The Quest for Absolute Security

"Investigators who studied the tragic events of 9/11 faulted U.S. intelligence for not discovering the terrorists' plans, pointing to the intelligence agencies' lack of coordination as a key ingredient in this failure. In its 2004 report, the Kean Commission criticized both the FBI and the CIA for their inadequate sharing of information, urging greater mutual assistance to achieve absolute security." "But, says the distinguished historian Athan Theoharis, absolute security is an illusory quest. It is certain to nurture disappointment - and worse. His compelling analysis traces the troubled nature of relations among American intelligence agencies and identifies the historical myopia that characterizes the official view of the problem, " "Surprisingly, as Mr. Theoharis shows, coordination has been promoted since the 1930s by U.S. presidents who have publicly and secretly acted to ensure greater cooperation among the agencies. And the nation's intelligence services have in fact been determined of the need to anticipate internal security threats - espionage and subversion during World War II and the cold war, espionage and terrorism since the 1990s. Despite these measures, the nation has not enjoyed greater security. Both the CIA and the FBI have turned this quest into abuses of power and violations of individual liberties." "The Quest for Absolute Security is a cautionary reminder of the costs to a democratic society of policies that expand the government's surveillance powers yet may bring us no closer to perfect safety."--Jacket.