Military Law Books

Published in 1995 before he became the Israeli Prime Minister, Netanyahu begins this book with a most rational and considered perspective, but by mid-way the discussion degenerates into historically "enemy" bashing. Possibly written to muster "hard-line" support for the election, this book unfortunately adds little to the debate, even though it would be hard to argue that he is not one of the leading contributors to the topic.

I started this book because I wanted to try to understand terrorism. I got much more than that. Mr. Netanyahu describes with great passion what he personally has experienced, including the loss of his brother, from terrorists strategy and tactics. This book is an easy read, but I found myself constantly stopping and thinking and feeling how we Americans would respond if we had been terrorized as long as Israel has. Over & over you see where we have been negligent in our intelligence and preparation for the defense of America for the hate crimes that have been perpetrated against us as against Israel. You don't have to be pro-Israel or anti-Israel to enjoy this book. I have bought many copies to get my friends and relatives to read to see what we, as Americans, will have to face for many years as we try to eliminate terrorism in the world.

Field-Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery's reputation has tended to dominate the accounts written about the war in Northwest Europe in 1944-1945. His two subordinate army commanders, Canadian Lt. General Henry Crerar and British Lt. Gen. Miles Dempsey, have been overshadowed by Montgomery's capacity to inspire both admiration and loathing. Stephen Ashley Hart's attempts to correct some of the imbalance caused by historians focusing on "Montgomery's distasteful personality" by examining the roles played by the above three men in this book.

Hart has written an interesting and thought provoking book. Hart contends that Montgomery's reputation, as a cautious commander who only moved when he was ready, stemmed not from his fear that failure would damage his reputation, but was instead caused by a lack of British and Canadian manpower, which precluded a more aggressive strategy. Moreover, Hart believes that Montgomery's force, the 21st Army Group had such fragile morale that the commanders of that Army Group could not risk setbacks because any defeat would destroy the spirit of Montgomery's civilians in uniforms. In common with other historians, Hart seems to imply that the German army was composed of professional soldiers thereby giving them an advantage, but that ignores the fact the every army in World War 2 was made up of draftees or volunteers enlisted for the duration of war. An example of this was the 12th SS Panzer Division, the majority of whose soldiers were in the SS for less than a year before they entered combat in Normandy. Hart demonstrates that Crerar and Dempsey shared Montgomery's two main apprehensions about avoiding casualties and maintaining morale. Hart goes on to demonstrate the main elements of 21st Army Group offensive, which included administration, airpower, initiative, and balance among others. Hart also concludes that Montgomery and the British government sought the assignment of American forces to 21st Army Group because they knew any victories achieved by the American troops assigned would increase the prestige of the British and thereby enhance the influence of the British in any postwar peace agreement.

Where Hart's book falls short is in its failure to adequately address evidence contrary to Hart's thesis. For example, Hart implies that the Montgomery, Crerar, and Dempsey were successful in avoiding massive casualties, but he does not mention that monthly casualties suffered by infantry battalions in Northwest Europe in 1944-45 was exactly the same as the monthly casualties suffered by infantry battalions in the 1914-18 war. (100 casualties per month, source: David French's excellent book "Raising Churchill's Army".) In addition, Hart contends that Montgomery was successful in raising the morale of the forces about to assault Normandy by speaking to each unit. The only source Hart cites for this contention is Montgomery himself! What Hart and Montgomery do not mention are the boos Monty received from units like the 2nd Devons of the British 50th Division and the American 116 Infantry Regiment.

Hart has written a thought provoking book, but his failure to deal with evidence contrary to his thesis ensures that "Montgomery and Colossal Cracks" will not be the final word in the arguments over Montgomery's reputation.

Ashley Hart's "Colossal Cracks" is a thorough and thoughtful study of the operational approaches taken by the 21st Army Group in NW Europe during 1944-45. In a very logical and quite balanced manner Hart tackles a thorny issue likely to raise dander of some. Basically his thesis was that the methods employed by 21st Army Group under the tight "grip" of General/Field Marshal B.L. Montgomery were not only appropriate but contributed significantly to the overall Allied victory in the West. Moreover, Hart argues that these methods were employed 1) because of their commanders' experiences with similar methods when commanding the British Eighth Army in N. Africa and 2) because they fit the logistical realities facing the British/Canadian Army Group at that point in the war. With respect to this latter conclusion Hart provides ample compelling evidence that the manpower shortages facing Britain and its Commonwealth forces were indeed dire with respect to infantry riflemen reserves (while US forces was certainly not close to tapping their manpower resources) and thus Monty's perceived caution, oft maligned to overly so, was a generally appropriate response to this issue. Hart does not forgive Monty for failure to take aggressive advantage of situations as they arose - a misgiving Monty is certainly guilty of - but rather tries to place Monty's actions within a larger more complete context that included not only Monty's personality traits - which often form the basis for criticism of his generalship - but also theatre level, nationalistic, and post-war projection issues.

Intimately related to the manpower issue (and linked morale issues which Hart also does affine job assessing) is the issue of how Monty chose to make up for these deficiencies with what the Germans called Materialschlacht and Monty termed "Colossal Cracks"; namely the employment of metal rather than men. Hart makes a point for what should be obvious, and apparently was to Monty but historians have since forgotten - if you have material superiority why waste human life? By employing the combined arms strengths of the Allied forces Monty could not only save manpower he could ill afford to lose, but also maintain morale that had a positive feedback on troop performance. Hart makes clear the rationale behind this approach and places Monty's decisions to employ these tactical approaches to the theatre strategy as a whole.

In the end, "Colossal Cracks" is a fine study, a bit academic at times but still quite readable and certainly worth a read to the more serious student of WWII, whether interested in Monty and controversies surrounding him or the tactical and strategic operations of the British/Commonwealth Army Group on the Continent. Of added value is Hart's inclusion of lengthy discussions of 1st Canadian Army and Second British Army actions within the 21st AG and Monty's "grip", as well as the influence their respective commanders - Generals Crerar and Dempsey, respectively - on operations of these armies and their contributions to AG influences on theatre activities. 5 star effort of historical literature, 3.5 star effort for engaging prose; overall 4.5 stars!

***Buyer/Reader be aware: Praeger Press serves th academic not mainstream bookreader community and as such does most of its commercial business via libraries. The price of Hart's book is outside the range of most of our pocketbooks, this should NOT however deter you from tracking down a copy at a local librarry or via an Interlibrary Loan..

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Your score: 3

Those who think the federal government spends billions on protecting itself leaving the masses (us) to fend for themselves will enjoy reading this book. Not only are the masses left to assorb the attack but most government leaders and workers aren't any better off. This book is a history of Civil Defense in the Washington DC area. It is very well researched. Great narrative about how Civil Defense just never seemed to get the priority it deserved. If Washington couldn't get a decent program running then how could anyone expect the rest of the country to do so. There are great descriptions of Mt. Weather, Site R and FEMA ROCs. Extensive discussion on the Relocation Arch and Continuity of Government plans as well. Great book for emergency managers and those interested in civil defense. If you want to know the likely outcome of the current Homeland Security/FEMA restructuring and future disaster response, this book is the crystal ball. I highly recommend the book.

Unfortunately the information in this volume is but a small fraction of what has been going on in America for too many years. Naturally none of which is ever brought to the light of day by our corporate owned Media.
If the American populace were aware of the wool that has so long been pulled over their eyes this would not be. As it stands dismantling the Power Structure that has taken over our Democracy (dismantling it in the process) has become an almost insurmountable task. I am afraid that in the end it will only come to be by force with the consequence of blood running in our country's streets.

This book is delightful and informative reading.

It is extremely well documented and current. I am very pleased by the author's expertise in informing me with this book about current attempts to privatize the US military.

The reason my progress in this book is not a rapid as with many books is
that it is so jam packed with info and provides information well worth pondering.

In summary, this is a very well written and well documented book and is
well worth reading.

I read the first two chapters and threw this book in the trash. It is riddled with lies and distortions. I don't see how someone can publish such dishonest characterizations and sleep at night.

I received Blackwater and I had started to read it but after 30 pages the book started to separate from the binding in clumps. The binding is substandard, the glue used seems to be grade school quality. I would not purchase from this vendor again if the item was a paperback.

Scahill's work is a ballsy expose on something that the rest of the world either has deliberately or unintentionally chosen to ignore: The shadowy, sometimes seedy world of the mercenary soldier and their employers. These days, there are hardly any serious investigations with as much breadth and gravity as his work. This is true investigative work at its best in that sense. Among the book's merits is the background on Prince, the real origins of Blackwater, the dynamics both in America, the military, in Iraq, and the common mistakes done by politicians and mercs alike.

However, there are also limitations. I was surprised that Scahill barely (if at all) mentioned the use of mercenaries in history - something as old as prostitution itself (note the analogies). Instead, the focus was on the key players at Blackwater, as well as notable incidents aside from the incident at Fallujah. What I expected more of was a history of Blackwater in terms of lucid economics. Instead of doing the top-down approach, as what conventional journalists tend to do, he could also have explored certain asides, like why old war hands will decide to take up arms again. Even a perfunctory explanation as to the whys might enlighten the rest of us. Also something along the lines of why governments generally decide to hire mercs.

Another thing I found quite disturbing was how most, if not all of the reports were definitely skewed to misrepresent anything about Blackwater though I should probably now by now that it's a left-leaning report (duh). It would be something to note that, as not all American troops in Iraq are coldhearted and bloodthirsty, then there must be even a few Blackwater ex-personnel who see things differently. Finally, the fact that most of the chapters and articles did not really have a strong and consistent theme or synthesis, as well as what should be done with it -- brought a whimpering end to what otherwise seemed like a promising book.

However, as far as exposing the particular threat that Blackwater poses as an entity within a free state, the author has achieved his aim in good and exhaustive order. I'm not a liberal in the strictest sense of the word (I was a Marine for eight years; also a martial artist) - but I'm not a fan of *big* private armies, either (or any armed gangs, for that matter). Machiavelli himself warned of the dangers of any mercenary army, for practical reasons. Think of the various Italian condottieri running amok during those turbulent times.

I debated giving four stars to this book and even wondered if there was such a thing as "3 1/2 Stars." 3 was perhaps the fairest I could give. If the author does a revised edition, I hope he explores more of the merc culture and its dynamics with governments throughout history.

This expose of the atrocities at Guantanamo Bay as relayed by an American eyewitnessis an almost impossible book to review along the guidelines of what can be said. The book is filled with filthy language and none can be used. Erik looks like a good All-American young man, but listen to his language. He was trained to speak and understand the Arabic language, but I doubt they use the slang we Americans take for granted, but Amazon won't accept. It's okay in a book but not the book review.

Erik and Mark observed how inefficient the guards and female military are for extracting evidence. Having served a long jail sentence in the USA, Mark was emotionally deficient but enjoyed taking part in the sexual tactics purportedly for interrogation purposes. Eric had secured a college degree but his failing marriage sent him to join up for the military with dreams of glory. Mark was not so lucky. Being already a felon, he was denied that privilege to die with grace. Erik spent his R&R with a girfriend he picked up somewhere. Mark liked the unattached homeless women who abound everywhere.

This book was a great read. Accurate? You bet! I faced the same trials and tribulations stationed in the Middle East (unqualified people, find your own replacement or stay and rot, below prison standard living conditions, etc., etc.) Job well done!

I bought this book from the Dollar Store (of all places) and read it all in one evening...I couldn't put it down. Given the public attention that has been paid to activities, both known and as yet unknown, at Gitmo, I was surprised to discover that this book is out of print already, having only been published in 2005. Let's face it, the activities at Gitmo are highly secretive for either good reasons (like national security) and/or bad (like a potential cover up of less than desirable interrogation practices as far as the Geneva convention goes). Given what should have been high public interest in the book, and the place where I found it, I decided to check out the reviews on Amazon and quickly noted, as other reviewers had, that people either loved or hated this book with very little grey area in between.

One thing that impressed me is that nearly all the reviews here are some of the most well written I have ever read about any book sold on Amazon in the sense that most are clearly written by educated and thoughtful people. And I mean this about the one star *and* five star reviews. In fact, perhaps even more of the one star reviews; as more than one star reviewer pointed out, left leaning liberals are very likely to love Saar's book.

I note that many of the one star reviewers were stationed at Gitmo, and some were upset not so much by what Saar had to say, but that he complained about it in a public forum. Some of these reviewers and many other one star reviewers expressed disbelief that there really could be a widespread "cover up" operation that would actually work in practice. I didn't get the impression reading the book that Saar was describing a concerted "cover up" operation. But I find it interesting that reviewers who served in the armed forces are upset that Saar expressed his views about Gitmo publicly instead of complaining up the command chain, whilst they simultaneously poo-poo a "cover up"; if it is drummed into you in the military that you should never, ever complain to the outside world about problems you see in military infrastructure, isn't that a culture that encourages "keeping things amongst ourselves, even if we don't like it?". I am sure that many soldiers who served at Abu Ghraib didn't like what they saw going on there, but didn't go public. And I would be surprised if any of them complained up their command structure if they felt that the top brass condoned or worse yet, even sanctioned, what occurred there. Who wants to ruin their career? It is better just to shut up and put up. Which amounts to a cover up, even if the people not talking wouldn't call it such.

It is not surprising that the reviews of this book are so polarized given that Saar described his fellow service people at Gitmo as being extremely polarized in their feelings about the place and what goes on there.

I have one comment to make about the CACI categorically denying that civilian interrogators were used; reading that portion of the book, I find it highly unlikely that Saar actually made that up since his description sounds believable. What I think happened is that CACI threatened one big honkin' lawsuit against Penguin unless it retracted that part of the book. As a government contractor CACI makes *a lot* of money, and Penguin could potentially lose a lot more money in such a lawsuit than they gained from publishing the book. Pretty much everything else in the book is focussed on the operations of government agencies and the military...no fear of lawsuits there given that the book was vetted by the Pentagon. The fact that Penguin retracted the description of the CACI interrogators does not make the book less believable in my eyes. I think it shows how difficult it is to tell the truth about what goes on at Gitmo without a lawsuit being slapped on you. Yet another way that "cover ups" are encouraged (in the sense that people have strong incentive to shut up and put up).

Saar likely did make a fair amount of money off this book. But I'm not sure if he is as craven as some reviewers make him out to be; his monetary gain comes at a price, in that I am sure some service people and others besides view him as a traitor and some would be happy to beat the crap out of him should they come across him in a dark alley. I wonder what Saar's life is like these days...

This should be required reading for all US citizens. However you feel about Bush or the War On Terror, this book will challenge your preconceptions about Guantanamo Bay.

I expected a more shocking account of the detention camp, this book is not so much an insight into guantanamo but just an account of somebody working in a medium/high stress environment.

I was quite disappointed with the book & only continued to read it in the hope that it got better, which it didn't.

This was a "hard " book to read because the author is very straight forward with all the information that he has.I guess some people will find the book a little hard to believe, but the thing is that sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.I really liked the strong no-holds-barred approach of the author.He points fingers at people responsible for the security of this nation and presents the facts in a logical manner.What a lot of people dont know is that a lot muslims feel that their religion allows them to lie whenever they feel the should.That's one of the things about a lot of muslims, especially iranians:they lie when they negotiate but as soon as you turn your back they go straight to whatever they were doing.So i have to agree with the author when he says that we cant trust them.I also enjoyed his description of the other arab nations such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq and their relationship with Iran.Great book to bring you up to speed in what's going on in the Middle East.

Iran is in the news nowadays for very important reasons. It is ruled by a regime that is bent on creating its own atomic weapons and has the expressed intention of doing harm to us and our allies. Additionally, it is supporting the Shiite side of the struggles within Iraq and actively undermining our efforts there and the Iraqi attempts at self-rule and democracy. Iran is also supporting Syria and through them Hezbollah and their attacks on Israel and the West.

The book is divided into three parts. The first presents five chapters on the way the Iranians are trying to influence our political process. Both sides of the aisle are compromised by these efforts, but in different ways. The huge amount of money that Iran and other Muslim nations make from oil gives them great power and they use that to influence those who would like to share in that wealth. Jerome Corsi lays out the facts and you can decide for yourself how disturbing you find this information. I found it not only revolting, but a cause for serious concern.

The second part presents five chapters on the terrorist activities sponsored by Iran and what their future strategies might be. It is clearly exporting terror to undermine the West since Khomeni took over in 1978. We simply have to listen to what they say and take the direct meaning of their fundamental goals seriously. The filigree about peaceful purposes for the nuclear efforts are clearly said to create diplomatic space for them to continue their work on their fundamental goal of being a nuclear power that threatens Israel and the West. Their ability to extort the West with oil will also increase once they demonstrate a nuclear weapon. What then?

The third part consists of two chapters on two approaches towards dealing with Iran. The first chapter deals with the variety of military threats and options we could use. It turns out that none of them are much good and the Iranians know that. They are not good for a variety of reason that have to do with geography, our weak allies in Europe, our quasi friends / enemies in Russia and China, and the willingness of the radical Muslim mind to take hurt in order to achieve their larger aims. Iranian leaders have stated that one nuclear bomb in Tel Aviv could destroy Israel, but a nuclear attack on Islam cannot destroy it.

The second chapter lays out the argument that we should increase our efforts and spend treasure on undermining the regime in Iran and encourage that significant but repressed portion of the Iranian population that wants to be a moderate nation that is free of the mullah tyranny.

The conclusion of the book draws all the points of the book together and the epilogue deals with events in Iran and the rise of Ahmadinejad in the "run-off" election against the more moderate Rafsanjani. These events occurred since the hardcover was published in 2005.

Good reporting and interesting analysis. Corsi doesn't provide simplistic solutions nor is a raving or partisan attack as some (who probably haven't read the book) claim. Read it and decide for yourself.

I have not read this book, but I do have to make a statement about the integrity of Mr. Corsi. He helped torpedo John Kerry when he co-wrote
"Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry", which helped in getting Bush re-elected!!
Shame on him.
I have heard Mr. Corsi deride, on Coast to Coast AM, this administration now, after the fact-duh, but I am still waiting for an apology!
He helped this madman get elected and he is responsible for all that has followed. I would question his integrity and wonder what his motives are for writing anything!

Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (3/07)

Jerome R. Corsi has written "Atomic Iran" in an effort to give the American people a wake-up call to the crisis facing our country. He presents a strong case, advocating that the Iranian mullahs are supporting terror internationally. And that these same mullahs are already at war against both Israel and America. Israel is in danger of nuclear retaliation from the Shiite Muslim's of Iran, under the presidency of Mahmouid Ahmadiejad.

Corsi further warns that Americans have been lulled into a false security, influenced by the mainstream media. Behind the scenes the Iranian mullahs are influencing our politicians. Iran, a nation with a terrorist mindset, a nation rich in uranium resources, is on a collision course with America and the governments of Europe who are seeking to end the development of nuclear weapons.

Differences among congressional leaders on diplomatic and economic issues make it difficult to take an unbiased and objective stance while reading Corsi's work, however, since the book was first published in 2005 in the hardcover edition, many of his predictions have taken place and even the most skeptical are taking another look at the message of "Atomic Iran."

This is a book, urgent in its' disturbing message, well-documented, and timely. "Atomic Iran" should be read by every voting American. Corsi has presented a clarion call to the American people to become informed and to wake up to their responsibility as a citizen.

This book was informative as far as explaining who some of these groups are in the middle east. But it adds to the aggravation of being told the same old fairy tales over and over again which by now have been proven not to be the truth! When are these people "in the know" going to get it?

As it is mentioned on the front page, this book is "An Introductory to Law Enforcement Emergency Care". No need to criticize the author about what was done because Ian McDevitt did it well.
The content of his book gives a realistic overiew of what could be a TACMED job. Good enough to explain the different stages of tactical care involved when the "s... hits the fan". His book offers several valuable insights of the job.
Protocols described inside the book are for general knowledge. Remember, it is "an Introductory..." If you need more... well, go or go back to TACMED School !
Besides, Ian McDevitt is known in Europ for his experience and his knack to instruct this topic.

Christian - Tactical First-Aid Instructor.

This truly is just an introduction to Tactical medicine and I would only recommend this book to someone who has zero idea about what entails tactical medicine. This would be a good book for someone who is maybe interested in what a tactical medic does and what equipment they should carry. The book was very short and basic almost to the point of elementary.

I suppose that I should spit out my resume as well: I was a combat medic with The Infantry. When I got out I obtained a paramedic license and a BS in Biology, then I worked heavy rescue, and after growing bored I joined the Los Angeles Police Department and currently work in South Central LA. That being said, the first forty pages of the book were put togeather in a very simple to understand and systematic manner.
Frankly speaking there was a great deal of filler information placed amongst the first half of the book, and i believe (from a tactics point of view) the second half of the book to be filler information as well. Notwithstanding my point of view as a medic, if I were a platoon leader looking for a guide to lay out the responsibilities of my medical support this book could not be better suited. I in fact sent the book to a LT in the National Guard. As the back cover of the book indicates this is also an excellent resource for an individual new to the medical field and looking for a specialty. This book provides the flavor of tactical medicine, and makes for a nice introduction to the field.

As a paramedic and Spec Ops medic, this book was a total waste. Anyone who doesn't have a far better understanding of tactical medicine (military or law enforcemennt) shouldn't be even thinking about operating in those venues.

The book is written unevenly, has poor quality photos, virtually no suggestions on techniques and very uneven coverage of equipment. There must be a better tactical medical book out there, for a start "Ditch Medicine" by Coffee is at least helpful, if somewhat dated.

I serve as the Medical Director, ALS provider, and entry medic for a four county, seven agency regional tactical LE organization, as well as direct and respond with 3 EMS agencies and 1 SAR unit. In addition to this, I also currently serve as Medical Director for the Nebraska Panhandle Public Health Board and as Physician Representative for the Nebraska Panhandle Trauma Board. I also serve as Medical Director for the national SAR team in Belize, Central America, and consult for that government regarding prehospital & village care issues. I have 25 years experience in military & civilian TEMS, EMS, Fire, Law Enforcement, & Technical Rescue. With that said...

Focusing on LE & urban TacMed, as opposed to military tactical medicine, it provides an excellent overview of the state of the art as it is understood today. This is not a comprehensive textbook of medical care that takes you from square one, but instead teaches the unique priorities, techniques, and equipment needed for this environment. As such, it either will be an overview and motivator to go and get training for those without a background in field medicine, or a specific reference for those with prior medical experience wanting to make the transition to the tactical environment.

It will also be an excellent resource for those needing ýammoý to take to Administration. It is small enough that an administrator could read it, if you can find one that can read. Otherwise there are pictures and lists, and you can point to them and say ýSee, the book says so.ý

Seriously, this is going to be a handy reference for explaining the tactical medical environment to those not familiar with the concept, and immediately absorbable by those with prior medical training. Itýs a welcome addition to the sparse field of tactical medicine reference material.

To criticize this book for being "anecdotal" is to miss the point. It was intended to be such. This is not a text. It's an introduction and overview, illustrated by what works for the author. And anyone who feels that the material presented does not reflect mainstream thinking in the TEMS community, isn't in the current mainstream. This material represents cutting edge thinking, rather than the static material and curriculums still being taught in too many programs.

If you have an interest in this field, this is a great book. Buy it!

Mr Cole has written a nice little story book about Iraq. I believe the only thing he knew about Iraq was, it is hot in the summer and the people spoke a differant language.
As a former Army MP,Police Officer and Contract worker in Kuwait,I knew going in that persons from from arab countries did things very differant.
After 3 months of living in Kuwait, I was never surprised at the things I saw.
Mr Cole never seemed to understand that. He just asummed that all police do and act like police from the USA. From basic police patroling to investagation work. They just spent 30 some years under a dictator rule, they were not police officers, they were security officers. To keep ones job and life they had to keep their mouths shut and play the game.
If you go to any county to work,learn about the culture and it's people 1st. It will make your life and job so much more enjoyable.
I am glad that I did not buy this book,it was a gift. If you want to read it, get a used discounted or library copy.

I found nothing in the book that was slightest bit unbelievable. It takes a certain amount of courage to tell the truth regarding Iraq when there are so many powerful (and well-armed) people wedded to comfortable (and profitable) lies and delusions. Other reviewers claim that Robert Cole is lying or distorting. Well, fine, - but why? Where's his profit? Nothing he has to say is the slightest bit sensational or an expose likely to increase sales of his book.

I love this book! This book was sent to me by someone in the Military Police in Iraq as a slice of life over there. It was fascinating. In fact it was a 'can't put it down' page turner. I highly recommend it. The only problem is that better editing is needed to correct spelling errors, very amature indeed.

Author Robert Cole is a retired police officer and international police trainer, who adds his technical insights to this story of training Iraquis in handling security challenges. His survey of the realities of life in Iraq and the challenges facing local police offers an unusual stark, realistic portrait of daily life in the country, plenty of insights into why traditional Western strategies won't work, and makes for excellent, involving reading suitable not just for military libraries but for any strong in Middle East culture.

This is the best fictional account of an actual event since Bill Clinton uttered those memorable words "I did not have sex with that women, Miss Lewinski!" I read this book and was absolutely floored by Cole's descriptions of life in Iraq. Some of it bordered on reality but it never quite reached the level of truth.

I have no idea who the "Kevin Kadowski" figure is, Cole so often refers to. However, I did know the fine American Police Officer who was killed when a small piece of schrapnel penetrated under his arm missing his vest. Cole wasn't on that convoy nor did he retrieve the officer's bible as he states.

Nor were "meat" wagons removing dead insurgent attackers, every morning, from around the Al Sadeer hotel. A place, where professional security teams, of Americans and Kurds, protected those inside. Cole may have been there, but he wasn't "protecting" the facility.

Cole is correct in that he did spend a year in Iraq as a police trainer. He has taken a slew of other's war stories and made them his own. Few of his personal observations are factual.

Jan Hogan, who penned this book for Cole, writes very well. The book, though erroneous in so numerous areas, is well written. I cannot suggest this book for purchase and if I could rate it 1/4 star, I would. Hogan's skills, as author, cannot make up for the half truths contained within.

I knew Robert Cole in Iraq and I can truthfully compare the contents of his book, to a sewer bilge pump. They both suck!

Dan Ratner: A man with brains and one hot body! He's got it all! I have had the pleasure of meeting this young and "yummy" hunk after the release of his book. I must say, his photo in the book doesn't do him justice. Ladies, you really have to see this hunk in person! If you are ever in the Chicago area, I would seriously advise you to go.

You can tell he works out by his incredible bulging muscles. Oh, yeah! What a physique! Is this guy for real or just a fantasy? Gotta wipe that drool off your lips, Ladies. *smack* Oh, I'd love to feel those arms for myself. His body, from what I could see, gets an "A" rating here!!

His personality rating is an "A" rating as well. He is so well mannered and is a pleasure to converse with. Quite refreshing to meet such a man. I would certainly love a date with this fine young author over a nice old fashion candle-lit dinner. His mannerism is a definite "A+" rating here!

Unfortunately, my meeting with Mr. Dan Ratner was not long enough to give an extensive review, although, I hope our next meet will be.

Anyway, if you like brains and brawn, I'd definitely recommend this author!

I'm glad I got this as a gift as I certaily wouldn't have paid for it. If you want to read it take my advice and wait a year. It's bound to end up in the dollar bin, and you're bound to find dozens of used copies showing up on amazon.

Save your money. The book is light on science and specifics, and heavy on hyping things that seem unrelated to either nanotechnology or homeland security. For example, they have a picture of nanotechnology-enhanced stain resistant pants from Eddie Bauer. For better information on the latest developments, I would recommend Smalltimes.

The Ratners explain nanotechnology in a way readily accessible to a general audience. The book tries to suggest what might be realistically achievable in a few years. There are some preliminary results described. Like an improved stain resistant trousers. But these are really early years. It is true that if you focus on the progress made in the book, then there might be some disappointment.

However, the authors make a plausible case that future progress can yield much more. Naturally, the book stresses how new weapons might come into being, based on nanotech. Some of this you might regard as wildly speculative, while other possibilities might seem well within the reach of a few more years of effort.

A useful topic raised is Moore's so-called Second Law. That the cost of a semiconductor fab doubles with each new generation of fabs. This spells the end of Moore's First Law within a decade. Hence, the book positions a nanotech approach as a technological discontinuity as a necessary shift in order for computer hardware to keep improving beyond then.

The science and engineering aspects of nanotech are solidly covered by the book. It deserves to be widely read; especially by policymakers.

Save your money. The book is light on science and specifics and seems to spend a lot of time on things that do not seem to be related to either nanotechnology or homeland security. For example, they talk about and have a picture of nanotechnology-enhanced stain resistant pants from Eddie Bauer. If your looking for the latest on nanotech, better to read Smalltimes.