FINAL WARNING

By Jeff Kamen and Robert Kupperman

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• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 038524584X
• ISBN13: 9780385245845
• Release Date: September 1989
• Publisher: Doubleday
• Length: 249 Pages
• Weight: 1.22 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Defines the requirements for an effective security program...

Final Warning: Averting Disaster in the New Age of Terrorism examines the strategic issues-Defense, Deterrence, and Consequence Management-of an antiterrorist program. The issues are as real today as when written, and therefore qualifies it as an immediate classic. Actually, this volume is a harbinger of our post-911 world, and is of greatest value to staff at the strategic level, particularly concerning pre-deployment and training. Much of the material is prophetic, e.g. ... "the hijackers of a Kuwait Airlines jumbo jet to Algiers in April 1988 were the most sophisticated. One of the terrorists was actually capable of flying the aircraft." P 37. This work does not pretend to be exhaustive or definitive, but several general observations emerge from the analysis. First, it highlights the importance of fighting terrorism on a strategic basis, as opposed to playing at tactical security. "Consistency of behavior by allied countries is absolutely essential; of similar importance are good intelligence, well-conceived, culturally unbiased analysis (as opposed to the trap of mirror-imaging), and the political will necessary for confronting terrorism. No waffling, no double standard, no surrender. If any of the above are absent, neither the United States nor its allies will be able to cope with terrorism." P 196. "After there is an incident or attack...then they give money. But it goes the wrong way. It goes to the wrong place. The money goes to more helicopters and more water cannons, not to more effective training." Pp 70-71. Second, terrorism is here to stay. "In the nether world of low intensity conflict, there is no `light at the end of the tunnel'; the radicals, revolutionaries, and rogue states will keep coming after us. The terrorists and their sponsors are in this game for the long haul. The United States must be prepared to be there too" Pp 152-153. Third, the changing nature of the threat-from large scale open field battles-to urban, low intensity conflict-have opened up the need for a wider range of responses, including some previously considered `off-limits'. "The future will also demand a greater willingness of the United States to threaten or actually to use force unilaterally." P 198. I recommend this volume as the first reading for a graduate level course in strategic intelligence. In addition to interesting vignettes interspersed within the text, there is an example of a simulation or `gaming' exercise in the appendix.