Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror

Rating:
Summary: Narrow and subjective approach to fighting terrorism
Review: The author not only exposes the hidden working of decision-makers that put many innocent lives in danger, but also shows that the author himself has been inflicted by the same inapt thinking and tunnel vision of many politicians, which the he were set to battle.

The author erroneously dates the major birth of terrorism, Al-Qaeda, to Afghanistan war, the Iranian revolution, and the rise of Saddam, all in 1979. That is viewed in the scope of the 30 years of the author's career in the government. The author thus oversimplifies cultural conflicts of very complex and long history.

Clarke's proposition for defeating terrorism entails the following three tasks: (1) overcoming homeland vulnerability, (2) creating counter-weight ideology to Wahhabism, and (3) aiding Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia to eradicate fanaticism. Though his approach might rid of many terrorists, it would not eliminate the ideas that drive some people to become fanatic.

First, his views on homeland security reflect his over-reaction to irrational fear. The 20 hijackers of 9/11 would have failed to carry out their plots had the cockpit doors of the four airplanes been securely locked. His obsession with nuclear threat to American cities by terrorism proves his extreme and irrational fear (because nuclear technology is impossible to gain access to without resourceful state's efforts).

Second, his proposal of creating counter-weight to fundamental Jihadists proves his naivety about international history. How could Mr. Clark's proposal succeed in defeating such exuberant appeal of religious altruism? He should have demanded that American politicians to rise above the fray and put the country above their personal greed for money, long-term service, and partisanship.

His third proposal of helping friends in the four troubled Islamic nations would bring more terrorism and instability. That is because America is pro-Israel, capitalist, and has long history of Apartheid and indifference to the welfare of poor majority. America supported many dictators such as the Shah of Iran, Saddam Hussein, and the family of King Saud, in addition to its support to the racist Zionist state of Israel. Thus, any interference by America in the Middle East will bring nothing but more terrorism.

The damning roots of America's troubles are vividly demonstrated in those books. The author, himself, admits that the Apartheid of South Africa is a sin, yet he makes deals with Israel that is founded on Apartheid and supported the Apartheid regime in South Africa (until he pressured his Israeli counterpart to abandon such practice). The author dignifies the advice of Egyptian president for averting the Iraq war (calls him an Arab leader), without the slightest sense that that dictator was not elected by his own people.
Although the war on Iraq is a disastrous conquest of monetary losses and squandering innocent lives, it could have been better utilized, in fighting oppression, as the poor and ruled see it. The greatest mistakes USA made was not going to war, but its double talk, making deals with oppressors and deviating clearly from the American Ideals.