Richard Clarke will be on CNN in a few minutes, to discuss his novel

[highplainsdem]

Just a heads-up so far...

[highplainsdem]

1. Link to USA Today's review of the book:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/reviews/2005-10-24-clarke-scorpion_x.htm


Editing to add a quote from the review:

The book is set in the very near future. After a bloody but failed war in the Middle East, the United States is desperate for both oil and friends.

Postwar Iraq has thrown us out. Our former oil supplier, Saudi Arabia, is now called Islamyah. Although hostile to America, this new government does have democratic leanings.

The corrupt Saudi rulers have fled to the USA, where they plot their return to power. That they remain enormously rich helps them buy U.S. politicians and influence political campaigns.

The plot revolves around a blustering, ignorant secretary of defense who tries to manufacture a war in Islamyah in order to turn the oil spigot back on and serve his Saudi masters.

[highplainsdem]

2. On now.

[highplainsdem]

3. Miles O'Brien and Clarke are talking about reality now, not the novel.

Clarke criticizing the Dept. of Homeland Security, emphasizing FEMA's failings. Talking about how "Iraq feeds terrorism."

[highplainsdem]

4. Over already. Fairly brief interview. But it was nice to see Clarke

again, and since he'll inevitably talk about BushCo's failings, his book tour will continue to add to the criticism being heaped on them now.