Written by a man who is arguably the countrys most authoritative voice on counterterrorism, Crush the Cell demolishes, with simple logic, the edifice of false terror punditry that has been laid, brick by brick, since 9/11. A veteran of special ops, international diplomacy, and bruising clashes with federal law enforcement agencies, Michael Sheehan delivers in this book a two-part message: First, that weve wastedand are continuing to wastebillions of dollars on the wrong protective measures, and second, that knowing the bad guys next move is paramount.Somewhere in America, Sheehan maintains, are a number of terrorist cells, their members heads filled with schemes of mayhem and destruction. Motivated not, as some believe, by feelings of disenfranchisement, disdain for freedom, or economic envy but by a compelling ideological hatred, these individuals plot not just terror but paralyzing terrorthe kind that can shut down a country.Unwittingly aiding and abetting them are many (but not all) terror experts and members of the media who, for reasons that are partly self- serving, rate the bad guys capabilities far higher than they are, playing into terrorists hands with their hype. Spurred by the pundits inflated assessments, legislation follows that drains billions from taxpayers pockets and pours money into a bloated Washington bureaucracy championing needless programs. Here, Sheehan shows why defensive fortresses dont work, but offensive operational intelligence does. He also peels back the mystery surrounding terrorist cells, portraying them as, typically, a group of bumblers searching for a charismatic leader who has what it takes to conduct a complex symphony of violence. Sharing time in the narrative spotlight are not just agents of al Qaeda, but also frighteningly destructive lone wolves, cults, and radical movements.In his career, Sheehan has operated in the mountain jungles of Central America, the back alleys of Mogadishu, and the teeming streets of New York Citybut he has also participated at the highest levels of policy making at the White House, the State Department, and the United Nations. Its his time protecting Americas most populous city as its counterterrorism czar, however, that yields this books most fascinating insights. As Sheehan reveals thwarted threats to New Yorks bridges, subways, and landmarks, and recounts extraordinary simulations staged to gauge terrorists true abilities, we gain perhaps the clearest picture yet of what modern terror-fighting is all about.From the Hardcover edition.
