The Never-Ending War: Terrorism in the 80's

by Ronald Payne and Christopher Dobson

Book Overview

The Never-Ending War reveals the activities, tactics and techniques that the terrorists use--and exposes their operations. Payne and Dobson examine the 'state patrons of terror' (Iran, Syria, Libya) to get to the very wellsprings of terrorism today. The Never-Ending War brings this very real and frightening enigma into perspective.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0816015376
• ISBN13: 9780816015375
• Release Date: May 1987
• Publisher: Facts on File
• Length: 356 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Excellent, PLEASE update for 2005 !

I bought this book cheaply at a used book sale. It is superb, providing fascinating detail in a very readable format for the general reader. Essentially, this book pulls it all together. One is left wondering why the average American is so uninformed about the seeds of international terror, even after 9/11 and the invasions of Afghanistan and the overthrow of Saddam in Iraq. One should scarcely be willing to make any judgments of current or former U.S. policies without a fundamental understanding of just why young Arab men are flying airplanes into our skyscrapers. I found myself constantly saying to myself "aha, that's why..." as this book links up for me so many unrelated memories of news headlines I recalled through the years. The weakness of many books on this subject is that they are too overtly pro-Israel or pro-Arab, and one is left not sure if one is getting a balanced picture, even from the faction you prefer. The tone of this book is even-handed, highlighting goofs as well successes of each side, rather than shrill line-toeing propaganda. Though an update would be great, this book is still an incredible resource for establishing the background understanding that so many Westerners lack in our current war on terror.

Could Act as a Reference Book

This book offers the reader a very good run down of the Terrorist organizations currently or historically active. This book can act as a reference book in many ways. The format is well thought out and the details are easy to get at. They provide a break down of who each of the groups is and why they are active. They also add a number of stories that really make this book a great overview of the issue. I would like to see them update the book for the 90's. If you see this book and you are interested in the topic, pick it up.

In Depth Look at Terrorism on the 1980's

If you are looking for the most comprehensive look at terrorism in the 1980's, this book is excellent. Dobson and Payne detail every group and their motives with intricacy. I loved the stories of the groups actions and training around the world. Overall an excellent read and fairly easy, although if you do not have a background in Arab culture, the names might give you a little trouble.