[Vision2020] message from Tom Trail

[Pat Kraut]

Just reading these two books will certainly not give you a broad understanding of all that is happining. We live in a complicated world and it would only take two books to get a 'better understaning'?? 
Oh, Please!
Pat 


----- Original Message ----- 
  From: bill london 
  To: Vision2020 ; Tom Trail 
  Sent: Monday, July 12, 2004 12:23 PM
  Subject: [Vision2020] message from Tom Trail


  Tom Trail asked that this message from his friend John Barbee be forwarded to V2020:
  BL

  ---

  OPINION & COMMENTARY



  Dear Peace Corps colleagues and friends:



  Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and especially now, in the run-up to the November Presidential election, it is increasingly difficult for US citizens to judge what is fact and what is fiction (or political hyperbole) in regard to US security, the war in Iraq and the war on terrorism.  Everyone seems to be confused and unable to interpret what they have heard or seen on TV about the situation we are in, how we got there and what to do about it.



  Despite my experience working in civil society development in Afghanistan,  Iraq and other countries impacted by conflict, I also have been confused and highly concerned by what I have seen on the ground, the reported actions taken and contentions made by our nation's elected and appointed leaders in the Bush Administration and Congress. Until recently I was very frustrated also with my unsuccessful efforts to find out what principles, logic and processes have been driving our foreign and domestic anti-terrorism policies and dominating their very questionable implementation.  



  But in the last three months, I finally came across some excellent detailed Information resources that have helped me to understand and appreciate what has been going on at the highest levels in our government, both since the first Gulf War and especially in the last three years.  I think these resource books will be very useful and informative for readers who, as in my case, want to become better informed on these very serious and critically important issues for our country.  The resources I am recommending are non-partisan and seek to inform and point out both the errors of our recent past and present, and some specific constructive courses of action that we should implement to deal with these important and complex problems.



  The two books I recommend are:



  "Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terrorism," by Richard Clarke, a Senior Executive Service civil servant for nearly thirty years, who worked for the current and last three presidents and who was the National Security Council's Counter-terrorism Coordinator in the White House during the terrorist attacks of 9/11.



               "Plan of Attack,"  by Bob Woodward, reporter and editor at the Washington Post for 33 years, and a nationally and internationally respected writer.  Along with Carl Bernstein, he did the investigation and reportage that brought the facts of the Watergate affair to public attention and action.



  Both Clarke and Woodward are highly respected and well known in their fields for their honesty and forthrightness in their work and their dealings.  Neither of them is seeking public office nor is involved directly in political campaigns.  Clearly, their books were written and published for the primary purpose of helping to enlighten Americans and to help us as citizens to better understand the issues and to make better choices in exercising our privileges and carrying out our responsibilities as citizens in the most advanced democracy in the world.   They can be found in libraries, bookstores and also on the web in both text and audio format.  If your local library does not have copies, or if they are over-demanded and unavailable, I am sure that libraries would gladly receive additional copies after you have bought and read them.



  After you have read the books, a really good and useful follow-up might be to convene special issue-related discussion groups that lead to development of strategies and action, e.g.  the war in Iraq, democracy and peacebuilding in Iraq, How to best help Afghanistan, what is needed for more appropriate foreign policies and practices, etc.   This is critically important to security in the US and abroad and the overall interests in democracy and civil society worldwide.  



  Most sincerely,

  John W. Barbee



  [John Barbee has been a lifelong resident of the mountain west and has served in humanitarian assistance and the development of civil society in Central Asia, Afghanistan Africa and, most recently, Iraq. He is also a former Volunteer and staff officer with Peace Corps in Afghanistan and Africa.] 






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