Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues

Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues
Average customer rating:

Gravely Inadequate

Terrorism and its history

An excellent purchase for both college-level reference holdings and for assigned reading for courses on social issues

Good and so-so information

Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues
Clarence Augustus Martin
Manufacturer: Sage Publications, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1412927226

Book Description

"Let me say that this book is one of the most comprehensive works on the matter that I have ever had the pleasure of reading."
—Timothy N. Cash, STG Safety & Security Institute

In the same dynamic spirit as the prior edition, the Second Edition of Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues continues to provide students with an interesting, accessible and comprehensive exploration of contemporary terrorism. This new edition is completely updated to offer the most recent theories and cases related to terrorist activity and efforts to combat terrorism over the last three years.

New to the Second Edition:

Offers a new chapter on religious terrorism: Because religious terrorism has become so prominent in the world today, it is important for readers to investigate the different manifestations of religious violence. This new chapter evaluates the historical and modern origins, as well as the quality of religious terrorism to help students develop a contextual perspective on the modern era of religious violence.
Includes coverage of cutting-edge issues: New material on gender-selective terrorism and the nexus between criminal enterprises and terrorist violence is provided to orient readers to these emerging topics and stimulate critical thinking. A consolidated chapter on ideological terrorism is also included, in which the causes of left-wing and right-wing terrorism are identified, as are the qualities of ideological violence.
Provides updated pedagogy: Opening Viewpoints begin each chapter to express in human terms the roots and responses to terrorism. All maps, tables, case studies, and Web exercises have been updated to help students better understand the concepts and issues presented within the text. In addition, more photos are used to help illustrate the violence caused by terrorist activity as well as provide visual context to other areas of the world and different time periods.

Accompanied by High-Quality Ancillaries!

Instructor's Resource CD-ROM: provides test questions, maps from the book, and guidance on using Discussion Boxes
Companion Web site at www.sagepub.com/Martin2Study containts research articles focusing on terrorism that are useful to instructors and students alike for review and further research

Intended Audience:

This text is ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses on Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Political Conflict in the fields of Criminal Justice, Political Science, Administration of Justice, Sociology, Public Administration, and Peace Studies; as well as for professionals, such as law enforcement, corporate, or other agency employees.

Customer Reviews:

Gravely Inadequate.......2007-07-29

"Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues," Second Edition, by C. Augustus "Gus" Martin, over 14 Chapters, addresses terrorism from multiple perspectives: the political right and left, state and non-state, religious and secular, criminal and non-criminal. Each chapter is supported by end notes and the book contains an appendix for maps, one for historical examples, and a glossary/index. There is no bibliography.

Chapter 6, "Violence in the Name of Faith: Religious Terrorism," pages 182-217 devotes a section to "Understanding Jihad as a Primary Religious Motive: An Observation and Caveat" which is covered on pages 187-188. Martin makes the following observations:

(1) "One such misunderstanding is the common belief that the concept of "holy war" is an underlying principle of the Islamic Faith. Another misunderstanding is that Muslims are united in supporting jihad. This is simplistic and fundamentally incorrect. Although the term "jihad" is widely presumed in the West to refer exclusively to waging war against nonbelievers, an Islamic jihad is not the equivalent to a Christian Crusade" p. 187.

(2) "It is permissible - and even a duty - to wage war to defend the faith against aggressors. Under this type of jihad warfare is conceptually defensive in nature; in contrast the Christian Crusades were conceptually offensive in nature" p. 188.

"Holy war" is not an underlying principle of Islam, but as a strategic theme within Islam, "jihad" is. Within the Koran, the Haddiths, and the Sunna, less than ten percent of the discussion is on the greater jihad (personal striving) while the remaining 90 percent is on the lesser jihad (warfighting). Martin fails to identify or discuss the combat, combat support and combat service support obligations of jihad contained in Islamic Law (the Koran, the Haddiths, and the Sunna) and clarified in Islamic legal texts such as "Reliance of the Traveller: A Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law" p. 599-605, "The Distinguished Jurist's Primer" (Vol 1 and 2) p. 454-487, and "Riyad-us-Saliheen" p. 976-1016.

Martin states that jihad is defensive while the Crusades were offensive. A reading of the above legal texts gives insight to the term "defensive." In war, unbelievers are offered three alternatives: Conversion, subjugation and payment of the jizya, or war. A refusal to submit is an offensive act and the resulting combat is, from the Islamic perspective, defensive. Martin fails to inform the reader of this key distinction and its implications.

With regard to the Crusades, Martin fails to tell the reader that the First Crusade was a delayed response to Islamic expansion and the capture by Islam of 1/3 of the Christian lands. Islam's strategic offense triggered Christianity's strategic defense: the First Crusade.

Martin states that "The Five Pillars are faith, prayer, zakat (alms or charity), fasting during the month of Ramadan, and the hajj (pilgrimage) to the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for those who are able" p. 202. A check of the index fails to reveal a more substantive discussion on zakat that should have told the reader that there are eight categories of disbursement in zakat, three of which support jihad: Those fighting in the way of Allah; those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and travelers needing money. Of these three obligatory categories of disbursement, the most significant is "Those Fighting For Allah" which is defined by "Reliance of the Traveller", p.272, as "Those engaged in Islamic military operations for whom no salary has been allotted in the army roster; Given enough to suffice them for the operation even if affluent of: weapons, mounts, clothing, expenses, and for the duration of the journey, round trip, and the time they spend there. Current interpretation and practice has been to provide expenses in supporting such person's family during this period." Martin fails to explain to the reader that zakat (almsgiving in Islam) is an asymmetrical warfare funding mechanism.

The failure to more fully develop the discussion on jihad outlining the combat, combat support and combat service support obligations Islamic Law imposes on Muslims, the failure to carefully characterize and define the term "defensive" in the context of "defensive jihad", the failure to articulate the offensive expansion triggering the First Crusade, and the failure to fully explain the true nature of zakat (almsgiving) seriously undermine the value of "Understanding Terrorism" as a credible reference.

Terrorism and its history.......2007-07-07

This book is a terrific intro to terrorism and its history, but more than that it really depends on what you hope to achieve by reading this book. If this book has been assigned by a professor, you are on your way to a fundamental understanding of terrorism and its consequences, root causes, etc. If you are reading this book for leisure, with no lecture/seminar accompanying it, then it is a good read but not as worthwhile. I would recommend books by the pre-eminent scholars of terrorism like Bruce Hoffman, and his mentor Walter Lacquer.

An excellent purchase for both college-level reference holdings and for assigned reading for courses on social issues.......2006-05-21

The second updated edition of UNDERSTANDING TERRORISM: CHALLENGES, PERSPECTIVES, AND ISSUES is an excellent purchase for both college-level reference holdings and for assigned reading for college-level courses on social issues. Added here is a new chapter on religious terrorism, reviews of new material on gender terrorism and criminal businesses, updates on pedagogy, and a format which includes test questions, amps from the book, and more on both a CD-ROM and an accompanying web site. Plenty of examples from events around the world pepper surveys which cover the politics, economics, and social foundations of international terrorist experiences.

Diane C. Donovan, Editor
California Bookwatch

Good and so-so information.......2005-06-10

Martin's book is a very detailed review, with examples, of alternative motivations and ideological orientation of 20th and 21st century terrorists. The web links and details about terrorist organizations are very good but the later chapters are a bit redundant. It is a fine primer on terrorism but his attempt to create typologies for all manner of information is less-than-successful because categories in later chapters are either overlapping or describe fairly minor points.

Average customer rating:

Disappointing: doesn't cut it as a textbook.
Terrorism in Perspective

Terrorism in Perspective
Pamala L. Griset , and Sue Mahan
Manufacturer: Sage Publications, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Ultimate Terrorists

ASIN: 0761927522

Book Description

For decades, terrorist events have brought the subject of terrorism to the forefront of cultures around the globe and in more recent years, to the United States. And, for as long as violence has been a part of the human experience, the definition of terrorism has been widely debated. Terrorism in Perspective offers undergraduate and graduate students a comprehensive overview of global and domestic terrorism. Rather than focusing on a single definition of terrorism, this volume casts a wider net, focusing on acts of terrorism and their relationship to culture, religion, history, politics, economics, and ideology.

Each chapter is introduced with a rich overview of the issues, actors and actions specific to the topic under discussion, providing students with context prior to articles culled from a wide variety of popular, academic, and governmental sources. These previously published articles were selected to deepen the reader's understanding of terrorism by focusing more intently on specific themes. Chapter topics include homegrown terrorism, international terrorism, female involvement in terrorism, the symbiotic relationship between the media and terrorism, and both conventional and non-conventional terrorist tactics.

Features & Benefits:

Balanced. Broad coverage of past and present terrorist activities both in the U.S. and around the world.
Current. Thorough coverage of the events of 9/11/01 and its aftermath, including such topics as counter-terrorism, U.S. foreign and domestic policies, and anti-terrorism legislation. Also includes the State Department report, "Patterns of Global Terrorism 2001" in the appendices.
Dynamic. First terrorism textbook to consistently utilize photographs to enhance chapter presentations and end-of-chapter "Explore" sections which direct students to further information on the Web.
Student-focused. A mini-atlas in the back of the text includes regional maps with legends locating and identifying terrorist events. The mini-atlas will help students identify the geographic regions and places referred to throughout the book.

Recommended as a general reference text and as a primary text for undergraduate students in international relations, politics, and violence and terrorism courses.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing: doesn't cut it as a textbook........2004-03-07

I fully expected to be able to use this book as one of two or three texts for a course I am developing. But once I had taken into account what other works offer, there really was very little left for this volume to add. In fact, it offers nothing that is new, not is it particularly effective as a textbook: the formula of combining basic surveys of themes (very superficial) with a selcetion of two previously published pieces (arbitrary and not particular representative, and in any case easily available elsewhere) just does not seem worthwhile. In other words, this doesn't quite make it as a textbook, and offers neither depth nor comprehensive breadth. The 'other works' I referred to would include Gus Martin's *Understanding Terrorism* - a very useful textbook - or Kegley's *The New Global Terrorism* and several others, including also two very short but excellent books that somehow manage to provide more depth and balance than the one reviewed: Townshend, *Terrorism: A very Short Introduction*, and Barker, *The No-Nonsense Guide to Terrorism*.

Terrorism in Perspective.......2003-03-11

I would highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to understand terrorism. After reading this book myself, I can understand what I read in the papers about terrorism much better. I don't like the cover--it makes the book look like a thriller. But the contents are excellent. Pictures are good too.

History and September 11th (Critical Perspectives on the Past)

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History and September 11th (Critical Perspectives on the Past)

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The contributors to this landmark collection set the attacks on the United States in historical perspective. They reject the simplistic notion of an age-old "clash of civilizations" and instead examine the particular histories of American nationalism, anti-Americanism, U.S. foreign policy, and Islamic fundamentalism among other topics. With renewed attention to Americans' sense of national identity, they focus on the United States in relation to the rest of the world. A collection of recent and historical documents—speeches, articles, and book excerpts—supplement the essays. Taken together, the essays and sources in this volume comment on the dangers of seeing the events of September 11 as splitting the nation's history into "before" and "after." They argue eloquently that no useful understanding of the present is possible without an unobstructed view of the past.

Religion and Terrorism: An Interfaith Perspective

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Religion and Terrorism: An Interfaith Perspective
Aref M. Al-Khattar
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
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ASIN: 0275969231

Book Description

Although religion-based terrorism was certainly not uncommon before the events of September 11, 2001, there is now a greater call for an explanation of these actions. In this new study, Al-Khattar seeks to define religion-based terrorism as seen by the followers of different religious traditions in order to facilitate understanding of this international problem. He discusses religion-based terrorism from three perspectives (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) and offers a theoretical analysis from a criminological perspective of the justifications for such acts. Interviews with leaders from the three major religions provide background from their holy books to contextualize the arguments that terrorists use to rationalize their actions. As the first researcher to apply the "Techniques of Neutralization" Theory, a traditional criminological theory, to explain such religion-terrorism, Al-Khattar examines the primary data to understand the motivations beyond the surface explanations offered by the perpetrators and adherents to their causes. Terrorists are considered as traditional criminals, despite their claims of nobler callings. Through utilization of this theoretical approach, the study offers practical suggestions on how this criminal behavior might be dealt with by law enforcement, society, and religious institutions themselves.

Manufacturing Human Bombs: The Making of Palestinian Suicide Bombers (Perspectives)

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An insightful and chilling study of the Palestinian suicide bombers during the Al-Aqsa intifada
An insightful and chilling study of the Palestinian suicide bombers during the Al-Aqsa intifada
An insightful and chilling study of the Palestinian suicide bombers during the Al-Aqsa intifada
An insightful and chilling study of the Palestinian suicide bombers during the Al-Aqsa intifada
An insightful and chilling study of the Palestinian suicide bombers during the Al-Aqsa intifada

Manufacturing Human Bombs: The Making of Palestinian Suicide Bombers (Perspectives)
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Customer Reviews:

An insightful and chilling study of the Palestinian suicide bombers during the Al-Aqsa intifada.......2006-05-06

Knowledgeably written by Mohammed M. Hafez (Visiting Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Missouri, Kansas City) Manufacturing Human Bombs: The Making Of Palestinian Suicide Bombers is an insightful and chilling study of the Palestinian suicide bombers during the Al-Aqsa intifada that began in the year 2000 and continues to be a primary weapon among Islamic fundamentalists. Providing western readers with an in-depth understanding of the deaths, war, killings, and reasoning and rationale to these terrifying and seemingly indiscriminate attacks, Manufacturing Human Bombs creates an intricate detailing of Middle East mentality, lifestyle, honor, and progression of those who elect to become suicide bombers and those who elect to employ them. Manufacturing Human Bombs is very highly recommended reading to all students of the Middle Eastern culture, the suicidal extremes of the bombers themselves, the attitudes of the victimized society that breeds them, and the issues surrounding phenomena of suicide bombers in countries such as Iraq, Israel, Chechnya, and Afghanistan.

An insightful and chilling study of the Palestinian suicide bombers during the Al-Aqsa intifada.......2006-05-06

Current Perspectives: Readings from InfoTrac® College Edition: Terrorism and Homeland Security (with InfoTrac)

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CURRENT PERSPECTIVES: READINGS FROM INFOTRAC® COLLEGE EDITION: Terrorism and Homeland Security features articles from both popular and academic sources on key issues in terrorism. Edited and introduced by Sabina Burton, University of California, Irvine, this reader will provide students with the most current information on terrorism today. Along with the reader, students are given FREE access to InfoTrac® College Edition and can create their own online reader in InfoTrac® using InfoMarks. FREE when packaged with this text!

Perspectives on Terrorism (Wadsworth Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice)

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Perspectives on Terrorism (Wadsworth Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice)
Harold J. Vetter , and Gary R. Perlstein
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ASIN: 0230007295
Release Date: 2007-01-23

Book Description

This book offers a thoughtful analysis of the international and domestic political impact of the global war on terrorism through the prism of US security relations in the wake of September 11, 2001. While focused on regional and country-specific responses and consequences, the book redresses the balance between change and continuity in the international system brought about by the war on terror. The unusual meshing of wide-ranging views and perspectives represents the shared wisdom of an epistemic community emerging at the intersection of international relations, comparative politics and foreign policy analysis.

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When God Says War Is Right: The Christians Perspective on When and How to Fight

Average customer rating:

Doesn't quite live up to its title.
Disturbing
Well Written, Poorly Argued
Stellar introduction to a pertinent topic
Outstanding and timely overview of just-war theory

When God Says War Is Right: The Christians Perspective on When and How to Fight
Darrell Cole
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The Virtue of War: Reclaiming the Classic Christian Traditions East & West
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Release Date: 2002-08-20

Book Description

Across the centuries, how have Christians who follow the Prince of Peace responded to the recurring reality of war? And what guidance do they offer for believers today–in the midst of global conflict?

In When God Says War Is Right, Dr. Darrell Cole offers thorough and highly readable answers. His expert examination focuses on these topics:
·Relating the character of God with the use of force
·Determining when and how Christians ought to fight
·Understanding why Christian virtues are vital when using force
·Using nuclear weapons for deterrence
·Learning lessons from World War II, Vietnam, and the 1991 Gulf War
·Responding to today’s war against terrorism

Dr. Cole focuses on Romans 13, where Paul commands us to “do what is right” (or “good” or “noble”) in regard to our governing authorities, who have legitimate war-making authority. In the case of war, what is “right” for the Christian? This book answers that essential question. In today’s war-stricken world, Dr. Cole provides timely, trustworthy, and vitally needed guidance for Christians.

Customer Reviews:

Doesn't quite live up to its title........2005-01-09

Cole's book, though from a conservative perspective, doesn't live up to its subtitle. Most of the book is a review of points from the works of Ambrose, Augustine, Aquinas and Calvin. Each of these authors is summarized on the topics. The chapter headings give a good idea of the direction of the work. Some are: Why Christians use force; Christian Virtue and Warfare; When Christians should fight; How Christians should fight; and then three chapters dealing with the Second World War, Vietnam and the Gulf War; Nuclear Weapons and Deterrence; and finally Just Warfare and Terrorism.

At only 160 pages, the book doesn't begin to adequately cover the subject matter. In the theoretical portions, it gives good summaries both of what classical authors have said and of the major points of "just war" theory. It is unfortunate that Cole seems unaware however of much of the philosophical and military work that has been done in this field in recent years. He is unaware of people like R. B. Theime, James Turner Johnson, James Toner, Nicolas Fotion, Malham Wakin, to name a few who have worked in this vain over the past quarter century.

This book falls well short of placing the "Christian perspective" on the justification of war. For a much better examination, I would recommend some of the works by Col. R. B. Theime, Jr., such as FOLLOW THE COLORS, WAR: MORAL OR IMMORAL, and THE CHRISTIAN WARRIOR. Unfortunately, these books are only available (free of charge) through Berachah Church in Houston, TX.

Disturbing.......2004-09-01

I am not a Christian but read this book because I was curious to see how a contemporary evangelical scholar might justify war. I was sobered by what I read.

The author states that humanity's "essential goal is to bring itself into right relation with God, to seek its proper place in the divine order" (p23). Thus the state, acting as an agent of God's will in its police and military functions, should "hold evil actions in check by minimizing disorder and chaos" (p23). The author then states that "the goal is always peace--preferably by the word, but if not, then by the sword" (p24). It follows from this that soldiers in a just cause "carry the sword to execute God's wrath, which is in harmony with his love . . ." (p41).

The author's dogmatic certainty (that humanity has a single essential goal, that the author knows what this goal is, and that God can be said to take sides in political and social conflicts) reminds one of the danger religious fundamentalism poses in an age of nuclear weapons.

The author, for example, cites the fourth century Bishop Ambrose as a man whose ideas about the relationship between church and state should be revived and applied today. Ambrose believed that the rulers of a state should be under the Church. "This is key," our contemporary author states, "because if responsibility for using the sword is under the Church, then distinctly Christian morals will govern how that sword is to be used in practice" (p16).

But how "in practice" have Christians in power actually used force (either police or military) to maintain an "order" conducive to "humanity's essential goal"?

The answer can start with Ambrose himself. In Robert Wistrich's study of antisemitism (titled appropriately, "Antisemitism"), when a Christian mob in Mesopotamia burned down a synagogue in 388 it was Bishop Ambrose, the founder of Christian "just war" doctrine, who used his influence over the emperor Theodosius to see to it that the synagogue was never rebuilt (20).

Bishop Ambrose, like our contemporary author, apparently had no difficulty figuring out who the enemies of God are and how to best maintain an order conducive to humanity's "essential goal."

This is not to say that our contemporary author is an antisemite or that his book is not clearly written and sensible in places. What I mean to suggest is that the presumption of knowing God's will and what constitutes a just war and proper order are highly problematic.

Our contemporary author, for example, insists that one of the criteria for a just war is that those who are not soldiers should not be targeted for harm. But, if one follows the Bible literally, then God bears no compunction about killing women and children (as one can see in his commands to Joshua as the Israelites entered the promised land).

Indeed, genocide is seen throughout the old testament (the chief example being the flood of noah). The God of the Bible often seems to approve of genocidal gestures on the part of His elect. But our author does not address the question of genocide in this book.

To conclude, the author writes clearly and the book should be read, but not for sensible clerical guidance, but for what it reveals about contemporary evangelical Christianity with regard to war.

Well Written, Poorly Argued.......2004-02-04

Darrell Cole has done all Christians concerned with war, peace and justice a great service by crafting this well-written accessible introduction to the Just War tradition. However, my praise must unfortunately end at this point. Despite his articulateness and charitable style of writing, Cole's treatment betrays serious shortcomings at key points.

First, Cole's major argument, that war is a virtuous endeavor will not hold up under critical examination. He attempts to derive this view from Ambrose, Augustine, Aquinas and Calvin, however he spends the bulk of his time on Calvin and refers to Aquinas mostly on the question of virtue in the abstract, concentrating little on Aquinas's formulation of just war. Moreover, his engagement with Ambrose reads much into Ambrose's position that is not there. Both Ambrose and Eusebius held not to any form of modern just war theory, but were much closer to a Constantinian crusading paradigm, albeit with qualifications. Cole's engagement with Augustine on the specific question of war is also very sparse and he fails to not the key differences between Augustine and Aquinas on key points.

Second, Cole's biblical argumentation is quite shoddy and comes up lacking in numerous ways. The most glaring weakness is his use of warfare in the OT to justify the just war doctrine. He pigeonholes pacifist treatments of the OT with accusations of an "evolutionary" view of the Israel's practice of Holy War. This simply reflects an ignorance of the variety of pacifist interpretations of Holy War (John Howard Yoder's The Politics of Jesus and Tremper Longman's God is a Warrior offer much better treatments). In the end, his arguments against pacifist interpretations of the OT end up being nothing more than caricature (i.e. that pacifists must hold that soldiers and prostitutes are moral equivalents).

Third, this same weakness pervades Cole's treatment of the NT material as well. He effectively curtains off the teaching of Jesus from having any political implications for how the Christian should approach war by denying that they are normative for Christian practice (in contrast Matt. 20:25-28; Mk. 10:42-45; Lk. 14:27-33; Jn. 13:1-17, 15:12; 1 Jn. 2:6, 3:11-16; Rom. 6:6-11, 8:11; 1 Cor. 10:33-34; 2 Cor. 1:5, 4:10, 8:7-9; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 4:20-24; Phil. 2:3-14, 3:10-11; Col. 2:12-31; 1 Pet. 2:20-21, 3:14-18, 4:12-16). Instead he argues that the teaches of Jesus on nonviolence and non-retaliation pertain only to "personal ethics" and not "political ethics." Yoder has sufficiently refuted this thesis in The Politics of Jesus, so I won't repeat his arguments here. Suffice it to say that the idea that the personal could be separated from the political was an idea that was completely foreign to the context in which Jesus lived and taught.

Along this same line, Cole's reading of Paul in Romans 13:1-7 is decidedly faulty. He completely ignores the context of 12:9-21 in his discussion of the Christian prohibition of vengeance. The fact that Paul in 12:19 instructs Christian not to take vengeance and in 13:4 refers to the powers as an agent of vengeance presupposes that Christians will not participate in the government in those respects. Cole attempts to make 12:9 refer to personal vengeance, and 13:1-7 to state-legitimated violence, but such a distinction does not appear in the text, it can only be read in from just-war presuppositions.

Fourth, Cole attempts to ground the just war doctrine in the character of God (i.e. God punishes evil and seeks justice, therefore we should too). This strikes me as extremely problematic. If Cole is grounding the morality of war in the Character of God, which we are to imitate, how does that lead us to the specific criteria of just war doctrine given the kinds of war that are given divine sanction in Scripture? If anything such a view should lead us to embrace a crusade understanding of war. God in the OT and NT is indeed portrayed as a warrior, but certainly no one that holds to the criteria of just war as Cole defines them. Cole falters here in his ethic of imitation because he fails to note the ways in which we are told in Scripture to imitate God. We are never instructed to imitate his wrath or his judgment, rather all the calls to imitate God pertain to the love of God as revealed in Christ (e.g. 1 Cor. 11:1; Eph. 4:32-5:21 Pet. 2:21). Imitation of all of God's attributes is not only something that we are not instructed to do in Scripture, it is in fact something that we are commanded not to seek (cf. Gen. 3:5, 22!). Miroslav Volf points out in his book Exclusion and Embrace that there is a duty prior to imitating God, and that is not wanting to be God. To let God be God and humans be humans. Cole's unqualified ethic of imitation overturns this distinction and invites us to exercise God's prerogatives. Indeed when this is understood, it becomes clear why some of the major commands to the Christian to abstain from violence in Scripture are coupled with promises of God's vengeance (Rom. 12:17-19; 1 Pet. 2:21-23).

Fifth, Cole builds his argument on the premise that war is a moral good because it is based on love, the love of neighbor. However, Cole defines this as a preferential love, namely that we are called to love those that reside in the same nation as we as closer neighbors that are more deserving of protection than those that reside in other locales. This however, is precisely what the message of Jesus calls into question (Matt. 5:43-48). Jesus calls us to not only love those that love us, but also our enemies equally (or the argument could be made that we are called to love our enemies even more than others cf. v. 47).

Thus, in the final analysis, Cole's book seems flawed on multiple grounds. It is clearly an important work deserving of careful attention, but the glaring weakness that pervade it reflects the incoherence of the just war theory despite best efforts to save it.

Stellar introduction to a pertinent topic.......2003-12-24

Professor Cole canvasses the historic just war position with clarity, urgency, and cogency. He not only surveys the material, but advocates the just war position as biblically sound and morally superior to its rivals. In this, he appeals principally to Ambrose, Augustine, Aquinas, and Calvin. Cole challenges the commonly asserted idea that pacifism was the dominant position in the first three centuries of Christianity. Although the position was voiced by some, it was not the consensus. As Cole notes, "We have little evidence that any early Church Father (besides Tertullian, who was later declared a heretic) held an unambiguously negative view of war. In fact, there little evidence of any unified Christian attitude toward war during the earlier years of the Church era. It simply cannot be demonstrated that early Christians, in general, viewed either the military or the state as inherently evil, and hence completely off-limits to their participation" (p. 8). While the Christian understanding of just war was first developed principally by Ambrose (339-397) and more systematically by the great Augustine (354-430) in the early part of the Fourth Century, seeds of the idea can be found much earlier.

Cole notes that both Christian pacifists and Christian realists (such as Reinhold Niebuhr) "are in agreement about an essential point: Both assert that all use of force is evil and that the teachings of Christ forbid violence" (p. 7). The pacifist, therefore, shuns all military involvement, while the realist sanctions war only as a "lesser of two evils." Cole, and the just war tradition, employs another approach by arguing that the use of force is sometimes virtuous, not merely necessary. That is, some situations demand a proper use of force in the name of love and for the glory of God. It is true that there would be no war in a world without sin (see James 4:1-2), but in this sinful world force is sometimes required to protect the innocent and to right terrible wrongs. It can be, in fact, a positive good in a bad world. "Modern Christian pacifists have argued that a presumption against violence is what led Christians to create just war criteria in the first place. But this claim is historically false. Christians did not create just war criteria out of a disregard for violence but because they wished to bring some sort of justice and order to this temporal existence. Aquinas and Calvin certainly knew of no such presumption against violence" (p. 71).

Pacifists argue that Christ's meekness under persecution is the normative model for all Christians with respect to war, and that his teachings in the Sermon on the Mount exclude any use of force. But Cole argues from Scripture and from leading theologians that this interpretation is mistaken. He cites Calvin to good effect on this issue. "For Calvin, Christ's pacific nature carries little normative weight for Christians, for that pacific nature is located in Christ's priestly office or reconciliation and intercession-an office that Christians can in no way fulfill or reproduce. Christ's pacific nature-His willingness to suffer death at the hands of unjust authorities both Jewish and Roman-is inextricably tied to His role as Redeemer and is not meant to be a complete model for Christian behavior. No Christian can follow Christ as Redeemer, but all can follow Christ as One who obeys the commands of his Father" (p. 75).

What are the criteria for a just war? The first set of criteria address the question of when to go to war (or jus ad bellum). Although Cole does not explicitly put it this way, each of these five criteria are necessary for stipulating a just war. Jointly all given criteria are sufficient for establishing a just war. First, proper authority must be used in declaring and carrying out a war. A band of rebels with no social standing cannot do this. Secondly, there must be a just cause. Expropriating land from another nation for simply in order to broaden a nation's wealth and influence (consider Iraq's invasion of Kuwait) fails this test. Defending a nation's borders against attack would pass the test. Third, a right intention should govern the leaders who degree the war. Fourth, because it involves so much suffering and death, war should be the only way to right the wrong in question. So, if other reasonable courses of action fail to achieve the just goals-such economic sanctions, mobilizing world opinion, or threats of force-war is justified. Fifth, there must be a reasonable hope of success in warfare. Otherwise, it is pointless and merely destructive.

The second set of criteria concerns how war should be fought in order to be just (or jus in bello). Again, each of these three criteria are necessary for stipulating a just war. Jointly they provide sufficient criteria for conducting a just war. First, the most overarching principle is that there should be no consent to evil. That is, we should never do evil that good may come (see Romans 6:1-2). If any act is intrinsically evil (such as rape), it is not allowed in warfare. The two following rules flow from the first principle and are interrelated. Second, discrimination should be used in warfare such that noncombatants are not deliberately targeted. This is also called noncombatant immunity. Third, the use of force should be proportional to the ends desired. An entire town should not be destroyed to neutralize a weapons facility, for example. (This act would also be barred under the criterion of noncombatant immunity.)

Cole takes these just war principles-which he defends on the basis of both Scripture and the work of orthodox theologians-and briefly applies them to the specific cases of World War II, the Vietnam War, as well as to the war on terrorism. These reflections are significant, if not entirely adequate for the depth of the subjects addressed. Nevertheless, they provide some concrete applications for the principles he so carefully elucidates throughout the book.

Douglas Groothuis, Denver Seminary

Outstanding and timely overview of just-war theory.......2003-01-12

Dr. Darrell Cole, assistant professor of religion at Drew University, has offered perhaps the finest overview of Just-War theory, examining Scripture along with he progressive, historic development of the theory by Catholic and Reformation scholars. Dr. Cole then applies the conditions to WWII, Vietnam, and Desert Storm ("the most cleanly fought modern war"). He also deals with the topic of Muslim terrorism, contrasting the concept of Islamic jihad to Christian Just-War theory.

Some of the issues include: comparative justice, why human sin makes war necessary, treatment of prisoners, siege and embargo tactics, and the rules of engagement. Cole gives special attention to the criteria that has been developed. It is not enough to simply say one has "just cause"; there are numerous requirements that must be met before one can clearly regard a cause as just. Each condition is given thorough analysis.

Special attention is focused on nuclear arms; Cole evaluates their use in WWII and questions whether the effectiveness of MAD/Mutually Assured Destruction during the Cold War will work with other regimes. Regarding nuclear deterrence, Cole warns that, "If the Unites States actually has to use nuclear weapons, those weapons fail in their purpose." He addresses the threat of escalation and the use of conventional weaponry, which he calls "just weapons only insofar as they can be used with discrimination."

Refuted is the notion that war is at best a necessary evil. While he argues against a "my country, right or wrong" mentality, Cole regards just war as a positive good. Failure to protect and preserve peace through the use of force is not simply being irresponsible, but less-than righteous. Soldiers therefore have chosen a virtuous, "holy vocation".

This is a post-9/11 book, and so there is a historic analysis of Islamic just-war theory, how it differs with Christian views, and how terrorists defend targeting non-combatants. Cole explains, "...if the enemy is attacked on account of unbelief, then we are likely to find no restrictions on who may be slain: All unbelievers are proper objects of attack." The non-Muslim world is regarded as the "territory of war" in which corruption must be eradicated. Perhaps this is why Moslem extremists claimed that all who perished in 9/11 were "guilty". It is a sobering worldview. Cole advises that we not sacrifice our ethical principles in our response to terrorism.

This is must reading for all Chaplains, Chaplain Assistants, military ethicists, civilian clergy and anyone appraising the morality of warfare. When God Says War Is Right is an extremely well-written book that clearly answers the concerns of moral people grappling with the morality of war in general and striving to evaluate specific wars in light of the theory.

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