i used my 16 hour flight from new york to hong kong to finish this book. “against all enemies” is a book i should have read when it came out, but for some reason i postponed it till now..

dick clarke is providing the ultimate insider story of how the US was handling the terrorism threat prior to 9/11. unlike the looming tower or ghost wars which focus on the environment and conditions that created al qaeda, this book focuses on the US response (or lack there of) to it.

dick was the “terrorism czar” in the white house. although it is not clear to me what authority he had, it seems (if you believe his account) that he had a lot of power and ability to push the different players (DOD, CIA, FBI, State Department, etc.) to give more attention to the terrorist threat.

as you read the book you can’t but feel frustrated, since the US had so many chances to stop 9/11 from happening. 

it also offers a strong critic of the bush administration and its behavior pre and post 9/11. specifically its fixation with iraq. if what described in the book is true, bush should be impeached. no question about it.

the book itself is engaging, though dick clarke portrayal of himself is funny. he seems like a james bond wanna be, yet he sits behind a desk all his life, willing to sacrifice his life if needed..

a highly recommended read for anyone interested in 9/11, iraq and the current bush administration.