Gripping and little-told tale of how Israel managed to prepare itself for the inevitable war to destroy it in the cradle. While Israel is now a vibrant, thriving and advanced country its existence hung by a thread. Powerful parts of even the U.S. government were trying to seal its doom. Only an unlikely group of renegade countries, including Communist Czechoslovakia, Panama, Italy, France and Mexico kept it alive.

The chapters are short, punchy and to the point. Much of the writing is even funny. ( )