Customer Reviews:
 A lot of information here. July 24, 2008
2 out of 4 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.
The Truth is Told July 21, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Your Government Failed You: Breaking the Cycle of National Security Disasters. Richard Clarke has done it again. TOLD the truth and confronted the naysayers with cold hard facts. His knowledge of the facts is outstanding. Each day more of what he has prophesied comes true or is brought to light by former insider's who's conscience finally caught up with them.
 What Happened July 15, 2008
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
This a very good book with many surprises. You think you are up to date on things happening in Washington? Not so!! Read this book to find out things you can't even imagine.
Failure Is Not An Option July 13, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
9/11; Massive national intelligence failures; the Iraqi War; Oil and the current energy crisis; International and domestic terrorism. What happened? Where did we go wrong? Who is to blame? These are just a few questions the American Public deserves answers to as a result of our government's failure to fully investigate, cooperate, and act on intelligence leads. Richard A. Clarke has written an explosive expose' of what went wrong agency by agency, and believe me, he spares no one. In his book, "Your Government Failed You: Breaking the Cycle of National Security Disasters", Mr. Clarke outlines the history of how we got to where we are, what went wrong, and how we get out of the mess we're in.
Richard A. Clarke is a foreign policy professional. He served in the Pentagon, State Department, and National Security Agency; working side by side with the key policy makers in both the Clinton and Bush Administrations. This is a guy who has "been there and done that".
If you are tired of all the partisan finger pointing and want to know the unvarnished truth, then I urge to read this book. The American People deserve noting less than honest answers, and Mr. Clarke provides them in spades.
Must Reading for Elected Officials July 13, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Clarke writes very well. This amusing, wonkish book should be read by Obama, McCain, Barr, and all members of the US Congress, the CIA, the FBI, and Homeland Security, as well as by the 50 governors---and by the staffs of these officers.
Clarke makes many sensible suggestions as to how to keep us safe. I hope some or all of them are eventually adopted.
On energy security, Clarke points out that nuclear power is the only safe, always-on, carbon-free source of power that is currently available.
He has, however, drunk the Kool-Aide on clean coal. He seems to think that with reasonable effort, we can sequester the 3 billion (3,000,000,000) tons of hot carbon-dioxide gas that annually go up the smokestacks of our coal-fired power plants mixed with billions of tons of hot air. This task would be enormously expensive; it would dwarf even the long-term costs of Bush's invasion and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. Instead, we should employ nuclear power on a large scale and do further research on wind, solar, and on batteries for cars and trucks.
|
