Customer Reviews

Why Do You Kill?: The Untold Story of the Iraqi Resistance

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This is a book that every sane American should read, because it shatters all the comfortable lies that we've been fed about Iraq today. Iraq, we learn from Jurgen Todenhofer,is a country _not_ at peace (and, therefore, where Bush/Cheney's "surge" did _not_ succeed), and one that has been practically destroyed by US military might; and a country whose resistance movement never kills civilians.

Because he wasn't an embedded journalist--far from it--the author was entirely free to meet with members of Iraq's resistance, and thereby to sort out what's really happening there. While all our news reports suggest that we're at war with a chaotic mass of suicidal zealots, the fact is that the so-called "insurgency" is a rational and humane freedom-fighting movement that's supported by the vast majority of the population. Those who have been targeting civilians are a small, albeit lethal, minority, including the few thousand _foreign_ murderers who constitute al Qaeda, and the death squads of certain Sunni and Shi'a politicians (some of whom work closely with US authorities). The real resistance hates those killers just as much as they soon came to hate our troops and trigger-happy contractors such as Blackwater. Because our media over-focuses on the attacks pulled off by the extremist elements, we have, lodged in our heads, a totally distorted picture of Iraq.

The book's account of the resistance is then followed by an Afterword that will, and should, astonish many readers in America (and in Europe), as it explodes the myth--for that's exactly what is--that Muslims are a violent people, prone to "terrorism." Here Todenhofer takes us through the gruesome history of how the Western powers have treated Muslims for the last two centuries, and makes it crystal clear that it's the West that's ultra-violent and terroristic; and, in comparing Islam with Christianity and Judaism, he notes that Islam is not any bloodier than the other two. In fact, it's arguably _more_ humane in certain ways. Of such surprising truths there are so many in the Afterword that I can only urge you to get hold of it yourself. Suffice it here to say that Todenhofer recognizes clearly that the standard Western view of Islam is based exclusively on fearful ignorance, and that his book will help immeasurably to clue us in.

All those who care not just about Iraq, but also about Iran and Afghanistan, and Obama's foreign policy intentions there, must read WHY DO YOU KILL?----and buy some extra copies to pass out to others. It's worth noting here that Todenhofer will not make a dime from his book's sales, as he's dividing up his royalties, donating half to a medical fund to aid Iraqi children injured in the war, and half to an Israel/Palestinian reconciliation project.

And anyone who wants to shrug him off as "anti-US" or "far left" should note that he went to Afghanistan in 1980, to help the people there against the Soviets (activities for which the Soviets tried to have him killed),
and that he's doing the very same thing now. As for his politics, Todenhofer was a judge in the trial of the Red Army Faction, and then served in the German parliament for 18 years--as a Christian Democrat. He's also a devout Christian, with close friends in America and Israel as well all throughout the Muslim world (and elsewhere).

He is, in short, a man of principle, and one who's been around--and so, unlike so many of the pundits out there honking for more war, he actually knows what he's talking about. His book is therefore a must-read; and, because it has been published by a little independent company, it's up to us to spread the word about it.

I consider "Why Do You Kill" to be a must read for all who want peace and for all who want to be well informed citizens. The stories of the Iraqi resistance are personal windows into life in Iraq. As a Viet Nam vet who worked mostly with Vietnamese, I appreciate that Todenhofer shows that the so called "evildoers" are in many cases doing the same thing that we would do in the same circumstance. This is not some arm chair academic account of life, but is an account told by someone who risked his life to get these stories. There were numerous comments by the author which totally mesh with my experience. His comment that bombing is cowardly, for example.
The afterword is a gem in itself. Todenhofer does not pontificate but backs up each of his ten views with specific data to validate his views.
I just ordered 6 copies of the book to give to my special friends, including my US senator.

Zaid is an Iraqi young man who refused to detonate a road side bomb because an old man was passing by. This reputation fueled the journalist appetite of Jurgen Todenhofer who traveled deep into Ramadi to meets face to face with Iraqi resistance, one of the most surprising parts was when he asked Zaid whether he cares about American parents losing their sons in Iraq; I would have expected a blunt answer like: "they should have not been there in the first place". However; Zaid who lost two brothers in the war was more of a human than a soldier, he said that when he detonated the first road side bomb he did imagine the people inside the Humvee, their parents... but he also remembered his two brothers, Zaid was anything but happy to kill. No matter which side of the fence you may be on, the book leaves you hating nothing but war itself.

This book looks inside the Iraqi resistance and shows how it is not only fighting the American occupiers, but also Al-Qaeda terrorists and the various private militias.

A person can argue about the conduct of the war in Iraq, how well or how badly it was executed, and whether or not waterboarding is torture, etc. The central premise, that we are guided by noble desires, to help Iraqis enjoy the fruits of democracy, can not be questioned. Supposedly, Arabs are not ready for Western-style democracy. Opinion poll after opinion poll, including those done by US officials in Iraq, show that large majorities of Iraqis want US troops to leave, fully and immediately.

If a US ally was invaded and occupied by another country under false premises, and the invaders were unwanted by the local population, don't they have the right to resist that occupation? Unquestionably, the answer is Yes; such a person would be hailed as a freedom fighter. But, when America or an ally does the occupying, there is no legitimate resistance. Freedom Fighter automatically equals Terrorist.

The author entered Iraq through Syria in 2007, intentionally without the knowledge or consent of American authorities. He wanted to avoid the Green Zone in Baghdad, Potemkin (fake) villages set up by the American military and talking to "approved" Iraqis. He was able to meet with, and stay with, many Iraqis who told him exactly why they joined the resistance.

A central principle of Islam is to never kill innocent people. That is the difference between resistance fighters and terrorists. Every family has lost someone during the occupation, some arrested and never to be heard from again. To the assertion that civil war will erupt if American troops leave; like that is so much worse than what is going on when this book was written (2007). If the American troops left, the Iraqi resistance could easily get rid of Al-Qaeda on its own. Early in the occupation, American troops in Fallujah fired on a peaceful demonstration of Iraqis upset that the troops had taken over a local school, killing 15 and injuring 65. American General Geoffrey Miller has been quoted as saying that Iraqi prisoners should never be allowed to think that they are anything "more than a dog." After a bomb blast in Baghdad, an imam asked for blood donations over the mosque's loudspeaker. The American response was to bomb the mosque, and shoot the imam. The reason given was that that district supported the resistance.

This is an excellent piece of journalism of the type rarely seen in America these days. It easily reaches the level of Wow.

I like it. The seller is very kind and explained to me how long it takes to have the book.

However, the delivery took quite long time as expected. May be also I haven't read well the delivery conditions in the beginning.

About the price, finally the price is acceptable, but I have paid 15USD for the book that costs 3USD, but I understand also that the delivery from New York to Sweden has this cost.

The delivery was in very good conditions.

Thank you all.

It's a strong, personal, yet informative account of the situation in Ramadi (Iraq) and does a good job in dealing with the resistance there.

Todenhöfer is one of Germany's most remarkable society critics. He has the ability to analyze things, not being fenced in by the common opinions of his neoconservative party (CDU), his country, his continent. He even has enough empathy to understand a shooting Muslim. As bizarre as our Pope wouldn't work. But their statements have one thing in common: the use of non-military methods when confronting Islamic countries. The Christian religions have undergone a development to reason, progressing to dialogue and free debate. We wish Todenhöfer's sensitivity on the entry of German Defense Minister - not the mainstream characters, always according to the latest opportunity of war industries - spinning only their own career. I am sure, Todenhöfer would succeed making educated negotiations with Iran and Iraq, with Pakistan and Afghanistan - instead of overwhelming a silly Parliament to increase the number of soldiers, better than (in the typical US Rambo style) climbing a climax of military violence, which helps to continue demonstrably the permanent anger of Jihadis. The duty of my nation, rather than to downgrade to the level of an uneducated silliness using explosive tools, should be to demonstrate the power of thinking, talking, describing realities: that's what we have to export as "folk of poets and thinkers" (saying of our chancellor Angela Merkel). Todenhöfer - he deserves rather than an OBAMA (increasingly CHANGED by the dull horizon of some CIA directors) to receive a Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo...

Remark: I read the German version before I sent this English version to a friend in the US

Before I read this book my view on our (my country's) military activities in the world was mainly based on the regular newspaper and radio/TV information we get. And those have the general direction that while there may be bad thins happening, the overall approach is good and we are helping the people in those countries to fight against terrorists.

Based on first hand information, the book changed my view in the following way: While we want to do good in those countries, the real world shows us: it does not work. We want to do good, but we are doing bad. Military intervention is not an option.

The German version is well-written, I do not know about the english translation.

Todenhöfer is one of Germany's most remarkable society critics. He has the ability to analyze things, not being fenced in by the common opinions of his neoconservative party (CDU), his country, his continent. He even has enough empathy to understand a shooting Muslim. As bizarre as our Pope wouldn't work. But their statements have one thing in common: the use of non-military methods when confronting Islamic countries. The Christian religions have undergone a development to reason, progressing to dialogue and free debate. We wish Todenhöfer's sensitivity on the entry of German Defense Minister - not the mainstream characters, always according to the latest opportunity of war industries - spinning only their own career. I am sure, Todenhöfer would succeed making educated negotiations with Iran and Iraq, with Pakistan and Afghanistan - instead of overwhelming a silly Parliament to increase the number of soldiers, better than (in the typical US Rambo style) climbing a climax of military violence, which helps to continue demonstrably the permanent anger of Jihadis. The duty of my nation, rather than to downgrade to the level of an uneducated silliness using explosive tools, should be to demonstrate the power of thinking, talking, describing realities: that's what we have to export as "folk of poets and thinkers" (saying of our chancellor Angela Merkel). Todenhöfer - he deserves rather than an OBAMA (increasingly CHANGED by the dull horizon of some CIA directors) to receive a Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo...

This book shows you a realistic picture about what's going on on the ground in Iraq. At the end of the book, the Authors analyses the roots and causes that created and yet kept nourishing the terrorism which will exist as long as this causes exist.