VIDEO REVIEW: International Terrorism: The Global War on Terror

By R.J. Godlewski

© July 12, 2012, All Rights Reserved

 

            Perhaps best remembered for his portrayal of the Son of God in 1977’s critically acclaimed television mini-series, Jesus of Nazareth¸ British actor Robert Powell had moved on to doing voiceover narrations of numerous shows dealing with espionage and warfare appearing on various cable network channels. One of his newer projects, the International Terrorism: the Global War on Terror (© 2011, Image/Madacy Home Entertainment) warrants consideration for any concerned citizen’s personal library. Although somewhat dated by the fleeting sense of 24/7 news cycles today, this 5-DVD set still provides an element of history not presented to the average consumer before. From early Israeli terrorism to Patricia Hearst; from the Mau Mau to Timothy McVeigh; from the Organization Armée Secrète (OAS) to today’s omnipresent Islamic jihadists; they are all presented here employing period footage and modern analysis.

            The DVD set is packaged as follows:

1. Early Israeli Terrorism; The Al Qaeda Menace; The IRA, Fatah/Hamas; The PLO; ETA;
2. The Red Brigades; The Baader-Meinhof Gang; EOKA; Nasser and Egyptian Terrorism; Colonel Gaddafi and Libyan Terrorism;
3. The OAS; Patty Hearst and the SLA; The Weathermen; The Oklahoma Bomber; the Ku Klux Klan;
4. The Japanese Sarin Cult; The Mahdi Army, Che Guevara; Fidel Castro; Chechen Extremists;
5. The Taliban; The Mau Mau; The Tamil Tigers; The Moluccan Separatists; Somali Warlords.

            Each segment begins with the history of the group and presents the facts, as we know them. From the Jewish bombing of the King David Hotel to the Moluccan hijacking of passenger trains in Europe, International Terrorism takes the viewer on a ride of, well, sheer terror. What remains interesting, however, rests with the added information that even the most astute citizen may not have heard before, such as the preparatory attacks conducted by Aum Shinrikyo before their infamous Sarin attacks in Tokyo’s subway system during 1995. Younger generations will discover the horrors and chaos unleashed by the Weathermen and Symbionese Liberation Army in America during the 1960s and 1970s.  For example, did you know that the biggest mistake made by the Weather Underground were attacks targeting retail establishments owned by the Mafia? Apparently, anarchist/Marxist groups listen when the Mafia comes calling.

            This entire set can be purchased and shipped for less than $17 at the time of this writing through Amazon. That is less than $3.5 per disc or $0.65 per terrorist group covered. Yes, I could tell you more about international terrorists than you could learn from watching these discs, but then I would have to… :o)

 

Comments

[Debbie]

R.J.: Thanks for doing this. I had no idea about Robert Powell when I posted that image of him as Jesus in another post.

You certainly cannot beat the price of this compared to the quantity and quality of the product. Thanks for sharing this.

For those who are not as informed and educated on the subject of terror, terrorist groups, I think this would be a great starting point. As the price makes it very affordable to give as gifts.

[R.J. Godlewski]

It's a very good set, Debbie. I actually received it as a birthday present back when it was about $10 more than it is today.

I thought that it would be a good "Discovery Channel-esque" program, but the episodes are quite informative.

Over all, they appear to have been produced during ~2008. For example, the Gaddafi segment is dated, but few today can remember what he did through the years (I just love the clips of Reagan during the time :o) ), let alone what he looked like when he came into power as some shaven, skinny kid "Colonel".

All in all, they remind me of "our generation" and why, precisely, I got into the counterterrorism field (most kids played Cowboys and Indians. I played Paramilitaries against Patty Hearst and company :o) ).

R.J.