Madrasa is simply the Arabic word for school, but after 9/11 madarice have designated as breeding centers for Islamic terrorists. Maszka, who was the Director of International Relations at a university in Central Asia, states that for the first few weeks after the Boston Marathon attacks in April 2013, the community lived in constant fear that the US military would retaliate (the two Tsarnaev brothers who were accused of committing the Boston Marathon Bombings went to elementary school at a madrasa right down the road from Maszka's office). The author recalls the feeling of living and working so close to ground zero of a potential U.S. target, and he reports that in the eyes of most in the community, America was the real threat, not the two Tsarnaev boys. 

The author investigates the tragic Black Hawk Down incident and reveals a very different reality than the public at large has been led to believe. Although UNITAF (also called Operation Restore Hope) received a UN mandate to establish a safe zone for humanitarian intervention, it was more-or-less a botched attempt to safeguard private oil interests. The presence of U.S. troops in Somalia attracted al Qaeda’s attention, and the group dispatched operatives to train Somali militants and fight beside them. Al Qaeda operatives fought in the Battle of Mogadishu (and the infamous Black Hawk Down incident) of 3 October, 1993 where Somali militants killed 18 U.S. soldiers and paraded their corpses in triumph through the streets of the city. Contrary to popular belief, the infamous Blackhawk Down incident didn’t happen because U.S. troops were protecting UN food deliveries. UNITAF wasn’t a humanitarian mission at all. Rather it was a botched attempt to safeguard private oil interests.

The only criticism I have of this book is that Professor Maszka waited until Chapter 11 to make his most valuable contribution of all: the suggestion that rather than a one-state or two-state solution, the highly contested real estate in Israel/Palestine be made into a preserve. A non-state solution is absolutely brilliant, and so obvious that for decades no one even considered it. Maszka's "colors of conflict" model is remarkable as well. Realpolitik at its best, with a cultural compass for direction. Kissinger should be proud!

This is the most surprising book I've ever read. I was in tears half way through the first chapter, and then giggling all through the second half. Yet, this in no way diminishes the author's scholarly credentials or the quality of his work. Maszka is a truly gifted writer who also happens to be an academic. Washington's Dark Secret is a serious and insightful exploration of the human condition and the dignity of life.

The writing is fresh and original. Like a master craftsman, the author weaves a tale of intrigue, corruption and deceit. "Donald Trump is an anomaly―a man who claims to say what everyone is thinking, but doesn’t seem to care what anyone thinks. From his blatant degradation of women to his infamously unpopular position on minorities, immigration and even global warming―the temperature goes up, it goes down, it goes up…it’s called weather!―the world loves to hate Donald Trump."

This book represents a new way of thinking about the problem of violence in our world...Not just terrorism and Islamic extremism, but all violence. The author writes with genuine passion and sincerity, and he uses his extensive knowledge and experience to offer solutions that make sense and would probably actually work if there were sufficient political will to incorporate them.

In this epic treatise on terrorism, Maszka shares a number of first-hand experiences: the 2003 suicide bombing of a military base in Riyadh, an interview with IRA member Richard Behal, his undercover ethnographic study of David Koresh and the Branch Davidians, the 2008 NIU school shooting and several other heart-wrenching but truly enlightening accounts of extremism and violence. Throughout, Maszka keeps his eye on the prize- a standardized definition of terrorism that will allow us to prevent the politicization of the term and more responsible reporting so that the media stops celebrating the violence by making mass murderers into instant celebrities.

"...the election victory of a billionaire Washington outsider signifies so much more than the media is willing to tell us. Why? Because the powers that be―the true puppet masters who own the media outlets, the oil companies, the banks and everything else―don’t want us to know that they’ve committed the crime of the century." Washington's Dark Secret is that the corporate puppet masters have been bleeding the population dry. Absolutely spot-on phenomenal!

I found the text both refreshing and impressive. This book is a radical departure from the well-beaten path taken by most contemporary terrorism scholars. Of particular interest is the author's emphasis on the inductive method and his claim that terrorism studies is no place for arm-chair theorists who never go out into the field. Maszka's impressive pool of primary data bolsters this claim, while his refreshing use of strategic theory demonstrates that he is a skilled and seasoned practitioner in his area(s) of expertise.

Maszka speaks truth to power and pulls no punches in his war against stupidity. "Terrorism is just the latest and greatest enemy in the ongoing war of us vs. them―which in its simplest form, is a competition for resources. Millions have fought and died in the war of us vs. them. This epic struggle is arguably the world’s first and oldest conflict, pitting brother against brother, father against son and nation against nation. While battles have been won and lost, the quest for answers continues because―for the most part, we’re asking the wrong questions." 

At the very heart of Washington's Dark Secret is a deep-seated respect for others and call to put away our differences and embrace our diversity. "Rather than react with fear and hostility (which only fuels the extremists’ cause), an alternative approach is to embrace the good in others. Sure, we may all be different in superficial ways (food, dress, language and religion). But once we make the effort, we’re likely to realize that 99.999% of the human population all want the same things. The vast majority of us want to have a better life than our parents had, and we want to give our children a better life than we had." 

In a world of violence and chaos, Maszka offers a cool head of reason and a much needed voice in the wilderness of contemporary terrorism studies.

Given the title, I was expecting yet another typical exposé about Washington insiders and basically more of the drivel we’ve become used to hearing and reading. I couldn’t have been more pleasantly surprised! The author has really done his homework here, and he makes a water-tight argument that creates as many new questions as it answers. This book spans 14 centuries, and yet its relevance to current global issues is indisputable. 

Washington's Dark Secret is the most extraordinary new title in Terrorism Studies to come out in years. The author traces a variety of concepts (such as the practice of pronouncing takfir on a fellow believer) back through the centuries to present a clearer understanding of what is actually going on in the minds of contemporary Islamic extremists. His discussion of the differences between Islamists, jihadists and terrorists is also invaluable. Finally, the author outlines the various theoretical contributions of a number of Islamic scholars (e.g., Ibn Taymiyyah, Muhammad al-Wahhab, Hassan al-Banna, Sayyid Qutb and Abdullah Azzam) and offers a careful analysis of how their influence is still felt today. This exceptional text is indispensable for any serious scholar in the fields of Security Studies, Terrorism or National Security.

Maszka correctly observes that the Democrat and Republican Parties have converged, multinational corporations have taken over and Washington insiders are finally exposed as the corrupt partidocrats. Mega-conglomerates manipulate international laws and organizations, create cartels and monopolies and when need be, resort to neo-colonialism..."And Washington is always there with its mercenary military force―ready and willing to fight on behalf of the highest bidder."

Due to gross oversimplifications and misconceptions that have been popularized by the mainstream media, most have been led to believe that Islamic State is behind every violent attack. Few ever even question this assumption regardless

of where the attack occurs or who is targeted. Meanwhile, corrupt politicians appropriate billions to fight an enemy that

doesn’t even exist, victimize the world’s most vulnerable and trample on human rights. Maszka calls for more

responsible reporting and more discernment and accountability on behalf of consumers of the mass media.

I received the electronic version of this yesterday morning. Although I had no intention of reading it at the time, I started to peruse the front matter and instantly became intrigued. I read the Preface, then Chapter One, then Chapter two and before I knew it my stomach started grumbling. Without even realizing it, I had spent four hours glued to the text. I finished the book later that evening and, it left me craving more. Conspiracy theories, intrigue, mysterious pondering and cold hard facts, Maszka rigorously researches them all and presents them in a sound, scholarly and absolutely fascinating piece of literature.

This is an all-night read. All clichés aside, I literally could not put it down. Maszka has combined his in-depth knowledge of the terrorism industry with a careful analysis of the history of Islamic extremism and autobiographical accounts to produce the most important book I have read in years. The frosting on the cake is that it's all presented in a literary style that flows and builds and pulls the reader in. Absolutely delightful!

From a purely journalistic perspective, this book articulates the root of the problem with wisdom and clarity. The media frenzies that accompany every mass killing radicalize more people than Islamic State and al Qaeda combined. This "celebration" of violence drives others to kill simply out of a desire for fame and recognition, and the cycle of violence continues. Maszka places the burden on the consumer, insisting that media outlets will only stop celebratizing killers when consumers refuse to consume such reporting. 

Maszka paints his images with bold, evocative clarity against a backdrop of warm reflection. While his eye-witness descriptions leave little to the imagination, Maszka's depth-of-focus directs the reader far beyond the violence itself to a strategic perspective from which to understand it. The entire book is an epic adventure, laden with detail that's crisp and alive. Like a master storyteller, Maszka captures your attention from the opening sentence to the very last page. 

It is difficult to find an example to compare this book to. Maszka breaks the mold with this genre-defying feat, mixing historical non-fiction, strategic analysis and professional journalism in a narrative that is absolutely superb. Maszka reveals the dark secret that Washington has been attempting to hide from the American public for decades. Viewed through the lens of Maszka's first-hand experiences with terrorists, religious extremists and their victims, the world looks very different indeed.