In counterterrorism circles, the standard response to questions about the possibility of future attacks is the terse one-liner: "Not if, but when." This mantra supposedly conveys a realistic approach to the problem, but, as Joseba Zulaika argues inTerrorism, it functions as a self-fulfilling prophecy. By distorting reality to fit their own worldview, the architects of the War on Terror prompt the behavior they seek to preventa twisted logic that has already played out horrifically in Iraq. In short, Zulaika contends, counterterrorism has become pivotal in promoting terrorism. Exploring the blind spots of counterterrorist doctrine, Zulaika takes readers on a remarkable intellectual journey. He contrasts the psychological insight of Truman Capote'sIn Cold BloodwithThe 9/11 Commission Report, plumbs the mindset of terrorists in works by Orianna Fallaci and Jean Genet, maps the continuities between the cold war and the fight against terrorism, and analyzes the case of a Basque terrorist who tried to return to civilian life. Zulaika's argument is powerful, inventive, and rich with insights and ideas that provide a new and sophisticated perspective on the War on Terror.

Joseba Zulaika is professor of Basque studies and codirector of the Center for Basque Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno. He is the author or coauthor of many books, including Terror and Taboo: The Follies, Fables, and Faces of Terrorism.

Acknowledgments	p. IX
Introduction: Rethinking the War on Terror	p. 1
The Rhetorics of Terrorism
Writing Counterterrorism: The Betrayal of the Public Intellectual	p. 17
Who's Afraid of Truman Capote? Writers versus Counterterrorists	p. 37
Terrorist Subjectivities
The Terrorist as Lover: Read My Terrorist Desire	p. 63
Eros, Terror, and Suicide: Life against Death	p. 90
Antigone, the Terrorist: The Passage à l'Acte That Traverses the Subject's Fantasy	p. 108
Self-Fulfilling Politics
The Cold War Is Dead, Long Live Terrorism	p. 131
Dr. Strangelove Meets the Terrorist: On Political Madness	p. 157
9/11 and the Iraq War as Self-Fulfilling Prophecies	p. 171
Epilogue The Passion for Ignorance and Its Catch-22	p. 207
Notes	p. 225
Index	p. 259
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