Read Online Against All Enemies by Richard A. Clarke - Free Book Online Page A

States. Now he wanted to know when the CIA had told the FBI and what the FBI had done about it. The answers were imprecise, but it became clear that CIA had taken months to tell FBI that the terrorists were in the country. When FBI did learn, they failed to find them. Had FBI put them on the television show America’s Most Wanted or alerted the FAA about them, perhaps the entire cell could have been rounded up. Bush’s look said he would want to come back to this issue later.
    For now, however, the President shifted to the economic damage. Somehow he had learned that four shopping malls in Omaha had closed after the attacks. “I want the economy back, open for business right away, banks, the stock market, everything tomorrow.” Ken Dam, the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, filling in for the traveling Paul O’Neill, pointed out that there was physical damage to the Wall Street infrastructure. “As soon as we get the rescue operations done up there, shift everything to fixing that damage so we can reopen,” Bush urged. Turning to Secretary of Transportation Norm Mineta, he pressed for resumption of air travel. Mineta suggested that flights could begin at noon the next day.
    Brian Stafford urged the President to spend the night in the bunker, but he would have none of it. Following the meeting, he went to the Oval Office and began working the telephones. I returned to the Situation Room and found my team hard at it.
    Cressey was on the telephone to New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s chief of staff. “Anything he wants, troops, equipment. And if FEMA or any agency is slow, call us directly.”
    Kurtz was talking to Verizon about the Stock Exchange. I asked him to put them on hold for a minute so I could give him what in the White House we called guidance: “From the President for you…two priorities. First, search and rescue. Second, reopen the markets. Let me know what you need to do that.” Paul looked up, a bit of fatigue appearing for the first time. “How about five miles of fiber optic cable and a dozen switches and routers…installed?”
    â€œThat should not be a problem. We can get that.” I pressed him, remembering the President’s determination. “So you can have the markets open Thursday?” I knew as soon as I said it that was too ambitious, even though we were already getting calls from CEOs at Cisco, AT&T, and others offering personnel and equipment no questions asked. “Try Monday,” Kurtz shot back and went on with the call.
    Lisa was in dialogue with Governor George Pataki. “Well, don’t you have even an estimate of the dead?”
    I took her aside. “You know those chemical and bio detectors you’re developing? I want some, now, here and at the Capitol.”
    â€œWell, there are only three small problems with that, Dick,” Lisa began. “A) they’re experimental, and B) they’re in California, and C) nothing is flying.”
    â€œRight, so here at the White House, Wednesday, up and running…?” I asked.
    â€œOkay, okay,” she said, adding it to her list.
    The Navy staff of the White House Mess had reappeared and were distributing sandwiches. “We’re going to stay open all night.” I realized I hadn’t eaten since the night before when I had gone to a new seafood restaurant near the White House with Rich Bonin of 60 Minutes. Bonin was obsessed with al Qaeda, had done a story about terrorism with me and Lesley Stahl in October. They had taped three hours of interviews with me for a seventeen-minute segment. Now, without my knowing it, CBS was running much of the unused interview, including me explaining the concept of Continuity of Government.
    The night before, Bonin had asked if it was true that I had asked for a transfer. As of October 1, I would be starting a new national program on cyber security. Bonin wanted to run the story that I was quitting the