◆ SpookStack

Approved For Release 2000/08/07 : CIA-RDP96-00788R000100330001-5 SPECIAL EDITION -- TERRORISM -- 26 JUNE 1984 USA TODAY 5 June 1984 Pg. 2B Book on counterterrorists draws flak In the early 1970s, Michael Korda, who personally Korda, editor in chief of Simon bought George Jonas’ Ven- & Schuster Inc., complained — geance for Simon & Schuster, is that he was “suffering from an at the eye of the storm over overdose of anonymity.” He whether the book is the factual sought remedy in writing books account it claims to be. and articles, Vengeance centers on a man Now, a rash of publicity sur- known only as Avner who al- rounding the controversial _legedly led an Israeli team of publication of Vengeance: The _counterterrorists in a plot to True Story of an Israeli hunt down and kill the Arab Counter-terrorist Team, should __ terrorists responsible for plan- ning the massacre of 11 Israeli cure Korda once and for all. The U.S. Government Response to Terrorism: Int Search of an Effective Strategy by Di. William Regis Farell Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press. 1982, 142 pages. $20.00 Thisexcellent book is probably the best account available on how the U.S. government has institutionally responded to the growing problem of terrorism. As the reader readils discovers, doing something about terrorism is far more difls- colt than understanding or explaining it. Dr. William Far- tell seeks (@ determine to what extent the lack of a US antitertorist strategy is due to the structure and functions ot existing U.S. governmental agencies. He begins by discuss: ing the challenge policymakers face in simply defining the natureand scope of terrorism, Perceptions of what terrorism sor isnot are manifold, OC particular interest to readers 1s 2 chapter that examines the legal. political, and sociologicat concerns of military involvement in terrorist incidents. Despite its intractable nature. governments must de. with terrorism, However, responding actively to terrorist can induce a host of concerns, external and internal, te government bureaucracies (particularly in democratic socte+ hes! Inthe U.S. government, meeting the terrorist threat ca involve over 30 government agencies, raising jurisdiction disputes over who is authorized to do what. This probe exacerbated by the fact that terrorism is not a primar responsibility of any agency. Consequently, antiterroris: measures do not compete well for talent and resources within the government or the individual agenaes. US. ant: AIR UNIVERSITY REVIEW March-April 1984 athletes at the Munich Olym- ... The only question is, ‘Is pics in 1972. Avner the man who headed the Rinker Buck, the reporter team?’ And to that there sim- who took the story to Simon & _ ply isn’t an answer.” Schuster, told The Wall Street Korda openly admits, how- Journal that Avner’s counter- ever, that controversy never terrorist story could not be sub- hurt book sales and that he ex- pects Vengeance to go into a Buck said he became “com- second printing. pletely convinced it was a “You have to publish what fraud” and quit the project. you think you should publish, But, says Korda, “Buck sim- and this is a story worth tell- ply did not do his homework. _ ing,” he says. 113 Pg. terrorist effort within the bureaucracy is maintained for the most part because some officials recognize terrorism as worldwide threat and because the United States is invols episodicalls in terrorist incidents Dr. Farrell as done an outstanding job of tacking down and documenting the interdepartmental process bs which US. policy is formulated and implemented. He ident the major organizational players and delineates their anu- terrorist responsibilities. He also shows that there are major obstacles inherent in the structure of the policymaking pr cess and the established functions of the participating agen. cies which make the future emergence of such a stratees unlikely, This prognosis appears confirmed by the present administration, which has publicly given the problem of terrorism high priority but has not made any substantiv< changes to the existing interdepartmental structure The U.S, Government Response to Terrorism is for the serious reader. There are no dramatic descriptions of terror ist exploits or international intrigue. Instead, the author has painstakingly researched the “process” and noted its capa bilines and limitations. While the book tends to focus on th: «structure. many of the challenges and difficulties apply to bureacracies in general. For those in government who ate a part of this interdepartmental struc ture, this work is a must Lieutenant Colonel Richard Porter, USAF Washington, DC Approved For Release 2000/08/07 : CIA-RBP96-00788R000100330001-5