Arkin, co-author with Dana Priest of “Top Secret America: The Rise of the National Security State” (Little Brown, 2011). speaks of acceptance by public of “perpetual state of yellow since 9-11,” of expansion of government and private intelligence agencies; how rise of security state and billions to pay for it are not questioned by Congress or either party; how system is beyond control of a president; how former government security officials and ex-generals and admirals have profited in the private security-intelligence world; how prospects for changing status quo are not on horizon.
