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The First War on Terrorism: Counter-terrorism Policy During the Reagan Administration
Author(s): David C. Wills (Author)
- Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
- Publication Date: 28 Aug. 2003
- Language: English
- Print length: 304 pages
- ISBN-10: 0742531287
- ISBN-13: 9780742531284
Book Description
The events of September 11, 2001 brought terrorism to the forefront, but Al-Qaeda is not the first group to try using political violence against the United States to make Washington change its policies. In the 1980s terrorism was rampant; from Latin America to Europe and the Middle East, a host of groups demanded changes in American foreign policy and were willing to bomb, assassinate, kidnap, and hijack to pressure the government to act. The First War on Terrorism examines the response of the Reagan Administration to the political violence it confronted during the 1980s. David Wills takes the reader inside the negotiations over how to respond to terrorist acts and shows how the Reagan Administration’s decision making process was a crucial obstacle to formulating a consistent and effective terrorism policy. Compelling and enlightening, The First War on Terrorism serves as a powerful guide to what should be emulated, and avoided, from America’s previous battles with shady foes.
Editorial Reviews
Review
In his thoroughly researched, skillfully analyzed, and well-written volume, David C. Wills sets the counterterrorism record of the Reagan presidency straight, lays out the decision-making processes in the Reagan administration, and dissects the different belief systems and the power plays of top-level actors. ― Political Science Quarterly
Judicious, meticulous, and thorough. Wills has painstakingly assembled declassified documents, interviews, and published sources to tell the most complete story yet of Reagan-era counter-terrorism policy. This will be <U>the<U> book to consult on the Reagan Administration’s counter-terrorism policies…. — Scott T. Waalkes, Malone College
Judicious, meticulous, and thorough. Wills has painstakingly assembled declassified documents, interviews, and published sources to tell the most complete story yet of Reagan-era counter-terrorism policy. This will be the book to consult on the Reagan Administration’s counter-terrorism policies. — Scott T. Waalkes, Malone College
About the Author
David C. Wills received his PhD from the University of Virginia and is currently living in Santa Barbara, California.
