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Summary: Factual Errors Weaken Bodansky's Book
Review: Author Yossef Bodansky's book "Bin Laden, the Man Who Declared War on America" suffers from severe factual errors. On pages 15-16, Bodansky refers to Pakistani support of "Sikh terrorism", specifically of a group called "Dal Khals." As a Sikh American, I reject Bodansky's inflammatory phrase "Sikh terrorism." After all, Timothy McVeigh is not referred to as a "Christian terrorist" nor was the bigoted Rabbi Meir Kahane called a "Jewish terrorist." Next, there is no Sikh group called the "Dal Khals." Rather, there is a group in India called the "Dal Khalsa." But the Dal Khalsa is not a pro Sikh group, but rather a front organization funded and trained by the Indian Govt to defame Sikhs.Sikhs are a 2% religious minority in India. Sikhs believe in One God, human brotherhood, gender equality and democracy. Hindus, the largest religious group in India, believe in many gods and goddesses and practice a caste system. The Sikh belief in One God and human equality provokes anger and hate from radical Hindus. These radicals want to destroy Sikhism just as their radical forefathers destroyed and conquered Buddhism centuries ago. Bodansky utterly fails to describe the Indian Govt. sponsored massacres of Sikhs on Nov. 1-3, 1984, in which 3,000 to 5,000 were slaughtered by organized Hindu mobs. The identities of these killers are well known but no one has been punished. India commits state terror against Sikhs, Christians and Muslims. Sikhs will resist oppression and tyranny. I suggest that Yossef Bodansky check his facts and correct his errors.
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Summary: Not a biography of Bin Laden
Review: I bought this book expecting a biography a bin Laden but in fact the book is about the wider middle east terror network. How wide? According to Bodansky, just about every Arab ruler. Of course you have the usual suspects, but he also includes Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Indeed he links the Saudi royal to the bombing in Saudi Arabia. I do not know Bodansky's politics, but in this book just about every Arab is a terrorist. Since he provides no footnotes and his sources cannot be checked, one can only look at how he handles his evidence and it is clear he gives credit to just about every rumor. For example, he reports on a rumor that Clinton agreed to let the Islamicist over Egypt if they do not attack American troops in Bosnia. His source seems to be a rogue "CIA" agent. Now, has anyone except Bodansky given this rumor any credence. Bodansky avoids judgement on the validity of this rumor but clearly wants it to sink into the reader. Secondly, he handles the cruise missle attack on bin Laden in a very peculiar fashion. At first he starts off saying the attack was useless. Then he states that the attack was disclosed by the Pakistani intelligence to bin Laden. Finally he states that the attacks just missed bin Laden. As for content, it is mostly a series of meetings by terrorist sects where they spout essentially the same thing over and over again. Clearly Bodansky has some important points to make, but one wishes that he would left his ideological axes aside and provided more objectivity.
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Summary: I wish everyone in America would read this book!
Review: After the events of 9-11, I needed to know what would motivate people to hate America enough to do this. This book makes it absolutely clear. It is not so much hate as a planned, politically motivated strategy by an organized network of governments and terrorist organizations using the Islamic religion as a political tool. The extent and effect of these organizations was so shocking to me after reading this book that I found it hard to believe and started doubting Bodansky's credibility. After consulting the congressional record and the grand jury inditement of Osama bin Laden, it soon became clear that Bodansky was telling it like it is. A very large, very tough and very organized trans-national coalition has indeed declared war on America and the west. They will continue to escalate until they win. Why is the media and our government pretending that this is just the work of a few angry people when these organizations have sponsored nearly every world conflict for the past 10 years, from Somalia to Kosovo, from Chechnya to Nigeria, from Kashmir to the Phillipines. I wish every American would read Bodansky's book so that we won't be caught like ostriches with our heads in the sand next time. We have a serious enemy and need to use all possible means to defeat it. Incidentally, Bodansky's writing style is crisp and clear and the book is hard to put down. He has amassed a wealth of detail that he presents in a logical and very readable style.
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Summary: thorough coverage of the man, his motives, his mission
Review: While not the usual "biography" (we don't learn much about Bin Laden's early childhood, and nothing about his Syrian mother or four wives and 15 children) we do learn about his formative education, his transformation from dissolute youth to true believer, and most important, his role not so much as "rebel leader" but as "loyal soldier, comrade." This is the supportive, go-to guy, not the operational bomb maker. He builds the roads (even driving the bulldozer), launders the money, finances the operation, agrees to do the videotape--whatever the high command asks him to do. He also may be the most committed, the most religious of the vast band of terrorists that constitutes the Muslim Brotherhood that would return the entire Hub of Islam, from Morrocco to India, to one huge, strict Islamic supranational state. Current Mideastern "nations" are considered the erroneous constructions of the West and as such may freely be destroyed. Saudi Arabia, home to the two most sacred sites of Islam, must in particular be returned to infidel free status. (i.e., all Western influence gone) Realizing they are themselves a "High Midieval culture confronting 20th century technology" these "Islamists" have no illusions about winning frontal engagements. The winning weapon in their arsenal is terrorism. Get the U.S. out by terrifying us out. The book clarifies it all--who's who, what's what, and finally, what's next. Scarey, but we need to know.
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Summary: Bin Laden and more
Review: As a librarian I am often asked to recommend books for student use in learning more about topics of current events. I can strongly recommend this title as not only informative, but so thoroughly documented that all statements made are credible. I also strongly disagree with the reviewer who said that BinLaden was only mentioned "about seven times." He is inaccurate. The first chapter: "The Radicalization of an Engineer" is the most detailed account of this individual I have so far read, and goes a long way toward explaining his development. Emir bin Laden, a later chapter develops it further. We all need to know not only about this individual, but how he fits into the larger scheme, something well documented by this book by the director of the House Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare.
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Summary: scary stuff
Review: this book is not only scary because of the size and reach of this network of fanatics but because of the Wests utter failure to appreciate and fight their scope. The insidious nature of our "moderate"friends in the Middle East and their one sided interest in their own power will equally disgust the reader. As disturbing as it is this book is a must read for every American.
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Summary: Presents only part of the story, and guess which one
Review: This book, while somewhat imformative, is too biased and weighted to be taken as a legitimate analysis.
First off, take a look at the authors name and nationality:
Yossef Bodansky, an Isreali. For a clear look at all of the factors behind the growing popularity of Islamic extremism throught the world, one cannot expect to find the whole story from a supporter of the nations which much of the hate is directed towards.
Bodansky blames "Arab pride", and "fear of Western modernization", which are undoubtably part of the reason. However, he fails to mention the outrage generated by the fact that 90% of the palestinians killed by Israeli military or settlers are civilians . He ignores the thousands of fruit trees uprooted by the military (direct violation of the Geneva Convention). He is silent about the millions of children starving in Iraq due to American sanctions. Instead what we have are the unsavory details behind militant groups, such as pride and xenophobia.
Bodansky's word cannot be taken as truth. To expect Bodansky to produce unbiased information on the subject of Islamic extremism is like expecting Osama bin Laden to do the same.
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Summary: Astonishing detail, and a frightening history of terrorism
Review: This book has only about 15% to do with bin Laden; the balance talks about terrorism in the Middle East over the last 20 years. Didn't bother me at all that it wasn't more about bin Laden. Found it a fascinating, frightening read. Written with incredible detail: names, dates, places, events, background. Eye-opening and disturbing book, to say the least. If you're interested in getting a primer on what we're up against in our war against terrorism, pick this one up. You quickly see just how extensive, well-financed, sophisticated, intelligent, and wicked the terrorist movement is. And now they're coming for US.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Disappointing if you are looking for information on the man himself and his way of thinking. The author loses his focus on the man from the first pages of the book. The title of the book was misleading. The best book I read so far on Bin Laden is from Kirk Fianzcanna and is called "Bin Laden by Bin Laden - In His Own Words".
Rating:
Summary: A Timely Book on the Islamic Militants
Review: Bodansky cites credible sources to structure a profile of the radical plot of Islamic militants to assail industrialized western democracies. The study offers a revealing look at the techniques of terrorism practiced by militant Islam. Also recommended: REDEFINING THE SELF: SELECTED ESSAYS ON SWIFT, POE, PINTER, AND JOYCE
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