A World Challenged: Fighting Terrorism in the Twenty-First Century

In this candid and sobering account, former Russian premier Yevgeny M. Primakov considers the threats posed by independent terrorist organizations to international security. Based on his own extensive experience and contacts in the Middle East - where he served for years as a journalist before his political career - he also examines the roles of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and extremist Islam in funding terrorism. As the attacks of September 11 made clear, the course of international affairs is no longer shaped exclusively by co-operation and confrontation among nations. Yet, the way states respond to terrorism - including America's war on terror - can have a profound impact on the structure of the international system. In Primakov's view, effective and co-ordinated responses to terrorism can limit its impact. However, he, argues, a unilateral American approach to the problem of international terrorism could make such co-operation difficult. In this context, Primakov explains Russian concerns about the US war in Iraq - and reveals new details of his final personal attempt to persuade Saddam Hussein to step down. Primakov urges Russia and the US to join forces more readily to share information and intelligence about emerging terrorist threats. More broadly, he writes, if America is prepared to work within a "multi-polar world", Russia can be a true and loyal partner. On the other hand, if the US tries to go it alone, it could face the consequences in isolation.