Richard A. Clarke’s book Against All Enemies: Inside America’s War on Terror is still causing trouble for George W. Bush. Clarke’s testimony before the 9/11 Commission has forced the White House to relent and let National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice testify under oath and in public before the commission. Clark has charged that the Bush White House underestimated the threat from terrorism before the September 2001 attacks. Bush, Rice and other Republicans have since launched a smear campaign against Clark’s reputation. Clarke served under Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush as a counter-terrorism expert. I read his book over the weekend and found his critiques of all the different administrations he served under to be sound. Fighting terrorism is obviously complex. My one criticism is that he didn’t spend enough time discussing ways we could fight terrorism through public policy initiatives that build stronger cultural ties between perceived enemies. Make sure you read this book so that you can hear directly from Richard Clarke without hearing his words filltered through the media.
