveness of terror. Success can do much to muffle opposition just as in conventional warfare techniques that were formerly abhorred can find favor if they prove useful. Who would have thought the President of the United States would scarcely hide his approval of torture (while denying it, of course).

You'll find a good historical summary of the Weathermen in the United States, the Bader/Meinhof Gang in Germany and the IRA in Northern Ireland providing evidence of how terror acts on the population in general as well as those who plan and carry out the acts. Did terror do what it is hoped that it would do?

The book is not a difficult read but it is not a casual read either. You'll need to concentrate to follow the points of the several authors and keep their ideas in mind as you move from one to the next. If you do, you'll find broad coverage that approaches the subject from many angles and reaches back in time to the first century AD.

I'm keeping my copy as a good reference on the subject.

This is one of the few scholarly texts I have read that can be easily digested both by experienced students and by those with no exposure to the related concepts. Should be on the bookshelf of anyone remotely interested in foreign affairs. Combination of history with basic psychological underpinnings of terror campaigns makes for a comprehensive, but concise, text.

Great price for a brand new book that was going for $40 used through the school bookstore.

This informative book covers all aspects of terrorism - the warped psyches driving the murderous events, historical setting, goals, leaders and particularly the religious, ethnic and ideological forces behind terrorism. While 99.99% of all world terrorism has its roots in the Middle East, it has become a worldwide phenomenon.

Even more important than the barbarous acts, though, is the development of a framework within which one both justifies and excuses terrorism. Never before has the claim been made that it is morally permissible to kill innocent men, women and children for any reason. Never before have there been so many willing not only to forgive but also to forget these deeds done in the name of an esoteric idea.

Perhaps the most important development, and one discussed in detail, is the merging of Islamic fundamentalism and the Left throughout the world. In a sense it was inevitable: Both are virulently anti-Western, both advocate violence and both support
- and get support from - totalitarian regimes. Mainly due to the identification with the USSR and its support for Arab causes, the Left has moved steadily into an anti-Israeli/Jewish pro-Arab/Palestinian stand. One can trace both the physical evolution of Palestinian terror groups (unorganized local groups to world network) and ideological evolution (from local issues to global terrorist concerns). This is most evident in Europe, especially France and Germany. The two share a dubious honor: France is the intellectual home of modern anti-Semitism and Germany is where the logical fruition of these "ideas" was practiced.

Another danger of terrorism is that of disproportion. The number of people required for maximum damage has been steadily dwindling - from mass armies, to small units, to spies to ordinary individuals. Terrorism thrives because of this disproportionate power. This is a disturbing yet satisfying read and the author is to be commended for excellent research.

This book attempts to account for the root causes of terrorism. However it fails to provide a meticulous analysis of the origins of terrorism. For example, consider the author's analysis of islamic fanaticism. According to Reich, muslim terrorists, driven by an ardent religious conviction, target western modernism as they despise the Western way of life. In support of his assertion, Reich uses quotes from the Quaran which have been taken out of their proper context. Anyone even vaguely familiar with Islam knows that Islam teaches piety, tolerance, empathy and equality before God (please check the Quaran for corroboration of this). Moreover murder is justifiable only in self-defense. Subsequently, claiming that Islamic fundamentalism emerged as a result of an extreme interpretation of the Quaran is preposterous. The author further asserts that Hezbollah uses religion as a justification for its abhorrent atrocities. Trying to explain the underlying motives of Hezbollah's ideology without even taking into account the 22-years long Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon is indicative of poor scholaship and gross oversimplification. In my view it was the Israeli invasion of Lebanon which triggered the emergence of these resistance groups. The real causes of terrorism are Western imperialism, gross economic inequalities, oppression, abject poverty, Western exploitation of the Middle East's enormous oil fields, imposition of Western values and US capitalism, US constant interventions and support for oppressive governments like Saudi-Arabia, Israel etc. These are the root causes and unless we acknowledge them it will be extremely difficult to obliterate terrorism. It is like treating a patient but having a wrong diagnosis. Another disadvantage of this book is the fact that it almost exclusively focuses on Islamic fundamentalism; no account of Jewish and Christian terrorism is given. This seriously undermines the book's purpose and makes it biased. This book does however provide a thorough account of psychological factors which contribute to the rise of terrorism but these are merely of secondary importance. Interesting read but lacks a detailed analysis.