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HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? Terrorism and the New War

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Let's see. Contributors to this collection include: Bill Clinton's secretary of defense; Bill Clinton's national security advisor; a raft of folks from Bill Clinton's National Security Council; Bill Clinton's hand-picked chairman of the Joint Chiefs and his Supreme Allied Commander, Europe; and the chairman of Bill Clinton's Council of Economic Advisors. If one thing is clear, even from reading just the table of contents, it's that the answer to the title question won't involve pointing many fingers at America's forty-second president.

And it turns out it doesn't. As befits Foreign Affairs magazine, which assembled the essays published here, the contributors are all pillars of the Foreign Policy Establishment (can you get more ubiquitous than Brian Jenkins?). Consequently, few of the analyses or recommendations venture far from what you'd find on the New York Times op-ed page.

I thought the first four essays were the best in the book. They analyzed the September 11 terrorists themselves, the Middle Eastern culture whence they sprang, and the impact of America's quest for a Pax Americana. Once the focus turned from history and sociology to defense and counter-terrorism strategies, the voice of Conventional Wisdom was clearly recognizable.

Sandy Berger's offering is typical: 'First, we must dismantle and destroy the terror groups arrayed against us, and their support systems, using every tool at our disposal, including military force. In so doing, we must use that force in a way that isolates the extremists without isolating us. ... Second, we must bring more of our diplomatic, political, intellectual, and economic energy to the Islamic world ... Third, we must actively seek to reverse the spiral of violence in the Middle East...' (p. 126-127). It says so much, and yet so little.

In the next essay, William Wechsler argues that President Clinton did the right thing in targeting the Al Qaeda financial structure, and that President Bush needs to keep doing it, and also start doing it again. The bad guys here, it turns out, were Phil Gramm and Paul O'Neill, who failed to recognize the wisdom of the Clinton approach.

Another theme runs through these latter essays too. 'The U.S. government needs more power to (Wechsler, p. 142) ... the key for [Tom] Ridge will be budgetary authority (Nye, p. 206) ... devote more funding to intelligence and law enforcement programs (Perry, p. 237) ... there simply wasn't enough money in the defense budgets (Clark, p. 246)' ... and on, and on. A nice contrast was Richard Betts' clear-eyed piece about the U.S. intelligence community, its 'failures' in the war against terrorism, and what the American people can and legitimately should expect from our intelligence agencies.

In all, there is some good background and historical material here, and a few insights into establishment thinking on terrorism and how to deal with it. But few people who've been paying attention to these issues will fund much here that's new.

For those who wish to understand both "how" and "why" events on September 11th occurred, I think this is the best single-source of information and analysis. Hoge and Rose have assembled and edited 23 essays written by a commendably diverse number of authorities on separate but related subjects which include an "anatomy of the terrorist attack" (Brian M. Jenkins). "Islam through history" (Karen Armstrong), "prevention, deterrence, defense" (William J. Perry), "the economic repercussions" (Martin N. Bailey), and "what September 11th hath wrought" (Fareed Zakaria). Obviously, all of us (including these and other authorities) are still sorting through and correlating new information as it becomes available. Definitive "answers" to the questions we now ask may not be determined for years and perhaps not for decades. Obviously, the events which occurred on September 11th did not occur in a vacuum. Moreover, the implications and consequences of those events continue to reveal themselves. For me, this anthology's greatest value lies in the frame of reference which the essayists create. Hoge and Rose conclude their Introduction as follows: "As we mourn the dead, we must also absorb the lessons, some of which are grim. Additional terrorist attacks on America are likely. Chemical and biological weapons may be used. September 11, an outrage and a tragedy for us, is an inspiration for terrorists. Only preparedness, determination, and ultimately, self-confidence can offset the forebodings. The moral that Winston Churchill chose for his towering history of the previous global conflict is as apt now as it was then:

In War: Resolution
In Defeat: Defiance
In Victory: Magnanimity
In Peace: Goodwill

Those who carefully read this book will also be better prepared to understand what has yet to occur, not only in the United States but throughout the world.

Hoge and Rose are the editor and managing editor, respectively, of Foreign Affairs. The title asks the question, referring to 9/11, and the various essays in the book collectively answer it. There are 23 essays in the book that approach 9/11 from a wide variety of angles. The authors, each a recognized expert in his/her field, are a bunch of very smart, experienced people giving their take on what happened, why it happened, and what it means. No matter what your particular area of interest is - geopolitics, military, sociology, etc. - there's something in this book for you.
Take, for example, the essay "Was It Inevitable ~ Islam Through History," by Karen Armstrong. She admires the virtues of Islam and views the current (last few decades) spate of terrorism in an Islamic fundamentalist historical context. It is an attempt at reform (islah) and renewal (tajdid). "This type of reform, which tried to go back to the fundamentals, became known as the Salafiyya because it looked back to al-Salaf al-Salih, 'the venerable forefathers'" (pg. 65). One of the most famous of these reform movements was Wahhabi, which is the brand of Islam practiced today in Saudi Arabia and in which Osama bin Laden was born.
Contrast this with Walter Laquer (in his essay "Left, Right, and Beyond ~ The Changing Face of Terror"). He puts it in the context of a more general history of terrorism and explains (pg. 76) the rise of Islamist radicalism (terrorism) as the result of a decline of political doctrines and the emergence of a spiritual and intellectual vacuum, albeit the connection is not always straightforward (pg. 77).
Other examples of the plentitude of ideas abound. Milton Beardon ("Graveyard of Empires ~ Afghanistan's Treacherous Peaks") provides a brief, but excellent background on the rise of the Taliban and its Arab influence (the so called Afghan Arabs). Richard K. Betts ("Intelligence Test ~ The Limits of Prevention") provides an outstanding thumbnail analysis of the problems facing the intelligence community in the post-Cold War world. "The All-to-Friendly Skies ~ Security as an Afterthought", by Gregg Easterbrook is alarming, even in retrospect. It provides valuable insight into commercial operations, such as (pg. 179) the point at which commercial airplane pilots actually take command of a given flight and why some pilots want an earlier assumption of that command. "The Unguarded Homeland ~ A Study in Malign Neglect" by Stephen E. Flynn describes how the nature of our economic infrastructure, with its interconnectedness, lack of redundancy, and heavy reliance on private security, increases our vulnerability to attack (i.e., to critical interdiction). He also describes the strain on the US Customs Service, the Coast Guard, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and other government agencies.
The list goes on. The essays provide not only a description of the social and political environment in which 9/11 occurred, but also offer policy options (such as in "The New Security Mantra - Prevention, Deterrence, and Defense" by William J. Perry). The book includes a sobering piece by Anatol Lieven ("The Cold War Is Over ~ The True Significance of the Attacks").
A clear message emerges. What made us vulnerable was a combination of a certain amount of complacency born of arrogance due to no recent US airliner hijackings (no successful attempts for the past 14 years - pg. 166), a low appreciation of the threat based on patterns of terrorist activity as well as an improperly focused intelligence apparatus, and a demand for faster, cheaper air travel. Our focus has improved and our willingness to pay what it costs has already brought improvement with much more on the way if we can sustain our alarm (which is to say, our determination). The question is not "Are we safer since 9/11?" That answer is an unequivocal "Yes." The appropriate question is "Are we safe enough?" Hindsight is once again shown to be 20/20. In retrospect there were some valid reasons for not piecing together the likelihood of 9/11 and there were some that were not so valid. There were plenty of panels and papers providing warnings, but the broader national attitude didn't lend itself to paying heed. The sad truth is that terrorism approaches its targets like water seeking holes in a vessel. Time and our own attitudes are terrorists' allies. Determination, perseverance, and, above all, imagination are the bulwarks of our defense.
Another message emerges as well: the Cold War really is over, and a new world order really is emerging. It may or may not be the one envisaged by President Bush the elder, but 9/11 is the opening campaign of the first war as captured by President Bush the younger. The nation must adapt to new and still-forming geopolitical and cultural realities if we are to prosper in the future. This is an excellent primer to prepare for that journey.

Many would and do say that it is easy to see how this could happen, meaning the attacks were in fact low down and low tech, hitting us at our vulnerable spot, our freedom. The book does in fact have evidense of being put together to quickly here and there, but for the most part there is new information and up to date background info on the terrorists I did not know. The book is not just how did this happen, there is considerable info here from various trusted sources that has been upgraded from their past writes. Another book similar not only mentions "how this" but predicted it would happen and goes into detail, even predicting precise accounts. I strongly recommend Karl Mark Maddox, a surprising paper back titled SB 1 or God.

The question that is the title of this book is one that will be pondered over for a very very long time. Obviously the 9/11 attacks had many causes from the roots of the "jihad" against us to the failures of security and intelligence operations. In this book, published shortly after the attacks, the editors of "Foreign Affairs" have gathered together a diverse group of experts on various subjects relating to the terrible events of that day and asked each to submit a short essay on their particular area of expertise. The first group concern Islam, the Middle East and the U.S. role in the region. Brian Jenkins attempts to dissect the Al Quaeda organization. Fouad Ajami, a foreign affairs thinker I greatly admire, writes about the uneasy American presence in the Middle East and its relationship to the jihad against the West. Michael Scott Doran also covers this subject from the perspective that the United States is intervening in an Islamic civil war. Karen Armstrong, an expert on Islam, briefly examines the religion's history to demonstrate how Islam has no tradition of violence and the Medieval tradition of conquest was not inspired by the Koran. It is her view that today's Islamic radicalism is a modern phenomenon. Walter Laqueur, an expert on terrorism, contributes a fascinating piece on the changing tactics of terrorists. He looks at the stark difference in scale of bloodshed between the nationalistic terrorists such as the IRA or the Basque Separatists who had at least rational goals, if not deplorable methods, and the nihilism of the Islamists. Other essays look at the history of Afghanistan, the duplicitous role played by Saudi Arabia and Sandy Berger contributes an essay on Bin Laden's phony concern for the Palestinians. The next series looks to issues of protecting the U.S. homeland. William Weschler writes about the difficulties of cutting off Al Quaeda's finances. Richard K. Betts discusses the difficulties of using counter-intelligence to thwart attacks. Gregg Easterbrook documents the pathetic airline security. Stephen Flynn demonstrates the pathetic state of homeland security on 9/11. The remaining essays deal with such diverse issues as the threat of germ warfare, and how the U.S. needs to conduct the war on terrorism. My personal favorite essay is by Michael Mandelbaum who writes about "diplomacy in wartime." Mandelbaum recognizes that diplomacy is not just about the carrot but also about the stick.

Due to its October 2001 publication date, some of this book seems out of date. Nevertheless, it remains valuable as a documentation of the first impressions of a number of important thinkers to the challenges that lie ahead. It does not explain "how this happened" nor does it set out to do so. Someday, when the smoke clears, THE book on how and why this happened will surely be written. Just as happened with the British nap of the thirties that allowed Hitler to become a mortal threat, we will eventually learn the true reason America slept for ten years while this horrendous threat got worse and worse. This book is well worth reading, however, and provides some basic insight.

I have no idea how they managed to pull this together so quickly, but it's a fantastic collection of pieces by top experts on just about every conceivable aspect of the crisis--from what motivated the terrorists, to the geopolitical background of the attacks, to homeland defense problems, to what the larger significance of all this is and where things go from here. You get the sense that the authors really know what they're talking about, but it's written very accessibly too. The perfect Christmas present for anybody who can't stop watching the news...

With such an indispensable question asked of this book's title, the book never reaches it to that indispensable mark. It certainly hits all around the dartboard like a late night drunk randomly firing darts in his favorite corner bar at three in the morning. But to answer a question like "How did this happen (9/11?" we need a stone cold sober dart champion focused and singular firing bull's eye after bull's eye.

Here's what I mean, in the same book we get disparate articles on "The Biological Threat From Abroad," by Richard Butler, "What's next for U.S. Armed Forces," by Gen Wesley Clark, and "American Society Responds to the New War," by Alan Wolfe; none of which go towards answering the question that continues to burn in the minds of free people across the world, "How did this happen?" or more succinctly "Why?"

Give credit where it is due to the editors of Foreign Affairs (one of my favorite journals) for assembling such a powerhouse of national policy experts writing about the topics they know best, but to unroot the causes of Islamic extremist one book alone won't cut it. Delve much deeper than what this book has to offer. Check out some of the assembled suggested reading listmania lists here on "Amazon.com" and start digging in. I've read about 10 books on the subject to date and feel like I have ten more to go to scratch at some sort of understanding.

What we need to here from is from inside the Maddrassas that ingrain a hatred of the West from an early age. These schools are all over Pakistan and dotted about the Middle East. If we can get at why these children are taught to hate and are hijacking a peaceful beautiful religion maybe we can get closer to answering the question, "How did this happen?"

Read this book to hear how the leaders in their respective fields view the terrorist problem and what is to be done all from a US perspective, but don't buy into the preconception that it will answer the question published on the title.

Although this book was a rush job right after the 9-11 attacks it does cover some very interesting issues and points of view. The book has essays from a number of foreign policy and terrorism experts on topics ranging from the CIA efforts in Afghanistan, the cultural environment in the Middle East, airport security, bio-weapons and the ability of the US armed forces to handle this new threat. The topics covered are very interesting and gives the reader and good overview of the different issues involved in this complicated foreign policy and security issue. The essays are also minus most of the emotion that many other books on the 9-11 attacks have. This is probably due to the topics of the essays and the limited space each author was given. The editors also did a good job of arranging the essays so that the book had a good flow and the items lead into one another.

Overall my only real complaint with the book is that there were a few errors here and there, but they are due to the quick publishing date of the book and do not take away much from the points. Also reading a book with a new author per chapter you do not have a consistent writing style but the editors did a good job in that the wide range of authors is not a detriment to the flow of the book. I assumption is that the test of some was edited with a heavy hand to provide the consistent writing style. Overall the book is an interesting look at the causes of the 9-11 attacks and well worth reading.

For an instant book this is a very solid piece of work, certainly the best single place to start trying to understand September 11. My major criticism is that it does not contain suggestions for further reading.

As usualy, the editors of Foreign Affaris have published timely and trenchant analysis. The essays cover all aspects of 9/11, from root causes to practical concerns regarding the truly terrifying state of airline security in the United States. The essay on the sad state of port security is rather unsettling. I learned more from this collection than from the endless hours spent watching CNN and Fox News.