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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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'?? </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Oh, Please!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Pat </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=london@moscow.com href="mailto:london@moscow.com">bill london</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">Vision2020</A> ; <A
title=ttrail@moscow.com href="mailto:ttrail@moscow.com">Tom Trail</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, July 12, 2004 12:23
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Vision2020] message from Tom
Trail</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Tom Trail asked that this message from his friend John Barbee
be forwarded to V2020:<BR>BL<BR><BR>---<BR>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">OPINION
& COMMENTARY<O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Dear
Peace Corps colleagues and friends:<O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">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.<SPAN>
</SPAN>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.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Despite
my experience working in civil society development in Afghanistan,<SPAN>
</SPAN>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 nations 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.<SPAN>
</SPAN><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">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.<SPAN> </SPAN>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.<SPAN> </SPAN>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.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The two
books I recommend are:<O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><B><I><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Against All Enemies: Inside
Americas War on Terrorism,</SPAN></I></B><I><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></I><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> 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 Councils
Counter-terrorism Coordinator in the White House during the terrorist attacks
of 9/11.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN>
</SPAN><SPAN> </SPAN><B><I>Plan of Attack,</I></B><SPAN>
</SPAN>by Bob Woodward, reporter and editor at the <I>Washington Post</I> for
33 years, and a nationally and internationally respected writer.<SPAN>
</SPAN>Along with Carl Bernstein, he did the investigation and reportage that
brought the facts of the Watergate affair to public attention and
action.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Both
Clarke and Woodward are highly respected and well known in their fields for
their honesty and forthrightness in their work and their dealings.<SPAN>
</SPAN>Neither of them is seeking public office nor is involved directly in
political campaigns.<SPAN> </SPAN>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.<SPAN> </SPAN>They can
be found in libraries, bookstores and also on the web in both text and audio
format.<SPAN> </SPAN>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.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">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.<SPAN> </SPAN>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.<SPAN> </SPAN>This
is critically important to security in the US and abroad and the overall
interests in democracy and civil society worldwide.<SPAN>
</SPAN><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Most
sincerely,<O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">John W.
Barbee<O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">[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.] </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P><BR><BR>
<P>
<HR>
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