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No Turning Back: Life, Loss, And Hope In Wartime Syria
by Rania AbouzeidThis astonishing book by the prize-winning journalist Rania Abouzeid tells the tragedy of the Syrian War through the dramatic stories of four young people seeking safety and freedom in a shattered country. Extending back to the first demonstrations of 2011, No Turning Back dissects the tangle of ideologies and allegiances that make up the Syrian conflict. As protests ignited in Daraa, some citizens were brimming with a sense of possibility. A privileged young man named Suleiman posted videos of the protests online, full of hope for justice and democracy. A father of two named Mohammad, secretly radicalized and newly released from prison, saw a darker opportunity in the unrest. When violence broke out in Homs, a poet named Abu Azzam became an unlikely commander in a Free Syrian Army militia. The regime’s brutal response disrupted a family in Idlib province, where a nine-year-old girl opened the door to a military raid that caused her father to flee. As the bombings increased and roads grew more dangerous, these people’s lives intertwined in unexpected ways. Rania Abouzeid brings readers deep inside Assad’s prisons, to covert meetings where foreign states and organizations manipulated the rebels, and to the highest levels of Islamic militancy and the formation of ISIS. Based on more than five years of clandestine reporting on the front lines, No Turning Back is an utterly engrossing human drama full of vivid, indelible characters that shows how hope can flourish even amid one of the twenty-first century’s greatest humanitarian disasters.
The American Home Front: Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I and World War II
by James L. AbrahamsonThis latest National Defense University military history seeks to broaden the perspective of those who are interested in understanding the effects of the wartime mobilization of American society. Through a comparative analysis of the economic, political, and social results of America's four principal wars, this study reveals the major issues faced by each wartime administration and sketches the consequences of the mobilization policies adopted. As the author, Colonel James L. Abrahamson, U.S. Army, explains, each conflict occurred in unique circumstances, required varied policies, and produced different effects on American institutions. He therefore avoids offering a simplistic list of the expected domestic consequences of any future conflict. Nevertheless, certain common factors, which may inform modern mobilization planners, surface in his analysis of these four wars. The author suggests that if planners are aware of the implications of their mobilization choices, they can better devise effective policies for drawing forth the material and human essentials of victory.
Sweet Relief: The Marla Ruzicka Story
by Jennifer AbrahamsonMarla Ruzicka was a free spirit, a savvy political operator, a wartime Erin Brockovich. Fiercely determined to improve the lives of the less fortunate, the twenty-something blonde was instrumental in convincing the U.S. government to pass historic legislation aiding civilian victims of war. Sweet Relief recounts Marla's journey from an idyllic childhood in a small California town, through Latin America and Africa, and finally to the war zones in Afghanistan and Iraq. Whether she was Rollerblading the halls of Congress to secure funds for civilians in Iraq or throwing parties for journalists in Kabul to raise awareness of her cause, no one who came within a hundred yards of Marla missed her. Her friendly smile and indefatigable pose were ubiquitous in Afghanistan and Iraq where Marla managed a door-to-door effort to identify war victims. While Marla worked tirelessly to care for others, in many ways she neglected herself. A diagnosed manic-depressive, Marla battled extreme emotional lows and an eating disorder. And although she brought love into the homes of the aggrieved, she often struggled to find a love of her own. Marla gave the invisible victims of war a voice and, in the process, helped to win them millions of dollars in unprecedented aid. Tragically, Marla was killed by a suicide bomber on Airport Road in Iraq in April 2005. Weeks later, the U.S. government named the program she fought so hard to establish The Marla Ruzicka Fund. Her life and legacy are an inspiring reminder that love and determination can conquer all.
Black Silver
by Wayne Abrahamson&“...a rollicking tale sure to delight fans of nautical adventures.&” — Erik Carter, Amazon Author &“A captivating tale of adventure in the South China Sea reminiscent of Clive Cussler and Tom Clancy.&” — Chris Dewey, MA, RPA (Lieutenant Commander, USN Ret.), Author of Deep Context and President of the Maritime Archaeological SocietyJoseph Havok has no idea of the troubles he&’ll face when he and his business partner decide to follow up on a rumor and go off in search of a lost cache of WWII silver near an island in the South China Sea. The two men travel by dive boat to Terumbu Island, unaware of the others they will soon encounter, including an American CIA station chief, an environmental-studies professor, and the captain of the professor&’s research vessel. But Terumbu holds other secrets, something far more dangerous and much more valuable than the island&’s cache of old silver. Nicholai Anisimova, a former Russian army intelligence officer, is the leader of a group of dissatisfied comrades who threaten international order in their quest to transform Siberia into a new Russia. However, in order to purchase arms and equipment to begin their revolution and occupation of Siberia, the group will need money. To finance the recovery of resources from a sunken Japanese submarine, Anisimova secures the sponsorship of a Chinese industrialist who does not trust the Russians and decides to monitor the recovery himself. Havok and his partner soon find themselves involved in a conflict, refereed by an unknown, seldom-seen island hermit that escalates into a bitter struggle between survivors and pirates. What begins as a simple holiday for two men on a treasure hunt ends with a far-ranging battle that spills beyond the borders of the South China Sea, embroiling world leaders and placing the population of a nation at risk. &“A thrilling and fun adventure built on excellent use of details sprinkled with comedic relief.&” — Kendra Kennedy, Senior Archaeologist &“Abrahamson&’s excellent use of technical details trickled throughout the storyline provides for an authentic, and fast-paced, adventure at every turn of the page.&” — Siska Williams, Senior Archaeologist
Sergeant Dooley and the Submarine Raiders
by Wayne AbrahamsonAn ex-sergeant and a decorated combat veteran of America&’s Polar Bear Expedition to Russia, nineteen-year-old Thomas Dooley fought through a brutal winter against Red Russians only to find himself stranded in post-World War I Shanghai. With just over fifty dollars in his pocket, second-hand clothing on his back, and a beat-up Thompson submachine gun in a battered suitcase, he isn&’t sure how he will make it back to the US.To earn his passage home, Dooley finds work on an ex-Russian submarine. He leaves Shanghai under the leadership of Major Dimitri Utkin on a mission that he knows little about. Also on board are others who seek escape—from the dissatisfied captain of a U.S. Navy destroyer, whose chief petty officer is on the hunt for a chest of pirated British gold sovereigns, to a young and destitute Russian countess, Zeta Tolstoy. Dooley&’s expectations are complicated when he realizes that Utkin&’s cadre consists of men traumatized by the war and the Bolshevik Revolution—men who plan to impose their will on America. Before he knows it, Dooley&’s one-week commitment turns into a life-or-death struggle in the depths of the Pacific Ocean.
Brave Deeds: A Novel
by David AbramsFrom the author of Fobbit: “A stirring, sardonic war story . . . Mordantly funny and harrowing . . . Reminiscent of such classic war novels as Catch-22” (Tampa Bay Times). A Military Times Best Book of 2017, Brave Deeds is a compelling novel of war, brotherhood, and America. Spanning eight hours, the novel follows a squad of six AWOL soldiers as they attempt to cross war-torn Baghdad on foot to attend the funeral of their leader, Staff Sergeant Rafe Morgan. As the men make their way to the funeral, they recall the most ancient of warriors yet are a microcosm of twenty-first-century America, and subject to the same human flaws as all of us. Drew is reliable in the field but unfaithful at home; Cheever, overweight and whining, is a friend to no one—least of all himself; and platoon commander Dmitri “Arrow” Arogapoulos is stalwart, yet troubled with questions about his own identity and sexuality. Emotionally resonant, true-to-life, and thoughtfully written, Brave Deeds is a gripping story of combat and of perseverance, and an important addition to the oeuvre of contemporary war fiction. “Earnest and affecting . . . The soldiers are foulmouthed, sex-obsessed and fiercely loyal for reasons they can’t quite articulate—in other words, packed with young American male authenticity. Abrams’s prose is relaxed and conversational, with a few scattered literary nuggets that add heft, like chunks of beef in a vegetable soup. . . . The mash-up works, and Abrams’s voice is clear and strong.” —Brian Castner, The Washington Post “Outstanding . . . With a little bit of humor and bumbling grace, these six soldiers magnify what is both beautiful and despairing about the American military.” —Missoulian
Fobbit: A Novel
by David AbramsFobbit \’fä-bit\, noun. Definition: A U.S. soldier stationed at a Forward Operating Base who avoids combat by remaining at the base, esp. during Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2011). Pejorative.In the satirical tradition of Catch-22 and M*A*S*H, Fobbit takes us into the chaotic world of Baghdad’s Forward Operating Base Triumph. The Forward Operating base, or FOB, is like the back-office of the battlefield - where people eat and sleep, and where a lot of soldiers have what looks suspiciously like a desk job. Male and female soldiers are trying to find an empty Porta Potty in which to get acquainted, grunts are playing Xbox and watching NASCAR between missions, and a lot of the senior staff are more concerned about getting to the chow hall in time for the Friday night all-you-can-eat seafood special than worrying about little things like military strategy.Darkly humorous and based on the author's own experiences in Iraq, Fobbit is a fantastic debut that shows us a behind-the-scenes portrait of the real Iraq war.
Mission Critical: Unlocking the Value of Veterans in the Workforce (Center for Talent Innovation)
by Michael Abrams Julia Taylor Kennedy<p>The Center for Talent Innovation's new study, <i>Mission Critical: Unlocking the Value of Veterans in the Workforce</i>, reveals how companies can ensure their veteran talent thrives in the corporate world. Veterans represent a highly desirable talent pool when they transition to civilian careers. They retain the passion for service and camaraderie that drew them into the military, and they bring leadership and technical skills honed in a pressure cooker. In recent years, corporate employers have demonstrated they understand the potential of this valuable cohort by greatly increasing their recruitment efforts. Yet once veterans get through the doors of corporations, they languish. In a matter of months, many ambitious, skilled veterans lose their drive, failing to fulfill their leadership potential—more than half say they don't aspire to hold a more senior position. Many of the remainder feel stalled in their careers. <p>Why? First, leaders don’t understand their potential. Second, veterans feel distant from their teams and cover their veteran identity in an effort to get closer. Third, they hunger for meaning and purpose at work, something they found in the military but lack in civilian jobs. <i>Mission Critical</i> explores these factors in-depth, especially as they affect women and veterans of color.</p>
It's Our Ship: The No-Nonsense Guide to Leadership
by Captain D. AbrashoffCaptain D. Michael Abrashoff, legendary commander of the USS Benfold, continues in the same vein of his bestselling book IT'S YOUR SHIP with the knowledge he's gained from his speaking to and advising some of the top business minds in the world. The story of Captain Abrashoff and his command of USS Benfold has become legendary inside and outside the Navy. By governing his ship with his unique management techniques, Abrashoff turned the Benfold into a model of naval efficiency, with amazing cost savings, the highest gunnery score in the Pacific Fleet, and a highly motivated and top performing crew. In IT'S YOUR SHIP, he first demonstrated how to bring his successful management techniques from the ship to the boardroom. Now, in his newest book IT'S OUR SHIP, in the same rugged, can-do voice, Abrashoff will focus on the leadership, motivational, and management insights and tips that he has learned from his last six years of addressing business and corporate audiences. Abrashoff's timely advice will be eminently prescriptive, and will feature anecdotes and insights from leaders of businesses large and small and from public and non-profit sectors.
A Girl During the War: A Novel
by Anita AbrielThe author of the &“unforgettable story of strength, love, and survival&” (Jillian Cantor, USA TODAY bestselling author) The Light After the War returns with a sweeping and evocative story of love and purpose in WWII Italy.Rome, 1943: University student Marina Tozzi is on her way home when she finds out that her father has been killed for harboring a Jewish artist in their home. Fearful of the consequences, Marina flees to Villa I Tatti, the Florence villa of her father&’s American friend Bernard Berenson and his partner Belle da Costa Greene, the famed librarian who once curated J.P. Morgan&’s library. Florence is a hotbed of activity as partisans and Germans fight for control of the city. Marina, an art expert, begins helping Bernard catalog his library as he makes the difficult trek to neutral Switzerland, helping to hide precious cultural artifacts from the Germans. Adding to the tension, their young neighbor Carlos, a partisan, seeks out Marina for both her art expertise and her charm. Marina, swept up in the romance, dreams of a life together after the war. But when Carlos disappears, all of Marina&’s assumptions about her life in Florence are thrown into doubt, and she&’ll have to travel halfway around the world to unravel what really happened during the war.
The Italian Girl
by Anita AbrielA fearless young Italian woman risks everything to save precious artworks from the Nazis in a gripping new tale from the bestselling author of The Light After the War. Rome, 1943: Marina Tozzi adores her father Vittorio and working together in his art gallery is her only escape from the reality of the Nazi occupation. Not only has Marina inherited her father&’s passion for art but she is earning a reputation as an expert in her own right. However, Vittorio is keeping a deadly secret from his daughter. He has been hiding a Jewish artist in their basement and one day Marina returns home to find her father has been brutally murdered by a German officer. Devastated, Marina flees to Florence to seek help from a man who owes Vittorio his life. Renowned American art expert Bernard Berenson offers Marina sanctuary in his villa outside Florence and a job cataloguing his vast art library. Marina is grateful but she is determined to find a way to avenge her father. When handsome young artist Carlos proposes using her expertise to help the partisan cause against the Nazis, she has at last found her purpose. In one daring and ingenious act, Marina risks her life to save a priceless painting from falling into Nazi hands and proves her worth to the partisans. But falling in love with Carlos was not part of her plan. When Carlos suddenly disappears, Marina&’s dreams about building a life with him after the war turn to ashes. She will have to travel halfway around the world to unravel the past – and find her future.Praise for Anita Abriel &‘I was utterly moved and transfixed&’ Kristin Harmel &‘Fans of historical fiction won&’t want to miss this evocative, heartbreaking story&’ Beatriz Williams &‘Beautifully written and heartfelt&’ Jillian Cantor
Lana's War: A Novel
by Anita AbrielFrom the bestselling author of The Light After the War comes the unforgettable story of a young woman waging her own war against the Nazis as a spy for the Resistance on the French Riviera. Paris, 1943: Lana Antanova is rushing to tell her husband she is pregnant when she witnesses him being executed by a Gestapo officer for hiding a Jewish girl in a piano. Overcome with grief, Lana loses the baby. A few months later, a heartbroken Lana is approached to join the Resistance on the French Riviera. As the daughter of a Russian countess, Lana has the perfect background to infiltrate the émigré community of Russian aristocrats who socialise with Nazi officers, including the man who killed her husband. Lana&’s cover story makes her the mistress of a wealthy Swiss playboy, the darkly handsome and charismatic Guy Pascal, and her base his villa in Cap Ferrat. Together they make a ruthlessly effective team. Consumed by her mission, Lana doesn&’t count on becoming attached to a young Jewish girl or falling helplessly in love with Guy. As the Nazis close in, Lana&’s desire to protect the ones she loves threatens to put them all at risk.
Lana's War: A Novel
by Anita AbrielFrom the author of the &“fast-paced, heartbreaking, and hopeful&” (Kristin Harmel, author of The Room on Rue Amélie) The Light After the War, a riveting and heartfelt story of a young woman recruited to be a spy for the resistance on the French Riviera during World War II. Paris 1943: Lana Antanova is on her way to see her husband with the thrilling news that she is pregnant. But when she arrives at the convent where he teaches music, she&’s horrified to see Gestapo officers execute him for hiding a Jewish girl in the piano. A few months later, grieving both her husband and her lost pregnancy, Lana is shocked when she&’s approached to join the resistance on the French Riviera. As the daughter of a Russian countess, Lana has the perfect background to infiltrate the émigré community of Russian aristocrats who socialize with German officers, including the man who killed her husband. Lana&’s cover story makes her the mistress of Guy Pascal, a wealthy Swiss industrialist and fellow resistance member, in whose villa in Cap Ferrat she lives. Together, they gather information on upcoming raids and help members of the Jewish community escape. Consumed by her work, she doesn&’t expect to become attached to a young Jewish girl or wonder about the secrets held by the man whose house she shares. And as the Nazis&’ deadly efforts intensify, her intention to protect those around her may put them all at risk instead. With Anita Abriel&’s &“heartfelt and memorable&” (Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author) storytelling, Lana&’s War is a sweeping and suspenseful tale of survival and second chances during some of the darkest days of history.
The Light After the War: A Novel
by Anita AbrielInspired by an incredible true story of two Jewish friends who survived the Holocaust, this sweeping novel of love and friendship spans World War II from Budapest to Austria and the postwar years from Naples to Caracas, perfect for fans of The German Girl and We Were the Lucky Ones. It is 1946 when Vera Frankel and her best friend Edith Ban arrive in Naples. Refugees from Hungary, they managed to escape from a train headed for Auschwitz and spent the rest of the war hiding on an Austrian farm. Now, the two young women must start new lives abroad. Armed with a letter of recommendation from an American officer, Vera finds work at the United States embassy where she falls in love with Captain Anton Wight. But as Vera and Edith grapple with the aftermath of the war, so too does Anton, and when he suddenly disappears, Vera is forced to change course. Their quest for a better life takes Vera and Edith from Naples to Ellis Island to Caracas as they start careers, reunite with old friends, and rebuild their lives after terrible loss. Moving, evocative, and compelling, this timely tale of true friendship, love, and survival will stay with you long after you turn the final page.
La luz después de la guerra
by Anita AbrielInspirada por la increíble y cautivadora historia real de dos amigas judías que sobrevivieron al Holocausto y encontraron el coraje para perseguir sus sueños. En 1946 Vera Frankel y su amiga Edith Ban llegan a Nápoles. Son refugiadas húngaras que consiguieron escapar de un tren con dirección a Auschwitz y pasaron el resto de la guerra escondidas en una granja austriaca. Ahora, las dos jóvenes confían en hallar un hogar y un poco de paz en Italia. Armada únicamente con la carta de recomendación de un amable oficial, Vera logra encontrar trabajo en la embajada estadounidense, donde se enamora del capitán Anton Wight. Sin embargo, al igual que Vera y Edith, Anton también lucha por superar las consecuencias personales de la guerra. Cuando desaparece repentinamente, Vera se verá obligada a volver a empezar de cero y a reconstruir su vida en América, dejando de nuevo atrás sus terribles pérdidas... Emocionante y evocadora, esta historia de auténtica amistad, amor y supervivencia se quedará contigo mucho tiempo después de pasar la última página. Sobre la novela han dicho:«Basada en una historia verdadera y hasta hora nunca contada, La luz después de la guerra dibuja el magnífico retrato de dos mujeres jóvenes, ambas supervivientes del Holocausto, que tratan de encontrar amor y un sentido a su vida tras la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Desde Italia a Nueva York y Sudamérica, Abriel da vida a estas amigas y su época de un modo real, emocionante y sorprendente.»Mark Sullivan, autor de Bajo un cielo escarlata «Conmovedor y fascinante... A los lectores les encantará este poderoso relato de fuerte amistad femenina y segundas oportunidades para el amor ambientado en pintorescos escenarios de Nápoles, Venezuela y Australia.»Library Journal «La luz después de la guerra me emocionó y fascinó por completo. Te sentirás arrastrado por este trepidante, desgarrador y esperanzador relato sobre amistad, familia, segundas oportunidades y el persistente poder del amor basado en la verdadera historia de la madre de la autora y su fascinante viaje por la Europa asolada por la guerra de los años cuarenta.»Kristin Harmel, autora de La lista de los nombres olvidados «Inspirador, ambicioso muy ágil y con una acertada descripción de una realidad devastada por la guerra.»Booklist «Un sincero y memorable relato de familia, amor, resiliencia y el triunfo del espíritu humano.»Pam Jenoff, autora de Las chicas desaparecidas de París
On the Edge of Flight: A Lifetime in the Development and Engineering of Aircraft
by Eric William AbsolonThis is the story of Eric William Absolon, a relentlessly enthusiastic Aviation champion, whose lifelong love of aircraft has never wavered throughout his long and varied career. From boyhood fascination to the adult realization of his ambitions, this first-hand account takes in some of the key events of the dynamic period of twentieth century history which the author lived and worked through. Working his way up the ranks of the Gloster Aircraft Company, Absolon was able to see all the component processes of Aircraft production. The insight he provides into the inner workings of this busting center of Twentieth Century Aircraft production is unparalleled in modern accounts. Anyone with a fascination for the secret life of Aircraft is in for a treat here as the author relays his working experiences at the creative hub of the industry. His experiences including involvement with the post-war Drop testing of Meteor aircraft, working closely with these infamous vehicles of war in his role as Chief of Engineering Research, as well as an involvement with the more commercial side of Aviation production, a division within Gloster for which he served as Manager. This narrative charts his career with Gloster as well as a series of other companies who invited Absolon to offer his services. It also relays the story of the implementation and development of his own Aviation production business, Aljac Engineering Ltd. His expertise was highly prized then, and is now applied in the translation of experience into engaging prose, set to appeal to all genre enthusiasts.
Combat Trauma: Imaginaries of War and Citizenship in post-9/11 America
by Nadia Abu El-HajAmericans have long been asked to support the troops and care for veterans&’ psychological wounds. Who, though, does this injunction serve? As acclaimed scholar Nadia Abu El-Haj argues here, in the American public&’s imagination, the traumatized soldier stands in for destructive wars abroad, with decisive ramifications in the post-9/11 era. Across the political spectrum the language of soldier trauma is used to discuss American warfare, producing a narrative in which traumatized soldiers are the only acknowledged casualties of war, while those killed by American firepower are largely sidelined and forgotten. In this wide-ranging and fascinating study of the meshing of medicine, science, and politics, Abu El-Haj explores the concept of post-traumatic stress disorder and the history of its medical diagnosis. While antiwar Vietnam War veterans sought to address their psychological pain even as they maintained full awareness of their guilt and responsibility for perpetrating atrocities on the killing fields of Vietnam, by the 1980s, a peculiar convergence of feminist activism against sexual violence and Reagan&’s right-wing &“war on crime&” transformed the idea of PTSD into a condition of victimhood. In so doing, the meaning of Vietnam veterans&’ trauma would also shift, moving away from a political space of reckoning with guilt and complicity to one that cast them as blameless victims of a hostile public upon their return home. This is how, in the post-9/11 era of the Wars on Terror, the injunction to &“support our troops,&” came to both sustain US militarism and also shields American civilians from the reality of wars fought ostensibly in their name. In this compelling and crucial account, Nadia Abu El-Haj challenges us to think anew about the devastations of the post-9/11 era.
Militarizing the Nation: The Army, Business, and Revolution in Egypt
by Zeinab Abul-MagdEgypt's army portrays itself as a faithful guardian "saving the nation." Yet saving the nation has meant militarizing it. Zeinab Abul-Magd examines both the visible and often invisible efforts by Egypt's semi-autonomous military to hegemonize the country's politics, economy, and society over the past six decades. The Egyptian army has adapted to and benefited from crucial moments of change. It weathered the transition to socialism in the 1960s, market consumerism in the 1980s, and neoliberalism from the 1990s onward, all while enhancing its political supremacy and expanding a mammoth business empire. Most recently, the military has fought back two popular uprisings, retained full power in the wake of the Arab Spring, and increased its wealth.While adjusting to these shifts, military officers have successfully transformed urban milieus into ever-expanding military camps. These spaces now host a permanent armed presence that exercises continuous surveillance over everyday life. Egypt's military business enterprises have tapped into the consumer habits of the rich and poor alike, reaping unaccountable profits and optimizing social command. Using both a political economy approach and a Foucauldian perspective, Militarizing the Nation traces the genealogy of the Egyptian military for those eager to know how such a controversial power gains and maintains control.
Political Islam and Violence in Indonesia (Asian Security Studies)
by Zachary AbuzaPolitical Islam and Violence in Indonesia presents a penetrating new investigation of religious radicalism in the largest Muslim country in the world. Indonesia is a country long known for its diversity and tolerant brand of Islam. However, since the fall of Suharto, a more intolerant form of Islam has been growing, one whose adherents have carried out terrorist attacks, waged sectarian war, and voiced strident anti-Western rhetoric. Zachary Abuza’s unique analysis of radical Islam draws upon primary documents such as Jemaah Islamiyah’s operations manual, interviews, and recorded testimonies of politicians, religious figures, and known militants, as well as personal interviews with numerous security and intelligence experts in Indonesia and elsewhere, to paint a picture at once guardedly optimistic about the future of Indonesian democracy and concerned about the increasing role of conservative and radical Islam in Indonesian society. This book will be of great interest to students of Indonesian politics, Asian studies, political violence and security studies in general.
The Ongoing Insurgency in Southern Thailand: Trends in Violence, Counterinsurgency Operations, and the Impact of National Politics
by Zachary Abuza National Defense UniversitySince January 2004, a Malay-Muslim–based insurgency has engulfed the three southernmost provinces in Thailand. More than 4,500 people have been killed and over 9,000 wounded, making it the most lethal conflict in Southeast Asia. Now in its 8th year, the insurgency has settled into a low-level stalemate. Violence is down significantly from its mid-2007 peak, but it has been steadily climbing since 2008. On average, 32 people are being killed and 58 wounded every month. Most casualties are from drive-by shootings, but there are also about 12 improvised explosive device (IED) attacks a month. The insurgency is now characterized by less indiscriminate violence and more retaliatory attacks. Insurgents continue to target security forces, government officials, and Muslim moderates who seek accommodation with the Thai state as part of efforts to make the region ungovernable by limiting provision of social services and driving Buddhists from the south. The overall level of violence may be influenced more by insurgent calculations about the optimum amount of violence needed to advance their political goals than by improved capabilities of the security forces. Despite better coordination, Thai counterinsurgency operations are still hampered by bureaucratic infighting and a lack of professionalism. Human rights abuses by security services with blanket immunity under the Emergency Decree continue to instill mistrust among the local population.
Spearhead: A Novel of World War II
by Martin AbzugSpearhead, first published in 1946, is a fictional account of U.S. Army artillery and infantry units at the start of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Initially forced to retreat, the men try to regain the offensive under heavy ground fire and aerial bombardment. Tensions mount between several of the officers, one of German descent, who are at odds over the nature of evil and the war. Their differences become especially apparent in their views of Germans and Naziism, and is reflected in their differing treatment of their captured prisoners-of-war. Spearhead is a little known novel of the War, but is filled with details based on the author’s own wartime experiences, plus examines the deeper moral questions of the conflict.
Garibaldi’s Radical Legacy: Traditions of War Volunteering in Southern Europe (1861–1945) (Routledge Studies in Modern European History #84)
by Enrico AcciaiBetween the two world wars, thousands of European antifascists were pushed to act by the political circumstances of the time. In that context, the Spanish Civil War and the armed resistances during the Second World War involved particularly large numbers of transnational fighters. The need to fight fascism wherever it presented itself was undoubtedly the main motivation behind these fighters’ decision to mobilise. Despite all this, however, not enough attention has been paid to the fact that some of these volunteers felt they were the last exponents of a tradition of armed volunteering which, in their case, originated in the nineteenth century. The capacity of war volunteering to endure and persist over time has rarely been investigated in historiography. The aim of this book is to reconstruct the radical and transnational tradition of war volunteering connected to Giuseppe Garibaldi’s legacy in Southern Europe between the unification of Italy (1861) and the end of the Second World War (1945). This book seeks to provide a comprehensive analysis of the long-term, interconnected, and radical dimensions of the so called Garibaldinism.
Targeting Terrorist Financing: International Cooperation and New Regimes (Contemporary Terrorism Studies)
by Arabinda AcharyaThis book examines the dynamics of terrorist financing, including a discussion about the importance of money from both the terrorist and the counter-terrorist perspective. Targeting Terrorist Financing argues that it is not the institutions that have failed the war on terrorist financing; rather it is the states that have failed the institutions. The measures contemplated by the world community to interdict terrorists and their financial infrastructures are sufficient to debilitate the terrorists both militarily and financially. However, what has been increasingly lacking is political will among the states, and this has overwhelmed the spirit of cooperation in this very critical front against terrorism. This volume assesses the need for international cooperation and the role of institutions and regimes in targeting terrorist financing. After the 9/11 attacks, there was an expression of global willingness to target terrorism generally, and terrorist financing in particular. The institutional mechanisms that grew out of this are explored in detail here, with a critical examination of the progress made by the international community. The impact of these measures is considered with respect to changes in the nature of the terrorist threat, money confiscated, adoption of international conventions, and global standards by states, and levels of compliance, among others. This book will be of great interest to students of terrorism, international organisations, international security, and IR in general. Arabinda Acharya is Research Fellow, Manager of Strategic Projects and Head of the Terrorist Financing Response Project at the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
There Was a Country: A Memoir
by Chinua AchebeFrom the legendary author of Things Fall Apart—a long-awaited memoir of coming of age in a fragile new nation, and its destruction in a tragic civil warFor more than forty years, Chinua Achebe has maintained a considered silence on the events of the Nigerian civil war, also known as the Biafran War, of 1967–1970, addressing them only obliquely through his poetry. Now, decades in the making, comes a towering account of one of modern Africa’s most disastrous events, from a writer whose words and courage have left an enduring stamp on world literature. A marriage of history and memoir, vivid firsthand observation and decades of research and reflection, There Was a Country is a work whose wisdom and compassion remind us of Chinua Achebe’s place as one of the great literary and moral voices of our age.
The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story (Thorndike Biography Ser. #0)
by Diane Ackerman<P>The New York Times bestseller: a true story in which the keepers of the Warsaw Zoo saved hundreds of people from Nazi hands. After their zoo was bombed, Polish zookeepers Jan and Antonina Zabinski managed to save over three hundred people from the Nazis by hiding refugees in the empty animal cages. With animal names for these "guests," and human names for the animals, it's no wonder that the zoo's code name became "The House Under a Crazy Star." <P>Best-selling naturalist and acclaimed storyteller Diane Ackerman combines extensive research and an exuberant writing style to re-create this fascinating, true-life story--sharing Antonina's life as "the zookeeper's wife," while examining the disturbing obsessions at the core of Nazism. <P><b>Winner of the 2008 Orion Award.</b> <P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>