Saralee Says
Like most Americans, I was deeply affected by the events of 9-11. If you watched or read about the recent hearings held in Washington, D.C., by the 9-11 Commission investigating the attacks by Al Qaeda, then you have heard about this book, Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror by Richard A. Clarke (Free Press).
Clarke, former terrorism adviser to President George W. Bush, is known for being one of the leading experts on fighting terrorism and this is his version of what our country has done right and wrong. Is his book worth reading?
Yes and no. Yes, to get Clarke's view of the minute-by-minute happenings inside the White House on the morning of 9-11. Even though we know what happened, Clarke's account is riveting as he narrates how decisions were made about what the White House would and would not do. Clarke's version of events only reinforced what I have believed for a long time - that the FBI and CIA do not seem to share information. Did you agree after reading this book?
I have always had a problem with people who write tell-all books about sitting presidents. The president of the United States should be able to govern and set policy as long as that person holds office, but ever since Richard Nixon was president it seems to me that the gloves have been off. It now is easy to disrespect the office now held by George W. Bush. Do you think that those who work for the president should wait until that person is no longer president before their books are published? George Stephanopoulos wrote All Too Human: A Political Education (Little Brown & Company) shortly after he left his job as a top strategist for former President Bill Clinton. Many Clinton loyalists view this book as a hatchet job on a sitting president and the buzz was about the timing of the book. Turns out Stephanopoulos became an analyst for ABC news and Clarke is soon to join the same network. Is this the best way for our government and our media to work?
Larry's Language
Richard Clarke presents a powerful argument that America has achieved great success in recent years against terrorists; that the Clinton administration was slow to recognize the importance of counter-terrorism; and, while President George W. Bush thought counter-terrorism was important, he did not make it a priority before 9/11.
Clarke, a 30-year federal employee specializing in national defense, was our nation's leader in the fight against terrorism under both President Clinton and President Bush.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Clarke was the "crisis manager" in charge in the White House. Clarke resigned a year ago, wrote his book, sent his it to the White House for their approval before publication, as required of national security employees. He then waited for months for that approval.
One interesting question for our book club is whether you think Clarke is motivated by the desire for money or is he passionately concerned about America's protection? The other interesting question is who are the persons at the White House who had to sign off on this book submission when they knew, or should have known, that a political firestorm would be generated by its publication.
This book is fascinating. Clarke details our victories over Al Qaeda in Bosnia, in stopping the Y2K millennium threats to the Los Angeles airport and other successes both here and abroad. Clarke criticizes President Clinton for some lapses in judgment, but gives him full credit for elevating the counter-terrorism role in the White House to a Cabinet-level position.
Clarke criticizes National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice for being a Cold War expert and not a terrorism expert. Clarke criticizes President Bush for downgrading the counter-terrorism unit, focusing on Iraq instead of Afghanistan, and for ignoring the active support for terrorists by Iran, Sudan and Saudi Arabia. Clarke names names, places, times and events in all these examples.
Our United States Senator Bill Frist has responded to Clarke by accusing him of probable perjury and by criticizing Clarke for apologizing to the nation and to the 9-11 victims and their families. It would be interesting for our book club to decide whether our federal officials should have apologized to us for the lack of preparation for the tragedy and terror of 9-11 or whether you agree with Sen. Frist.
Join us for our next book club discussion which will feature Reading Lolita in Tehran - A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi.
