Customer Reviews

Terrorism and U.S. Foreign Policy

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When I first read about this book in the newspaper, I was prepared to read a very dry, boring academic work on terrorism. I was a Political Science major in college so that did not bother me. BUT I was truly SURPRISED when I read this -- and STRONGLY recommend it to everyone who wants to get "the complete picture" of where the United States is in this terrorism "war," how terrorism grew, where it is going...and how it may be contained.
True, this book cannot be compared to a "fast read" nonfiction book or an informative news magazine piece. It is quite serious and that's not surprising since its author was deputy chief of the CIA's Counterterrorist Center. But it is NOT boring and is easily undertandable. It's sort of between an academic text and a standard nonfiction book.
Even though it was written before the horrorific Sept 11 events there are plenty of references to Osama bin Laden..and many others terrorist individuals and groups. In fact, chapters are broken into headings such as states, groups, counterterrorist instruments, etc.
What's MOST interesting about this book is this: immediately after Sept 11 American policymakers (government and elected) had been faulted with not knowing much about terrorism.
But it is VERY clear from reading this book that this is THE book they have used to get up to speed. This clearly was their "Bible." A lot of what is going on now seems to be based on the concepts and conclusions in this book; and when you listen to some elected officials on Sunday news shows it's clear they read THIS book.
The most unsettling part of all this is: after you read it, and get a wonderful understanding of the groups, people, and options, you realize that: a)the US government and officials WERE indeed woefully unprepared (books like this and reports on terrorism apparently were used as doorstops by both political parties until disaster struck) and b) dealing with terrorism is akin to squeezing a half-full water balloon...for each push on one end, something bulges on the other end.
I STRONGLY recommend this book to ANYONE who wants to understand the historical, military and political minefield that the U.S. now tiptoes through.
Don't be scared off because it's a serious book! It's thoughtful, balanced with lots of quotes and analysis. Level-headed...and NOT a "doomsday" book. Academics will love it. Policy makers and elected officials already parrot it. And the average reader will find it understandable...and realize the challenges and dangers ahead as never before. Read it and keep it, or read it and lend it, or read it and sell it...but READ IT. Read it!

I have only begun reading this book, but have already advanced my understanding of terrorism a thousand-fold. It is eerie to read the book, knowing that it was written before the September 11th terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. If only we'd read it before then...

This is not a mass-market book; it is more reminiscent of a college textbook. There are no photographs, and no lurid descriptions of terrorist attacks. Those omissions provide an example of the importance of this book: by de-sensationalizing terrorism, the author renders it possible to apply unimpassioned reason to a menace that can only by combatted by careful planning, intelligent strategizing, and long-term considerations of foreign policy. Despite its sobriety, however, the writing is lucid and elegant. It is a relief to find that at least one author has been studying the problem of terrorism so recently, and in such depth. After reading the book, terrorism remains something to be feared, but no longer a source of panic.

I urgently recommend the book to anyone who had been overwhelmed by the WTC incident and is trying to comprehend the "new world" in which we live. Pillar has made international terrorism comprehensible -- which is a major contribution to America's efforts to recover from the September 11th attack. Knowledge is strength.

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.

Paul Pillar brings stunning clarity and an insider's sagacity to a subject that is far more complex than the sound-bites and political posturing that we normally hear. Written before Sept. 11th, it is amazingly accurate in its assessment of the pitfalls and possibilities of counter-terrorist policy decisions. This is essential reading for a congress that has far too often passed simplistic and consequently counter-productive legislation to cure a problem that they don't fully comprehend. Though written by a savvy professional in this field, the book is amazingly lucid and full of concrete examples. A "must read".

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.

Measured perhaps is the word that best describes this book. Paul Pillar has clearly attempted to present the issues of terrorism in a dispassionate and reasoned manner. For the most part he has succeeded. He also provides the readers of the paperback edition of this book with a new introductory essay that ties the events of the 9/11 terrorist attacks into the main themes of the book. The book provides a useful basis for any discussion on the nature of terrorism and counter terrorism.

It is also a book is filled with interesting observations and comments. For example, anyone who has read Ron Suskind's book, "The One Per Cent Doctrine" undoubtedly remembers Vice President Cheney's comment to George Tenet that, "If there's a one per cent chance that Pakistani scientists are helping al Qaeda to build or develop a nuclear weapon, we have treat it as a certainty in terms of our response." This book which was published well before the Suskind book, provides the reader with the same concept after someone, presumably Tenet, translated it into bureaucratese "...the potential consequences of CBRN weapons getting into the hands of terrorist groups are so severe that the possibility must be countered no matter how low the probability."

Of course this book, like so many written by former government officials is self serving. Pillar probably was forced out as the Deputy Chief of the Counter Terrorism Center (CTC) of the CIA, but the reasons for this are unclear. In any event he spends a good deal of the book justifying the work of CIA and providing what has become the standard Government Official response to critics of the Agency by claiming that: the problems raised by the critics are bogus and show a misunderstanding of how the agency operates and besides which action has already been taken internally to correct them. Nonetheless the book is worth reading and contributes to our understanding of the phenomena of terrorism.

Paul R. Pillar has written in clear wording how terrorism has affected the United States Foreign Policy. Paul R. Pillar He pulls the curtain away from the terrorism mystic. You will learn about the other ways of dealing terrorism other than just the military option. For example

Counterterrorist Instruments:
1. Diplomacy
2. Criminal Law
3. Financial Controls
4. Military Force
5. Intelligence and Covert Action

Mr. Pillar explains how to use the instruments to their fullest extent, even when one instrument might not be the best in the long run, it might just be effective at the moment

Experts in the field of Terrorism have this work on their reference book shelf.

Pillar's importance has come to light to "the mainstream" of American thought after his piece titled "War, Policy, and the War in Iraq" came out in Foreign Affairs critizing the current war. Pillar, however, has had a long established career in foreign policy work. The book is not an "easy read" and is quite technical, but it is an essential read if you want to know what our country's top analysts think is the best way to deal with "terrorism". Furthermore, his insight into Bin Laden and his Al-Queda organization is very interesting as this book which was written before 9/11.

I read this book for several reasons - I am interested in the subject, have seen the author on numerous news programs, read his interviews, and as a part of my graduate studies. Pillar presents his points in an easily understandable manner and makes a lot of sense - he is also an expert in terrorism studies and U.S. foreign policy. This is a must for anyone interested in how to fight terrorism.

Mr. Pillar has impressive academic (he holds a Doctorate's from Princeton) and work experience (Chief Deputy of Couterterrorism at the CIA) credentials. His book, although not a fast read fad type manuscript, is not overblown. Mr. Pillar provides the reader with a concise overview of the policy options available to the U.S. in combating terrorism with an analysis of their strengths and weaknesses. A MUST READ to understand what are the options in this First War of Globalization.