Want: Understanding the Enemy, Containing the Threat," by Louise
Richardson, a specialist on terrorism who is currently executive dean of
the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. From the review I would
judge that this is the best current study of the subject. You can read
it online at the link below, or it prints out at just over 7 pages. Her
argument about negotiating with al-Qaida is not convincing to me, but
her analysis of the phenomenon of terrorism is the best I have read
anywhere. She is right that Bush's tough-guy stance is making matters
much worse.
http://www.salon.com/books