After British ambassador gravely and publicly insults Syrian representative in Moscow [regarding the terrorist bomb attack on El Al aircraft] everybody is very happy with themselves (in that cunning politician way we showed them that we know! ) and that action brings great respect to the British diplomat from entire diplomatic corps worldwide. [return]Few years later, during the summit on Yalta, that very same British ambassador and his aide women working for British Intelligence are mowed down by machine gun fire in front of the hotel that they were to stay in. Only person from the British delegation to survive is aide s boyfriend who sees the attacker and can identify him. Soon British service declares an all-out hunt on the attacker and recruits Israeli intelligence services to help them with the task.[return]Author shows that hunting terrorist-soldiers is complete waste of time because there will always be other terrorist-soldiers to take the place of their fallen members. Also shown is complete hypocrisy of leading politicians who are more worried about possible backfire resulting in their career being ended before the time than with their actions (that they initiate hot-headed and in affect) and people they send to do the dirty work . Also shown is merciless manipulation of one people s misery and misfortune to further goals of another friendly to the cause nation.[return][return]Entire action is a sort of a Pyrrhic victory ambassador s murderer is taken down but invaluable assets are lost (long time combat veteran and numerous spies on the ground) that had true value because they were the people that have worked behind enemy lines. As for terrorist s, their lost comrade was just substituted with another man and their work continued.[return][return]Great book and rather disturbing, proving that nothing much has changed when it comes to anti terrorism from late 80 s to present.[return][return]Recommeded. ( )

After British ambassador gravely and publicly insults Syrian representative in Moscow [regarding the terrorist bomb attack on El Al aircraft] everybody is very happy with themselves (in that cunning politician way – “we showed them that we know!”) and that action brings great respect to the British diplomat from entire diplomatic corps worldwide.
Few years later, during the summit on Yalta, that very same British ambassador and his aide – women working for British Intelligence – are mowed down by machine gun fire in front of the hotel that they were to stay in. Only person from the British delegation to survive is aide’s boyfriend who sees the attacker and can identify him. Soon British service declares an all-out hunt on the attacker and recruits Israeli intelligence services to help them with the task.
Author shows that hunting terrorist-soldiers is complete waste of time because there will always be other terrorist-soldiers to take the place of their fallen members. Also shown is complete hypocrisy of leading politicians who are more worried about possible backfire resulting in their career being ended before the time than with their actions (that they initiate hot-headed and in affect) and people they send to do the “dirty work”. Also shown is merciless manipulation of one people’s misery and misfortune to further goals of another – “friendly to the cause” – nation.

Entire action is a sort of a Pyrrhic victory – ambassador’s murderer is taken down but invaluable assets are lost (long time combat veteran and numerous spies on the ground) that had true value because they were the people that have worked behind enemy lines. As for terrorist’s, their lost comrade was just substituted with another man and their work continued.

Great book and rather disturbing, proving that nothing much has changed when it comes to anti terrorism from late 80’s to present.

Recommeded. ( )

This was written in the late 80s and seemed somewhat unsophisticated and old-fashioned, compared to more contemporary novels exploring similar themes of Middle-East terrorism. The story revolves around vengance for the assignation of a British Ambassador, killed in Russia by a Lebanese terrorist and seemed to me a little far-fetched. However, on the plus side, the author clearly knows the area well and its various factions and politics. ( )