It is amazing to read how many times key terrorists literally fell through the fingers of investigators, and even after they had them, they allowed key information to go undetected or ignored. Even worse, it illustrates how deeply entrenched bin Laden was in terrorist activities. The groups he sponsored participated in Somalia at the time the U.S. Rangers were losing 18 of their men in the "Black Hawk Down" incidents, and became convinced America was simply a weak, "paper tiger" (Posner 52). Sadly, it seems now that he may have been right about many of his ideas about the American government and terrorism.
Even more troubling are the accounts of people who really understood the dangers America faced, but were ignored. It seems there was so much infighting between the FBI, the CIA, and other agencies, that many high officials could not be bothered listening to the concerns of some of their agents and experts. In fact, much study, including Emerson's PBS documentary, Jihad in America was conducted on the terrorists, and many people did understand the dangers they posed. However, their concerns were never taken seriously by the agencies that could have done something constructive. If they had listened, perhaps 9/11 would not have happened at all, and that is the most maddening thing about reading this book.
To prove his thesis, the author uses extensive research, interviews, and legwork in the Arab-American community. It is clear he became an expert on his subject,...
He spoke to some leading experts in their fields, and cites personal experiences he collected as information for the book. It is clear the author did his homework, and the book is even more chilling and believable as a result of the author's dedication to his purpose.
The author's writing style is educational and professional. The book is not easy to read, and the copious footnotes sometimes take away from the action of the book, but the topic is so compelling it is difficult not to turn the pages. The book is filled with detailed information about government agencies, plots, terrorists and suspects, names, dates, and places. Sometimes it is difficult to keep them all straight, but the author does an excellent job of tying them all together to the inevitable conclusion.
In conclusion, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the September 11 terrorist attacks. It is a compelling look at American history, and a frightening glimpse into the underground workings of the American government. This book is enlightening, but it is also enraging. Anyone who reads it will look at the terrorist attacks differently, and worry about the future of our nation, because, it is clear more attacks will occur, it is just a question of when.
References
Posner, Gerald. Why America Slept: The Failure to Prevent 9/11. New York: Random…
