First published 2004
Richard Clarke assembles a diverse task force to tackle the most pressing security challenge of the era. The team faces mounting pressure as they analyze America's mixed record in counterterrorism efforts since 9/11. Clarke pushes his colleagues to confront uncomfortable truths about failed policies and missed opportunities. The group must navigate competing interests as they develop strategies for Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Iraq. Internal debates rage over intelligence reforms, military restructuring, and massive security investments for vulnerable infrastructure. Clarke drives the team to address the root of the crisis: winning hearts and minds in the Islamic world through education and development programs. As deadlines loom, the task force wrestles with how to defuse decades of accumulated resentment toward America. Their final blueprint represents a last chance to neutralize the international terrorist movement before it grows beyond control.
Genres: history, american, political-science, terrorism, non-fiction, 21st-century, current-affairs, academic
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: ensemble-cast, high-stakes
Setting: Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia
Period: 21st-century, Post-9/11
172 pages · Paperback · The Century Foundation