Customer Reviews

Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror

5 star:		(299)
4 star:		(62)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(105)

 

 

I enjoyed this book so much so that I didn't put it down until I finished. Some of the points he brought up I've read about in various news articles and other books, have helped back up his story. His point about Iraq is a valid one, which only recently became clear to me after coming back home from Iraq, that we turned our attention onto Iraq before even trying to finish the job in Afghanistan.
I do recommend this book highly, but if you are a person who thinks that our administration can do no wrong then this book will not change your mind about the mistakes that they have made. I'm not saying you can't change your mind about the administration, I know I definitely have - but that took a trip to Iraq, a single rocket attack at our work center, David Kay not finding any WMDs and a LOT of internet research when I got back home started my questioning why we really went into Iraq.

After reading some of the reviews of Clarke's book on Amazon, I'm convinced that there is an orchestrated attempt to smear this candid and patriotic American. When will Amazon put an end to publishing book reviews that do nothing but spew out all the right wing talking points from chat-room fanatics? Most of the reviews being published here are written by people who obviously never read this book and who have no intention of doing so.

Clarke's book is a riveting first person account by a counter-terrorism expert that worked for Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. Clarke recognized early on that terrorism was the greatest threat facing our country and the world. Clarke, a lifetime Republican, dares to reveal what really happened in the months leading up to 911 as well as failure of vision and leadership that lead to the invasion of Iraq.

He starts the book with a fast-paced and fascinating account of what went on in the White House on 9/11/01. He then turns his attention to a play-by-play of the failings of 4 administrations to prepare for this inevitable attack. President Reagan gave birth to the present day al Qaeda by refusing to retaliate for the murder of US Marines in Beirut and through the arms-for-hostages disaster. George H. W. Bush did not recognize a threat from terrorists and as a result failed to retaliate for Pan Am 103. President Clinton failed to retaliate against the terrorist attack on the U.S.S. Cole. These failings, while serious, were just a warm-up for the total incompetence and breathtaking ignorance of the George W. Bush Administration.

Clarke's book is highly readable and holds one's attention from the preface to the end on page 291. Clarke raises important issues of systemic problems in the U.S. intelligence apparatus and the manner in which decisions are made in the Bush White House. It's not a pretty picture. If you don't read another book this year, please read this one.

I lost a relative in the WTC bombing, and I am still hurting. After reading Clarke's book, I know he is telling the truth. I am a registered Republican, but I have had enough of the Bush-Cheney lies. If Clarke was out of the loop and was demoted according to Cheney, then it tells you that terrorism was not a priority to the Bush administration. If it was, Clarke's warnings would have been heeded. Bush's motives for going to war has cost too many lives. He and the Republican party must own up to their sins of omission. A person who is telling the truth cannot be destroyed by all these ferocious attacks by the Republican party leadership. I am very ashamed to be a Republican. Read the book and be enlightened.

"Against All Enemies," is one of the most important books in the history of the United States. Richard Clarke writes a detailed account of how President George W. Bush reacted to 9/11. He also provides a glaring account of the mad White House rush to war in Iraq. To say the least...the information in this well-written book is stunning.

As a two-tour Vietnam veteran, trained journalist, author and proud American I am saddened by Richard Clarke's revelations. I desperately wanted to believe in President Bush. However, the author is one of our nation's best and brightest terrorism professionals. To this end, Clarke's book offers highly credible insights to a terrible period in American history.

Ultimately, one must decide who has the most credibility. The author...or the President of the United States. The nation now has the opportunity to voice its opinion in the upcoming elections. Consequently, Richard Clarke has done the nation a great service...he has confirmed what others who left this government have said...that the Bush White House has its own secret agenda and will viciously attack anyone who disagrees. Highly recommended.

Bert Ruiz

Unlike the other reviewers listed here (as of today) I have actually READ this book! I found it fascinating--the FIRST time I've seen that anyone in the government has really told the story of what exactly went on "behind the scenes" with our government after the 9/11 attacks, as well as what did and did not happen in the months and years leading up to that tragic day. Besides telling the story of his own involvement in the decisions that had to be made--immediately--that day, Clarke gives a credible history of the forces and movements outside the U.S. (though often involving U.S. policy) that led up to the events of 9/11. Clarke has also analyzed--based on 30 years of service in the federal government--many U.S. governmental shortcomings as far as protection from terrorism goes, BUT, he does not stop there! He also provides concrete ideas for solutions! (What a concept!) Sadly, they will not happen any time soon--as long as people who have not even read this book continue to avoid the real issues and hide behind the smokescreens and spins of the current administration and its misguided, narrow view of the dangerous world in which we now find our American/Western selves. Even if you agree with the current administration's direction (though this book is not all about Bush-bashing it does ask some very important, serious questions about the many lost opportunities for the U.S. after 9/11--militarily and ideologically, at home and abroad--which could understandably cause some squirming amongst supporters of this administration's policies), you will find valuable insight and information on the rest of the world's view of "us." Read the book and see for yourself! As Clarke so elegantly says "As Americans, it is up to all of us to be well informed and thoughtful, to help our country make the right decisions in this time of testing." This book goes a long way towards providing important information about exactly what our government is and is not doing for us. At least some of the decisions, based upon that information, are still up to us. (By the way, I paid the full retail price for this book, and NO one has PAID me to write this review!)

This may very well be the most important book of the decade. Aside from the gripping subject it is also very well written. However it is the revelation of the contrast between the activity of the Clinton administration and the inattention of the Bush administration, and particularly of the President himself, that is most compelling. I can no recommend this book enough, particularly the riviting first chapter in which the events of 9/11 and 9/12 are related in detail and the second chapter that, in roughly 35 pages, gives an oveview of the roots of todays terror-filled world. Read this book. You will not regret it.

I'm a Republican and voted for George Bush. I have actually taken the time to read Richard Clarke's "Against all Enemies."

For the life of me I really haver to say the ANYONE who claims Clarke's book is partisan against George Bush has not even read the book. Also people claiming Clarke is "profiting on 9-11" had better be on record condmening Rudy Guiliani and many others as well.

Now a case in point. Condi Rice is bveing hung out to dry. Is it deserved? Well she has said, as have other admininistration officials, that no one could have imagined that terrorists would use planes in such a way. We no know this is a lie, it is clearly document as one of the top threats and one which was planned against france ealier.

Is this a blanket indictment of Bush, or for that matter of Clinton? No. But it does show that certain offcials are idiots and liars. It also shows that the intelligence community which has been made a scapegoat is much less to blame that administration politicos who can not see the world, events, and possible future events except through their political lenses. That is also where Clarke's illumination of the emphasis on Iraq, and the desperate attempt to find a 911 link to Iraq by Rice and Rumsfeld, refelcted their pre-911 obsession that by its nature distracted from the real threat that got 3,000 fellow Americans killed.

My brother came back from Afghanistan after spending the better part of a year there. He is as "gung ho" a patriot as you can find. He says we are vasty stretched thin in Afghanistan. He rejoined because of 911. I think there is going to be a big surprised for our party in the number of military and military familes who are going to stay home on election day.

Do yourself a favor no matter what your political view. Get Clarke's book, read it and recommend it to others. You will see the long term struggle we are up against, the level of threats from our enemy and the level of ineptitute and political self serving of some of our public officials. Richard clarke has done this nation a great service.

The important point of this book is not whether Clinton or Bush was more to blame for failing to prevent 9/11. It seems clear that neither administration would have been able to muster the political will from Congress, the American public, or foreign allies, that would have allowed an invasion of Afghanistan or other military measures sufficient to so disrupt Al Qaeda that the attack might have been prevented.

What is so important, and so very clear from the book, is that:

1. The Bush Administration was actually less concerned, and devoted substantially less resources and attention, to combating Al Qaeda, than the Clinton Administration. While Clinton's efforts to fight Al Qaeda were not sufficient to prevent 9/11, Bush substantially diminished the government's efforts.

2. The Bush Administration made a catastrophic mistake in launching an unnecessary and counterproductive war against Iraq while failing to complete the job in Afghanistan or otherwise focus sufficiently on Al Qaeda after 9/11.

Prior to 9/11, neither administrations did what would have been necessary to prevent the attacks, and neither would have had the political support to do so. After 9/11 however, the Bush administration did have the political support, both domestically and internationally, to do whatever was reasonably necessary, but squandered that support on the wrong war at the wrong time in the wrong place, for reasons that were preconceived prior to 9/11.

These truths are so clear that they are beyond reasonable refutation, which is doubtless why the Bush administration has undertaken personal attacks on Mr. Clarke rather than any refutation of his book on its merits. With the domestic economic policies of the administration so obviously a failure, there is no rationale for the Bush administration except its supposed wisdom and skill in fighting terrorism. This book demolishes that rationale.

Clarke's book is well written and casts blame on numerous people, presidents and himself. A friend of our family died in Iraq - and that is horrible all by itself. But the likelihood that he died for no good reason is enough to get this president a one way ticket back to Texas.

Also interesting to see all the one star reviews here - I'd love to find out how many of them actually read this book with an open mind (or read it at all). It's days like these that make me ashamed to have been a Republican. Thank you Richard Clarke for having the courage and patriotism to write this book!

The highest recommendations I can give for this book are that it is unexpectedly engaging and that it is enraging those who only accept their information pre-digested by Fox News. I wonder if those who are attacking Clarke have even read the book or have just seen the hacked up quotes on Fox and Rush.

Try reading it. Clarke is clear and direct and tells you in the first chapter one of the reasons he wrote the book. A close friend died in the 9/11 attack; a former FBI employee who would not have been in the World Trade Center if the FBI had paid attention to bin Laden.

This is not a dry analysis of terrorism. It is a fresh and current action story with Clarke's very personal but honest insights into how this happened. If you are interested in a unique and penetrating perspective of the war on terror, read this book.

If you are not interested in any perspective but your own, try reading it anyway. Doctors recommend elevating your heart rate at least 3 times weekly.

I also recommend reading Clarke's 9/11 Commission testimony (March 24th). It is so nuanced that the mincemeat served even by the mainstream media is misleading.