Pleasantly Surprised To Find a Very Good Analysis of My Oslo Syndrome Article

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By Barry Rubin

When an author writes a serious article he's always pleased to find a serious reader, especially when his words have been dishonestly distorted a foreign minister, a deputy foreign minister, and an ambassador. Such was the fate of my analysis of the terrorist massacre in Norway, "The "Oslo Syndrome" and the Terror Attack in Norway."

Now a retired Army colonel and contrlbuting editor of American Diplomacy, James L. Abrahamson, has written an actual analysis of what I wrote on this controversial issue, understood my points, and pointed out the misquotes created by the Norwegian media and government. What could be better than that? American Diplomacy is an important journal by and for diplomats and officers.

He concludes:

"What Rubin wanted his readers to learn from Breivik’s horrible attacks was, first, that mass murder of civilians is NEVER justified, and, second, that if the public without exception condemns terror, those who engage in the tactic will abandon it when it no long appears `politically successful.'”

This article also confirms my conclusion that in general American diplomats and military officers, both those still in service and those retired, understand the current situation far better than their politician masters and the academic "experts." There is hope if these people speak out.

Thank you, Colonel Abrahamson, and faithful readers everywhere.



http://www.unc.edu/depts/diplomat/item/2011/0912/ca/oslo1_abrahamson.html .