The Scorpion's Gate

Richard Clarke is an immensely intersting individual and I like his writing style. He paints a grim picture in this book, but I guess that is the mood of our culture. We keep trying to blame ourselves for everything when things go wrong. There are people who should be held responsible, but it shouldn't be us. He writes in the colloquial so it is an easy read.

When the public muses about how intelligence is gathered; first as information which is then analyzed, then evaluated, and employed in making decisions; they think it's a simple matrix (if they grant so many steps are involved). Clarke shows how even among the best liaison procedures, the push and pull of influences can pervert the findings. Intelligence cannot be driven by policies. It's purpose is to provide suitable information which can be evaluated and analyzed, and vetted throughout each of the preceding steps, and then used as a guide to decision-makers who are either formulating or executing policy. You can't send out for the measurements of a basketball ball court and accept "slam-dunk" as an answer. The information needed to get to the end of the game cannot be desired. It must be tested until the results are history.

Fast-forward ten years....what will the Middle East look like? Richard Clarke presents here a possible (likely?) scenario, albeit in fictional form. Upfront I'll admit that this reviewer considers Clarke a true American patriot and, yes, indeed, perhaps also a hero. (History will be the ultimate judge, of course.) But, even if you disagree, you must admit that Richard Clarke certainly has the street cred to write such a book, which, by the way, not only presents plausible scenarios, but also rewards the reader with an engrossing story. The story line is nimbly paced, yet sure in its footing, and it engaged this reader from page one continually until the end. Treat yourself to a gripping read, and maybe get a view of the future, as well.

In 2010, Supported by the Chinese, a coup has taken out the despotic leaders of Saudi Arabia replacing it with the Republic of Islamyah. The zealots in charge begin to bring their anti-western fundamentalist Islamic fervor to nearby Bahrain by blowing up favorite haunts where the hated infidels reside. The area is quickly falling into chaos with the Chinese pushing for more discontent to further extricate the west out of the region. Secretary of Defense Henry Conrad pushes a military solution to the Middle East crisis as he wants to invade Islamyah so that the United States can regain control of the oil. Others want to take over the entire region by force while some believe we must use diplomacy to mute the growing influence of the Chinese. Though the middle of winter in DC, the heat is on in the capital and not just because the weather is spring-like as both sides escalate the hostilities with nuclear war between the United States and China imminent unless cooler heads prevail. THE SCORPION'S GATE is a fabulous thriller in which anti-terrorist expert Richard A. Clarke extrapolates what the future might hold based on what if consequences of decisions made by the current administration. The story line is frightening as the scenario seems plausible as Mr. Bush's legacy to the world (it will solve the long term solvency of the social security issue). Though Mr. Clarke makes the error of many first time novelists of trying to get everything into the plot, futurologists will appreciate this strong look at what might be forthcoming (who in the 1970s predicted we would still be fighting the war against drugs today?). Harriet Klausner