Conversations with Terrorists

by Reese Erlich, Robert B. Baer

Drawing on original research and firsthand interviews, Conversations with Terrorists offers critical portraits of six Middle Eastern leaders often labeled as Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad, Hamas top leader Khaled Meshal, Israeli politician Geula Cohen, Iranian Revolutionary Guard founder Mohsen Sazargara, Hezbollah spiritual advisor Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Fadlallah, and former Afghan Radio and Television Ministry head Malamo Nazamy. Veteran journalist Reese Erlich offers them a chance to explain key issues and to respond to charges leveled by the United States. Critiquing these responses and synthesizing a broad range of material, Erlich shows that yesterday’s terrorist is today’s national leader, and that today’s freedom fighter may become tomorrow’s terrorist. He concludes that the global war on terror has diverted public attention from the war’s real goal―expanding U.S. influence and interests in the Middle East―and offers policy remedies.

Genres: Middle East, Politics, Nonfiction, History, Journalism

198 pages, Hardcover

First published September 14, 2010

Reviews

[David]

Possibly the most one sided and biased book about the subject you could read. It seems the entire purpose of this book is to for Erlich to fanboy over their favorite Islamist militants and miss no opportunity to whine about how much they hate the USA. Essentially a worthless read that I only begrudgingly finished in the hopes that Erlich would present literally any unbiased information at some point between before I completed it.

[frances]

A helpful starter to understanding some of the main actors and groups in the region. Shares the perspectives that American media and government often suppresses to maintain the easy-sell stories that excuse US imperialist actions. “Like the communist menace of years past, the terrorist menace is used to terrify people into accepting aggression abroad and repression at home”

[Eric Anest]

Wow. Lots of vitriol here for the US government. Some, or maybe even a lot, of this could be warranted: we have some uncomfortable facts to reckon with in our past and present.

That said, the book was so strongly written that I couldn't finish it. Give me a more level-headed critique and I'd be happy to wrestle with its arguments.

[Abigail Cornejo]

The book was very revealing on U.S. Terrorist tactics and how organizations such as Hamas and Hezeblloah have evolved into political parties. However, I feel as if Erlich became a little biased and began defending terrorist acts. Additionally, the chapters on people become mixed up with other people and a history of a terrorist group that one no longer knows what they're reading about.

[Michael Powell]

Excellent book for people that want to read a quite different view from the mainstream view presented by the US government and the media. Suffers from a inconsistent understanding of the root of the Islamic world's dilemma.

[Debbie Davidson]

If you need a short, concise analysis of politics in the Middle East, this is the book for you...