<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: A solid book about a scary subject
Review: I bought this book after seeing the author on television. She does a good job of explaining the motivations behind suicide bombers and the book makes it clear that this is a real danger for the US because the people who do this are not going to be stopped by large scale military actions, they are not united into one army that can be defeated. They are ready to give their lives to make a statement and to make their case known. We need to be aware of this.
Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive Peace Settlement: Neither Cheap Nor Easy
Review: Joyce M. Davis courageously offers unvarnished, uncomfortable and, at time, disturbing coverage of Islamic terrorism and its underlying factors (pg. 9). Davis helps her American audience better understand Islamic militants and their rationale in order to develop policies that could lead to the militants' ultimate defeat (pg. 22). Terrorism finds a favorable breeding ground in the swamps of cultural deprivation, misery and hopelessness (pg. 26). The rampant human suffering in the Middle East can turn some Muslims into economically, emotionally, and/or spiritually vulnerable targets for terrorist headhunters (16, 104, 119, 131-133, 152-154). Many moderate Muslim scholars consider that suicide bombers who kill and maim the innocent are not justified according to the Qur'an (pg. 5, 20, 94, 110-111, 141, 202). The concepts of terrorism and martyrdom are not exclusive to Islam and the Middle East (pg. 23-24, 192). At the same time, however, there is widespread understanding of suicide bombers and their actions among many moderate Muslim leaders and citizens across classes in the Middle East (pg. 10, 182, 194, 202). Many Muslims think that the U.S. is to be blamed for blindly supporting Israel and having double standards at their expense. The U.S., they argue, garners international support against Islamic countries like Iraq and Iran at the U.N. while conveniently ignoring U.N. resolutions against Israel (pg. 36-37, 109, 122, 143, 159). Furthermore, many Muslims criticize the U.S for propping up their undemocratic, unaccountable governments both financially and militarily (pg. 5, 12, 90, 165, 169, 192-193). The regimes in control have marginalized their secular opponents and have been unable to eliminate the religious-based opposition groups or the underground militants (pg. 11-12, 165-166, 170). Although Islamic militants are not closer to their goals than they were at the birth of Israel in May 1948, they still cling to the hope that they can achieve them militarily (pg. 14, 43-44, 148). Islamic militants want to make clear to every settler that they have no future in Palestinian territories (pg. 102, 157). Islamic militants remind that Israelis unilaterally withdrew from the South of Lebanon under repetitive attacks by Hezbollah (pg. 70-71, 157). Similarly, the Israeli government is convinced that diplomacy and negotiations lead almost nowhere, and that the military option is the only one to deliver results (pg. 167, 171-172). Some analysts underline that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's tactics have not stopped the violence against Israelis and are actually encouraging terrorism (pg. 167-171). The security fence, also called wall, that Israel is building along or close to the green line is an implicit recognition that the military option alone and Jewish settlements policy in the West Bank and Gaza are to a large extent sub-optimal (pg. 168-169, 172). Many critics say a wall will not keep terrorists out of Israel totally (pg. 172). One knows from personal experience gained over thirteen years ago that walls do not protect against a terrorist attack. Furthermore, the fence could lead some Israelis to grow complacent about their own security as most French did about their Maginot Line before the launch of the blitzkrieg in the West in May 1940. A surprise suicide WMD attack in Israel that some terrorists are rumored to plot could drive the point home very hard (pg. 160). Furthermore, Iran could one day become a nuclear power and step up the pressure on Israel to pull out of the occupied territories (pg. 61-62, 64). Hopefully, a nuclear Verdun will not be necessary before a just peace can be achieved. Terrorism cannot be eradicated without also draining the swamps that feed it (pg. 26). The road map for peace in the Middle East should aim at: 1. Gradual transformation of monarchies and one-party States in the region into respectively constitutional monarchies and Western democracies to avoid chaos (pg. 118). The U.S. should continue to prod these regimes into action to go beyond current democratic cosmetic changes to significantly expand the legitimacy of their authority (pg. 182-184). Fighting the Coalition in Iraq will slow down the advent of a more representative Islamic society. For all their flaws, Turkey and Israel are currently the only working democracies in the region.
2. Metamorphosis of the Gulf Cooperation Council into an Islamic Economic Community, precursor of an Islamic Economic Union, that has Islam, democracy and liberalism as its three founding pillars. The IMF and World Bank could give the region financial assistance to smooth the transition from a mainly bankrupt socialist economy into a working market economy. Otherwise, the peace dividend will remain illusory in the Middle East (pg. 12, 185).
3. Unconditional recognition of a viable Palestinian State that encompasses the West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital (pg. 66). Territory swaps and/or compensation could be considered on a case-by-case basis to deal with the issue of Jewish settlements in occupied territories. No responsible Muslim leader will ever recognize a Palestinian state without sovereignty on Haram al Sharif (pg. 65-66, 99-100, 149). Israelis should get 'superimposed' sovereignty on the underlying remains of Solomon's Temple for a similar reason (pg. 149). The acknowledged but not exercised right of former Palestinian owners to return should be compensated financially (pg. 149).
4. Unconditional recognition of the existence of the State of Israel. Islamic extremists feed only the anxiety of Israelis to be driven into the sea (pg. 22). There cannot be a Munich Agreement at the expense of Israel for the sake of making peace with Islamic countries. Jews do not forget how their ancestors were persecuted and slaughtered by millions under the widely indifferent eye of the international community in the previous centuries.
5. Separation of Mosque and State to avoid any embarrassment detrimental to the spiritual leadership and guidance of the Islamic clerics (pg. 46, 54-55). Very persistent men and women of goodwill should be able to bring a just peace to a region that still has a promising future (pg. 26).
<< 1 >>
| 
