Global Terrorism: A Beginner's Guide

by Leonard Weinberg

A fascinating and frightening look into terrorism on a global scale.

Since the terrible events of 9/11, more attention than ever has been paid to the threats and challenges posed by contemporary terrorists. From suicide bombers to the latest cybertechnology, Leonard Weinberg’s readable and objective introduction explains who the terrorists are, where they came from, what motivates them and what, if anything, can be done to stop them. It provides a fascinating insight into such mythical figures as Carlos the Jackal and Osama bin Laden, while also offering a full account of how terrorist ‘cells’ operate and what they might do in the future. With full resources, including a chronology and list of further reading on the subject, anyone interested in matters of public security and international crises will find this essential reading.

192 pages, Paperback

First published June 25, 2005

Reviews

[Liam Malia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writing an introductory text to such a complex topic is difficult, and overall I have to say Weinberg did a good job. There were aspects of the book that felt reductive and simplistic, and Weinberg was far too quick to gloss over the pivotal role that the US played in the development of global Islamist terror. Furthermore, his view that it was the approaching millenium that has made the fourth wave of global terror so deadly seems frankly odd. The millenium holds no major import for either Islamic fundamentalists or white supremacists, the two main perpetrators of global terror today. He also skipped over the entire subject of white supremacist terrorism, focusing instead on the development of Islamic fundamentalism, despite the former being a far greater threat to the United States than the latter. I would have appreciated the care and clarity he used in explaining the Iranian Revolution and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in a discussion of the development of white supremacy. For a more nuanced and measured view of Islamic fundamentalism, I would recommend ‘The Muslims Are Coming!’ by Arun Kundnani, and for American white supremacy ‘Alt-America’ by David Neiwert is well-written and very thorough. That said, the edition I read was from around 2005- a newer edition would be welcome.

[Tirtha Poudel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Global Terrorism: A Beginner's Guide" is a comprehensive manual for those who are interested in the study of terrorism. It provides in-depth knowledge of the history of terrorism. Not only the history of terrorism but also the various tactics of terrorist are analyzed by Leonard Weinberg. He also visualizes the future of terrorism and how it will end.
This book is fruitful for those who are concerned with the national security, global peace, and security. For the beginners, it is like a capsule.

[Worm]

DNF 50%

Yeah not a huge fan of how the Israel-Palestine conflict was discussed