A Review of David Baldacci's Book "Simple Genius"

When my wife and I lived in California, we enrolled in the Sierra Club’s Basic Mountaineering Course. In one session we went to the mountains and into the snow. We learned to Glissade (Which means to slide) . We would slide down the packed ice and snow on our stomachs, on our backs, head first and feet first. The object of the lesson was to teach us that in case we fell on the ice and snow how to stop ourselves using our feet, our hands elbows and our ice axe. When we were sliding down the mountain we discovered that it was thrilling, exciting and exhilarating. That’s how I feel when reading some books. We also took hikes along the beach in the soft sand. I liked that too but it took a lot more effort. That’s the way I feel about some of Mr. Baldacci’s books. I like them but the reading takes effort.

I found that Simple Genius is an easier read than other of My Baldacci’s books.  Simple Genius did not overwhelm me with a dizzying cast of characters, and I was able to keep track of them and the plot as I read.

Sean King, a partner in an Investigation services company, is in financial straits since he refused to take a substantial   fee from his client and former lover Joan Dillenger. for his last job.  Maxine Maxwell, his partner dealing with personal demons, in a foul mood , goes to a bar gets drunk and picks a fight with the biggest bruiser in the saloon. This time, however, she has picked someone who is a match for her and is severely beaten. To keep her out of jail, Sean pressures her into admitting herself to inpatient therapy with another colleague, Horatio Barnes.

Meanwhile, Joan Dillenger has persuaded Sean to take on what she believes to be a simple well paying investigation into the death of a math genius named Monk Turing. He is a descendent of Alan Turing of WWII Bletchley Park, Code Breaker fame and works for a mysterious Think Tank named Babbage Park.

The supposedly simple investigation escalates into a huge mystery involving:  the CIA, the FBI, some clandestine private entrepreneurs, Middle Eastern warlords and illegal drug traffic. There are several murders and Sean is attacked and shot at. Maxine signs herself out of therapy to try and protect King.  She befriends an autistic teenager who is a mathematics savant and who turns out to hold he key to the whole mystery surrounding Camp Peary, a CIA installation, Babbage Town, secret midnight flights, and planes carrying passengers in Middle Eastern dress and large plastic covered bundles .

King ad Maxwell marshal a number of resources: Maxine’s therapist, former lovers, current adversaries, and government agencies to get to the bottom of the  plot and solve the mystery of the death of Monk Turing.

This is an intriguing plot inspired by real world concerns and made plausible by Mr. Baldacci’s ability to create interesting characters and assemble a complicated plot. The combination keeps the reader turning pages in order to find the answers.

I found some of the situations and some activities of agencies and private groups to be wildly speculative but we suspend our disbelief and allow Mr. Baldacci his poetic license for our enjoyment

Domestic Antiterrorism: The FBI

The FBI(Federal Bureau of Investigation) is only one of several federal organizations that is tasked to combat terrorism in the US. It's job is confined to the US by law but it does have "legal attaches" in US embassies in foreign countries. The FBI is one of the organizations that is part of the US Department of Justice whose leader is the US Attorney General. It has 33,652 employees, 13,249 of whom arre sworn agents and an annual budget of $7.9 billion.

The Mission of the FBI is to protect and defend the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats, to uphold the criminal laws of the United States, to provide leadership and criminal justice Services to federal, state, municipal and internatinal agencies and partners.

Marines in Afghanistan Learn Fast or Die

Patrol Base Fulod, Afghanistan:

The first time the marines of India Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment went on patrol, they were ambushed just 150 feet from the perimeter of their compound. Irvin Ceniceros of Clarksville, Arkanas was one of the Americans who died in the first four days after the marines assumed command of Afghanistans's most dangerous district.

Taliban fighters have killed more coalition troops in this district than any other Afghan district this year. It was a lesson for the embattled marines that no amount of training can fully prepare you for the battlefield. The young troopers are rapidly trying to adjust their tactics to outwit the Taliban guerillas who have been fighting in this same area for years. The marines have learned where they might be ambushed and have doubled the size of their patrols to increase the amount of firepower that they can direct at the enemy.

According to NATO command the marines recently killled 15 militants in an hour long firefight. In addition to ambushes, the marines must always be aware of IEDs. The battalion has been hit with 40 IEDs and has found over 100 explosive devices before they could be detonated. Many of the IEDs are constructed of wood or plastic, making them difficult to detect. The marines have learned from their experience and casualities, have adapted and are giving it back to the enemy.Captain Chris Esry, CO of India Company said that the Taliban is smart, keep watching us and changing their tactics too.

Sebastian Abbot, Associated Press

Pakistan Bomb Blast Kills 15

Karachi, Pakistan:
On November 11, 2010, Pakistani insurgents attacked a police compound in the nation's largest city with gunfire and a huge car bomb.Authorities and witnesses say that the building was leveled and at least 15  people killed. The attack force, consisting of at least 6 gunmen, penetrated a high security ares that contained the US Consulate, luxury hotels and the offices of regional leaders. It was the first major attack outside the northwestern regions in several months. It is seen as a effort by the Islamic Militants to overthrow the US supported government that has cracked down on their activities over the last three years.

The CID is the Pakistani agency responsible for hunting downthe terrorists. Earlier in the week, the CID arrested six members of Lashkan-e-Jhangvi, a groupd linked to Al-Qaida. The six men were suspects in several high profile attacks.

The blast destroyed much of the multistoried police building, damaged many nearby homes and left a 10 foot wide crater in the road. The US Consulate, which is located about a mile from the blast, was not damaged. Government spokeswoman Sharmila Faroogi said that the 15 people killed included 5 police officers and that about 100 people were injured.

Tulsa World, Nov.12, 2010

Purpose of the Blog

Since terrorism has become a world wide problem, I thought I would establish this blog as a forum to chronicle acts of terrorism around the world and efforts and methods of combatting terror acts to aid the normal citizen in recognizing potential problems and alert them as to potential dangers. I hope that others will join in with personal experiences and information that they wish to share.