Rating: 
Summary: A good, personal history of recent terrorism
Review: Richard A. Clarke's AGAINST ALL ENEMIES: INSIDE AMERICA'S WAR ON TERROR is not primarily a political attack on the administration of George W. Bush. It is unfortunate that some in the White House and Congress have politicized and attacked the author, who has worked on issues of national defense, intelligence, and mostly on counterterrorism for four administrations (Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, and Bush II). AGAINST ALL ENEMIES is primarily a history of terrorism and counterterrorism since 1980 and the personal role of Mr. Clarke during this era. Only part of the first chapter ("Evacuate the White House") and then the last two chapters ("Before and After September 11" and "Right War, Wrong War") of this eleven-chapter book are specifically about and critical of the Bush II administration.
After an exciting opening chapter on what happened at the White House on 9/11, Clarke's book shifts back in time and discusses the emergence and terrorism of radical Islamic groups, especially the Iranian-sponsored Hezbollah, and then Usama bin Laden and al Qaeda since 1980. Clarke blames certain officials in all four administrations for not being sufficiently concerned about terrorism, including current National Security Advisor Dr. Rice. But it seems to me that he mostly blames the FBI and the CIA of the 1990s--during the Clinton administration--for failing to adjust to the new world of international, radical Islamic terrorism despite repeated warnings by Clarke, John O'Neill, and other terrorism experts in the government. Given that the CIA is primarily responsible for producing the recent bogus intelligence on the "imminent" danger of three kinds of weapons of mass destruction (chemical, biological, nuclear) in Iraq, it's hard not to agree with Clarke's criticisms of that agency. The book ends with Mr. Clarke's criticism of the Bush II Administration's fixation on Iraq (especially by VP Cheney Deputy Sec. of Defense Paul Wolfowitz) and, in Clarke's view, that this second Iraq War has weakened the war against terrorism.
The reason I give 4 stars rather than 5 is because I would like to see sources and documents included--not because I doubt any factual information or even Mr. Clarke's analysis. As far as I can tell, the factual information in this book is accurate and Mr. Clarke's analysis is reasonable. However, more sources and documents would add additional strength to the book. Perhaps the publisher could add a website with important declassified documents included? It also seems that certain parts of the book jump around bit, perhaps because some information is still classified.
In sum, AGAINST ALL ENEMIES is an extremely important book and should be read by everyone--regardless of politics or ideology--who is concerned about 9/11, national defense, and terrorism.
Rating: 
Summary: Read this book before the election
Review: Richard A. Clarke, a national security expert, has written a book that must at least be perused by voters before they make their choice in November. Despite the predictable attemps to discredit him by the current administration, Clarke has served in several administrations, both Republican and Democrat, and is a registered Republican who voted for George W. Bush in the last election. A foreign policy and national security expert, he cannot be dismissed as simply a Kerry sympathizer who is trying to influence the election.
The book contains a synopsis of events involving the Islamic world from the Reagan administratiion on, but deals mostly with events closer to 9/11, and that tragedy's aftermath. Altho his insights confirm my reading of the situation, many Americans will be appalled at the revelations in the book: The failure of the current administration to take terrorism seriously until 9/11, and the obsession with Iraq that lead to a war which was unnecessary at this point; and which has tied us down to the point where we cannot use our military as effectively as possible elsewhere, thus weakening our war on terrorism.
Bush supporters will either be outraged or dismayed by Against All Enemies, Bush opponents confirmed in their judgement. But Clarke's book goes beyond party politics. It gets right to the heart of the dangers threatening societies both Western and Islamic from radical Muslim fundamentalists, and aks if we can afford policies which fail to adequately focus on these dangers, and instead go off in directions tangential to the main concerns. Everyone concerned with the ongoing War on Terrorism, regardless of their politics, should read this book!
Rating:
Summary: A Devastating Indictment of an Incompetent Government
Review: This book confirms what several media reports during the past six months have suggested: Bush and his neo-con allies had no clue about terrorism. They were fixated on Iraq and refused to accept the absence of any evidence linking 9/11 to Iraq. Indeed, the Iraq war has strengthened terrorism and made us less secure. But the real tragedy is the death of 600 brave young Americans and the maiming of thousands of others in this war. I believe Bush lied to the American people and should be impeached. This is the worst government in my lifetime. Bush must be defeated in November.
Rating: 
Summary: Save your money!!!
Review: An arrogant, angry liar who did nothing for this country for 8 years under Clinton but now blames Bush for 7 months in 2001.It simply is not credible - changing his story from 2 years ago for the money. AND THEN MR EGOTISTICAL APOLOGIZES. Do NOT buy this book of lies. It now appears he lied before the Congress. He should go to jail for writing this book never mind the lies under sworn testimony......SAVE YOUR MONEY!!!
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating look at the War on Terrorism
Review: Mr. Clarke presents a fascinating look at the war on terrorism and the failure of efforts to prevent the major catastrophes of recent years. The book is controversial, but is well written and is certainly worth the time.
Rating:
Summary: Idiots
Review: I haven't read this book. I won't pretend I did. But neither did 95% of the negative reviewers. It just bugs me that people make broadside, ad hominum attacks against anyone who says anything they don't like.
Rating:
Summary: a great but frightening read........
Review: first off, thank you, mr. clarke for having the b---s and guts to come forth with the truth! it's no secret that our unelected current president, from the very start, vowed revenge against saddam for trying to assinate gw senior! osama was not nearly as important as gw2's passion against saddam, even after 9/11! this s an honest open and candid book in which mr. clarke admits to as much blame as everyone else and apoligizes for those losses on 9/11! no one else has ever done so yet! we have a fool in the white house who can barely speak correct english, and is merely a puppet with his team behind him pulling every string! i'm sorry-i voted for gwb2 and i am also to blame for that error! it will not happen again in november! bravo, mr. clarke! i've now read the book twice, and will do so again...
Rating:
Summary: an angry Republican
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Oh, Please!
Review: This man likes the sound of his own voice, but I certainly don't
when he's willing to say ANYTHING to sell a few books.
Rating:
Summary: Someone finally apologized
Review: Do you know that not a SINGLE Bush Administration official has resigned or been fired over 9/11? Not a single individual in the Bush White House has apologized to the American people for the greatest security blunder in our history. Finally, someone has the courage to stand up and tell our Emperor that he has not clothes, and somehow the GOP has the gall (after eight years of sniffing around Clinton's boxers and teaching America that it's cool to hate the President) to challenge a man with decades of service to our country because he won't kiss the Elephant's ring. Read this book, and consider what four more years of King George the Blind would do to our country.
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