Why Terrorism Works: Understanding the Threat, Responding to the Challenge - Hardcover

Dershowitz, Alan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0300097662 ISBN 13: 9780300097665

Publisher: Yale University Press, 2002

Synopsis

The greatest danger facing the world today, says Alan M. Dershowitz, comes from religiously inspired, state-sponsored terrorist groups that seek to develop weapons of mass destruction for use against civilian targets. In this analysis, Dershowitz argues passionately and persuasively that global terrorism is a phenomenon largely of our own making and that we must and can take steps to reduce the frequency and severity of terrorist acts. Analyzing acts of terrorism and our reaction to them, Dershowitz explains that terrorism is successful when the international community gives in to the demands of terrorists - or even tries to understand and eliminate the "root causes" of terrorism. He discusses extreme approaches to wiping out international terrorism that would work if we were not constrained by legal, moral and humanitarian considerations. Then, given that we do operate under such constraints, he offers a series of proposals that would effectively reduce the frequency and severity of international terrorism by striking a balance between security and liberty.

About this title

Review:

'[...]an important new book.' -- Alan Judd, The Daily Telegraph, 10 October 2002

'[A] highly readable overview of some of the moral and practical questions relating to America's War on Terror, particularly regarding homeland security.' -- Dan Lerner, The Financial Times, 19 October 2002

'an outstanding study that dares to think the unthinkable and to move beyond the conventional wisdom.' -- Efraim Karsh, Sunday Telegraph, 3 November 2002

About the Author:

Alan M. Dershowitz, professor of law at Harvard Law School and America's most renowned criminal defense and civil liberties attorney, is the best-selling author of Supreme Injustice, Chutzpah, Reversal of Fortune, Reasonable Doubts, and many other books.

About this edition

• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0300097662
• ISBN 13: 9780300097665
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256