cover image Terrorism and Democracy

Terrorism and Democracy

Stansfield Turner. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH), $22.95 (274pp) ISBN 978-0-395-43086-6

The former director of the CIA (1977-1981) takes a look at presidential responses to terrorism, especially Jimmy Carter's handling of the 1979-1980 Iran hostage crisis. The widespread belief that America does not make deals for hostages is shown to be false, as Turner recounts the experiences of five previous chief executives (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon) who confronted hostage crises. The author offers an insider's view of the Carter administration's 444-day duel with the Khomeini regime, including a fresh take on top-level discussions during the crisis, and provides a handy assessment of options available for dealing with terrorists. The book reveals how unprepared the U.S. is to meet this burgeoning threat, especially two untested situations: widespread terrorism at home and nuclear terrorism. Turner stresses the importance of international cooperation, especially with the Soviets, against all forms of terrorism. (June)