Rise and kill first
by Ronen Bergman · first published 2018
60% recommend40% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Well-sourced, readable history of Israeli intelligence and targeted assassinations, praised for nuanced treatment of moral trade-offs and unintended consequences
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Presents an assessment of Israel's state-sponsored assassination programs that evaluates the protective beliefs that are instituted into every Israeli citizen, the role of assassination in the state's history, and the ethical challenges of Israel's policies on targeted killings. "The first definitive history of the Mossad, Shin Bet, and the IDF's targeted killing programs, from the man hailed by David Remnick as "arguably [Israel's] best investigative reporter." The Talmud says: "If someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill him first." This instinct to take every measure, even the most aggr
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…history section is chalk full of wonderfully informative books that will inform your opinions. You might find that Internet tropes about terrorism to be less than accurate. For example, I just finished "Rise and Kill First" [1] a rather enlightening book about Israel's use of targeted assassinations going back almost 100 years. When I started reading Israel wasn't in the news, but then the whole Iran/US nuclear deal fiasco…
on “Leaked Emails Show Google Expected Military Drone AI Work to Grow Exponentially” ↗This isn't a citation, but if you're interested in the topic and learning more about to what length Israel will go to assassinate perceived enemies, I recommend "Rise and Kill First" by Ronen Bergman https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Kill-First-Targeted-Assassinatio...
on “Israel silent as Iran hit by computer virus more violent than Stuxnet – report” ↗…assess how many terror operation were prevented by those actions, even if you have the classified data above. An amazing book on this subject of state sponsored assassination I advise anyone to read is Rise And Kill First, by Ronen Bergman, detailing Israel's assassination policy from operational, political and societal perspectives - truely fascinating.
on “Google employees reportedly quit over military drone AI project” ↗I highly recommend Ronen Bergman's account of the Israeli covert assasination programme: Rise and Kill First [0]. It's a very nuanced book, grappling with the moral issues of a single death now to avoid multiple deaths later, and the unintended consequences of these decisions. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rise_and_Kill_First
on “Israel's autonomous 'robo-snipers' and suicide drones raise ethical dilemma” ↗I don't know the answer to your question, but if you're interested in this topic I highly recommend Rise and Kill First by Ronen Bergman. Very well-sourced and readable account of Israeli spycraft. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rise_and_Kill_First
on “Israel may have destroyed Iranian centrifuges simply by cutting power” ↗There's a fascinating snippet relating to this in the book Rise and Kill First by the Israeli national security journalist Ronen Bergman. Apparently faking passports could take months, at least in 2010 for the Mossad. Traditionally the Mossad would call off operations if they didn't…
on “A forged Apple employee badge” ↗Assassination is sort of the mossad's thing. I highly recommend the book "Rise and Kill First" (by an Israeli journalist Ronen Bergman) who describes this approach to international relations as something approaching an addiction. He alleges they've assassinated more people than any country on…
on “Pentagon raised threat of Israeli spying on U.S. to highest level, sources say” ↗…The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World by Johnson, Steven, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36086.The_Ghost_Map - Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations by Bergman, Ronen, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33598223-rise-and-kill-f... - Madame Fourcade's Secret War: The Daring Young Woman Who Led…
on “Ask HN: Best books you've read in 2019?” ↗…- The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World by Johnson, Steven, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36086.The_Ghost_Map - Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations by Bergman, Ronen, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33598223-rise-and-kill-f.... - Madame Fourcade's Secret War: The Daring Young Woman Who…
on “Ask HN: Favorite Nonfiction Books of 2019?” ↗* Rise and Kill First: A history of Israel viewed through their Intelligence and targeted assassination programs. Interesting insights into the individuals and departments that shaped the country and in turn region. According…
on “Ask HN: 2019 Winter Reading List?” ↗The wonderful book "Rise and Kill First" is a history of Israeli assassinations, with their policy of going after the "head of the snake". There are some interesting sections on how Israel used assassination to inhibit missile programs in the…
on “In 1962, Egypt's Missile Program Lost Its Key Scientist Without a Trace” ↗Rise and Kill First - about the Mossad/Shin Bets operations against Muslim terror groups.
on “Ask HN: Favorite nonfiction books of 2018?” ↗Bad Blood Why We Sleep 12 lessons for the 21st Century The Coddling of the America Mind Englightment Now How to Change Your Mind Rise and Kill First Leonardo da Vinci
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2018?” ↗Having just finished reading Rise and Kill First on the history of Israel's targeted killings, getting your target to introduce themselves by talking loudly about their interests around them for several days is a tried-and-tested Mossad strategy. That…
on “Undercover spy exposed in NYC was one of many” ↗Its not just the CIA its almost everyone else at the time. I just finished Rise and Kill first, a book on Mossad's targeted killings ops. Its full of really silly and clumsy stuff. My favorite story from the book is that back in the 60's Mossad tried to do the Manchurian candidate routine with…
on “Lost nuclear device atop of Nanda Devi” ↗