A Terrorism Reading List

        By T. Evan Schaeffer

       Tired of redundant CNN-style TV news coverage of the war against terrorism?  Why not read one of the excellent books that put "America's New War" into its proper political and historical context?  

        The authors of the five books below may seem like clairvoyants, anticipating events that hadn't yet occurred when the books were published.  The sad truth, however, is that the threat of terrorism on U.S. soil was far from new as we approached September 11.

       Inside Terrorism, by Bruce Hoffman (September 1998).  This account of the historical roots of modern terrorism extends from the "Reign of Terror" after the French Revolution to the massacre of Israelis at the 1972 Munich Olympics and beyond.

        The author argues that fringe groups that spawn terrorist organizations--the Aum sect in Japan, Islamic terrorist groups, the Timothy McVeigh-style militia movement--are fueled by a sense of isolation, which spurs participants to embrace and use weapons of mass destruction.

       The News Jackals:  Ramzi Yousef, Osama Bin Laden and the Future of Terrorism, by Simon Reeve (October 1999).  It wasn't long ago that Osama bin Laden was nothing more than a mysterious Saudi millionaire.  "The New Jackals" attempted to change that by documenting everything that was known about bin Laden through 1999.

       The book's narrative focus is the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, thought to be masterminded by Ramzi Yousef, a British-educated follower of bin Laden.  Reportedly, Yousef hoped that explosives placed in the World Trade Center would topple one tower into the other, collapsing them both and killing 250,000.

       The resulting FBI manhunt for Yousef led investigators to bin Laden.  The book concludes by focusing on bin Laden, chronicling the 1998 attacks on the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.  These attacks were the stimulus for the U.S. cruise missile strikes that were meant to led destroy the bin Laden organization in 1988.

       The Ultimate Terrorists, by Jessica Stern (October 2000).  "Ultimate" terrorists are those who employ chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.  In addition to clearly explaining the difference between chemical and biological weapons, this work also analyzes the problems created by "loose nukes" in the Soviet Union.  

       Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War, by Mark Bowden (March 2000).  Now ready available in paperback, "Black Hawk Down" is the harrowing account of U.S. fighting in Somalia in 1993.  The book was nominated for the National Book Award in 1999.  

        During Bill Clinton's first term, elite U.S. forces were sent to Somalia.  Their goal: to capture a Somalian warlord who was impeding U.S. efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to the country.  During a two-day gun battle in the capital city of Mogadishu, 18 American soldiers were killed.  

        For those who want an idea of how U.S. special forces might be deployed in Afghanistan, this is a choice pick.  Warning: the battle scenes, which make up most of the test, are extremely graphic.

       Understanding Islam:  An Introduction to the Muslim World, by Thomas W. Lippman (December 1995).  Anyone with their eye on the news understands that most Muslims do not support or condone terrorist acts and should not be identified with Osama bin Laden.

       Followers of Islam number more than a billion.  As one of the world's largest religions (with a huge presence in this country), Islam plays an important role in 21st century world politics.  "Understanding Islam" gives a much-needed historical perspective to the TV news coverage of the unfolding drama of America's new war.

       Since the Sept. 11 attacks, taking time to educate ourselves about the worldwide threats to our freedoms seems like much more of a priority than it did just a month ago.  Read one of these fine books if you have a chance.

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