eBook How Did This Happen? Terrorism And The New War (PublicAffairs Reports) download

If it comes from "Foreign Affairs" you know the writing is informed, intelligenct, and thought provoking. Save your money if you subscribe to "Foreign Affairs," though, since these essays are in the current and previous issue. This is a useful book for the student, instructor, or someone with a general interest in the topic.

Hoge and Rose are the editor and managing editor, respectively, of Foreign Affairs. The title asks the question, referring to 9/11, and the various essays in the book collectively answer it. There are 23 essays in the book that approach 9/11 from a wide variety of angles. The authors, each a recognized expert in his/her field, are a bunch of very smart, experienced people giving their take on what happened, why it happened, and what it means. No matter what your particular area of interest is - geopolitics, military, sociology, etc. - there's something in this book for you.
Take, for example, the essay "Was It Inevitable ~ Islam Through History," by Karen Armstrong. She admires the virtues of Islam and views the current (last few decades) spate of terrorism in an Islamic fundamentalist historical context. It is an attempt at reform (islah) and renewal (tajdid). "This type of reform, which tried to go back to the fundamentals, became known as the Salafiyya because it looked back to al-Salaf al-Salih, 'the venerable forefathers'" (pg. 65). One of the most famous of these reform movements was Wahhabi, which is the brand of Islam practiced today in Saudi Arabia and in which Osama bin Laden was born.
Contrast this with Walter Laquer (in his essay "Left, Right, and Beyond ~ The Changing Face of Terror"). He puts it in the context of a more general history of terrorism and explains (pg. 76) the rise of Islamist radicalism (terrorism) as the result of a decline of political doctrines and the emergence of a spiritual and intellectual vacuum, albeit the connection is not always straightforward (pg. 77).
Other examples of the plentitude of ideas abound. Milton Beardon ("Graveyard of Empires ~ Afghanistan's Treacherous Peaks") provides a brief, but excellent background on the rise of the Taliban and its Arab influence (the so called Afghan Arabs). Richard K. Betts ("Intelligence Test ~ The Limits of Prevention") provides an outstanding thumbnail analysis of the problems facing the intelligence community in the post-Cold War world. "The All-to-Friendly Skies ~ Security as an Afterthought", by Gregg Easterbrook is alarming, even in retrospect. It provides valuable insight into commercial operations, such as (pg. 179) the point at which commercial airplane pilots actually take command of a given flight and why some pilots want an earlier assumption of that command. "The Unguarded Homeland ~ A Study in Malign Neglect" by Stephen E. Flynn describes how the nature of our economic infrastructure, with its interconnectedness, lack of redundancy, and heavy reliance on private security, increases our vulnerability to attack (i.e., to critical interdiction). He also describes the strain on the US Customs Service, the Coast Guard, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and other government agencies.
The list goes on. The essays provide not only a description of the social and political environment in which 9/11 occurred, but also offer policy options (such as in "The New Security Mantra - Prevention, Deterrence, and Defense" by William J. Perry). The book includes a sobering piece by Anatol Lieven ("The Cold War Is Over ~ The True Significance of the Attacks").
A clear message emerges. What made us vulnerable was a combination of a certain amount of complacency born of arrogance due to no recent US airliner hijackings (no successful attempts for the past 14 years - pg. 166), a low appreciation of the threat based on patterns of terrorist activity as well as an improperly focused intelligence apparatus, and a demand for faster, cheaper air travel. Our focus has improved and our willingness to pay what it costs has already brought improvement with much more on the way if we can sustain our alarm (which is to say, our determination). The question is not "Are we safer since 9/11?" That answer is an unequivocal "Yes." The appropriate question is "Are we safe enough?" Hindsight is once again shown to be 20/20. In retrospect there were some valid reasons for not piecing together the likelihood of 9/11 and there were some that were not so valid. There were plenty of panels and papers providing warnings, but the broader national attitude didn't lend itself to paying heed. The sad truth is that terrorism approaches its targets like water seeking holes in a vessel. Time and our own attitudes are terrorists' allies. Determination, perseverance, and, above all, imagination are the bulwarks of our defense.
Another message emerges as well: the Cold War really is over, and a new world order really is emerging. It may or may not be the one envisaged by President Bush the elder, but 9/11 is the opening campaign of the first war as captured by President Bush the younger. The nation must adapt to new and still-forming geopolitical and cultural realities if we are to prosper in the future. This is an excellent primer to prepare for that journey.

For those who wish to understand both "how" and "why" events on September 11th occurred, I think this is the best single-source of information and analysis. Hoge and Rose have assembled and edited 23 essays written by a commendably diverse number of authorities on separate but related subjects which include an "anatomy of the terrorist attack" (Brian M. Jenkins). "Islam through history" (Karen Armstrong), "prevention, deterrence, defense" (William J. Perry), "the economic repercussions" (Martin N. Bailey), and "what September 11th hath wrought" (Fareed Zakaria). Obviously, all of us (including these and other authorities) are still sorting through and correlating new information as it becomes available. Definitive "answers" to the questions we now ask may not be determined for years and perhaps not for decades. Obviously, the events which occurred on September 11th did not occur in a vacuum. Moreover, the implications and consequences of those events continue to reveal themselves. For me, this anthology's greatest value lies in the frame of reference which the essayists create. Hoge and Rose conclude their Introduction as follows: "As we mourn the dead, we must also absorb the lessons, some of which are grim. Additional terrorist attacks on America are likely. Chemical and biological weapons may be used. September 11, an outrage and a tragedy for us, is an inspiration for terrorists. Only preparedness, determination, and ultimately, self-confidence can offset the forebodings. The moral that Winston Churchill chose for his towering history of the previous global conflict is as apt now as it was then:
In War: Resolution
In Defeat: Defiance
In Victory: Magnanimity
In Peace: Goodwill
Those who carefully read this book will also be better prepared to understand what has yet to occur, not only in the United States but throughout the world.

Although this book was a rush job right after the 9-11 attacks it does cover some very interesting issues and points of view. The book has essays from a number of foreign policy and terrorism experts on topics ranging from the CIA efforts in Afghanistan, the cultural environment in the Middle East, airport security, bio-weapons and the ability of the US armed forces to handle this new threat. The topics covered are very interesting and gives the reader and good overview of the different issues involved in this complicated foreign policy and security issue. The essays are also minus most of the emotion that many other books on the 9-11 attacks have. This is probably due to the topics of the essays and the limited space each author was given. The editors also did a good job of arranging the essays so that the book had a good flow and the items lead into one another.
Overall my only real complaint with the book is that there were a few errors here and there, but they are due to the quick publishing date of the book and do not take away much from the points. Also reading a book with a new author per chapter you do not have a consistent writing style but the editors did a good job in that the wide range of authors is not a detriment to the flow of the book. I assumption is that the test of some was edited with a heavy hand to provide the consistent writing style. Overall the book is an interesting look at the causes of the 9-11 attacks and well worth reading.