Best book on Hezbollah I've read.
930015
I bought the audio version of the book on audible. It's extremely detailed and lots of information that I did not know about the group and some war stories embedded between the group and Israel. Lots of great tid bits of information that you don't see on the news. However, the book isn't perfect. In certain chapters, it feels that the author hypes up the group and its fighters too much when he is describing certain missions and accomplishments. I take some of the information with a grain of salt since some of his sources are from Hezbollah. I would enjoy reading an updated version that includes Hezbollah and the situation it finds itself within the arena of the Syrian civil war.
3217825
I read this book after it was recommended by Joel C. Rosenberg on his blog.  What an eye-opening book.  You definitely will gain some new insights into the Iranian political scene.  It's easy to forget that the government of any country does not speak for all its people, and that is certainly the case in Iran.  It is important to learn that the radical Islamist Iranian government has terrorized and tortured its own dissenting people to a far greater extent than it has been able to export terrorism to the other countries (so far).  Readers will also learn a great deal about the Islamist "Twelver" worldview that permeates the Iranian government and how that worldview creates a very real threat to not only ourselves and Israel, but more immediately to the many Iranian people who do not share that worldview.  This is a very important book to read before the next presidential election, because how the US ultimately deals with Iran -- or fails to -- will have lasting repercussions for the world.
1732783
Seeds of Turmoil by Bryant Wright
This book presents a compelling argument that traces the the current crises in the Middle East back to Abraham of the Bible (Old Testament). From Abraham and Sarah's sin, that was meant to "help God" by allowing Sarah's servant, Hagar, to bear Abraham's first son to the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham that Sarah will bear him a son: Ishmael and Isaac; Jacob and Esau; the "birth" of the chosen people, Israel; Israel's struggles and becoming a nation; Israel's loss of its nation (and the Jews were scattered among other nations); Israel's becoming of a nation again in 1948; Israel's wars with the Muslim nations since 1948; coupled with the explanations of the beginning and rise of Christianity and Islam.

The author makes a very insightful and compelling biblical and historical account for the current Middle Eastern Crises. I wasn't sure if I'd like this book, as I assumed it would be based on bible prophesies that are hard to understand. This book is not about bible prophesy, though some is cited and is easily verified with the Bible. This book is fascinating. I read the book practically nonstop, it was so hard to put down. Everything, including Islam, can be traced back to Abraham.

I highly recommend this book. It well thought, thorough and includes a time line of events. It may seem far fetched, but the author describes a biblical, historical and chronological account of events that makes it hard to deny a strong correlation with the present Middle East.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their [...] book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
1418900
If you've ever had the thought, "Why doesn't Israel just give back the land, and then there will be peace." If you've ever wondered why the Middle East is constantly in upheaval with nation against nation. If you've ever asked why Muslims hate Christians and Jews so much.

If any of these statements describes you, then pastor and author Bryant Wright's newest book, Seeds of Turmoil: The Biblical Roots of the Inevitable Crisis in the Middle East is a must read.

When I saw the cover, I'll admit that I expected my head to hurt reading some high-brow critical analysis concerning the intersection of Scripture and history. But nothing could be further from the truth. Wright's style is clear, extremely easy to follow, and at a mere 167 pages, a great education in three-night's read.

Part One explores the Biblical story of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, and the two sons, Isaac and Ishmael. Wright details where the conflict between the three major world religions began in relation to these biblical individuals and then gives a "where are they now" look at Abraham's descendants in relation to the countries in the Middle East.

Part II then explains Abraham's story from the Jewish, Islamic, and Christian perspective, thereby providing the reader with an understanding of the constant in-fighting and hatred that still exists today in the Middle East.

Surprisingly for this uber-critical reader, the only critique I have is that Part One of the book is extremely repetitive. After describing the outline of the Abraham story, Wright rehashes the same ideas in the "Sarah and Hagar" chapter and then again in the "Isaac and Ishmael" chapter. Since there is a Study and Discussion Guide at the end, I understand his logic in dividing the story up into sections to be discussed in a weekly small group setting, but for the individual reader going through the text, it made me yawn, "Yes, yes, yes, you've said that already. Get moving..."

Overall, I would recommend this as a great "starter" book for the average person who really doesn't know much about the connection between Old Testament times and the modern situation in the Middle East.

**I am not paid by Thomas-Nelson for my review.  I merely receive a free copy of the text in exchange for my opinion, good or bad.
981423
Bodansky's books are to my opinion the BEST books written on middle east politics,at times you have to wonder where all the information comes from. Obviously he has contact with inside sources in the middle east,who know what is going on and he is not afraid to say what needs to be said about state sponsored terrorism and how it is cynically used without care or consideration for those whom it disastrously harms. At times you have to laugh at Bodansky's blunt style in assesing mideast politician and dictators motives and methods of operation. While you may have to disagree with some of Bodansky and his information sources you can't deny that even if he might be wrong at times,he's not far off at all. As a matter of fact like Dennis Hopper said of Kurtz in Apocolypse Now,"he may be crazy,but he may be right"!!I would finally say that someone has figured the mideast situation out enough to make sense of it,if that could ever be. Terrorism is a poor country's quick entry into world politics,an attempt by these countries to seem powerful. They do this by making large nations seem impotent to stop random,sporadic, and spectacular violence. I use Bodansky's books all the time when I see a news story on CNN and I have to know what Bodansky has to say about it. Read him cover to cover or use the back index for select topics either way "You Win"!!You're as close to an expert as you can come,now if you can just remember what you read and if you can find someone who'll listen to you,like Cassandra. As I read this book i became aware that Bin-Laden is just the tip of the iceberg on the troubled politics of the middle east. Bodansky obviously uses the Bin-laden sideshow as a forum to present even more alarming facts about state sponsored terrorism along with the rise of the mideast-suicide deathcults complete with their networks and multi-layers of deniability and financial sources. By the way in a book on hinduism i had previously read that the deathcult ideology so appealing to the arab youth of today initially came from India where it was practiced for hundreds of years. But then a person could only do so much damage with a knife. So it appeared the death cult is another scissors and paste job(gruesome too),added onto the Islamic religion. Since the suicide cult is so old it probably will never go away,and thrives on a population that views itself as surplus and super bitter. The christian desert fathers expressed their contempt for world affairs by withdrawal and self denial and austerity in their behavior but with a creative impulse like translating works of art into vernacular,but this suicide/homocide Islamic movement is something beyond comprehension. You can easily see how corrupt mid-east governments use the Arab mafia for an important link as a smoke screen of denial. Also the book leaves little doubt that Bin Laden's movement is supported largely in alot of third world countries out of pure jealous rage. The reaction of Palestinian glee at 911 is shared by a surprising majority (although not as forward about it) in these third world countries. They see Al-queda as their political voice in world affairs,it's no wonder that this organization is such a Hydra,growing a new head for everyone sliced off. He offers solutions as well,but as the title suggests,it won't be cheaply bought and do people have the stomach for it anyway. Will the medicine be as a cliche goes,"kill both the pain and the patient"?Bodansky's other book is also a 5 star and the author is never "politically correct" in the interpretations equally blistering toward American and European-
soviet politicians as well.
1459740
Great book.  This book explains in detail the history between Sunni's and Shia.  It should be a required read for anyone in a government position that is shaping foreign policy.  If you want to learn about this subject, this book is a fantastic resource.
890409
This is the best book on this topic that I have ever read.

The book uses many examples to illustrate the many levers (some completely legitimate, others very questionable) that the lobby uses to effectively influence the US government, the media, and public opinion.  It demonstrates how this influence leads to unwavering US support of Israel which ultimately makes the problems of terrorism and Middle East unrest worse, not better.

The authors have a very simple and easy to understand writing style and have an amazing ability to distill complex issues into their most concise and understandable form.  I read this book from a moderate perspective and expected to find a lot of anti-Israel bias.  Instead, I found a dispassionate explanation of the facts that profoundly affected my thinking on this issue.

This book also helps to answer a question that still seems to puzzle many Americans....."why is the US so disliked around the world?"  Some of the answers lie inside.  It is also a good book for those who are concerned about the growing influence of "special interests" (and not just the Israel lobby) on our government and on public discourse.
2394322
When first written, this book was the most comprehensive and enlightening treatment on the genesis of the hatred within the middle east. What was written then is still true (or only more so?) today. Highly recommend for anyone trying to understand why the region still ticks like a bomb.
804604
This book was recommended to me by an expert on and frequent traveler to the middle east. I highly suggest it to anyone trying to understand what is now happening in that part of the world. Easily digested and readable. It not only explains the history of Islam but also gives a different slant on the history of the rest of the world.
Best read so far this year.
I have been giving away copies to friends and I do not often do that!
4440273
This is a fast read, a must read for any muslim, jew or christian that wants to understand the middle east conflict from an exhilate palestinian perspective.
Tass presents the path to peace for the Israeli Palestinian conflict and it makes absolute sense.
I loved the book, which is Taas' testimony of his life, which is very powerful.
3080762
Loved this book, really gives you insight into what happens between the US, secretary Clinton and Israel. Lots of great stories about what really goes in the Middle East. I could not wait to get back to this book. Very up to date and concise.
263283
By far the best book written on the vexed topic of the horrendous delegitimization campaign by anti-Zionist Israelis and others perversely antipathetic to the Jewish state. Yakira is a philosopher of the first-order whose mastery of complicated arguments is unmatched. But what makes the book really special is its moral clarity. This is a deep book worthy of rereading and extended meditation. Additionally, the English translation, masterfully done by Michael Swersky, is a delight to read. Anyone interested in the meaning of debates about the meaning of Israel and Zionism today has to read this book.
3021361
I couldn't understand the desire of a suicide bomber. But I was ignorant.
This book is a great read. It's told fast and personally. The reader feels the author's genuine interest in the subject. What is sad is how little I knew about Iran or Western influence in Iran.
This book is a must read for anybody like me that wants to know more of the background to today's political climate. The sections on the ancient history of Persia are particularly fascinating and told in a quick, clear way.
As far as the connections between terror and the coup I think it's easy to see that the 50s, while marking the end of the British colonial era, established the US as a new Imperial power. This, is at the heart of every terrorist act. If you read this book you will come closer to understanding the fear of foreigner powers meddling with your country or the feeling that at any moment a missile can blast through your apartment window.
Seems to me that most Americans, or Westerners, still have not grasped the fundamental realities of the psychology of terrorism. What dignity is there being killed by a satellite guided bomb? There is not even any personal interaction with the enemy. Of course there are going to be suicide bombers. People who have a history of suffering and place honor in death during rebellion will revolt. This is made clear.
The strength of the book lies in the facts being pulled out in different themes. One reviewer said the book is poorly organized. This was an interesting review but I disagree. The book is organized thematically so things overlap but give the reader a richer idea of how one event affected another. I think Mr. Kizner has a firm grip on the difference in cultures, the lives of the people involved, both Asian and Western, and the resonance this event in history is having today.
4653992
Once again, Baer comes flying in with the sorry-but-it's-true reality of the Middle East.  I've read all his books and couldn't wait to read this one.  The first two dealt with exposing what Saudi Arabia is really up to and their involvement in terror and, most importantly, why it is beyond insane to call them an "ally."

Now he takes on Iran and details in very convincing manner (having dealt with Iran for decades) how Iran is much more powerful in the region than we currently believe, and how all this talk of them being the third prong of the "Axis of Evil" that is going to nuke Israel is completely 9/10 thinking.

He correctly summarizes how they, via Hezbollah, were able to beat Israel in the 2006 war and galvanized public support for them.  He also points out, which is pretty obvious, how they have immense sway over Iraq and its Shia majority.

What's eye-opening is his pointing out that Hezbollah/Iran hasn't launched a terror campaign (meaning, bombings, kidnappings) since the 80s because there's a "pragmatism" to their thinking and they realized this kind of thing wasn't helping their cause.  And what is that cause?  To be, and be realized, as the superpower in the region.

NOT to wipe out Israel, not to do anything that the fool Ahmadinejad keeps talking about, not to eventually bring Islam to our doorstep and force it down our throats.

The epiphany of the book is that Baer positions Iran not as an enemy to be attacked or feared, but rather a historic opportunity to form an alliance in the region.  Time is ticking, he asserts, and do we really want to cast our lot with the zealot Sunni Muslim "takfiris" who have wreaked destruction for decades (including 9/11) and have no other goal except destruction and using the Koran as their Constitution?  Because that's who we're partnered with now.

Or, do we form an alliance with a country that doesn't share that ideology at all, and who can provide dividends in settling Iraq and, yes, Israel/Palestine?

He makes a good case.  Read and judge for yourself.  I can't recommend it enough; too bad our leaders aren't reading it also.

BTW: easy read.  Blew through it in three days.
2840881
This book is excellent.  It should be required reading for both military Officers and Non Commissioned Officers.  This book gives an ever day insight into the tatics used by  Mid-Eastern terrorist.
2302096
The best contemporary account of CIA Middle East operations so far written thru the lense of Bob Ames's career. The book offers insightful views into US foreign policy efforts in find a formula for achieving Middle East peace. Most interesting is how the book challenges many of the common perceptions concerning the PLO as an organization and its leadership. The book also contends that the Israeli invasion of Southern Lebanon produced disastrous effects, such as turning a docile S***e community into the feared Iranian supported Hezbollah organization of today. This is a must read for those interested in the region and a truly insightful account of the inner workings and personalities of the CIA.
2672439
This book is one of the finest terrorist history books I have read. He goes into the history of the terrorist organizations and explains how they came into being. Thankfully he does not dwell on seal 6 possibly endangering them. He glosses over the inside details of how they work. It is great reading and recommended if you want to learn a heck of a lot more about osama and his upbringing and just how incompetent he really was. Thank You for very interesting reading.