Kofi Annan: A Man of Peace in a World of War

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Praise for Kofi Annan: A Man of Peace in a World of War

"Stanley Meisler, an old and steady hand at the U.N., has written a readable, wise, balanced, and most thoughtful biography of Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The focus is on his victories and defeats as secretary-general and on his problems and challenges and how he faced them. Stanley looks at the charges against him as well as his undoubted contributions and calls it as he sees it. This book is essential for anyone who wants to understand Kofi Annan's contribution to the 'house' as well as the genesis and exodus of the attacks against him."
--Thomas R. Pickering, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and former undersecretary of state

"Stanley Meisler is a great reporter--this is a wonderfully observed and beautifully written book. It is the definitive portrait of Kofi Annan's calm and dedicated leadership of the United Nations at a time of huge international turmoil."
--William Shawcross, author of Deliver Us from Evil: Peacekeepers, Warlords, and a World of Endless Conflict

"Kofi Annan is one of the world's most compelling figures. This is both an absorbing biography of a remarkable man and a fast-paced history of the United Nations at the opening of a new century. Stanley Meisler has made the U.N. story come alive as a flesh-and-blood drama of outsized egos clashing over high-stakes issues."
--Doyle McManus, Washington Bureau Chief, Los Angeles Times

"[This is] a revealing and timely portrait of a remarkable man who has helped shape the first years of the twenty-first century. After finishing Stanley Meisler's book, my only regret is that Kofi Annan isn't running for president of the United States. He'd have my vote in a heartbeat."
--David Lamb, author of The Africans

"Stanley Meisler is one of America's most knowledgeable and entertaining writers about the United Nations and its history. Now, he gives us an authoritative, highly readable account of the career of Kofi Annan, from his days as a young Ghanian student at MIT to his tenure at the United Nations. The book covers Annan's successes and his notable failures, from Rwanda to, especially, Iraq. Through Annan's career, Meisler narrates the story of how both the Clinton administration and the George W. Bush administration have used the United Nations as a political scapegoat. This is, in a sense, a biography of a tragedy."
--James Mann, author of Rise of the Vulcans: The History of Bush's War Cabinet and the author-in-residence at the School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, D.C.

Customer Reviews:

Kofi Annan - in the eye of the storm.......2007-06-18

The United Nations is becalmed. Kofi Annan, the courtly, quietly-spoken Ghanaian, a fixture on our television screens for a decade, has gone; his successor as secretary general, Ban Ki-Moon, has yet to stamp his personality on the world body.

In the hiatus Stanley Meisler, journalist, author, UN insider, has led the inevitable rush to publish a summation of the Annan years. He is well qualified to do so.

The dustcover of this book is a pointer to the treatment Meisler gives his subject in a biography which Annan did not authorise, but did not try to block. The former secretary general is pictured half in shadow, looking worried, almost shifty in his dark, pin-striped business suit.

It is not the image we are used to, yet in many ways appropriate, because this was a secretary generalship of sunshine and shadow - the Nobel Peace Prize and the oil-for-food scandal; East Timorese independence and always and inevitably, the Iraq conflict.

It was a time of steadily worsening relations between the UN and the United States, although the antagonism began well before Annan took office and continued despite his best efforts to find a middle way. His relations with the Clinton White House, always testy after the bombing of Serbia during the Kosovo crisis, plunged to new depths when the neo-conservative-dominated Bush Administration took office in 2001.

He was powerless to influence a presidency determined to avenge the death and destruction of 9/11. The fact he even tried earned condemnation and while President George W. Bush may have talked about the "unique legitimacy" of the United Nations, in the minds of those at the White House the uniqueness and the legitimacy existed only when it was bestowed on the US to do what it wanted to do.

Key Bush adviser Richard Perle openly looked forward to the death of the UN in the wake of the initially successful invasion of Iraq and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, and the ultimate insult was delivered with the appointment of the far right ideologue, John Bolton, as American Ambassador to the international body.

The fiction that Bolton was there to promote UN reform was paper thin. As Meisler writes, there were plenty of institutions that needed the reforming touch including, after the 2000 election, the American system of casting and counting votes. "But the clamour for UN reform was different. It was incessant, very loud and very suspicious"....coming too often from "American ideologues who wanted to paint a false image of the UN as corrupt, slovenly, wasteful, inefficient and anti-American".

Throughout these turbulent times, Annan struggled to enhance what little clout the UN possessed in whatever way he could. While his predecessor, Egyptian Boutros Boutros-Ghali, had been a remote figure, Annan took to the celebrity circuit, becoming a fixture in New York society, attending an endless round of parties giving and receiving advice whenever and wherever he could. While naturally a charming man, one has the feeling that this was not his ideal modus operandi, but circumstances forced him to play the public relations card

Meisler reveals the endless sniping from Washington took its toll on the secretary general. He suffered two bouts of depression to the point where a sympathetic French President, Jacques Chirac, pleaded with him: "You must pull yourself together". On the second occasion at the height of the row over oil-for-food with the American right baying for his blood, a number of colleague persuaded Annan to attend two secret meetings "to shake him out of his low feelings". It is a measure of the man that he responded and returned to task with renewed vigour.

For me some of the most interesting parts of this book deal with Annan's early life. A long-serving UN bureaucrat, he worked mostly out of sight behind the scenes and it was only in the early 1990s that he emerged as a possible contender for the top job. The young Kofi was an athlete with an eye for the girls who briefly considered a career as a businessman running a flour mill in Ghana and served a short term as that country's tourism chief.

Even when he was settled at the UN, his ultimate ambition did not stretch beyond assistant secretary general rank, but fate decreed otherwise.

This is a thoroughly readable book which sheds light on a complicated, brilliant yet vulnerable individual who steered the UN safely though some of the worst years in its history. Whether this course can be maintained by his successor remains to be seen.

Impressive, intriguing and recommended.......2007-01-22

I liked this book very much because it covers the entire life of a remarkable man, who I admire so much. I am thankful to Meisler for this in-depth, objective and complete account of so many little-known facts and events from the life of Kofi Annan that I am sure will urge you to read it cover to cover. There is a lot you can and will learn from this book and that's why I highly recommend it.

The Day Man Lost: Hiroshima, 6 August 1945

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Stunning...Tragic

The Day Man Lost: Hiroshima, 6 August 1945
Pacific War Research Society
Manufacturer: Kodansha America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0870114719

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Stunning...Tragic.......2004-09-16

I recently found this book in a library and purchased it (...). When I saw that its authors was a group called "The Pacific War Research Society" and made up by 14 Japanese researchers, my heart sank thinking that the book would be very biased in Japan's favor. I was completely wrong. The book was very even handed with respect to presenting the story from both sides (the US and the Japanese versions). The writing and the translation was impeccable.

The book indicated that the bomb was originally created for use against Nazi Germany. The US and its scientists were concerned that Hitler would use an atom bomb against the Allies. When Germany surrendered, the scientists were no longer excited about the use of the bomb against Japan - a fact I had not known.

The authors suggest that the Imperial Army controlled the country and it was the Army which suggested that Japan would fight to the death. The Allied insistence of "unconditional surrender" remained an "...insurmountable stumbling block" and that the Japanese leaders believed that the Army never would have accepted this and that Japan would have been plunged into civil war.

The authors suggest that the Emperor knew the war was finished but that Japan could not find an honorable way of surrendering without losing face. The Army continued preaching that they have the spiritual upper hand. Even though the Emperor and his ministers prefered an end of war, the Army won out.

The description of the horror of the bomb was absolutely incredible. I commend the Research Society for a very straight forward book on the path to the use of the bomb. They blame both sides for mistakes made which lead to the use of the bomb. And, they neither condemn or praise each side for what happened. A superb book.

CCEL Classics CD: works by Saint Augustine, John Calvin, John Donne, Julian of Norwich, Brother Lawrence, Martin Luther, Saint Teresa of Avila, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas a Kempis, John Wesley, and more!

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CCEL Classics CD: works by Saint Augustine, John Calvin, John Donne, Julian of Norwich, Brother Lawrence, Martin Luther, Saint Teresa of Avila, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas a Kempis, John Wesley, and more!
Dr. W. Harry Plantinga
Manufacturer: Christian Classics Ethereal Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

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Product Description

The most important spiritual writings of Christian history are available on this Classics CD by the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at Calvin College. It contains 118 Christian classics, including three versions of the Bible, several commentaries, Bible dictionaries, readings, spiritual guides, sermons, poems and journals -- all in a convenient, searchable form. Books are available in HTML and PDF formats. The easy-to-use CCEL Desktop software powering the CD enables users to browse and print books and install additional books from the Web. The top-of-class search engine can search for words or phrases in books, in authors works or in the whole library. In addition, it can search for dictionary definitions of words and commentary or references to scripture passages. The interface is a Web browser. The CD is compatible with Windows 2000+, Macintosh 10.3+, and most Linux versions.

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Excellent book..
ýý.when two men meet in a dusty streetý..ý

The Gunfighter: Man or Myth?
Joseph G. Rosa
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0806115610

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book.........2005-02-28

This book is actually very useful. Besides relating dozens of stories of real gunfights the author acutally gets inside the head of the gunfighter and tries to figure out what made him tick. The reader learns for example that it usually wasn't who drew the fastest that won the gunfight but rather who had the greater nerve and time enough to aim.
It's also amazing just how many shots were fired in the typical gun fight. And how many of those shots usually missed their mark. A testiment to just how much nerve and steadiness entered into the equation. I found the details such as where bullets hit and what types of guns mankillers preferred and why to be invaluable.
I highly recommend this book. It's a good read with lots of information that's been compiled with hundreds of footnoted sources.

ýý.when two men meet in a dusty streetý..ý.......2003-10-23

Only one returns. At least, that's the way it always used to be on Saturday afternoons at the movies here in Marblehead, Mass. about half a century ago. Television kept the tradition going a bit longer, and then there was Clint Eastwood. Yup. Nope. Well, it turns out that all this was pure mythology. Joseph Rosa did some excellent research back in the 1960s and came up with the ultimate book on the subject of guns and gunfighting in the Old West. Despite Hollywood, most of those gunfighting heroes, were, not to put too fine a point on it, pathological killers. If they lived, it was because they didn't hesitate to kill in situations where they felt threatened. Men with some qualms about taking human life usually lost their own. Fast draws ? Showdowns in the main street lined with those hitchin' posts and false fronted saloons ? Forget it, that almost never happened. Still, Wild Bill Hickok, Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and many others whose names are written in American legend did exist. Perhaps the reality was neither as pretty or as irreproachable as the legend. They often consorted with the bad guys and definitely with ladies of ill-repute.

Book Description

This is the compelling story of a former Jesuit who traveled to Ireland in order to better understand the IRA, its widespread support among Irish Catholics, and the country's continuing civil unrest. Author Douglass McFerran, an American, made many key contacts in Northern Ireland, enabling him to gain unprecedented access to republican groups. He met with members of the Orange Lodge and the heavily armed Royal Ulster Constabulary; he had tea with leaders of Sinn Fein; and he participated in the annual Internment March on the streets of Belfast. In this book he provides a history of the conflict in Northern Ireland and goes beyond the propaganda on both sides to understand the causes of today's violence and explore what would be necessary to end it. McFerran wrote this book at the suggestion of individuals within the Irish republican community. During its writing he had the cooperation of several Sinn Fein leaders and past and present members of the IRA. McFerran came to believe that the violent situation in Northern Ireland can best be explained by considering the manner in which the English government, through genocide and civil repression, attempted to eliminate Irish resistance to English rule. The failure of the Anglo-Irish War to achieve a united Irish government brought on a republican movement with a political expression in Sinn Fein and a military expression in the guerrilla activities of the Irish Republican Army. The continued failure of the English government to negotiate with Irish nationalists can be attributed to a desire to maintain the political support of predominantly Protestant unionists, who since 1913 have pledged armed resistance to any effort to allow a Catholic-led government to rule over them.

Customer Reviews:

The Truth is a Knife and it cuts Deep............2005-10-25

I picked up this book after returning from a monthlong trip to the North of Ireland. I was absolutely shocked and compelled by its accuracy and how a book written a decade ago could completely mirror what I myself observed during my stay there. The rampant racism of the Unionists and blatant media distortion of their crimes that have long been fed to the public by British and American journalists is appalling. No wonder there have been so many cover-ups. If the general public had ever gotten wind of English and Unionist crimes perpetrated on the Irish Nationalist community the IRA would have had the support to humiliate the English out of their country years ago.

If you are the type of person who is allergic to the facts and are uncomfortable with any book that might make you question your safe, fashionable and politically correct(read:English-biased) opinions about the conflict in the North of Ireland, then don't bother reading this book. The real "terrorists" are the English and the American public that so rabidly swallows their lies. The volunteers of the IRA are heroes who would have made our early American freedom fighters(Washington, Jefferson, etc.) proud.

Apologist for murderers.......2003-12-18

Another book written seeking to find reasons for IRA terrorists planting bombs in public places ie Oxford Street Bus Depot,La Mon House Restaurant,Enniskillen Rememberance Day,Shankill Fish Shop.
This seems to be a book that gives excuses for murder,torture,maiming and hate.

Better books out there.......2001-12-23

I agree with those who found this book not very informative. McFerran talked to far too few people, wasted about a quarter of the book retelling Irish history, and frankly rathered embarrassed me with his naive viewpoint. (How impressed he was that there were well-paved roads in Ireland, for instance.) He's certainly sincere and well-intentioned, but read Toolis, Coogan, Adams, Belfrage and many others for far more thorough interviews, detail, and analysis.

Good reference for film and fiction on Ireland.......2000-09-07

Prof. Doug McFarren's book is the travelogue of an ethics professor with an empirical bent of mind. It's not enough for him to judge the violence wrought by the IRA without learning about it first hand, first from American activists and then from as many who will talk to him in Ireland. Along the way he delivers some of the convoluted history of this troubled nation in dense, readable narrative that serves as good introduction to a complex topic. He also provides wonderful references to and discussion of recent film and fiction representing the Troubles, that make this book a fine resource for the classroom -- especially for ethics professors who might want to devote a lesson to the complex moral issues of insurrection and civil strife.

Good reference for film and fiction on Ireland.......2000-09-07

Prof. Doug McFarren's book is the travelogue of an ethics professor with an empirical bent of mind. It's not enough for him to judge the violence wrought by the IRA without learning about it first hand, first from American activists and then from as many who will talk to him in Ireland. Along the way he delivers some of the convoluted history of this troubled nation in dense, readable narrative that serves as good introduction to a complex topic. He also provides wonderful references to film and fiction that make this book a fine resource for the classroom -- especially for ethics professors who might want to devote a lesson to the morality of insurrection and civil strife.

Man of War, Man of Peace: The Unauthorised Biography of Gerry Adams

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Man of War, Man of Peace: The Unauthorised Biography of Gerry Adams
David Sharrock , and Mark Devenport
Manufacturer: Trans-Atlantic Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0330353969

Aaronsohn's Maps: The Untold Story of the Man Who Might Have Created Peace in the Middle East

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Historical look at one man's life
Aaronsohn's memory besmirched

Aaronsohn's Maps: The Untold Story of the Man Who Might Have Created Peace in the Middle East
Patricia Goldstone
Manufacturer: Harcourt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Lawrence and Aaronsohn: T. E. Lawrence, Aaron Aaronsohn, and the Seeds of the Arab-Israeli Conflict

ASIN: 0151011699

Book Description

Scientist, diplomat, and spy, Aaron Aaronsohn was one of the most extraordinary figures in the early struggle to create a homeland for the Jews. Born to Jewish settlers in Palestine, he ran a spy network that enabled the British to capture Jerusalem during World War I and made him the rival of his contemporary, T. E. Lawrence—who may also have been his flamboyant sister Sarah’s lover. A rugged adventurer, Aaronsohn became convinced during his explorations of the Middle East that water would govern the region’s fate. He compiled both the area’s first detailed water maps and a plan for Palestine’s national borders that predicted and—in its insistence on partnership between Arabs and Jews—might have prevented the decades of conflict to come. And he paid for his devotion to the new nation with his life. A history that speaks directly to the present, Aaronsohn’s Maps reveals for the first time Aaronsohn’s key role in establishing Israel and the enduring importance of Aaronsohn’s maps in Middle Eastern politics today.

Customer Reviews:

Historical look at one man's life.......2007-10-16

Goldstone chronicles the life of Aaron Aaronsohn, who carved careers in science, diplomacy and espionage. Furthermore, Aaronsohn does not conform to the standard "Jewish molds" of his era. His numerous and disparate accomplishments and his unique world perspective make his biographer's task all the more challenging. Goldstone says that some of the information was denied to her as it is still classified - complicating her task.

Goldstone's Aaronsohn was a refugee whose parents moved from Romania to Palestine (which was then under Ottoman rule) when he was six. While he was spiritual, he was not particularly religious. He was more liberal - and certainly more tolerant - than most of his fellow Jews. His vision of Palestine was a Jewish state in which Jews and Arabs co-existed. His Palestine would be a Jewish state with adequate civic and political spaces for other groups. Hence, citizens (Jewish or others) would strive for common secular goals. His vision of a state has striking similarities to the Ottoman model of governance.

As a surveyor, agronomist, and hydrologist, he discovered a new variety of wheat, understood farming and compiled detailed maps of water sources in the Middle East. He then used his knowledge to map the boundaries of Palestine based on geographical realities and economic needs. However representatives of Britain and France, who ultimately drew political boundaries, had other considerations. His political career was less spectacular than his scientific one. His religious views fueled his nationalistic passion, and for this cause he sacrificed his life and more.

One may question Goldstone's version of Aaronsohn's life, its historical importance, and its influence on Israeli-Palestinian politics today. However, Goldstone writes a compelling story and should be credited for writing about a less known (but important) figure like Aaronsohn. In the coming years more about Aaronsohn will enter the public domain as it becomes declassified. As additional historical evidence becomes available, and as other interpretations of Aaronsohn's life appear, a different Aaronsohn may emerge. As there is precious little about him outside the specialized literature, it is hoped that Goldstone's contribution will help spur additional work on Aaronshon and Middle Eastern history.

Armchair Interviews says: Unique look at one important man.

Aaronsohn's memory besmirched.......2007-09-07

Aaronson's Maps" is a misleading and confusing book. It claims to be a biography of an unsung hero of the Zionist revolution in the Land of Israel - Aaron Aaronsohn. A brilliant and versatile man, he won worldwide fame as a discoverer of wild wheat. During WWI, convinced that the British victory over the Turkish army was vital for the Jewish future in Palestine, Aaronsohn organized the NILI group, a spy ring which provided the British army with important information facilitating British victory over the Turks. In 1919 Aaronson joined the Zionist delegation to the Paris Peace Conference where the case for Jewish independence in Palestine was presented to "The Big Four". He died in a plane crash on his way to Paris to present maps of the future Jewish state. His arguments, used by the Zionist delegation, convinced the world that Palestine had enough water resources to sustain large Jewish and Arabs communities. Unfortunately, "Aaronsohn's maps" fails the memory of Aaronsohn and lets down many in Israel who sincerely cooperated with Patricia Goldstone providing her with documents about Aaronsohn and the NILI group. The author, not being a professional historian, displays a cavalier attitude toward historical facts. She reshuffles them with dexterity of a gossip columnist ill-prepared to deal with complex historical situations. The heroic image of Aaronsohn is besmirched by unfounded conclusions. His dreams and ideas of the Jewish revival in the Land of Israel are corrupted by insinuations of Zionist intrigues which allegedly precipitated WWI in Europe and, later, the intervention of the USA in that war. Goldstone fails to present her main claim that Aaronsohn is "a man who might have created peace in the Middle East". Instead she is rehashing the current events in the Middle East trying to prove that the wars between Arabs and Jews are about sharing water resources, not about the attempts of Islam to eliminate the state of Israel. The reader who is interested in an intellectually honest book on Aaronsohn and his times should read "Lawrence and Aaronsohn" - a compelling account written by professional historian Ronald Florence.

Aftermath: Along the Way...One Man's War & Peace (1940-1990)

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Aftermath: Along the Way...One Man's War & Peace (1940-1990)

Manufacturer: Hyperion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0722325444

The air man,: His conquests in peace and war,

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The air man,: His conquests in peace and war,
Francis A Collins
Manufacturer: The Century co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B0008BA858

Arafat's War: The Man and His Battle for Israeli Conquest

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A critical look at Arafat
a truthful description of the untruthful man
Jacques and Bubba's favorite terrorist revealed!
A sober assessment of Arafat
A startling expose

Arafat's War: The Man and His Battle for Israeli Conquest
Efraim Karsh
Manufacturer: Grove Press
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0802117589

Book Description

Established in 1964 with the goal of "liberating Palestine in its entirety," the Palestinian Liberation Organization has for years been led by one of its most outspoken and notorious members, Yasser Arafat. He has undergone a radical transformation from a fugitive terrorist leader to a passionate and respected advocate for the creation of a Palestinian homeland. But then why did he reject a plan for Palestinian statehood in 2000, after crusading for this long-standing ideal for close to forty years? Was it a bargaining ploy or a reflection of a deeper reluctance on the part of the Palestinian leadership to genuinely commit itself to peace with Israel? Historian Efraim Karsh argues that Arafat is less interested in the liberation of the West Bank and Gaza, or even with the establishment of a Palestinian state, than in the PLO's historic goal of Israel's destruction. Karsh details Arafat's efforts since the historic Oslo peace accords, resulting in a level of violence unmatched in scope and intensity since 1948. Arafat has irrevocably altered the Middle East's political landscape, and while his place in history has yet to be written, the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict will always be Arafat's war.

Customer Reviews:

A critical look at Arafat.......2007-07-14

In history there have been many liars: Goebbels, Clinton, Benedict Arnold, Richard III, etc. But none compare to Arafat.

Arafat systematically used lies to get what he wanted out of the so-called peace process he entered into with the Israelis. He promised to crack down on Hamas and has done such a great job that Hamas now owns the Gaza Strip. He pledged himself to helping his people out of poverty and yet wound up with billions in aid money in his personal accounts when he died. He said he would work towards peace while systematically positioning himself to destroy Israel.

Karsh's book is an eye-opener and a must-read. Over 200 pages may seem like a lot to say "Arafat was a liar" but the method and nature of his lies are the important thing to take away from this book.

a truthful description of the untruthful man .......2006-08-02

Prof. Karsh is a talented scholar and a talented writer. The book is easy to read and tells the readers exactly how Yasser Arafat reacted in any moment to any situation and how his answers to his people were totally different from the answers he gave to others.

Jacques and Bubba's favorite terrorist revealed!.......2005-05-31

This book does a fantastic job at documenting the history of terrorism emanating from Yaser Arafat and the Palestinian territories. Just as importantly, it points out that Arafat has accomplished NOTHING for his people, spent billions of international donations intended for the "refugees", and used their plight to bask in the attention of the international press and world leaders (UN,Jacques & Bubba).

Also, it chronicles the "Chairmans" excellent use of propaganda on a gullible media and President Clinton (paging the BBC, whose correspondent cried when Yaser left his compound prior to dying). One Arafat confidant said that Arafat lies in every sentence...if he didn't lie, he would apologize to you.

It's all in here. From Yaser lying about his birthplace, his involvement in the 1948 War of Independence, to his comical condemnation of terror acts, while writing the checks to homicide bombers.

Incredulously, President Clinton fell for all of this. He met with Arafat more than any other leader, pressured Israeli Prime Minister Barak into a ridiculously generous agreement at Camp David, which Arafat walked away from to launch the second (or continuous more accurately) intifada. I don't know if it's possible, but Clinton was humiliated.

Arafat stole, stole, and stole more from his people. He keels over and who do we get? Abu Mazen, Arafat crony, Holocaust denier and terrorist enabler. Don't the Palestinians deserve better?? Now, Hamas is running in local elections--and winning.

See folks, it wasn't just about (...)But rather, President Clinton's judgement, whether orally fornicating with a fat,(...)with red lipstick (with his wife and child down the hall), selling the White House to China/Macau gangsters, firing the travel office, Webster Hubbell, Waco, or inviting a terrorist into OUR White House (who insisted on bringing his pistol).

Please purchase this eye-opening book.

A sober assessment of Arafat.......2004-10-25

One of the most depressing things for many humans on this planet has been the fact that a few people can just sail through life by being wicked and violent. We'd like to think that after enough crimes, such people would be arrested and removed from the public scene permanently. But Arafat proves that this isn't the case, and this book shows how serious a blot it is on Mankind's record to have treated Arafat so generously.

As Karsh shows, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was correct to point out that "Arafat is the greatest obstacle to peace and stability in the Middle East." But he also shows that this is due in large part to the positive reactions Arafat's crimes have generated. People in nations all over the world, leaders included, have rewarded Arafat for the violence he's almost constantly perpetrated. This has not required any cleverness on Arafat's part: he simply commits violent acts and gets applause. If he gets caught, he gets away with it. As for what he says, that is easy too. He simply tells lies all the time. People accept some of them, or say they do. Again, when he gets caught, he gets away with it.

Arafat has been a lifelong enemy of human rights, and especially of human rights for Jews. What impressed me about this book was not how awful Arafat has been. It was how awful human civilization has been to honor him for it. It made me embarrassed to be a human being.

Of course, Arafat has taken obvious advantage of being put in control of Gaza and much of the West Bank. He's made sure that the sermons in these places are political incitement. And he's made sure that the schoolkids are all taught to hate and kill. Karsh shows the extent to which this has happened, as well as the toleration of such behavior by the world community. And Karsh also shows how Arafat has organized violent attacks on Israel. I was surprised that the bulk of the violence was unprovoked, although ridiculous excuses for it were often invented at the time or afterwards. And I was shocked by the degree to which some of these patent lies were taken seriously by world leaders. Some may feel that this merely shows Arafat's ability to deceive. I strongly disagree with such a conclusion. I think if Arafat could do it, anyone could. After all, he's never acted intelligent or trustworthy.

Well, what needs to be done? Karsh gives us all some advice. He points out the structural reforms that were needed in 1945 in Germany and Japan for them to attain freedom and democracy. And he explains that Arafat and his gang will need to be swept from power and replaced by leaders who are willing to co-exist with their neighbors.

A startling expose.......2004-08-05

Here is revealed fully for the first time Arafats lke war progress towards peace. As early as the 1980s some qustoned whether Arafat was a Terrorist or a 'Peacemaker'. Here we see the definitive truth. We see how while Barak was trying to give 97% of the West Bank and Gaza to the PLO, Arafat worked behind the scenes to loose Hamas bombers against Israeli civilians. We see how Arafat engineered the so-called Al Aqsa martyr attacks and how he has always wanted no peace. THis book is excellent in uncovering the turth and showing that even as Rabin and Peres worked for peace, the PLO girded for war, and even as Barak was giving in to all Arafats sopposed requests, that bombing of Israeli civilians were being planned and executed.

This book will help anyone understand the true nature of the Israeli-Palistinian conflict.

Seth J. Frantzman

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