Grad writes about terror threat

Syracuse University graduate Joel Rosenberg decided in January 2001 to write a book on a subject that both interested him and seemed plausible: a terrorist attack on America with possible war on Iraq and added fear of nuclear weapons. Little did he know that by September of that year, his novel, which opens with a hijacked plane hitting a presidential motorcade, would take on an even greater degree of realism.

Before Sept. 11, Rosenberg had sent what he had written of his book “The Last Jihad” to agent Robert Gottlieb, who discovered thriller writer Tom Clancy. Rosenberg said Gottlieb loved the book but called Rosenberg after Sept. 11 to see if he worked for the Central Intelligence Agency.

“It almost felt that it had been written with 9/11 in mind, even though it hadn’t,” Rosenberg said.

Rosenberg graduated from SU in 1989 with a film degree from the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Rather than move to Hollywood with his college girlfriend, and editor of “The Last Jihad,” Lynn Rosenberg, he moved to Washington, D.C., to participate in his second love, politics. There he worked for several right-wing leaders, serving as Rush Limbaugh’s research director, Steve Forbes’ chief speechwriter and policy director and Benjamin Netanyahu’s senior communications adviser.

“Working with them and with their advisers really gave me an inside picture of how Washington works,” Rosenberg said. “I’m a behind the scenes kind of guy. This is my first step into the spotlight itself.”



Rosenberg has maintained interest in Middle Eastern affairs even since his days at SU. He played an active role in international student groups and studied in Tel Aviv, Israel. His experiences in Tel Aviv and extensive research could have helped him write “The Last Jihad” without knowing that the plot would, in a way, become reality.

“My travels gave me a sense of who we’re up against, and when you know who you’re up against, you begin to sense what could happen,” Rosenberg said.

“It wasn’t inconceivable if you studied Islamic radicalism,” Rosenberg said, stressing the difference between peaceful and radical Muslims. “Anybody that’s been really watching Saddam Hussein closely the past few years has known that a major showdown was coming.”

Rosenberg wrote the book in part to attract attention to the dangers he perceived from radical Islam and Hussein. Last year, people in Washington,D.C., were discussing issues like education and campaign finance while ignoring the possibility of Hussein with nuclear capabilities, he said.

“It’s amazing how a political town like this can have its attention so far away from a major issue like this,” said Rosenberg.

SU political science department Chairman Jeffrey Stonecash remains skeptical that the plot is anything more than a prediction.

“There’s a lot of people making predictions out there and he just happened to hit on one,” Stonecash said.

He added Rosenberg has a good idea and good insight, and plays the idea out.

Once the terrorist attacks occured Sept. 11, Rosenberg had to make changes to “The Last Jihad.” First, Rosenberg moved the story ahead in time to take place in 2010, making the Sept. 11 attacks a point in history. Also, with the attacks and now the possibility of war with Iraq, the book’s publication date changed.

“The book was going to be published in April but was bumped up to November because of the immediacy of potential war,” Rosenberg said.

Rosenberg tried to maintain realism in “The Last Jihad” not only through a realistic plotline but also through details. He obtained some insight from people at the CIA and the State Department and also relied on his own political background for the more intricate details of the story, lending it credibility.

Radio and Fox News Channel personality Sean Hannity gave advanced praise for Rosenberg in part because of the book’s credibility.

“I know one reason he likes the book is because Joel is careful on his research,” said Hannity’s producer James Grisham in an email. “If he talks on page 222 of how (United Nations Special Commission) found evidence of a very aggressive effort by Iraq to procure NBC ability – that is a military acronym for Nuclear, Chemical, Biological – then you can rest assured if you check into it you will find that to be the case.”

In addition to being a first-time writer and to having worked for figures like Limbaugh, Forbes and Netanyahu, Rosenberg has been profiled in The New York TImes as an influential member of conservative politics.

“By and large most artists are left of center, politically,” said Owen Shapiro, a film professor at SU, who considers Rosenberg the early 90s’ most influential right-wing thinker.

“Though I disagree with his politics, I understand the commitment he has to his ideology,” he added.

Shapiro taught in Tel Aviv while Rosenberg studied there and thinks the experience was an awakening for Rosenberg. Rosenberg, in turn, said his professors, including Shapiro, challenged his thinking.

“I learned a lot from them and they challenged me,” Rosenberg said. “I’m sure they’ll be chagrined that I ended up working for so many prominent conservatives.”

Now Rosenberg anticipates the Nov. 26 release of “The Last Jihad” and also possible U.S. attempts to stop Hussein.

“There are people, mostly Democrats, some Republicans, in Washington (D.C.) who just can’t conceptualize evil,” said Rosenberg. “Radical Islam and Saddam Hussein are evil. If we fail to stop him, the result could be catastrophic.”





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