• The Unarmed Truth

  • My Fight to Blow the Whistle and Expose Fast and Furious
  • By: John Dodson
  • Narrated by: John Pruden
  • Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (418 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
The Unarmed Truth  By  cover art

The Unarmed Truth

By: John Dodson
Narrated by: John Pruden
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.56

Buy for $15.56

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

After the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, John Dodson pulled bodies out of the wreckage at the Pentagon. In 2007, following the shooting massacre at Virginia Tech, Dodson walked through the classrooms, heartbroken, to cover up the bodies of the victims.

Then came Arizona - the American border.

Ten days before Christmas, 2010, ATF agent John Dodson awoke to the news he had dreaded every day as a member of the elite team called the Group VII Strike Force: a US border patrol agent named Brian Terry had been shot dead by bandits armed with guns that had been supplied to them by ATF. Was this an inevitable consequence of the Obama administration's Project Gunrunner, set in place one year earlier, ostensibly to track Mexican drug cartels?

Brian Terry's murder would not only change John Dodson's life forever; it would reveal a scandal so unthinkably unpatriotic that it forced President Barack Obama to claim executive privilege and caused Attorney General Eric Holder to be held in contempt of Congress.

Federal Agent John Dodson, an ex-military man, took an oath to defend the world's greatest country and proudly considered himself a walking patriotic example of the American Dream. Brian Terry, ex-military like Dodson, was only 40 years old, a family man who served his country by working for the government.

Dodson was terrified when the next phone call came, one with the potential to destroy his career, his family, and his life. CBS investigative journalist Sharyl Attkisson asked Dodson to go public with what he knew about Fast and Furious. To Agent Dodson, this meant blowing the whistle. But to the family of Agent Terry, it was a chance to save lives and right a wrong. As he took a fight from the border towns of Arizona to a showdown in the halls of Congress, Dodson clung to the hope that truth would prevail, that he would be redeemed, and that Brian Terry's death would not be in vain.

©2013 John Dodson (P)2013 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

More from the same

What listeners say about The Unarmed Truth

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    337
  • 4 Stars
    68
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    3
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    305
  • 4 Stars
    55
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    309
  • 4 Stars
    50
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    4

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Shocking true story of government incompetence

When government carreerists rise to positions of power and authority, and there are insufficient check and balances within said organization, bad thing happen. When those bad thing involve firearms, this often leads to deaths thing are often deaths. Although this book reads like a Ludlum t

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Evil Succeeds When Good Men Do Nothing

Would you listen to The Unarmed Truth again? Why?

Absolutely. This book isn't just a "tell all" about government employees who don't care about their obligation to the right thing, its a tribute to the bravery of a man who believed in his oath of office and was willing to put everything on the line for public he served.

What did you like best about this story?

Special Agent Dodson's attention to detail, honesty, and his ability to make a complex situation understandable for those who aren't involved in law enforcement.

Have you listened to any of John Pruden’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes. Its another example of good narration.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I'm disgusted by the lack of integrity by those who are far more interested in their "career" in public service, than actually providing a service to the public that depends upon them. I'm frightened by the lack of knowledge and apathy on the part of the public and the inaction on these issues by far too many elected officials.


This book doesn't just illustrate poor management, it demonstrates the necessity of protecting government employees that are willing to come forward and report corruption from the political consequences that are sure to follow. Special Agent Dodson's devotion to duty stands in stark contrast to those who either "go along to get along" or (at worst) ignore their responsibilities to "protect and serve" as members of law enforcement. The book also shows the importance of providing adequate support (in the form of staffing) to the few elected officials (such as Senator Charles Grassley) who are willing to meet their obligations to govern the government and insure that taxpayer dollars are put to their intended use.

Any additional comments?

Many people believe they know the story behind the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) "Operation Fast and Furious". They don't. This book provides the real details, told by the primary "whistle blower" on the case: Special Agent John Dodson, a man that obviously cares about such things as ethics and meeting his responsibilities as a peace officer sworn to serve the public interests. This isn't just about those charged with the responsibility of investigating firearms trafficking allowing a few criminals to violate laws regulating gun purchases. Its about law enforcement managers who instituted a policy of forcing gun dealers to sell firearms to known traffickers under ATF surveillance, watching the transactions occur, and willingly allowing the "straw buyers" to transfer the weapons to known, violent, criminals...regardless of the injuries and deaths that were sure to follow. Why? Unfortunately, the answer is: Inflating statistics and making callous managers of governmental institutions (such as the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and the United States Department of Justice) look good, instead of actually arresting violators, prosecuting criminals, and preventing violent crime.The only thing more disgusting and frightening about the government complicity in placing literally thousands of AK47s and other firearms into the hands of dangerous criminals on the U.S. and Mexican sides of the border, is the willingness of alleged "leaders" to not only sacrifice innocent lives for personal advancement, but to then engage in a criminal coverup when a U.S. Border Patrol officer is murdered with one of the weapons involved. How do such people sleep at night? How do we sleep at night, knowing that those we depend upon for law enforcement are only too willing to break the law themselves and are defended by elected officials who are only willing to perpetuate the lies for political gain?Much is said about the power of the free press in this country and while its true that the media did pick up on this story, in no way can television provide viewers with an understanding of the depth of this horrible situation given the medium's time constraints. Nor can TV viewers understand how misinformation is being used by those who know better, to provide "cover and concealment" for those inside our most trusted law enforcement institutions who should be demoted, fired, removed from public office, and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. That medium can and has sparked interest, but this book provides sufficient evidence of public corruption to (hopefully) result in needed action. Only an informed and inflamed electorate can bring about the necessary change to deal with such a breach of the public's trust. This book isn't for those with short attention spans. Its for those who care about the safety of their communities, country, innocent victims on both sides of the United States and Mexican border, and ethical members of law enforcement that are placing their lives at risk to protect the public they serve.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book by a great American

Thanks Agent Dodson for coming forward. I am disgusted by our government and that it does. You did a great job telling the story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Must Read

Narration is spot on with a story like this and clearly a catastrophic situation. love books that get to the truth.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

amazing

this is a riveting story exposing government corruption at the highest level, politics, and bad management. Dodson did an amazing thing, by telling the truth and doing what he believed to be right.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

great read

A very well written book that details the government's mishandling of of this case. The narration was well preformed.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Must read!

Great insight to the corruption of the government. Well thought out. Finished in 2 days because I couldn't put it down!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A frustrating story

There is some talk from people inside the ATF that the author exploited things for his own gain but regardless he played a pivotal role in exposing this horrible operation

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

AT THE END OF THE DAY... HE HAD MORALES!!!

What an amazing book. Dodson did an outstanding job telling the TRUTH!!! Never once put the blame on one person and said he was just as guilty. Way to take responsibility and own your shit... he knew what his department was doing wrong and did something about it so it wouldn’t happen again to the next innocent family... He faced Terry’s family and apologized... A true man of GOD!!!!

I would like to hear an update of what is going on now since it has been 10 years now.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Donkeys and elephants

Democrat X Republican = criminal . We need more choices. We currently vote for corporations, not the constitution

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful