mwb@umcp-cs.UUCP (Michael Blanks) (08/22/84)
Has anyone read this extraordinary account about the Israeli hit team sent to avenge the 1972 Munich Massacre? The book gives detailed insight into the world of counter-terrorism (and thereby terrorism itself), and should be read by anyone interested in the subject. I welcome any discussion pertaining to the book, especially its validity. Though not familiar with any other works by Mr. Jonas, I found the account believable and accurate in the most minute of details. If anyone has a comment on Jonas' background (or previous works) to support - or refute - his competence in writing this book, I would be most interested. And perhaps a discussion on the subject matter of the book itself (especially the fascinating ending of betrayal): the difficulties in fighting international terror, and the psychological profile of those involved in this venture. jdj. respond to: umcp-cs!mwb
ian@loral.UUCP (Ian Kaplan) (08/24/84)
I too read Vengeance by Mr. Jonas. I have been a fan of Mosad spy stories, so I bought the book when it first appeared in B. Dalton. I found the book interesting and emotionally satisfying. The emotional satisfaction is similar to that provided by a Dirty Harry movie. We are usually helpless victims to such things as street crime and terrorism. In the Dirty Harry movies all the bad guys get killed and at an emotional level this diminishes the feeling of helplessness. Vengeance proposes a similar solution, the terrorists are not merely killed, they are terrorized. Although this sort of fantasy has some emotional appeal I believe that both the path taken by Dirty Harry and by the "Mosad agents" would eventually lead to anarchy. Such a situation would be worse than what these acts are designed to prevent. When I read Vengeance I found the description of the French terrorist support group to be very implausable. Since reading the book I read two book review, on in the Wall Street Journal and the other in Newsweek, which labeled the book as a fraud. The Journal article discussed how the book came to be published and from this discussion I believe that the book is a fraud. The journalist who originally agreed to write the book with the "former Mosad agent" declined to continue when he found the story changing frequently. My personal view is that Jonas was persuaded to write the book by a large advance. Ian Kaplan ucbvax!sdccsu3!loral!ian The views above are, of course, those of the author alone and are not necessarily shared by his employer