The One Percent Doctrine

The One Percent Doctrine
AuthorRon Suskind
LanguageEnglish
Published2006 (Simon & Schuster)
Publication placeUnited States
Pages367
ISBN978-0-743-27109-7
973.931
LC ClassHV6432 .S87 2006

The One Percent Doctrine (ISBN 0-7432-7109-2) is a nonfiction book by Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist[1] Ron Suskind about America's hunt for terrorists since September 11, 2001. On July 24, 2006, it reached number 3 on the New York Times Best Seller list.[2]

It assesses the ways in which American counter-terrorism agencies are working to combat terrorist groups. In the narrative, Suskind criticizes the Bush administration for formulating its terrorism policies based on political goals rather than geopolitical realities.

The title comes from a story within the book in which Vice President Dick Cheney describes the Bush administration's doctrine on dealing with terrorism:[3]

If there's a 1% chance that Pakistani scientists are helping al-Qaeda build or develop a nuclear weapon, we have to treat it as a certainty in terms of our response. It's not about our analysis ... It's about our response.

  1. ^ Official Ron Suskind Biography Accessed July 24, 2006.
  2. ^ NY Times Best Seller List Accessed July 24, 2006.
  3. ^ The Untold Story of al-Qaeda's Plot to Attack the Subways In an exclusive book excerpt, author Ron Suskind reveals how officials learned about a cell that came within weeks of striking in New York City with poison gas, Time, June 26, 2006