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 enlarge | Manufacturer: audible.com
Category: Audible
This item is no longer available
Avg. Customer Rating:  28 reviews
Media: Audio Download
ASIN: B001AF1FV2
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| Customer Reviews:
 Clarke again tells you things you ought to know September 6, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Clarke has a reputation for telling things that, while not secret, are things the Bush crowd would rather you didn't know. His 30+ years in government, at a fairly high level, give him credence. Among many other things, he tells you how the Administration bullied Tommy Franks into reducing the long-standing Iraq invasion requirement from 480K to 130K, and how there was no post-invasion plan, previously a requirement of any military operation. He points out that if a Democratic Administration had sent troops into Iraq with canvas doors on their Hummers, there would have been riots in the streets. He points out the shabby treatment that Gov Ridge got and why he finally quit. And of course there is passing comments on Karl Rove, the spin-master from Hell. It made me want to deport him back there on the spot. It short, it's a good read if you want the story told from the inside....
Clarke does it again August 17, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Clearly, Richard Clarke has a mission and that mission is to shed light on the major deceptions of the Bush administration. I am thank him for it. He lays out the ways in which the administration officials have put our country in a less secure position in the world. I am not going to tell more than that! Read the book!!! Every concerned American should read it! If you don't, you lose!
 excellant August 9, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
For those desiring to learn more about the process that has gotten our country into the current miserable shape that we find ourselves, this book is a must read. If anything Mr. Clarke overwhelms you with too much information. The facts as presented, show that there is no 'one' thing wrong, but an endless parade of malfunction and misfunction.
I would like to think that he could be correct and we could have politicians do the right things to make me be proud again to be an American. But I, the practical pessimist doubt it. American greed and hubris have become too great an obstacle to overcome.
Judge for yourself, but get the book, and learn the facts that Fox and CNN gloss over.
 Not a beach book August 9, 2008
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
I bought this book on the day it came out and was hoping for another insider's account - and was slightly disappointed. Clarke has an amazing array of experience and knowledge in government and he displays both with brilliance. However, he is writing to a narrow audience, to those who understand government as well as he does (or those who want to know all the nitty gritty). He admits that he spent years writing government reports and analysis, and his writing style reveals as much. He spends far too much time giving extremely detailed prescriptions for every problem. I think this book will be greatly helpful to the next administration, and he makes a good case that he should be an important piece of the next executive branch (national security advisor?).
However for a general audience, this book is far too detailed and policy wonkish. He uses words like "interagency departmental management" as if the reader can comprehend what that means (or as if the casual reader cares). He could get his point out better if he were to dumb down his prescriptions a bit. However, if his objective was not to sell books to a wide audience and merely to government insiders, then this book is a great success.
If you're going to the beach, do not take this book - you'll either fall asleep or contemplate throwing the book into the ocean out of confusion. Don't get me wrong - this book had a lot of fascinating information, such as the detailed information on military policy and how it has evolved. Even the cybersecurity chapter had me interested. But it took lots of careful reading to understand everything he talked about. I have lots of friends who love politics, yet I cannot think of anyone I could recommend this book to - it's too policy-centered for them. My advice - if you buy this book, skip the recommendations and just read about his experiences. For example, he discusses one instance where he meets up with a bunch of computer hackers in a warehouse for several hours discussing cybersecurity - just imagining the idea of Richard Clarke kicking back with a bunch of hackers is priceless enough.
A lot of information here. July 24, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
In this book I found answers to questions that have been in the back of my mind.
For example: Why are Guard and Reserve units used so much in Iraq?
The answer to that question is part of an explanation of how the military changed itself after Viet Nam. Intending to prevent another Viet Nam, the changes made could not prevent the Iraq fiasco.
Clarke provides definite ideas of what needs to be done to prevent more government failures. While it is disheartening to see just how dysfunctional our system has become through politicization, the suggestions to rectify the situation are clear and very doable by people serious to take on the task.
Two things I especially liked about this book.
Clarke names names. People who were responsible for failures but never held to account. And people who have exemplified professionalism.
Also, the book is very well written.
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