I think the author forgot his point while writing this book. There is a lot of really pertinent information, and when coupled with some other really good books on the contracting issue, you start to get a really good idea of what it means to be a Libertarian or Neocon.
The book loses focus in many parts when it focuses too much on the political machinations in the Bush Administration. The whittled down objective information is enough to make you scream...even if the author's adjectives weren't in the way.
The narrator is really grimmy though. He made me want to wash my ears. I think he was trying way too hard to sound like a bad guy telling a story.

A MUST READ for anyone who votes...well researched, well written, well done!
The "patriot" responsible for this mercenary army has since moved to the Middle East to avoid investigation and taxation...money talks, BS walks!

This book is not about Blackwater at all. It is an opportunity to make subjective statements about everything wrong about our current policies. The simplified version of this book can be expressed by the following authors conclusions:
Blackwater is a christian right organization and this is bad.
Our military is mismanaged and doing evil things around the world.
Our leaders are driven by greed and ignorance.
We are murderers and our "foes" in Iraq are "resistance fighters".
If you are looking for any real insight into "Blackwater" or organizations like this, don't bother with this book. There is no real objective insight here just an adgenda to fill.
This book is about as insightful as an islamic martyr school.

Only an informed citizenry is capable of make sound decisions about the future of our country. With the approaching presidential election, this is another of those works that should be read by all of us so that we can better judge who will lead us for the next four years. What is so wonderful about this book is that it gives the reader the background to understand what is happening in the news even as I write this review. Listen and learn. You won't regret it!

This audiobook is more a rant against the U.S. and its troops in Iraq than a book about Blackwater. I bought this audiobook hoping to learn about Blackwater and the role of mercenaries in Iraq. I confess that I'm little over halfway through the book but feel that it is necessary to warn others that a good portion of the book is taken up with villanizing the religious right, America and its troops, not with detailing and analyzing the history and role of Blackwater. Much of the book consists of brief, misleading quotes, without context, attempting to justify the authors anti-U.S. position. The narrator is onboard: when military authorities are quoted they are usually portrayed as gruff and insensitive.

Many mistakes have been made in this war and they have been chronicled by Thomas Ricks and others. That's not what I wanted to learn about when I bought this book. If you want a book about the horrors of modern warfare, I suggest "War Is A Force That Gives Us Meaning," by Chris Hedges. I cannot recommend this book for anyone seeking a relative objective view of Blackwater.

Obviously written by someone who has a strong opinion against military forces and private contractors.

Just OK. lots of information about related topics and not a lot about Blackwater itself.
sometimes I felt I was listening yo a separate story nothing to do with blackwater. Then the bool returned to the original topic.

this book was a deeper look into the world of private Contracting. reply or better in the United States Army infantry I found this extremely informative. however there seem to be heavy liberal overtones regarding any basis on religion and also military.

It gives one an idea of what really goes on behind the events that one cannot make sense of.eye opener.

If the talent director had been better, or the narrator better, it would have been worth listening to. I couldn't get past the first chapter. I ground my teeth every time the narrator put on his fake TV Announcer voice.

There was nothing wrong with the story. I was looking forward to it but I just couldn't stand it.

If the narrator could keep from putting on his fake "TV Announcer" voice every time a strong point was to be made in the story, it would have been better. Working in the voice industry I know this is often the voice director's fault and yet narrators are blamed all the time. So my comment is to whomever decided on this creative approach - stop it! I don't need a fake tone to emphasize that this is an "important" point. I just want the facts, straight forward and I can make my own decision on how I feel about what I'm listening to. I haven't seen the book in printed form and perhaps the writer italicized these areas but a good director should have known better and that it would sound 'put on' or fake.

Frustration. It felt like such a waste to take non-fiction work with existing political undercurrents and to add additional commentary by having the narrator take on such an over the top attitude to nail a point home. I'm not stupid and don't need it pointed out. It just ruined the book.