Terrorism, Betrayal, and Resilience

My Story of the 1998 U.S. Embassy Bombings

By: Prudence Bushnell

Narrated by: Kaci Richter

Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

On August 7, 1998, three years before President George W. Bush declared the War on Terror, the radical Islamist group al-Qaeda bombed the American embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, where Prudence Bushnell was serving as U.S. ambassador. Terrorism, Betrayal, and Resilience is her account of what happened, how it happened, and its impact 20 years later.

When the bombs went off in Kenya and neighboring Tanzania that day, Congress was in recess and the White House, along with the entire country, was focused on the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Congress held no hearings about the bombings, the national security community held no after-action reviews, and the mandatory Accountability Review Board focused on narrow security issues. Then, on September 11th, 2001, al-Qaeda attacked the U.S. homeland and the East Africa bombings became little more than an historical footnote.

Terrorism, Betrayal, and Resilience is Bushnell’s account of her quest to understand how these bombings could have happened given the scrutiny bin Laden and his cell in Nairobi had been getting since 1996 from special groups in the National Security Council, the FBI, the CIA, and the NSA. Bushnell tracks national security strategies and assumptions about terrorism and the Muslim world that failed to keep us safe in 1998 and continue unchallenged today. In this hard-hitting, no-holds-barred account she reveals what led to poor decisions in Washington and demonstrates how diplomacy and leadership going forward will be our country’s most potent defense.

©2018 Prudence Bushnell (P)2019 University of Nebraska Press

What an eye opener

It was an honor to go to Kenya in 1998 to provide computer training at the Kenyan Embassy. I met some many wonder Kenyans and Americans. I worked with Ambassador Bushnell’s computer staff, Frank, George and interacted with the Consular Affairs staff. It was horrible and tragic to go back to the states and several months later to hear of the bombings. It was so sad to be at the airport waiting for the coffins of the 12 Americans coming back and attending several of the funerals. Closure came for me when I was asked to go back to Africa to retrain in Kenya and Tanzania. I would never have been able to return if I knew what I know now after reading this book. I am ashamed of our government, the State department in specific for not heeding the warnings that in my opinion could have stopped the bombings in Nairobi, Dar Es Salaam, and what eventually occurred in Virginia, New York and Pennsylvania. Why were people not protected. Why would someone receive poor evaluations for caring about the people you are tasked to protect. Indeed I understand money doesn’t grow on trees but something should have been done. Of all the atrocities the US condemns, we should be ashamed at the way we didn’t respond before and after those tragedies. Thank you for writing this book. My eyes are open.

Skewed Liberal View

Not a bad story but too much fluff consisting of author's attempt justify existence within State Department. Finally, she tries to pant Carter as competent if not creative....enough said.