A Review of: “James J. F. Forest (ed.). Teaching Terror: Strategic and Tactical Learning in the Terrorist World.”

Usefully, Gardner explains how the Washington discourse, built around the demonization of America’s foes and a peculiar view on democracy, has been at the core of the current problems. The historical roots of neo-conservatism in Chapter 2 is also particularly useful, as is the observation that neo-conservatism emphasizes national values as opposed to universal ones (p. 43). Chapter 4, on the risks of nuclear proliferation, is another well-written chapter that provides a useful reminder of the dangers of nuclear weapons, although it is not clear how ‘‘multilateral security communities’’ actually work or can solve a difficult and complex problem (p. 110). Chapter 7 is another important chapter that provides a timely reminder that U.S.-EU relations cannot be taken for granted, given the increasing divergence in worldviews. The most puzzling aspect of this book is the constant use of parentheses with a number of words and phrases throughout the book. It is not clear what this is meant to accomplish—if the intention is to question the discourse, then a clear exposition on why the discourse is problematic is needed. There are also assertions made without adequate explanation. For instance, Chapter 3 contains assertions derived from neo-left anti-state conspiracy theories, and the charge that states have used the war on terrorism to increase its repression. These demand evidence and a more careful and elaborate assessment, not a one-page summation of assertions (see pp. 75–76). The dismissal of the ‘‘pundits’’ who have argued the case for a new form of religious terrorism in the same chapter is also too casual, given the considerable policy and academic impact that BruceHoffman et al. have had on the post 9–11 debates (p. 58). The implied reference to the new-old terrorism debate here thus deserves much greater elaboration and exposition. After all, despite the fact that the majority of terrorist groups that continue to dominate the terrorism landscape are ethno-nationalist in orientation, the ‘‘new’’ terrorist school has argued that these ‘‘new’’ religious terror groups possess characteristics that mark the emergence of an entirely new form of postmodern terrorism. The main problem with the book is that it is not clear if this is an exposition of American grand strategy, or American foreign policy, or strategy in the war on terror, or an analysis of the post 9–11 international system. It is probably a bit of all these, but the overall effect is a lack of coherence. This is reflected in the book’s conclusion, where a pitch for sustainable growth and development is made, including a call for an ‘‘ecological aesthetic consciousness. ’’ As this phrase is again in parenthesis, is the author in fact calling for the construction of a new discourse based on this, and if so, how is this related to the American global strategy and the war on terrorism? Yet, the strength of this book lies in its somewhat critical perspective, suggestive perhaps of a more skeptical European take on American foreign policy. With several strong chapters as well, it is a useful and refreshing contribution to our understanding of the complex problems and challenges facing American foreign policy today.