In the book, George Friedman identifies the United States' most dangerous enemies, delves into presidential strategies of the last quarter century, and reveals the real reasons behind the attack of 9/11-and the Bush administration's motivation for the war in Iraq. It describes in eye-opening detail America's covert and overt efforts in the global war against terrorism.

Stratfor's George Friedman has a new book. It will be released on October 5, 2004. Here you can read the preface and prologue as well as chapter summaries.

This web site also includes a 30 minute video interview with George Friedman. It's available at

http://www.americassecretwar.com/GFIntrvFull.mpg

JLM managed a pre-release copy of this. Its well written/a fast read. Unfortunately it seems mostly a history. It puts things in perspective, but it creates more questions then it answers.

America's Secret War

Al-Sadr is, in fact, al-Sistani's pawn. Perhaps more precisely, al-Sadr is al-Sistani's ace in the hole.

Gaming Out Iraq

I agree with Marie's take on this, but I'm linking Jeremy's version because its not a PDF. Its well understood that this information was available before 9/11. Drastic changes to the makeup of institutions we not called for. Existing security mechanisms had worked prior to that point. The biggest red herring was the 1993 WTC bombing. Did they make organizational changes then to address the fact that they didn't predict that. Also, the embassy bombings and the U.S.S. Cole. Why didn't they foresee these things. Were they repairing that problem?

These, of course, are questions for the Clinton Administration... Also, there are questions that we should have been asking then, and not now, when we were busy fussing about interns.

Text of Presidential Daily Briefing from August 6, 2001

The region stretching from Morocco to the border of India had almost no lights.

War of Ideas, Part 6

So what to do?

This is a good article. I think this view is correct.

War of Ideas, Part 1

Whatever happened, it is widely agreed here that the security breach was alarming.

Pakistan Bombing Aimed at Military Ruler Highlights His Role

] The next six months in Iraq - which will determine
] the prospects for democracy-building there - are the
] most important six months in U.S. foreign policy in a
] long, long time.

The Chant Not Heard

Congressional negotiators approved a measure on Wednesday to expand the FBI's counterterrorism powers, despite concerns from some lawmakers who said that the measure gave the government too much authority and that the public had been shut out of the debate.

Lawmakers Approve Expansion of FBI's Antiterrorism Powers

] American officials who spoke on condition of anonymity
] said the evidence was strong that Mr. Arar had associated
] with suspected Islamic militants over a long period in
] Canada. They say he confessed under torture in Syria that
] he had gone to Afghanistan for terrorist training, named
] his instructors and gave other intimate details.

Is this the spin they are going to run with here? That a cosigned lease really is evidence of involvement with Al'Q, and that a confession obtained under duress in a Syrian prison is credible? If we're that gullible we're really in trouble.

Qaeda Pawn, US Calls Him. Victim, He Calls Himself.

"At times, the price of truth is so high that a democratic society is not prepared to pay it."

I recommend this speech because I like it. I'll opine that there is often a very fine line between the Department of Justice and his Department of Federal Prosecutors. That Israeli decision was discussed in a way too wordy article in the October Atlantic Monthly. When coercion was authorized by the courts, it was envisioned that it would only be employed in limited situations. 12 years later it was employed in 2/3rds of the cases involving Palestinians. Rarely does one see a better example of a slippery slope in action.

I don't really see this as simply a matter of having to give up the truth. These kinds of methods easily cross the line from investigation to punishment. When investigation becomes punitive there can be no justice.

Terrorism and the U.S. Criminal Justice System