Confronting Global Terrorism and American Neo-Conservatism

Tom Farer is an expert of international law, international politics and human rights law...His most recent work, the book under review, is dense, complex and provocative. If offers ion-depth analysis and harsh critique of the American neo-conservative approach to combining 'catastrophic' terrorism, namely the 'Islamic' terrorism of bin Laden and Al-Qaeda...I recommend Farer's book not only to international law and international relations scholars, but also, and in particular, to all those who are interested in the course started by the current US administration to restore the reputation of the US as a nation committed to the rule of law and the respect of international law and human rights. * Pietro Garguilo, Italian Yearbook of International Law Volume XVIII *
The book, with its breadth of learning and depth of insight, is beautifully written. It offers not only sharp analysis of existing ideas and practices, but also a framework for a future liberal grand strategy. This is truly a book for our times, as the US political community contemplates a new future, and the rest of us watch on in anticipationessential reading. * Ken Booth, E.H. Carr Professor, Department of International Politics, Aberystwyth University *
..well written [and] eloquent..Farer's language is very rich without being archaic, serious but replete with healthy irony..Its modern rhetorical brilliance comes from deeply-held and clearly defined "classical" liberal convictions, put to a severe test by the present hysteria..Farer combines deep philosophical insights with impressive expert knowledge of international law.. * Vojin Dimitrijevic, Director, Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, Serbia and Former Judge ad hoc of the International Court of Justice *
Tom Farer weaves together into a coherent picture the most urgent issues of early-21st century world affairs..Written with masterful lucidity, this book..deftly guides the reader through the confusing maze of both the practice of foreign policies as well as theories about them. * Dr. Vendulka Kubalkova, Professor of International Studies, University of Miami *
Tom Farer-international lawyer, human rights activist, distinguished scholar of international relations-has written a passionate, reasoned case for a liberal grand strategy of containment which will enable America and her allies to master the challenges of the 21st century-terrorism, war, nuclear proliferation and genocide-without sacrificing the principles of prudence, human rights and basic decency on which America's legitimacy as a world power depends. * Michael Ignatieff, MP. House of Commons, Canada Michael Ignatieff, MP. House of Commons, Canada. *
This book is a closely argued, elegantly written liberal dissection of the self-defeating right-wing counter-terrorist strategy. It offers an alternative - more realistic - prescription to defeat the obscurantist pathology of religious extremist assault on universal values, an alternative that upholds those values, instead of scorning them. * Sir Nigel Rodley, Professor of Law and Chair of the Human Rights Centre, University of Essex; Member, UN Human Rights Committee; former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture *
This important book deals with several of the greatest intellectual and political challenges facing citizens of the United States at this critical period of national and international history. The book engages with the complex issues of human rights, the legal and legitimate use of force, torture and so on, and does so against the background of the recent Neo-liberal ascendancy. The book, with its breadth of learning and depth of insight, is beautifully written. It offers not only sharp analysis of existing ideas and practices, but also a framework for a future liberal grand strategy. This is truly a book for our times, as the US political community contemplates a new future, and the rest of us watch on in anticipation. The book is therefore essential reading not only for scholars familiar with Tom Farer's work but also for general readers and students everywhere. * Ken Booth, E.H. Carr Professor, Department of International Politics, Aberystwyth University *
This elegantly written work marshals the disciplines of political theory, moral philosophy and law to show how obscurantist religious extremists must and can be defeated by strategies consistent with the universal values that they hold in such contempt. * Sir Nigel Rodley, Professor of Law and Chair of the Human Rights Centre, University of Essex; Member, UN Human Rights Committee; former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture *