Blickstein writes, "My  book Anticipating Tomorrow describes the manner in which technology impacts the non-technological world. Being in the ninth decade of my life with a ticking clock, I am not surprised by the clash of civilizations engendered by those transformations nor by the passion of the subsequent confrontations, of which Al Queda is a prime example.  We call the people battling for modernity a 'national army'. They call theirs an 'army of God'. That dichotomy may seem a huge simplification but it goes straight to the heart of the issues."    Carefully reasoned and sourced, the author reviews the historical origins of the conflicts in the Middle East. He observes that "the conflicts I am familiar with have identifiable goals on both sides. This one doesn't. The wars of my generation were between nations. This one isn't. . . . Religion is the fundamental, if not the only, rationale for this one. . . . it should be interesting to identify the distinctions and their consequences." His review of the religious foundation of this "war" leads him to the conclusion that "it is imperative to recognize that there are people who are more anxious to die for religious theology than the west is for political ideology," and that "the culprit here is not religious extremism but religion itself."     This essay is published posthumously and is dedicated to Martin J. Blickstein by his son and by his wife of more than fifty years. It was written during the year prior to his death in 2007.

Understanding the War We Are in Today

History

Blickstein, Martin

Middle East

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See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Blickstein, Martin. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Understanding the War We Are in Today