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Find, Fix, Finish: Inside the Counterterrorism Campaigns that Killed bin Laden and Devastated Al Qaeda
On 9/11 the U.S. had effectively no counterterrorism doctrine. Fast forward ten Osama bin Laden is dead; al Qaeda is organizationally ruined and pinned in the tribal areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan; there has been no major attack on American soil; and while there has been at least one instance of a massive planned attack, it was crushed by the greatest international collaboration of intelligence services seen since the end of the Cold War. It's been a remarkable transformation. Aki Peritz and Eric Rosenbach have experienced first-hand the monumental strategy changes in our country's counterterrorism strategy within the intelligence, defense, and political communities. In this book, they show how America learned to be very good at taking on the terrorists, often one at a time, in ever more lethally incisive operations. They offer new details behind some headlines from the last decade. They are frank about the mistakes that have been made. And they explain how a concept coined by General Grant during the Civil War has been reinvented in the age of satellite technology to manage a globally distributed foe, allowing the U.S. to find, fix, and finish its enemies.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 13, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 22, 2020
An excellent book about UBL and other operations and the process that makes them possible.
July 6, 2017
What Zero Dark Thirty made compelling movie faire, Find Fix, Finish fleshes out. Aki Peretz and Eric Rosenbach take you behind the glossy sheen into the messy sausage making of American counter terror policy up to 2012. They chronicle the campaign from the early Bush years right after 9/11, when the Intelligence Community and the Pentagon were figuring out how to get things done to the smoother operations and diplomacy of the early Obama years. All along we get to see how Torture and premature arrests/assassinations were not as effective as interagency cooperation, diplomacy and more methodical information acquisition- allied with tighter doctrine. Working with our allies instead of against their interests. At the end they offer a strong blueprint for the future. The Wonkiness of this work may make it too opaque for most, but the committed Military Enthusiast/National Security buff will be fascinated by the tales told.
September 6, 2016
I will complete this review after having terminated the book, but I wanted to share my initial impressions. This is another of those polarized works that takes a strong political undertone in order to advance a personal (in this case two personal) agenda (s). George W. Bush was disliked by many, but he faced an unenviable position following the devastating attacks of 9/11. The criticism and piqued barbs launched in not too subtle fashion by these "authors," both of whom, incidentally served under the lass than laudable Obama administration, make their derision and scathing scorn , eminently clear. Unfortunately what they perceive as clever digs at the Bush administrations handling of terrorism, is precisely what undermines the quality of their research. The best books and the sharpest authors avoid taking sides in any issue and stand back and allow the reader to draw their own conclusions. attempting to spoon feed the readership with pre-formulated and prejudiced viewpoints is not only counter-intuitive, it is also counterproductive.
The strength of this book, such as it is, remains in the solid facts that are provided and the reader is well-advised to avoid falling into the strap of subtly and deliberate manipulation. In other words, we want the facts not your opinions disguised as facts.
I gave the book 3 stars because I am feeling generous, and because they do present some interesting information despite their attempts to psychologically and politically manipulate. It is just a sad commentary that two former Obama employees find it necessary to resort to the defaming of a earlier administration, faced with a unique and challenging situation, in order to bolster the poor and incompetent strategy that has been displayed over the past 8 years of maladministration. The Obama administration gets a free ride from the authors, while cit continues to engender one crisis after another and attempts to robotically kill their way out of an untenable international situation.
So here is another progress report as I approach the finish line (with a sense of relief). Again, the book is well written, however, the initial caveat is even more pronounced as the progress continues. the Bush administration becomes the target of countless undisguised scathing comments and derisory remarks. The authors launch into a full-fledged adulation of Obama and his (also their's lest we forget) administration's handling of the situation, painting him as the messiah of counter-terrorism operations.
In one section they mount a tirade against enhanced interrogation methods attempting to discredit any gains made through the use of such techniques and boast of a private interview with former CIA director Leon Panetta. Unfortunately for the authors Panetta clearly states..."as well as a description of him [Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti] as a an important member of al-Qaeda, came from a detainee held in another country, WHO WE BELIEVE WAS NOT TORTURED." (p. 212).
Thus the legitimacy of their entire argument is lost and without solid foundation. If lancing accusations they must fist me credible and based upon solid fact, not a personal agenda.
I am now approaching the final chapter of the book, and if history repeats itself, as is often the case, I expect the authors to present ever greater criticism of the Bush administration, accompanied by blind and expansive gloating and bloviating over their idolization of his successor.
Thus we are battered over the head with ovations such as"The focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan intensified once the Obama administration took over.,,,as president he moved quickly to fill that pledge" (P. 214)Pretty nauseating and pernicious boot licking.
On page 217 they pronounce the ultimate stupidity so often floated and echoed by liberal lackeys,that it was the decision making power of Obama which was the key factor in elimination bin Laden, even more crucial (according to these two) than the bravery of the Navy Seals. (barf material).
The strength of this book, such as it is, remains in the solid facts that are provided and the reader is well-advised to avoid falling into the strap of subtly and deliberate manipulation. In other words, we want the facts not your opinions disguised as facts.
I gave the book 3 stars because I am feeling generous, and because they do present some interesting information despite their attempts to psychologically and politically manipulate. It is just a sad commentary that two former Obama employees find it necessary to resort to the defaming of a earlier administration, faced with a unique and challenging situation, in order to bolster the poor and incompetent strategy that has been displayed over the past 8 years of maladministration. The Obama administration gets a free ride from the authors, while cit continues to engender one crisis after another and attempts to robotically kill their way out of an untenable international situation.
So here is another progress report as I approach the finish line (with a sense of relief). Again, the book is well written, however, the initial caveat is even more pronounced as the progress continues. the Bush administration becomes the target of countless undisguised scathing comments and derisory remarks. The authors launch into a full-fledged adulation of Obama and his (also their's lest we forget) administration's handling of the situation, painting him as the messiah of counter-terrorism operations.
In one section they mount a tirade against enhanced interrogation methods attempting to discredit any gains made through the use of such techniques and boast of a private interview with former CIA director Leon Panetta. Unfortunately for the authors Panetta clearly states..."as well as a description of him [Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti] as a an important member of al-Qaeda, came from a detainee held in another country, WHO WE BELIEVE WAS NOT TORTURED." (p. 212).
Thus the legitimacy of their entire argument is lost and without solid foundation. If lancing accusations they must fist me credible and based upon solid fact, not a personal agenda.
I am now approaching the final chapter of the book, and if history repeats itself, as is often the case, I expect the authors to present ever greater criticism of the Bush administration, accompanied by blind and expansive gloating and bloviating over their idolization of his successor.
Thus we are battered over the head with ovations such as"The focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan intensified once the Obama administration took over.,,,as president he moved quickly to fill that pledge" (P. 214)Pretty nauseating and pernicious boot licking.
On page 217 they pronounce the ultimate stupidity so often floated and echoed by liberal lackeys,that it was the decision making power of Obama which was the key factor in elimination bin Laden, even more crucial (according to these two) than the bravery of the Navy Seals. (barf material).
September 18, 2013
Find the enemy, get a fix on his position, and finish him off. This book in general briefly describes the evolution of our counterterrorism campaign and strategy since 9/11. What's clear is that on 9/11 the intelligence community (IC) lacked significantly the sophistication and comprehensive preparation for such a catastrophe as 9/11 and had to learn on-the-go, often painfully, how to fight back against a cunning foe. The authors discusses the effectiveness of policies advocated by the Clinton administration prior to 9/11, the Bush administration immediately following 9/11, and finally the Obama administration years later.
The authors are somewhat slanted to the left which was a little off-putting. I can take constructive criticism of the Bush administration, for without a doubt, mistakes were made and often, but the authors paint the Bush administration as one that manipulated data and all but lied to get into a war in Iraq and thus removed important assets from Afghanistan. Though the later point is certainly true, the authors couldn't praise Obama enough by painting him as riding into the white house on a white stallion and heroically taking the fight back to Afghanistan where it belongs.
The authors do point out that the Iraq War, for all its faults, was a laboratory for US forces and the IC to experiment with various tactics such as drone surveillance and the use of special operation forces in different capacities including direct action raids and renditions.
Despite it's clear bias throughout it isn't too obnoxious to discredit the analysis of the general evolution of counterterrorism strategies from 9/11 to the assault on bin Laden's complex by SEAL Team Six. It was informative and interesting to see how our gate keepers learn, adapt, and then dominate the battlefield to all but destroy al Qaeda.
The authors are somewhat slanted to the left which was a little off-putting. I can take constructive criticism of the Bush administration, for without a doubt, mistakes were made and often, but the authors paint the Bush administration as one that manipulated data and all but lied to get into a war in Iraq and thus removed important assets from Afghanistan. Though the later point is certainly true, the authors couldn't praise Obama enough by painting him as riding into the white house on a white stallion and heroically taking the fight back to Afghanistan where it belongs.
The authors do point out that the Iraq War, for all its faults, was a laboratory for US forces and the IC to experiment with various tactics such as drone surveillance and the use of special operation forces in different capacities including direct action raids and renditions.
Despite it's clear bias throughout it isn't too obnoxious to discredit the analysis of the general evolution of counterterrorism strategies from 9/11 to the assault on bin Laden's complex by SEAL Team Six. It was informative and interesting to see how our gate keepers learn, adapt, and then dominate the battlefield to all but destroy al Qaeda.
December 8, 2014
Good read. I greatly enjoyed the last section where they laid out steps for improvement. Though, some parts seemed a bit random. Like the part about expecting the best and brightest to not stick around in the Intel Community if there is too much bureaucracy. It was a good point and all, but didn't seem to flow well with the rest. All in all, worth checking out.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews