The Ultimate Terrorist. . - Net Assessment - book review

Aerospace Power Journal, Winter, 2001 by Jim Col Davis, CDR Drew Mullin

The Ultimate Terrorist by Jessica Stem. Harvard University Press (http://www.hup.harvard.edu), 79 Garden Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, 1999, 214 pages, $24.00 (cloth).

Col (Dr.) Jim Davis

This book immediately catches the reader's attention with a sobering fictional vignette that portrays the effect of a small, one-kiloton nuclear device detonated in New York City. The device would kill thousands and devastate the infrastructure for miles. Stem's book continues in an orderly overview of nearly every conceivable weapon-of-mass-destruction (WMD) issue in today's world. She explores the employment of chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapons by terrorists against the United States. She finishes her work with a reasonable but brief list of recommendations on how the United States should proceed if it is to thwart the efforts of "the ultimate terrorist" This book is a superb primer for any individual who is serious about wanting to understand this emerging threat--it is factual, compelling, and easy to read.

Starting with a brief history of terrorism dating back to the first century zealot, Sicarrii, Stern explains how some consider terrorism moral while it is repugnant to others. This contrasting of ideals provides a deeper understanding for the reader. Stem does an excellent job in describing why the use of WMD is more attractive than ever before to the modem terrorist. She makes a particularly sobering point--one terrorist may be all it takes to carry out an effective and devastating WMD event in the United States. Stem makes good use of three recent situations--the Aum Shinrikyo cult, the relative ease of obtaining WMD in the former-Soviet states, and the ongoing issue of WMD in Iraq--and builds a solid basis for her conclusion and recommendations.

Criticisms, though minor indeed, are that a reader well versed with WMD issues might find it a bit too basic and repetitious. On the other hand, the book is an overview, and the repetition provides positive reinforcement during the learning process to the nascent student of WMD terrorism. Additionally, Stem's remarks regarding funding and missile defense might seem to be confusing- if not incorrect.

For example, Stem's point that the United States needs to put more funding toward deterring the threat of WMD terrorism is well taken, but her belief that building five fewer Stealth bombers would save an estimated $10 billion is somewhat of a non sequitur. Currently, there are no plans to build additional Stealth bombers. Perhaps a better comparison would be the cost savings resulting from another round of military base closings against the proposed cost of a nationwide antiterrorism program.

Additionally, her belief that "WMD terrorists will probably not use ballistic missiles" is likely correct, but her inference that the current administration and the Department of Defense have a misguided emphasis toward ballistic-missile defense is somewhat off the mark. Obviously, the current president's proposal for a missile defense system targets "rogue nations" such as North Korea and Iraq--not terrorists. In reality, both a missile-defense system and a robust antiterrorism program are necessary

In addition to being a superb overview of many of the WMD threats facing our nation, the 33 pages of citations fortify the credibility of the many interesting vignettes Stem uses. Readers wanting to do more advanced study into this subject will certainly find the references a rich source of material.

The Ultimate Terrorist is recommended reading for both the beginner who needs a good introduction to the current WMD threat as well as the more seasoned reader for its detailed citations.