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In the Line of Fire: A Memoir

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Author: Pervez Musharraf
Publisher: Free Press
Category: Book

List Price: ~~$28.00~~
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Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

133 reviews
Sales Rank: 251767

Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 368
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.4

ISBN: 0743283449
Dewey Decimal Number: 954.91053
EAN: 9780743283441
ASIN: 0743283449

Publication Date: September 25, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Also Available In:

•	Paperback - In the Line of Fire: A Memoir
•	Kindle Edition - In the Line of Fire: A Memoir

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
If it is almost unprecedented for a head of state to publish a memoir while still in office, Pervez Musharraf is no ordinary head of state. As the president of Pakistan since 1999, he occupies the most dangerous job in the world, and he continues to play a crucial role in the global war on terror. A former commando who was born just four years before the creation of Pakistan, Musharraf grew up with his country. He rose through army ranks, serving a bewildering succession of military and democratic regimes, and reached the apex of the world's most populous Islamic state at a time of growing Muslim militancy. A onetime supporter of the Taliban, a general who fought in several wars, President Musharraf took a decisive turn against militant Islam in 2001. Since then he has survived two assassination attempts; rooted out militants in his own government; helped direct countless raids against Al Qaeda both in his cities and in the mountains; and tracked Osama Bin Laden with technical and human intelligence.

When you hold the world's most dangerous job, you have little left to lose - - and as a result, In the Line of Fire is astonishingly revealing and honest about dozens of topics of intense interest to the world. Among its many revelations: exactly how Pakistani authorities tracked down and smashed three major Al Qaeda command-and-control centers in the mountains; how Al Qaeda's many-layered structure was revealed after the assassination attempts; how Osama Bin Laden's communication network was breached, and how his subsequent courier network was compromised; why Bin Laden is no longer in charge of Al Qaeda, and yet why his capture is so sensitive; why the costs of the Iraq War have been so great for the west, and for moderate Muslims; what the interrogations of A.Q. Khan have revealed; what it has been like to deal with the Bush Administration; how Pakistan and India have avoided nuclear confrontation; and much more.

The terrible earthquake of 2005, killing nearly 40,000 Pakistanis, is just one chapter in a life and career that has been filled with danger and drama. The worldwide launch of President Musharraf 's memoir, which begins with its American publication, promises to be a sensation.

Customer Reviews: Read 128 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

Interesting Memoir For Our Times... April 21, 2008
The Prime Minister of Pakistan speaks, and what a story he tells. Basically, Pervez tells the story of his life, the India/Pakistan conflict, and the post 9/11 world we live in. Al Queda hates this guy and has tried to kill him several times, but being a former commando and lifetime military guy, Pervez isn't easy to kill, or intimidate.

One has to say that if there is any country on the planet that remains an enigma; it is Pakistan. Not really an Arab nation, but unique in its history and people, Pakistan is the critical mass for the war on terror. They have nukes, and lots of them. They have their own agenda, but with their proximity to the terror shop that Afghanistan became, there simply is no pulling the country out of the place it now finds itself.

This book is full of interesting information that I wasn't aware of. I won't list it here but anyone interested in politics, al Queda, 9/11, or Pakistan will find the book very worth the time to read.

5 out of 5 stars

An Outsider's Glimpse into Pakistan February 5, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I highly recommend Pervez Musharraf's memoir In the Line of Fire. When reading someone's memoirs the reader has to keep in mind that those words are written from one person's perspective on events throughout that person's life. That is what President Pervez Musharraf's In the Line of Fire is - this individual's perception on the way he sees things and the events he participated in.

For what it's worth I'm glad I now have a good understanding about why Western-styled democracy doesn't really work in Pakistan. If a nation is half illiterate (48%) and people cannot read or write, they won't be able to understand or debate the issues. For a nation that is still very feudalistic with tribal loyalties and clan loyalties and with an elaborate caste and sub-caste system as described by President Musharraf, then democracy won't work. When the Bhuttos claimed they were "democratizing" the nation, they didn't do it - they copied off the Soviets where they removed private ownership of all businesses and everything was under the control of the government. This is socialism.

President Musharraf also stated that the movie Blackhawk Down featured only American troops in the battle in Somalia. Interesting how the movie producers neglected to mention that other countries had sent troops in, and that it was the Malaysians and the Pakistanis who helped rescue the trapped crew from the Blackhawk helicopter after it was shot down inside Mogadishu, not American forces, as we were all led to believe.

Perhaps the President revealed too much about how they tracked down those who were involved in the suicide bombings in the assassination attempts on his life. Now perhaps the planners or plotters will think twice about trying any future assassinations because eventually they will get caught. But here is something for would-be assassins or terrorists to ponder if they ever have a chance to read this review: even if you do succeed in blowing up one another, using robots or technogical devices, and shattering infrastructure, evidence can be gathered at crime scenes and others who were involved will eventually be found.

As far as President Musharraf removing A. Q. Khan from his position and placing him under house arrest, the Pakistani people may need to take a hard look at the countries he sold the technology to - countries that are considered by the West as rogue nations and are very dangerous. I understand that when Bhutto and A. Q. helped establish Pakistan's top-secret weapons program for the nation, it placed Pakistan on an even footing with its neighbor India and, more importantly, with Israel. It is one thing to develop a nuclear weapons program for your own country's use and protection - it's quite another to sell that technology to very dangerous countries such as Iran and North Korea. And A. Q. Khan should be thankful that the most punishment he got was house arrest because what he did was very treasonous behavior; in many countries treason carries a penalty of death.

It was a good thing to read that Pakistan has taken steps to revamping their madrassas. I was glad to read that madrassas are required to register with the government of Pakistan and that all subjects are taught, not just religion. Those who comply with government standards in accordance with a syllabus provided by the government are the ones who receive funding. I would say those changes are long overdue.

In the chapter called Manhunt it was fascinating to learn that many foreign fighters in Afghanistan fled the battlefield (not so brave, are you?) and crossed the mountains into Pakistan where they were eventually captured. When Pakistan offered to extradite them back to their home countries and if the country refused them (who wants a troublemaker on their soil anyway?) they were then handed over to the United States.

President Musharraf stated that he has done what he can to help build tourism in his country - something else that has not been done before. Also establishing a cultural arts program for Pakistan may help the rest of us understand what Pakistan has to offer the world. And, yes, I'm glad that he defied his country's religious leaders by counter-arguing that music and dancing are not "un-Islamic".

Since I am not a historian, nor a Pakistani, nor an Indian, nor a Muslim, nor am I familiar with all events in Pakistan or in Central Asia but instead a private citizen who is interested in various parts of the world, I have found President Pervez Musharraf's memoir to be of relevant value. I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like an inside look at one of the countries who aligned themselves with the U. S. in the global war on terrorism.

3 out of 5 stars

Propaganda not literature November 11, 2007
17 out of 17 found this review helpful

The problem with most dictators is that at some point of time they begin to believe the propaganda that they put out about themselves. For example, Musharraf, tells an anecdote about his uncle who wagered that he would slap the bald head of a stranger three times. This old joke has been doing the rounds of India and Pakistan for the last fifty years and I find it oddly disturbing that Musharraf can attribute it to his own family. Knowing that this is probably an untruth, I begin to question almost everything else in the book, including his own loyalty in the war on terror as well as his intentions towards India.

2 out of 5 stars

Good read but sensationalist and opinionated! May 31, 2007
3 out of 5 found this review helpful

Disclaimer - I support no political organization and do not have an 'Indian' mindset. I was born in Pakistani middle class, educated family (just like Musharraf) and consider myself 'Pakistani' to the core.

Review - This book is an interesting read but one should not expect a sitting head of state to publish a book that is 'honest'. For that matter, its naive to expect any politician to write a book that details facts honestly and analyzes them objectively.
The book is a narrative of the 'great' things Musharraf is doing for Pakistan. Its a narrative of self-praise and vitriolic spite for enemies. I would take all facts stated with a pinch of salt.
Finally, the timing of the book, when YOU are the sitting head of a country, is a way to make a quick buck with blatant disregard of the ruckus your self-eulogy will cause.

The facts speak for themselves:
1. Musharraf continues to remain a sole monarch where the Chief Justice, the guardian of law and order, is forced to resign by men in uniform.
2. Poverty and inflation are rampant at the same time. The rich drive inflation high and the poor become more poor.
3. Crime is rampant, people get mugged, shot at during daylight. Every urban family has experienced a car-jacking at gun point.
4. Corruption has permeated every government and semi-goverment organization. Religious clerics have declared bribery justified because without it nothing gets done.

This is the 7 year legacy Musharraf intends to leave behind, assuming that he intends to or forced to leave, ever. The same legacy left by Bhuttos' or Nawazs'

3 out of 5 stars

Read between the lines May 27, 2007
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

Chinua Achebe once said that ,"Until the lions write their own history, story of hunt will only glorify the hunter", and in the dense forest of Pakistani politics no one can say who is hunting whom or who deserves the glorification? . Reading the chapter Coup where Nawaz Sharif is the hunter and Musharraf the glorious lion who will came out victorious luckily and eventually was real fun. As I did not approach the book in search of some political truth so i did not get my heart swell or mind numb in an attempt to weigh the truth________ burning In The Line of Fire! However i felt like coining new words such as 'stubborn confidence', 'humble pride', and above all 'dictocracy'. Despite his secret prayers to serve the country as a President( to seek sole power) he remains innocent as to why God has chosen him for this difficult task of steering the nation aright. Little did he know that with pains men come to greater pains and this was exactly what he had come to. And one wonders why a man has to be a president to serve his nation why not serve any other way...or perhaps its the juicy seat after all!

Worth appraisal are his views regarding education, economics , women's emancipation and tourism. No doubt they are well articulated but how you achieve them is as important as how you say it. Just hope he has wits enough to translate these ideas into practice rationally. I must quote :

"To speak now of the true temper of empire, it is a thing rare and hard to keep; for both temper, and distemper, consist of contraries. But it is one thing, to mingle contraries, another to interchange them." (Bacon)

I wish that a cultural unification is achieved through media and spirit of Nationalism is inculcated one that is in keeping with our ideologies. This is to say that Musharraf must take care in not interchanging national values and interest . Pakistan needs a mingling of contrary elements(such as secularism ,fundamentalism etc ) in order to produce a moderate decent state. After reading the book i could see that Musharraf wants to inculcate nationalism to project 'soft image' of Pakistan through the means of cultural unification and polarity. The thought is brilliant but on the other hand the wise man himself is seeing in to the vast breach between civilian politicians and Army and then again in the army itself!

Kargil event is one example of the gulf between the politicians and the army . I cant see how in a country where everything is divided good will can multiply? This is not provocative cynicism but awake one to the need of unity. Anyhow Kargil heroes i believe deserved the glorious justification that has been given to them. Moving on words the chapters narrating his choice to help America in anti-terror war were not convincing. The lines in the review that he is doing "single most crucial job in the global war on terror',... were mostly likely written to attract the readers all over the world. The fact however is that Musharraf's ambivalence has baffled all__the reader ,the Nation and the World! This is what i think makes him a true politician.

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