"The aim of this short book is to provide some answers to frequently asked questions about terrorism. There is no “one size fits all” solution to this scourge. It is a hydra-headed phenomenon, constantly mutating and adapting to changes in the political and strategic environment. In a world where Kant’s vision of a perpetual peace seems as unattainable as ever, it is unrealistic to hope for the total eradication of terrorism. The first part examines the nature of the challenge and its implications for the democracies and for international peace and security. In the second part, I examine ways in which the prevention and countering of terrorism could be improved, with particular emphasis on how the threat from the Al Qaeda network might be considerably reduced without endangering the Rule of Law and the protection of human rights in the process. The third part is inevitably speculative as it discusses the future of terrorism. What is the prognosis for President Bush’s War on Terror? What innovations in terrorist tactics and weaponry are we likely to see?

The threat from terrorism should be placed in proper perspective. It is not the worst threat to peace and security, but in its most dangerous form it carries serious implications for the stability of nation-states, and can provoke both internal and international wars. Hence, it is just as foolish to ignore the problem or to pretend it does not exist as it is to exaggerate it and overreact. My hope is that this brief overview might help to promote more careful thought about the best way forward in dealing with a problem that is likely to challenge the international community for all our lifetimes and beyond. I have included a Select Bibliography for those wishing to explore further."

Excerpt from Preface

Le Score:

Vous aurez remarqué que la fiche de chaque livre contient un nombre baptisé SCORE.

De quoi s'agit-il?

Il s'agit d'une évaluation communautaire de chaque livre calculée sur une échelle de 0 à 100.

Cette évaluation repose sur une agrégation de diverses quantités qui reflètent la vie de chaque livre au sein de la communauté ScholarVox. Cette vie s'exprime en fréquence de lecture, nombre d'étagères publiques, privées, professorales dans lesquelles le livre est présent.

Un calcul "propriétaire" mélangeant ces quantités vous restitue sous la forme synthétique d'un Score l'intelligence collective incorporée dans chaque livre. Ce Score n'est pas une note scolaire, c'est bien plus un indicateur de l'aura collective du livre.

Car, pour paraphraser Robert Parker, expert ès-notation des vins, " ...there can never be any substitute for your own reading palate nor any better education than reading the book yourself."