Books : Crush the Cell: How to Defeat Terrorism Without Terrorizing Ourselves

Rating: - Must reading for the Presidential candidates
This is an excellent book that puts in perspective much of what is talked about with the "War on Terror" and which provides an analysis of the effectiveness of the various government agencies involved in countering terrorists.

Importantly, Mr. Sheehan makes a careful distinction between insurgents and terrorists and suggests that insurgents such as Hamas are not now as big a threat to the United States as they are made out to be. His main point is that we should focus on gathering intelligence which will enable us to crush terrorist cells whose main objective is to take action which will harm persons and property in the United States.

I was surprised to learn about the extensive counter-terrorism activities of the New York Police Department where Mr. Sheehan played a major role.
His credentials are impressive beginning with graduation from West Point, becoming a Green Beret and working with the National Security Agency, the State Department, the UN and the NYPD.

He takes a critical look at steps taken since 911 which have been misguided such as throwing together disparate agencies into the Department of Homeland Security and creating a National Intelligence Agency.

I have been critical of the Government's efforts to monitor electronic transmissions but am more sympathetic to these efforts as a result of reading this book.

Without explicitly criticizing President Bush, Sheehan makes it clear that it is not helpful for politicians to use the threat of terrorism to make us more fearful than is necessary.

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Rating: - Practical Answers from Sheehan
Full Disclosure: I have known Mike Sheehan for over 20 years and think highly of him.

Did you ever wonder just what those Homeland Security color codes mean? If you read Sheehan's book, you will know you can stop caring about them.

This is the book that helps you understand how a small group of dedicated men have so damaged and befuddled us and how we can defeat them without destroying the fabric of our lives. Sheehan discards the pedantic in favor of the practical. He is prescriptive without pretense. He explains why he thinks Hezbollah has not struck outside the Middle East in years, but admits he does not know if or when they might reach across the seas again.

Michael Sheehan has hit the balance point. He makes it clear that the terrorists dangerous and can do terrible damage. But he does so with no effort to terrify. His personal experience, from having his own boots on the ground to cabinet-level policy issues and back down to rubbing elbows with street detectives, gives Sheehan the ability to craft practical solutions that fit policy considerations at the highest level.

He reminds us that al Qaeda has been creative and persistent, but also bumbling (overloaded the boat; forgot to bring the gun).

His overall message: We can beat these guys if we keep calm, think about our actions, take our hits and stay with it.