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Fri 26 Mar, 2004 08:17 am
I'm reading Richard Clarke's book right now and I can't say enough to recommend it. And I mean that quite aside from the partisan issues.
Because of where Clarke has been working for thirty years, and because of the centrality of his activities, the book presents a window into the affairs of government, intelligence, foreign affairs, the pentagon, etc which is extraordinarily revealing and educational. This really is a book which should find itself on high school curricula, not to mention in every home.
The first chapter deals with the morning of Sept 11, from the experience of the man who Rice placed in charge of crisis management. This is the situation room of the White House that morning. It is absolutely riveting.
But the book offers up important information quite peripheral to those matters which are presently gaining headlines and the White House attacks on Clarke. For example, page 41 describes how both the Iraq attack on Kuwait and its earlier attack on Iran came as complete surprises to the intelligence and military people. Of course, there had been speculation that either or both had been covertly allowed by the US.
I went to buy last night, there was thirty people in line at the cashiers and I was late for dinner. Getting it this afternoon. We'll compare notes.
J
joe
Yes, it looks like interest in the book took the publishers by surprise.
Clarke is tough. He minces no words in his testimony either about his own work or of others and he's done the two things that make him even more believable 1) offered his apology to the victims and 2) said under oath that he is not seeking another political position in government. He has definitely struck a chord with the folks here in the NYC. This is going to stay alive awhile.
Meanwhile, Rice's demand for an addition closed-door meeting may not be approved in view of her very public allowance of questions from reporters, including by invitation to her offices. Tom Brokaw can ask questions but my Senator cannot? Huh?
She could be toast, none of others are as expendable as she is.
Some one borrowed my book soon after I bought it. So I had to buy a new one tonight. Reading. Very interesting.
Any conservative comments? I am thinking of buying it...
The book is hard to get in some cities here, Deb. I recommend it. It reads like a fiction novel......but it's not fiction....unfortunately.
In 1992 and 1994, the Israeli embassy and a jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires were bombed. Intelligence pointed to Hezbollah and Iran. The administration, by Executive Order, introduced a ban on trade with Iran including prohibition of US subsidiaries in third countries from trading in Iranian oil. Opposing these sanctions, designed specifically to punish Iran for complicity in terrorism, was the head of Halliburton, Dick Cheney.
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