The Last Jihad by Joel C. Rosenberg

The Last Jihad is an installment in Joel Rosenberg’s institutional series of novels set in the United States of America, Israel, and around the Middle East. This book began before the war in Iraq, so the story is set in a world where Saddam Hussein is still the president of Iraq, although Osama bin Laden is dead, and al-Qaeda has been completely decimated, as have many terrorist camps. throughout the Middle East and North Africa. The War on Terror seems to have passed, born by James “Mac” McPherson, an American president whose success made him popular among the American people.

The attempt on McPherson’s life is revealed to be part of a series of terrorist attacks around the world that were carried out simultaneously, unless the leaders of the United States and his associates. Israeli agents uncover and prevent a plan to carry out a nuclear attack against Israel. All attacks will be traced back to Saddam Hussein’s regime. The Israeli Prime Minister is trying to pressure the United States to “go nuclear in Iraq” by threatening that if the US doesn’t, Israel he wants

Jon Bennett, a close friend of President McPherson, is brought into the picture. Bennett is a wall street whiz kid working in the big oil and natural gas field, which is set to bring him great wealth. both Israeli and Palestinian. Before entering politics, McPherson and Bennett were closely associated on Wall Street. Maro has now been admitted into the boss’s inner circle as a senior financial advisor. Both he and his partner Erin McCoy are being asked to promote the Israeli/Palestinian oil and gas deal as a US public policy move.

Rosenberg is a Jewish believer in Jesus Christ, and while The Last Jihad presents some faith-based subplots, the main theme of this story is the terrorist threat against the United States and Israel. The Last Jihad was originally published by Forge Books, a secular publication, followed in late 2002 by The Last Days. Tyndale House, a Christian publisher, released the third book (Ezekiel’s Option) in 2005. The following year, Tyndale House released the next installment, Scroll) while also reviewing both The Last Jihad and Last Days. Rosenberg concluded the series earlier this year with Dead Heat, released by Tyndale House.

Joel Rosenberg produced a thriller in the tradition of Tom Clancy or Robert Ludlum. The Last Jihad would make an excellent movie. The screenwriter could just replace Iraq and Saddam Hussein with Iran and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and this story could fit into the post-Saddam world. The Last Jihad is a very good read, and I look forward to reading it in the last days.