Agency-securities Books

This is undoubtedly one of the best books I've had a chance to read on the Soviet Union in the past decade. As an avid reader of Soviet times, especially the Stalinist period, I try to keep up to date on the newest releases. I fought over how many "stars" to give this book because the author presents a 'model' which we follow throughout the book about Stalin, the Cheka/OGPU/NKVD/MVD, and the repressions/purges. This 'model' tries to show in a rational sense what Stalin did, how he did it, and the success or failure that was achieved in the process. The backbone for this 'model' is rationality. I honestly think that the author has a good point in this regard, much of Stalin's behavior as well as the NKVD is rational when put into correct context. This obviously doesn't make it right, but following Stalin's thought process, it makes sense. Sadly, in the end I can't say I'm a fan of such 'models,' I'd rather have the information presented to me and then decide if it might fit into a certain 'model.'

What I was most interested in when reading through the book was the information and the structure/contextualization that information was put into. The author undoubtedly has a good, in fact a very good, grasp of the Soviet period and the purges that took place from the time of Lenin to even after Stalin. He's done the archival research and leans on current Russian primary/secondary literature to give a good narrative of the time and events in question. Again and again I found myself looking up end notes trying to figure out where various bits of information were coming from.

While Stalin indeed deserves a large portion of the blame for what occurred throughout his reign, in the end he was not the only one responsible for what befell the Soviet Union. He can be blamed for the atmosphere that was created, but he was not the only one approving and issuing death sentences or prison terms. Indeed, few if any of those who achieved high status/rank within the USSR can say they did so with "clean hands." Aside from the 'model' that the author presents I'd say the fact that much of the 'bottom-up' relationship - not that of the NKVD personnel to Stalin but the citizens and their complaints against one another - is never really mentioned or contextualized. Obviously Stalin and the NKVD as well as other party functionaries deserve much of the blame for what occurred, if not the majority, but all those people who complained about their neighbors for one reason or another (greed, revenge, etc) also took part in the development of the Soviet state. In the end an interesting read and a worthwhile investment, very much recommended.

THis book is a facsimile reprint of a fiftieth anniversary of WWII joint publication compiled by the US Army Center of Military History and the History Office of the US Army Intelligence and Security Command and published by the GPO. As official works of the US government are not copyrighted, anyone can reprint them either facsimile or reset.
The story of pre WWII rivalry between the US Navy and the US Army signal intelligence units has long been known. Because of the sensitivity of the original sources and methods involved the WWII information was to be kept long classified although after the later establishment of the DOD National Security Agency amalgamating rhe Army and Navy organizations and the NSA's ensuing changeover to mightily powerful electronic computers replacing the older WWII era electro-mechanical decyphering machines by the fifties made the continuing classification really unnecessary.
The most well known achievements of American SIGINT in WWII are the decoding of the German Enigma devices and the breaking of the Japanese codes.
The broad outines of the WWII American SIGINT operations have long been known. In the eighties a series of reports known as SRH was finally declassified and sent to the National Archives. These histories and executive summaries include detailed acounts of organizational matters during the War and earlier.
Though this publisher has added some illustrations and an index, you do not need it if you have the original Government edition. I must express my annoyance with the publisher's blurb omission of the fact this is indeed a reissue. If it had been so stated, I would not have purchased it, and been spared the inconvenience of returning ir.
Though many details of operations and methods concerning WWII SIGINT have long been known, the documents published here are primary sources. Thst said, if you are a serious student of SIGINT you must have this book in whatever edition.

An important and altogether excellent book. The author has had direct experience working with the UN, and even though he clearly believes the UN's role to be crucial to humankind's future, he is incisively realistic in his assessment of the institution's shortcomings and weaknesses. He locates the primary reason for the UN's failings in the artificial distinction between peacekeeping (putting soldiers on the ground to help maintain an existing ceasefire and create a space for negotiations) and peace enforcement (strong military intervention to bring about a full resolution of the conflict at hand). In its rules of engagement, the UN is bound by this abstract distinction, which severely limits the effectiveness of what its soldiers can do. But in practice, Sitkowski convincingly argues, this distinction inevitably breaks down under the fluctuating fortunes of ongoing violent conflict. The result is that the UN's intervention forces repeatedly find themselves hamstrung by unrealistic rules of engagement that prevent them from operating effectively (and sometimes even prevent them from defending themselves). The author illustrates this problem in seven successive chapters, each lucidly and succinctly examining the history of UN interventions in the Middle East, Congo, Namibia, Cambodia, Somalia, Rwanda, and the former Yugoslavia. The result is a highly illuminating, albeit sobering, assessment of the UN's past and possible future as a tool for international conflict resolution. Highly recommended.

This book was very much needed. Fortunately it is penned by an outstanding scholar who has been a keen and independente observer of the UN activities,mainly of the Security Council, and one who had direct contact with many of its leading players for a long period of time.

Diego E. Arria
Former Permanent Representative of Venezuela to the United Nations

I've had to use this book for a course on the UN security council, and I must say that this is one of those books to me that was interesting outside the course purpose as well: it has given me a better insight in the politics and mechanics of the UNSC and it's decidision-making. All chapters have been written by different authors, including some major political figures (not the ones you see in front of the camera all the time, but the guys behind the scenes that do the actual job), and that means it's pretty much impossible to find this book biased in one direction or another, and it has a high information density.

The only problem with an editorial like this is that with so many different writers, there is of course less cohesion to the book as a whole, but sometimes I do prefer an editorial because it gives so many more points of view. And especially in politics that is something I value very high from time to time.

Expect some tech-talk on resolutions as well, but you can skip those parts without too much trouble, or simply scan them to get the picture and it won't affect the your knowledge too much. Only where it is important are they extensilvely reviewed, other than that you can always very easily search for a resolution with a searc engine on the UN website when you have the resolution number and year (always provided).

Good book, chapters have definitely been written for those who seek to learn more about general issues and specific cases within the UNSC. Recommended.

"Undercover Washington" is unlike any other travel guide I've seen. It covers all of the places in Washington, D.C. and surrounding suburbs in Maryland and Virginia where spies lived, loved, worked, and defected. The book covers spies and espionage throughout history from George Washington to current events. This is a fun book for locals and tourists.

Editors Richard Price and Mark Zacher have assembled a very comprehensive work on the United Nations as it faces the challenge of Global security. Chapters in the book have been authored by many respected writers on issues relating to global security.

Is the United Nations still an effective international actor and mediator on the world stage? The book examines topics such as arms control, conflict prevention and resolution, human security issues and also looking inwards-tackling institutional reform.

Setup in the aftermath of the Second World War by people with a vision of a better world and mindful of the shortcomings of its predecessor, the League of Nations; the United Nations has never had an easy journey through time. It has been called upon many times to intervene in conflicts and mediate settlements on behalf of the people of the world. In recent times, the world body has been joined by regional actors such as the European and African Unions in affairs.

The distinguished panel of writers in this book do not give the UN an easy time. They discuss the problems faced by the UN in conflict mediation, dealing with arms control issues such as nuclear and chemical weapons and tackling the world refugee issue. The dealing of persons charged with offences by the International Criminal Court is also very interesting. Is the UN Security Council still an effective mechanism for world peace? These respected writers discuss these issues highlighting the problems faced by the UN in attempting to act impartialy and fairly as the world's referee.

In summary, a very well researched and written book on the United Nations and issues of global security, with excellent source material for the serious researcher. I found this book to be a very reliable reference for many of my current studies and also suit the student of international security studies. I commend this book to both the serious and beginning researcher. However the book is now four years old and I would like to see the editors and authors return soon for a second edition. Well done, Richard Price, Mark Zacher and contributing authors!

I write from the perspective of a former senior officer at the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme. Professor Clark writes a clear and highly informative review of the activities of the Organization in this field since 1945. Having been a member of the then Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Branch from 1982 to 1994, I was active in the preparations for the 1985 and 1990 UN congresses on this topic, and I am surprised at the enlightening manner Professor Clark has of presenting a complex subject, making it accessible to the lay public. The programme has produced over 40 instruments in the area of crime prevention and criminal justice, which, although not binding in a legal manner, establish moral obligations which a sizable number of countries are unwilling to violate. They constitute the conceptual foundations upon which one day a true international penal law become a reality. This book is the best introduction to the largely unknown efforts of a group of dedicated international civil servants and to the outcome of such efforts. I highly recommend it to anybody who wishes to acquaint him-herself with this corpus of legal thought and reflection.

I received the product on time. It was more than I expected. My purchase was practically new. Will definitely buy from this seller again. Thanks so much !

Review of the book by Tathiana Flores Acuna, The United Nations Mission in El Salvador: A Humanitarian Law Perspective, The Hague, Kluwer Law International, 1995. ISBN: 90-411-0123-3. The analysis undertaken in this book is based on the first four reports prepared by the ONUSAL before the cease-fire, which was officially declared on February 1, 1992. The book examines in detail the degree of success the Mission achieved in ensuring a better protection of the norms of International Humanitarian Law. The author dedicated the book to the more than 70.000 victims of the conflict, in the hope that more knowledge about international humanitarian law will make future Peace-keeping missions more effective. The United Nations Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL) was created as a result of the dialogue and negotiations between the Salvadorian government and the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN). The legal framework for the Mission was the San Jose Agreement signed in July 1990, in which the parties accorded the creation of an international verification mission. The ONUSAL was in charge of monitoring all the agreements signed by the parties during the negotiation process. The book begins with a theoretical analysis of the historical development of UN peace keeping missions, of their role in non-international armed conflicts, and the interaction between human rights and international humanitarian law. Next, a detailed study is made of the ONUSAL's tasks in the field of international humanitarian law. The first chapter contains a study of the norms of the UN Charter relating to the powers of the Security Council in so far as the fundamental purpose of the organization is concerned, namely, the maintenance of international peace and security. The Chapter encloses an analysis of the competence of the Security Council with regard to human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law during non-international armed conflicts, and analyzes the most relevant resolutions adopted by the Security Council in the cases of Somalia, Rwanda, and the violations of the rights of the civil population in Irak during the aftermath of the Irak-Kuwait war. Through a study of the historical development of the functions of the Secretary-General during different UNmissions, this prominent role in the creation and functioning of modern peace-keeping missions, and in particular of the ONUSAL mission is also analyzed. The initial conception of Salvadorian parties with regard to the creation of a verification mission after the cease-fire, and the will expressed afterwards by both parties to create the mission during the conflict, are studied in the second chapter with the view of underlining the interaction between international human rights law and international humanitarian law. The author bases her analysis of the ONUSAL's mandate in this interaction. She qualifies the interpretation found in the Mission's first report as 'restricted and timid' with regard to the large powers granted by the parties in verification of international humanitarian law. In the third chapter, the other reports prepared by the ONUSAL before the cease-fire are fully analyzed, with particular attention to the activities regarding international humanitarian law. The first part of the chapter contains some reflections derived from a detailed study of the Mission's reports, that on the criteria of the author, reflect an evolution of the ONUSAL's interpretation of its mandate in international humanitarian law made in the first report. As an illustration, the extensive interpretation of the mandate of the ONUSAL Mission contained in its Fourth Report should be mentioned. In this report, the Mission affirms that the norms of international humanitarian law will remain in effect from February 1992, date of the signing of the peace, until October of the same year. This implies an interpretation in extenso not only of the provisions of article 6.5) of Protocol Additional II to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 -with regard to the final amnesty for the persons who participated in the hostilities or who were detained as a result of the conflict- but also of the other norms of international humanitarian law. This last position reveals a broad and innovative application of the norms of international humanitarian law, which could be a precedent for future UN Peace-keeping Missions. The second part of the third chapter studies the mandate and functions of the ONUSAL in its peace-making period in relation to the protection of the norms of international humanitarian law. With this aim, the violations to the Titles II and III of Protocol II with regard to the fundamental guarantees to humane treatment, the principles concerning pre-trial proceedings, penal prosecutions, detention conditions as well as those cases of violations of the norms that protect wounded, sick and shipwrecked and civil population in an armed conflict are examined. Furthermore, this chapter analyzes the serious problem of thelandmines, which indiscriminate use was one of the most serious violations of international humanitarian law during the Salvadorian conflict. In accomplishing what it considered a principal task, the Mission included in its Second report, a list of legal instruments concerning the use of mines, booby-traps and similar artifacts as well as the main principles deriving from customary law. On the basis of these principles, the ONUSAL affirmed that the need to establish limits to the means used in non-international armed conflicts is in complete harmony with the principle of humanity that should prevail in the conduct of the hostilities. According to this, the author quotes the third paragraph of the Protocol II's preamble, in which these principles are enounced as follows "in cases not covered by the law in force, the human person remains under the protection of the principles of humanity and the dictates of the public conscience", this clause better known as the Martens Clause. The author concludes that, in spite of the restrictive interpretation made by the ONUSAL of its mandate in the field of international humanitarian law in the first report, through this analogous interpretation the Mission showed its clear position in favour of the essential principles of international humanitarian law. The coordination between the Mission and other humanitarian agents in the field is another relevant issue studied in the chapter. This is the case, for example, of the ICRC, an institution specialized in disemination and verification of the respect of international humanitarian law norms, and consequently, with similar tasks as the ones conferred to the ONUSAL Mission. In the final part of the chapter, some recommendations are made towards improving the role of the UN in the protection of international humanitarian law. The intrinsic advantages and limitations characteristic of a political organ charged with controlling and verifying the norms of international humanitarian law are considered. Recommendations As a conclusion, the author recommends the creation of regional training centres for UN personnel to be send in peace-keeping missions, with the aim of creating a more professional force. In order to reach this objective, she proposes a more comprehensive and complete training, which would include special instruction regarding the impartial character of a UN mission, as well as for a better monitoring of human rights and international humanitarian law. Even though the ONUSAL recognized the complementary nature of the ICRC in certain of their activities, as well as their common attempt to respect the minimum standard of protection of the individuals in the Salvadorian armed conflict, the author affirms that no further position on its efforts to interact or coordinate with the ICRC in humanitarian law can be deduced from its reports. She concludes that a reference to these issues would have been valuable, since it would have allowed an appreciation on the manner in which these international and national organizations managed to avoid, a