Inside Terrorism FROM THE PUBLISHER
Are religious terrorist groups more likely than secular groups to use weapons of mass destruction? How do the media at once promote and combat terrorist attacks? How has terrorism evolved into a multimillion-dollar operation in the Middle East? Bruce Hoffman addresses these questions as he describes the changing face of terrorism, probing the new adversaries, new motivations, and new methods that have surfaced in recent years to challenge many of our most fundamental assumptions about terrorists and how they operate. Hoffman dissects terrorism past and present, charting its evolution and predicting where it might be headed in the next century. These fringe groups are built upon - and react to - a sense of isolation, and are more likely to use weapons of mass destruction than the nationalist terrorist groups with which we are familiar. Hoffman also considers the issue of media coverage and how it relates to political power. Although the media provide a platform for terrorist agendas, terrorists achieve their ultimate political goals by exploiting the media, and are often captured as a result of news reports - as in the Unabomber case. South Africa's African National Congress, which won sympathy for its plight and eventually obtained power in part through terrorist activities, is a rare exception to the rule.
SYNOPSIS
Hoffman traces the history of terrorism from its roots in the Reign of Terror that followed the French Revolution, to Osama bin Laden and the al-Qaeda network. Along the way, he examines the rise of subnational groups like al-Qaeda and Japan's Aum sect and takes a closer look at the way terrorists are able to exploit media coverage.
FROM THE CRITICS
Economist
Gripping -and alarming.
Walter Laqueur
Bruce Hoffman's book is the best work to summarize in a generally understandable and concise form all the significant facts about terrorism in the last decade. It is especially interesting regarding the strange relationship between terrorism and the media, and can be warmly recommended as an absolutely reliable guide.
Raymond Bonner
For its historical and political examination of terrorism, Inside Terrorism is a valuable work. . . . Falls into the category of 'must read, ' at least for anyone who wants to understand how we can respond to international acts of terror.
Atlanta Journal Constitution
If you have time to read only one book, this should be the one.
Times Literary Supplement
[An] impressive reconnaissance over the battlefields of the world. . . . A fascinating survey of the recent history of international terrorism and all its well-documented horrors.
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