If you've already made up your mind, don't waste your time and money tormenting yourself with new information.
The title of Richard Miniter's book excited me. I know something about the "War on Terror" and its place in the larger cultural civil war going on in America--but not everything. I wanted Miniter's opinion and I paid for it. In "Disinformation: 22 Media Myths That Undermine the War on Terror," Miniter not only puts himself in everybody's crosshairs, but he provides extensive notes on where he got his information. Yes, any decent researcher can "prove" anything by selecting sources that agree with the researcher's premise. So what? Do your own research and put yourself on the line!
For example, the Weapons of Mass Destruction issue has been decided--Saddam DID commit acts that would have resulted in his being convicted on WMD charges in American courtrooms. Check the US vs Evans, USDC, North District of Florida (2005) and US vs Frank Paco Guevara, both convicted under Title 18 USC 2332a of threatening to use a weapon of mass destruction, and both were sentenced to life in prison without parole. These were just two of the cases I found when I did a quick Google search--both men were serving prison sentences when they committed their crime. If this CNN standard seems too harsh for you--sorry! Tim McVeigh's Ryder truck bomb(called VBIEDs by our military in Iraq) and Richard Reid's shoe bomb were labeled WMDs by Clinton Administration officials and the news media. It depends upon what you mean. Of course, you could adapt the racially prejudiced position that if the Iraqis have it, it isn't a WMD.
That's just one issue. I liked Miniter's disproving of two conservative myths, #21 (racial profiling of terrorists works) and #22 (the US border with Mexico is the most likely place for al qaeda terrorists to sneak into the homeland.) Note that all BEHAVIOR profiling has been branded "racial profiling" by the media--for purpose of drawing eyeballs. Islam is not supposed to be confined to any one race or nationality or culture. As for the Mexican/US border--Canada has been the preferred infiltration route since at least 1926, with Prohibition and the ComIntern's war on America.
Suitcase nukes--Miniter is less than accurate. The SADM on display in New Mexico are late 1950's designs. In the 1970's, several different 155mm nuclear projectiles were developed for the US Army. I remember the warheads being classified in the 0.05KT to 0.1KT range and the weight of a standard 155mm projectile is something like 65 pounds--these pocket nukes are less powerful than the Trinity test device exploded in New Mexico on June 1945 (18 KT), the Hiroshima "Little Boy" (12KT), and the Nagasaki "Fat Man" (22KT) bombs of August 1945, and you can verify this with unclassified documents on the Internet or at a decent public library. The Hiroshima bomb had 50 kilograms (about 110 pounds) of enriched uranium and the two plutonium devices had 5 kilos (about 11 pounds) of nuclear material--the difference was in the triggering mechanism. Had the uranium bomb been of the implosion type, I think the little 5-kg ball would have been enough,and would have resulted in an explosion in the 20 kiloton range--but I'm no nuclear physicist. Check with the experts. Anyone with the means to produce nuclear weapons could produce a suitcase bomb mission-tailored in a few weeks--but look at the political fallout for the United States after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. the folks with the power don't want to lose prestige, and the folks without the power don't have the means. Suitcase nukes are not just small physically, but are limited in power. It is unlikely that a single 1 KT nuke would eradicate a small American city of 50,000--though it won't be a thrill for the city's inhabitants. The superpowers planned to use SADMs to blow specific mountain passes or ruin harbors. Only a few were made because the military utility was limited--and political consequences made their use unlikely.
There's more. Miniter taught me some new things, and his reference sections permit me to verify his facts. Can't ask for more than that, and cannot expect that much from bigots and other closed-minded pundits.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
