| Comment | This is Jan Schreiber's perceptive book The Ultimate Weapon - Terrorists and World Order (1978) which gives a fascinating overview of modern practices of terrorism, at once analytical and practical. Terrorism flourishes as never before. In fact, it has become the major and most visible crime of our time. The author doesn't do just a mere recapitulation of terrorist incidents, this is an investigation into the very meaning of the crime and stops not at condemnation but attempts a deep understanding. The social, legal, political and psychological aspects of terrorism are covered. The result is a truly imaginative discussion of one of the most deadly challenges to the democratic system. It uses a thoroughly interdisciplinary approach, drawing on the experience of practitioners as well as academics. The Ultimate Weapon, an exceedingly important book, is a work of profound meaning for everyone from headline watchers to diplomats and policy-makers as it challenges all our beliefs regarding terrorism. While people usually point their fingers at crazy religious lunatics, its origin may lie within our modern society itself. 205 pages. A must read for everyone. |
