The Mind of the Terrorist: The Psychology of Terrorism from the IRA to al-Qaeda
Brand: St. Martins Press-3PL
Categories: Books, Politics & Social Sciences, Politics & Government



Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
ISBN-13: 978-0230612693
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0230612695
Print length: 311 pages
Publication date: December 15, 2008
subtitle: Paperback – December 15, 2008
author: Visit Amazon's Jerrold M. Post Page search results Jerrold M. Post
review: Editorial Reviews Review “This is an exceptionally well-written book that makes a significant contribution to the field of counter-terrorism.” ― Terrorism and Political Violence “Jerrold Post's compelling Mindof the Terrorist is a comprehensive and informative account of the psychology of terrorists and how their history has shaped their motivations.” ―Peter Bergen, author of Holy War, Inc. and The Osama bin Laden I Know “Terrorism is a form of psychological warfare, requiring a psychologically sophisticated response based on an understanding of how terrorists think. Jerry Post provides us a road map-not only of the mind of the terrorist-but also how we can use that understanding to dissuade, deter, and destroy terrorist groups. The strategy Post develops is based on decades of studying violent individuals, including interviews of terrorists, some of which he describes in detail in these pages. Post is a teacher of terrorism teachers-and his latest offering is a gift to all who wish to understand the myriad psychological roots of terrorism.” ―Jessica Stern, author of Terror in the Name of God and Academic Director of the Program on Terrorism and the Law at Harvard Law School “Dr. Jerrold Post is a pioneer in the study of terrorist psychology. In this capstone book, he takes us into the minds of the terrorists through their own words, persuasively demonstrating how disturbingly normal they are in their own cultural and historical contexts. He makes a powerful case that to deter terrorists we must understand their psychology, and lays out a comprehensive strategy for countering their vicious forms of psychological warfare. Only by countering them at the level of their destructive mindsets can we more effectively compete in the 'war for hearts and minds.'” ―Richard H. Solomon, President, U.S. Institute of Peace “Dr. Post has brought to the reader an extraordinary illumination of the terrorist mind. One comes away accepting the key premise - we are dealing with 'sane madmen.' His exposition of al-Qaeda, its leadership and its structure, are brilliant. The book is a powerhouse.” ―Ambassador Sheldon J. Krys, former Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security About the Author Dr. Jerrold M. Post is Professor of Psychiatry, Political Psychology and International Affairs and Director of the Political Psychology Program at The George Washington University. During his 21 year CIA career, he founded and directed the Center for the Analysis of Personality and Political Behavior. Among his extensive publications are Leaders and Their Followers in a Dangerous World: The Psychology of Political Behavior (2004), and The Mind of the Terrorist: The Psychology of Terrorism from the IRA to al-Qaeda (2007).