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Rating: 
Summary: An excellent read
Review: Burke undertakes a much better analysis of the links between al-Qa'ida and other Islamic militant groups. Quite a few analysts take the view that if an individual has met UBL or trained in one of his camps he is automatically a member of al-Qa'ida. Burke highlights that this is not always the case and there are a multitide of reasons for individuals and groups seeking assistance from the al-Qa'ida network.
Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding reportage...... hats off to Mr. Burke!
Review: Mr. Burke, being none other than Jason Burke, roving correspondent for THE OBSERVER et al. Anyone familiar with his bare knuckle style a journalism will appreciate most of the contents of this book. Sloppy editing aside. most of the book is straight shooting, nitty-gritty kind of stuff. As is the case with most journalists unto writers, the intro and conclusion sound hurried and cut off. Parts of the body wrap you up and take you there. Even though, there is still a sense that Burke is holding back, or is being held back. I bought the book because I'm a fan of his column. I would make it required reading for Midlle East/Near East History 101. Experts delve with discretion.
Rating: 
Summary: bin Laden is a genuine mastermind of terror
Review: OK. This is standard analysis. But without the charismatic guerrilla -- albeit evil -- leadership of Osama bin Laden would al Qaeda ever have risen to its current diabolical heights?? Let's not underestimate the influence of individual players in history. Burke is a good reporter, but he wasn't the only one to penetrate AQ cells and does not speak Arabic. For Analysis I recommend Imperial Hubris.
Rating:
Summary: bin Laden is a genuine mastermind of terror
Review: Thematically and factually Burke has done it better than any of his peers. This is a must read.
He glosses over a few things (why the Pentagon changed his name from non-threatening Osama to icky and frightening sounding Usama, as well as the fact there's no Iraqi terrorism against the US) perhaps in a bid to be non-partisan, which he is.
But his intensive research and unique and thoughtful assertions that militant Islam is so much bigger than Al Qaida, and his exploration of Al Qaida itself as a vague sideline player challenges the dumbed down childish media image of the organization. And he does it all without recourse to "send a message" "wake up call" mindless cliche drivel. This book is the "anti Fox news" without being partisan.
There's no better book on this subject, and I've read almost all of them.
David Anderson, JD, BA ( Middle East politics), NYC
Rating:
Summary: Best book on terrorism I've ever read
Review: Thematically and factually Burke has done it better than any of his peers. This is a must read.
He glosses over a few things (why the Pentagon changed his name from non-threatening Osama to icky and frightening sounding Usama, as well as the fact there's no Iraqi terrorism against the US) perhaps in a bid to be non-partisan, which he is.
But his intensive research and unique and thoughtful assertions that militant Islam is so much bigger than Al Qaida, and his exploration of Al Qaida itself as a vague sideline player challenges the dumbed down childish media image of the organization. And he does it all without recourse to "send a message" "wake up call" mindless cliche drivel. This book is the "anti Fox news" without being partisan.
There's no better book on this subject, and I've read almost all of them.
David Anderson, JD, BA ( Middle East politics), NYC
Rating:
Summary: Al Qaeda remains the main enemy and this book shows it
Review: We keep forgetting that Al Qaeda remains the main enemy - and this book reminds us that it is still there (18,000 Al Qaeda operatives remain at large, uncaptured and fully operative....). It is therefore essential reading for anyone interested in what is really going on in today's world, and has the advantage of being written by one of the best and most thorough journalists around. Buy it, be duly alarmed and remember, as the recent bombings in Baghdad remind us, Al Qaeda remains our enemy no.1; Christopher Catherwood, author of CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS AND ISLAMIC RAGE (Zondervan, 2003)
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