Never Again By John Ashcroft This 2006 publication should not go quickly from the public mind. In 294 pages John Ashcroft articulates in clear and compelling terms that which is central to the security of the United States. The leadership of our land must never again allow terrorists to inflict the murderous pain of September 11th on us. The Attorney General in George W. Bush’s first term was probably the single most controversial Attorney General in modern time. Ashcroft notes that to just mention his name evokes love or hate. Few express indifference toward him. While the focus of this review is on the security of America, it is critical to note the all-encompassing components of Ashcroft’s writing. From his senatorial election defeat to a dead man to his appointment as Attorney General and subsequent senate confirmation battle, Ashcroft is eloquent and gracious as a Christian gentleman should be. He writes of the Hanssen Spy Scandal, the botched prosecution of Timothy McVeigh, and the prosecution of Lynne Stewart. The built-in formula for disaster in the United States intelligence community is described in chilling terms. The “wall” separating law enforcement and intelligence agents was staggering in its ability to cripple our War on Terror. Ashcroft was masterful in his identification and resolution of the issue. America is safer today because of the Ashcroft-developed cross-communication between the FBI, CIA, and other agencies. Ashcroft writes of that day none of us will forget when al Qaeda terrorists attacked US soil in New York City, Washington, DC, and rural Pennsylvania. He debunks any idea that the government is not up to the task of rooting out terrorism across the globe as he articulates the response to that day and beyond. When we ask America’s young people to go out and stand in harm’s way, to risk getting shot, or to lay their lives on the line, the moral imperative for toughness is clear. The challenge laid out in Never Again is to our generation and those to follow. “America at its best represents the values of freedom and goodness, and the terrorists represent imposition and evil.” Ashcroft has seen that first hand. Never Again is clear. May it never happen again!