Why did such a thing happen? Pluto Press have three titles that help to explain why the terrible events of Tuesday took place. Paul Rogers, Professor of Peace Studies, University of Bradford is author of Losing Control: Global Security in the Twenty-first Century, described by Scilla Elworthy as 'a wake up call for those who shape western security policy to face the real issues of the 21st Century. Our quaint reliance on military superiority and traditional diplomacy are no longer adequate to cope with a world of increasing intra-state violence and paramilitary action. This book addresses the causes of violence, and is a guide to pragmatic policy development.' Losing Control argues that attempts to maintain global inequality in the interests of an elite are unsustainable and will, instead, increase the risk of instability and conflict.' As Peace Studies News said, 'It calls for a radical re-thinking of western perceptions of security that embraces a willingness to address the core issues of global insecurity.' Peace Studies News.

Reaping the Whirlwind: The Taliban Movement in Afghanistan by Michael Griffin is, according to the BBC's John Simpson, 'a highly intelligent account of one of the most interesting and disturbing political movements in the world, and is essential reading to anyone who wishes to understand its nature.' The most up-to-date account of the highly controversial Taliban organisation, Reaping the Whirlwind features on-the-ground interview coverage with key figures from inside the movement, exposes the extent of the Taliban's links with the CIA, drug barons and oil tycoons and examines the Taliban's connections to Osama bin Laden,'

In a new edition of Unholy Wars: Afghanistan, America and International Terrorism, John Cooley 'examines a strange love affair that went disastrously wrong, the alliance between America and some of the most conservative and fanatical followers of Islam.’ (Los Angeles Times Book Review). In this new edition Cooley brings the subject up to date with a description of the Bin Laden-linked terrorist conspiracy network uncovered in the US and Canada since December 1999.   Go to http://www.plutobooks.com/ for details of these and other Pluto titles.