Against All Enemies
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Founder | Richard A. Clarke |
| Products | Book |
Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror () is a 2004 publication authored by former U.S. chief counterterrorism advisor Richard A. Clarke. The book offers a critical examination of how various presidential administrations handled the war on terrorism. Clarke directs significant scrutiny toward President George W. Bush, accusing him of inadequate responses during the elevated threat phase preceding the September 11 attacks and for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which Clarke contends weakened efforts against terrorism. The title alludes to the oath taken by U.S. federal officials to protect the Constitution "against all enemies, foreign and domestic."
Content
Clarke recounts his persistent appeals for strategic meetings on terrorism and highlights how CIA Director George Tenet incorporated detailed Al-Qaeda intelligence into daily briefings, noting an unprecedented surge in terrorist "chatter" prior to 9/11.
He claims that soon after 9/11, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld shifted focus to bombing Iraq—despite lacking evidence connecting it to the attacks—motivated by the presence of more "good targets" there compared to Afghanistan.
Clarke describes President Bush’s September 12, 2001 directive to identify Iraqi involvement in the attacks. Clarke compiled a report, supported by agencies including the FBI and CIA, confirming no such links existed; reportedly, this report was returned with a request to "Please update and resubmit," apparently without presidential examination.
He also recalls a meeting where Defense Deputy Secretary Paul Wolfowitz expressed skepticism that Osama bin Laden acted alone on 9/11 and attempted to associate Saddam Hussein with the 1993 World Trade Center bombing—a connection Clarke asserts has been thoroughly debunked.
Clarke criticizes the administration’s overall management of counterterrorism after 9/11, particularly condemning the 2003 invasion of Iraq as reinforcing bin Laden’s portrayal of U.S. aggression in oil-rich Middle Eastern nations. According to Clarke, this development has enhanced Al-Qaeda recruitment and shifted focus away from combating Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and worldwide.
He maintains that if his original counterterrorism strategy had been adopted, Al-Qaeda might have been nearly eradicated. Instead, attention diverted to Iraq allowed Al-Qaeda to strengthen and become more difficult to defeat.
These perspectives correspond with accounts such as Bob Woodward’s Bush at War, which quotes Bush acknowledging a lack of urgency in addressing bin Laden. Clarke’s standpoint is corroborated by testimonies from former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill, National Security Council member Flynt Leverett, and Clarke’s deputy Roger Cressey.
Clarke also gave extensive testimony before the 9/11 Commission, portions of which were made public.
Time magazine (April 2, 2007) reported that a screenplay inspired by the book had been written but not yet produced.
Responses from the Bush administration
On March 22, 2004, Vice President Dick Cheney asserted that Clarke was "out of the loop" regarding counterterrorism efforts. In contrast, Condoleezza Rice stated that Clarke played a central role in terrorism-related discussions and held him responsible for any preparedness shortcomings. She later clarified, "He was in every meeting that was held on terrorism."
Press Secretary Scott McClellan suggested Clarke timed his book’s publication to influence the forthcoming election. Clarke responded that the manuscript was completed the previous year but delayed due to extensive White House security reviews.
Some critics accused Clarke of seeking a position in a potential John Kerry administration. Clarke denied this under oath, affirming he neither desired nor anticipated another government role. Others pointed out Clarke taught alongside Rand Beers, an advisor to Kerry; Clarke explained their longstanding friendship and history of service across multiple administrations.
Clarke faced criticism for his prior support of the Bush administration while serving as special advisor. A 2002 briefing transcript released by Fox News Channel showed Clarke stating there was "no plan on al Qaeda" passed from Clinton to Bush, presenting the administration favorably. Clarke clarified this reflected differences in tone and emphasis, noting it was unrealistic to expect him to criticize the president during a press background briefing.
Contested Assertions in Clarke's Publication
Journalist Walter Pincus drew attention to a section where Clarke recounted a September 4, 2001, gathering involving national security leaders, asserting that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld seemed preoccupied and concentrated on threats such as Iraq. However, Rumsfeld and other Defense Department representatives have refuted claims that he was present at this meeting.
In his book My FBI, Louis Freeh challenges Clarke’s depiction of an important millennium meeting during which Sandy Berger supposedly called for the full deployment of resources to prevent attacks. Freeh denied attending any such meeting and expressed skepticism that Berger would address the attorney general in that manner.
See also
References
- Clarke, Richard. Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror. Reprint ed. Free P, 2004.