Khobar Towers - Tragedy and Response

by Perry D. Jamieson

For some Americans, the catastrophic events of September ll,200l may have overshadowed the Khobar Towers bombing of June 25, l996.Yet as horrific as the attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center were, the bombing in Dhahran-terrible in its own right-should still command our attention. There is no distinguishing of the importance among these, or any other terrorist events, to those who lost their loved ones in them. That the Khobar Towers tragedy was fol¬lowed by ones even larger in scale does not diminish its importance: it furthers it. The "Bleeding Kansas" of the 1850s prefigured a far bloodier Civil War in the I 860s, and the blasted facade of Building I 3 I anticipated the yet more deadly ter¬rorism of the twenty-first century.

575 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Scottnshana · Rating 4 out of 5]

You have to know up front that this is the Air Force History and Museums Program's history of the horrible event on June 25, 1996. It is a day-by-day account of how the USAF, in installations all over the world, responded to a terrorist attack and dealt with the loss of 19 superb Americans. Dr. Jamieson goes "into the weeds" to tell the full story--how Air Force medics, personnelists, lawyers, civil engineers, and leadership quickly responded and took control in the aftermath of this terrorist attack in places like Landstuhl, Patrick, and Eglin. The detail reveals the comprehensive research and diligence that went into writing this necessary book. It is not a thriller. It is not a diatribe against the nefarious ideology that launched the attack. It is more a study of the ripple-effect that circled the world and the way Air Force leadership coped with and mitigated the effects of the initial shock. As a veteran of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH and lifelong student of national security affairs, I found this book most helpful in understanding leadership (Generals Fogleman and Schwalier, i.e.) and character (the Airmen who surged--whether in blue berets or flip-flops--to aid their stricken comrades and to apply both training and courage to chaos).

[Ashley Toomey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very technical with a step by step approach to telling the story. It helps to have an understanding of the military and how it works. A tragic event but a lot of lessons learned and important to never forget.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting historical account of terrorist attack on USAF base in Saudi Arabia and the emergency response.