Rating: 
Summary: It's all Clinton's fault
Review: Posner lays out quite a dissertation on the failures of Clinton and his inept administration on even remotely trying to combat the war on terrorism. Posner reveals shocking and disturbing information on our ostensible "allies" the Saudis and their irrefutable link to 9/11. The Saudis duplicity in Al Queda and aiding and abetting terrorism is not in doubt any longer. The well chronicled abysmal failure of Clinton in refusing to nab Bin Laden when given the chance in Sudan is corroborated by indisputable facts by Posner. Good job, Gerald.
Rating: 
Summary: Why America Slept - America's Alarm Clock is Clanging
Review: Why America Slept - America's Alarm Clock is Clanging Loudly (And Boy, Are They Annoyed!)From the time of the bombing of the Marine barracks in Lebanon to the near-assassination of former President Bush to the destruction of the World Trade Center, the footsteps of a menacing enemy have grown ever nearer, and Americans have literally slept through the warnings. They stirred at each shaking of slumber, and then promptly went back to sleep again. Posner's new book is a wake-up call, a reminder of many things that we knew, and were able to read about for ourselves, but just as quickly dismissed again, and forgot about. Ostensibly concerned with the devastation of September 11, 2001, Posner guides the reader through a crucial analysis of the relationship between America's domestic and international intelligence agencies, the CIA and FBI. He details the inner political intrigues of both agencies, and the fundamental differences in their priorities and goals that set them at odds like two dissimilar, feuding brothers, and ultimately cause them to fail the country they're sworn to protect. Posner also chronicles the most significant of the many pre-September 11 terror attacks, noting America's failure to deliver a strong, decisive response. Conservative readers, weary of the media's love affair with liberals and the Democratic party, will be delighted with the way Posner holds Clinton accountable for his apathetic responses to terrorist attacks (his answer to an attempt on the life of former President George H. Bush was to bomb an empty building in Baghdad in the middle of the night) and the many opportunities he missed to capture Usama Bin Laden. The current President Bush is not entirely let off the hook, nor is former President Ronald Reagan. There is no one in America who ultimately does not bear some responsibility for the attack, including the American people themselves. But this book is such a page-turner for those fascinated by the political intrigue, the taking-to-task of politicians and bureaucrats, and by the inside look at the behind-the-scenes bureaucracies, the secrets the media failed to properly inform the American public of, that Americans don't realize how much they are to blame until they come to Posner's bibliography at the end, and see the endless list of news stories and books they could have read to keep themselves informed, and either didn't read or had forgotten about until it was too late. So Posner reminds us of the terrorist attack on the observation deck of the Empire State Building and how it was dismissed as merely the action of a loner. He takes us back to the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole, the Kenya embassies, Pan Am Flight 103, which had three CIA agents aboard coming home for Christmas. He even returns us to the Oklahoma City bombing, teases us with a few eyewitness accounts that were ignored and then shows us how the distraction with the case led to such a strain of the FBI's resources that they were unable to follow the leads of more serious terrorist threats. He examines TWA Flight 800, though unaccountably makes no mention of the stories that were prominent in the days' papers about an FBI terrorism expert who was aboard that flight, and leaves readers to draw their own conclusions, despite the official determination of what might have caused the flight's destruction. Readers will find the interrogation of an actual terrorist the most fascinating, an account worthy of a James Bond movie or a Tom Clancy novel. Clancy has predicted for years what kind of things could happen. Posner's book isn't fiction. Nor is it Nostradamus. Unfortunately for us, it's all history. Somewhat troubling is that fact that Posner makes no mention of the interrogation of Khalid Mohammed, mainly because the FBI wasn't very forthcoming with the details. Mohammed's accounts, in any case, may not prove to be as reliable as someone lower in the ranks and less practiced at evading an interrogator's questions. But in Posner's style, it would have made very interesting reading. Posner's book is a page-turner that will have readers shouting, "Unbelievable!" every few pages. Most readers will be downright furious. Liberals will grumble and dismiss it as conservation sour grapes. To those few who'd been paying attention all these years, the fangs of rage won't bite quite so deeply, and will be mixed with bemusement, though there are still a few ironic surprises, like the FBI agent who spoke at a terrorist convention, thinking it was the Rotary Club. Posner writes that Usama Bin Laden's contempt for Americans has its roots in their apathy. After reading this book, no one can say that they didn't know. Posner is to be commended for his attempt, though perhaps not entirely perfect, to set the record straight. Let us hope Americans will keep Posner's book for posterity and heed it, unlike the many newspaper accounts that for years heralded the events of September 11 only, if read at all, to wind up lining bird cages.
Rating:
Summary: Riveting
Review: Chapter 19 of this book is powerful and riveting. Anyone that is interested in finding out how we are fighting this 21st century war should take an hour to read this chapter. Kudos to Mr. Posner on telling a story so many of us have been wanting, and hoping, to hear.
Rating:
Summary: Wake Up America
Review: As always, my trust in Gerald Posner's ability to research and analyze a topic has been well-placed. The world at large questions how September 11 could have happened and we as Americans need to address such questions and seize responsibility for accepting poor performance from our various governmental officials and agencies. There is more than enough blame to spread around, but for this reader, the most horrifying and continuous situation, is the unwillingness and refusal of the FBI and CIA to work together. I lost count of the number of committees, blue ribbon panels, studies, etc. formed to figure out how these 2 groups could remember what should be the common goal of protecting our country. Posner's chronological recounting of the systematic and patient infiltration of our communities by Islamic fundamentalist terrorists calls our attention to the need for a greater understanding of what fuels the hatred toward America from these groups. For any caring American, this book is a must-read.
Rating: 
Summary: Everyone's To Blame So No One's to Blame
Review: The conclusion of the book is that everyone is to blame for September 11. Law enforcement, federal authorities, the public at large, politicians, the media. I just didn't find this a very interesting or insightful analysis. The book just ends up as a laundry list of mistakes by different segments of society. All this wouldn't be so bad if there were a strong story to propel the reader through the book, but that's lacking as well. Professionals or experts who don't mind more academic kinds of books might find this book useful but I can't imagine the average reader will want to "curl up with it." It's just not that kind of book.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Read!
Review: Mr. Posner's new book is a must read for all concerned Americans - those concerned about yesterday, today and tomorrow - not just about the events leading up to 9/11. We all know the world is a scarey, murderous place...but the particular power of this book is in its awakening the reader as to why this is so. It is a tragically sad book, too - sad beyond belief because, truth be told, 9/11 most certainly need not have happened. The book is a history of militant Islamic hatred of the West and a catalog of criminal intelligence agency ignorance that did more than their myopic share to see the twin towers topple. Mr. Posner - thank you!
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting but Selective tale of the road to 9/11.
Review: I found this book an informative and detailed look
at the intelligence and security blunders that led
to the 9/11 tragedy. Posners thesis is that faliures
by the CIA and FBI to do their jobs effectively due
to interagency competition, cultural differences within
the organizations and often plain "Asleep at the wheelism"
Thus enabling the 19 hijackers to accomplish their horrible mission.
He also points to serious failure within the U.S.
government to take Islamist terroism seriously.
He is very critical of the Clinton administration failure
to take the growing Al Qaeda threat seriously.
Fair enough ;they made some serious miscalaculations.
Ironically in my opinion he goes too easy on the Bush
administration neglecting such questionable gaffs as
allowing Saudis including members of Bin Ladens family
to leave the country without any questioning. Barbara
Bodines efforts to block the FBI's John O'Neills
investigation into Al Qaeda activities in Yemen and
the USS Cole bombing. Condoleeza Rice's failure to
take warnings from John O'Neill and foreign intelligence
seriously. He also treads lightly around the Bush/Saudi Royal family connections which get them the
"Kid GLove" treatment.
Overall there is not much really new here
to those of us who have read seriously to try to
understand the current "War on Terrorism and the
connected global events. It's pretty common knowledge
at this point that the 9/11 attacks had support from
elements high up in the Saudi Government and Royal family
as well as the the Pakistani Intelligence Service.
Posner also uses some questionable details that have
never been confirmed ie. the training of terrorists in
Iraq to Hijack planes by illuding that these were
Al Qaeda members that Sadam trained.
The last chapter, while an entertaining account of the
supposed capture and questioning of Al Qaeda's Abu Zayaf
in Pakistan is not backed by identified sources. Though gripping and thought provoking my impression is that
Mr Posner was trying to provide an emotional payoff
for readers that cheapened the book somewhat.
Rating:
Summary: You won't sleep much after you read this...
Review: This is a very informative book and a very sad one, too. Mr. Posner takes us chronologically and logically through the rise of Islamic terrorism aimed at the US (that's us, folks)over the past decade or so, and our many failures to adequately protect ourselves. Much of what you read will anger you. But your anger will not be aimed just at the terrorists but also towards the people we pay to protect us: our government. Buy this book, read it, and then send it to your favorite government official with a note that says: "NEVER LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN".
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing. Confused, Meandering.
Review: I bought this book with another book, "Losing bin Laden: How Bill Clinton's Failures Unleashed Global Terror." Losing bin Laden was a really absorbing story about Bill Clinton's failures that led to 9-11, starting with the first day of his presidency until his last day when Clinton stayed up late signing pardons for his friends. Losing bin Laden has terrific info from interviews with senior Clinton officials, including Bruce Lindsey!, and you come away with a solid understanding of the why's, what's and when's of Clinton's failures. After reading Losing bin Laden, I was really looking forward to reading Posner's book after seeing him and the Losing bin Laden author on the same tv show. But this book is surprisingly disappointing. It focuses too much attention on local terrorism issues, like what was going on in New Jersey and Oklahoma, and too much attention on the Muslim communites in those local areas. Then it jumps around to a few things about the FBI, a few things about the CIA, a few things about Pakistan, etc. Then it jumps to the financing of terrorists, and then jumps to Afghanistan. Because of all that jumping around, there are only a few paages all together about what's going on in the Clinton White House. Really frustrating reading and following something so meandering and confused. And disappointing that it doesn't really focus much attention on Clinton's failures. The book lacks basic focus. It tells you a little about a lot but you don't come away from it with a real understanding of much.
Rating:
Summary: Disclosure; after the fact
Review: The question is, why they can't them be more honest, themselves. We (public) aren't supposed to know everything, if we did, we wouldn't be able to sleep at night.
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