An interesting comparison of Najaf to Waco by Dr. Jean Rosenfeld via David Neiwert. I have printed the entire
letter here because my old eyes sometimes have difficulty reading against dark backgrounds and I suspect I am
not the only one with this disability.
David Neiwert: My friend Jean Rosenfeld, whose work I’ve mentioned previously is a religious-studies researcher
at UCLA who specializes in analyzing extremist religious movements and the way religion can inspire violence.
She was among the scholars consulted by the FBI during the Branch Davidian standoff at Waco (her
recommendations, and those of other religious scholars, were made to the negotiating team, whose work in turn
was ignored by the tactical units that were in charge of the scene there). I also consulted with Jean while I
was covering the Freemen standoff in Montana — which, because the negotiating team was placed in charge, had a
dramatically different outcome than that in Waco. (For details, see In God’s Country.)
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