In a remarkable marketing campaign, a book classed as a "Politically incorrect book on antiterrorism" was suggested to me in an email.
May I point your attention to Obadiah Shoher's book and blog, Samson Blinded: A Machiavellian Perspective on the Middle East Conflict.Shoher is a pen name for a veteran Israeli politician. He dealt with antiterrorism issues for most of his career. The Samson Blinded dissects honestly the problems accumulated since the Jews returned to Palestine. Advocating political rationalism, it deplores both Jewish and Muslim myths, and argues for efficiency and separating politics from moralism.
You are welcome to download a copy from SamsonBlinded. I would appreciate your review.
Grumpy Old Bookman commented on the unusual campaign back in Feb., 2006 so I won't go there. The email says that Yahoo and Google banned the website, promoting the book, in their ad programs (though not searches) for unacceptable content.
The part about Amazon is true. You are able to buy the book through Amazon for $18.95, $8.95 higher than available on the www.samsonblinded.org website. I checked in at Barnes & Noble and Powell's and they do not find the book.
So why is it considered "politically incorrect"?
First, it reminds us of "our" world history, the part we don't want to acknowledge.
The readiness of militant Jews to conquer a tiny plot of land to practice their religion in is not uncommon. On the contrary, the restraint the whole world urges upon them is without precedent in history. (page 10)
Second, past conduct of war is now considered inhumane.
Cruel measures are sometimes the kindest
The cruelty of the stronger increases suffering in the short run but decreases it over the long term by stopping wars sooner and crushing the will to fight. Low intensity perpetuates conflicts. Tolerating enemies is provocative. (page 11)
We dropped two atomic bombs on Japan and ended the fighting and saved 1,000,000 American boys' lives. And Shohar argues
When Truman shrunk from employing nuclear weapons in Korea, he opened the door to murderous regimes in China and North Korea which annihilated hundreds of times more people than would have died in nuclear attacks. (page 11)
Third, we get a philosophy lesson about Niccolò Machiavelli, considered one of the greatest tactitions who "affirmed that two ways lead most directly to peace: destroy a people’s will to fight by either utter goodness or by utter cruelty, usually expressed as extermination." He further states, "No regime that comes to power by force can sustain itself by grace without first exterminating its enemies." (page 12)
That eliminates the goodness alternative! Besides Shoher agrues Bedouins have a "respect for the strong and disdain for the weak." When Israel constantly calls for negotiations or gives away "land for peace" it loses respect. It develops a feeling in the Palastinians and Arabs that Israel can be taken, given enough time.
Respect! What would Tony do? Tony makes an example out of someone, whacks someone, and has no more trouble from rivals. Maybe, we like mob pictures because they reflect the reality of life, and they have a strict code unlike the culture we read about in the MSM about diplomacy that goes on and on and on while people keep dying. We may shrink before the reason of the Shoher's lessons from history, but successful countries have "Crushed the will to fight, drove the enemy away, and lived peacefully."
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