Bernard-Henri Levy, author of "Who Killed Daniel Pearl?", has a new book War, Evil and The End of History about five war zones. According to the publisher:
"In Sri Lanka, he conducts a clandestine interview with a terrified young woman escaped from a suicide-bomber training camp . . . he journeys, blindfolded, into the Colombian jungle to interview a psychotic drug lord who considers himself the successor to Che Guevara and fronts a bloodthirsty "guerilla" army . . . Levy surreptitiously observes the nameless slaves working the diamond mines that fund an endless war in Angola . . . airdrops into a rebel stronghold in the blockaded Nuba mountains of the Sudan . . . "
I haven't read it yet, but mean to do so, especially since after Uzbekistan, we travelled to Sri Lanka, during a "truce" between the government and the Tamil tigers. There we saw the aftermath of a conflict in which some 60,000 had died--and where non-Islamic suicide bombers were among the perpetrators; Tamils supported by India, fighting against the Sinhalese.
We toured the country for a few days. There were soldiers, roadblocks, etc. But life went on; resorts -- Bentota Beach had a lovely luxury hotel -- historical sites -- fantastic Kandy, a hilly former capital, hosts the Buddhist Temple of the Tooth -- nature parks -- an elephant "orphanage" which was the setting for Elizabeth Taylor's spectacular "Elephant Walk" -- all were doing a business. Columbo was bustling with trade. If it weren't for the civil war, it looked liked Sri Lanka could give Singapore a run for its money. Modern, clean, efficient.
So I certainly look forward to reading what Bernard-Henri Levy has to say...
