Dirty Wars

The World Is a Battlefield

By: Jeremy Scahill

Narrated by: Tom Weiner

Length: 24 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

In this groundbreaking book of new reportage, sure to stir a global debate, journalist Jeremy Scahill - author of the acclaimed international best seller Blackwater - takes us into the heart of the War on Terror’s most dangerous battlefields as he chases down the most important foreign-policy story of our time.

From Afghanistan and Pakistan to Yemen, Somalia, and beyond, Scahill speaks to the CIA agents, mercenaries, and elite Special Operations Forces operators who populate the dark side of American war-fighting. He goes deep into al Qaeda-held territory in Yemen and walks the streets of Mogadishu with CIA-backed warlords. We also meet the survivors of US night raids and drone strikes - including families of US citizens targeted for assassination by their own government - who reveal the human consequences of the dirty wars the United States struggles to keep hidden.

Written in a gripping, action-packed narrative nonfiction style, Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield reveals that, despite his pledge to bring accountability to US wars and to end Bush-era abuses, President Barack Obama has kept in place many of the most dangerous and secret programs that thrived under his predecessor. In stunning detail, Scahill exposes how Obama has escalated these secret US wars and has built up an elite secret US military unit that answers to no one but the president himself. Scahill reveals the existence of previously unreported secret prisons, kidnappings, assassinations, and cover-ups of covert operations gone terribly wrong.

In this remarkable story from the frontlines of the undeclared battlefields of the War on Terror, journalist Jeremy Scahill documents the new paradigm of American war: fought far from any declared battlefield, by units that do not officially exist, in thousands of operations a month that are never publicly acknowledged.

The devastating picture that emerges in Dirty Wars is of a secret US killing machine that has grown more powerful than whatever president happens to reside in the White House. Scahill argues that far from keeping the United States - and the world - safe from terrorism, these covert American wars ensure that the terror will grow and spread.

©2013 Jeremy Scahill (P)2013 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Dirty Wars is the most thorough and authoritative history I’ve read yet of the causes and consequences of America’s post-9/11 conflation of war and national security. I know of no other journalist who could have written it: for over a decade, Scahill has visited the war zones, overt and covert; interviewed the soldiers, spooks, jihadists, and victims; and seen with his own eyes the fruits of America’s bipartisan war fever. He risked his life many times over to write this book, and the result is a masterpiece of insight, journalism, and true patriotism.”—Barry Eisler, New York Times bestselling author

“There is no journalist in America who has exposed the truth about US government militarism more bravely, more relentlessly, and more valuably than Jeremy Scahill. Dirty Wars is highly gripping and dramatic, and of unparalleled importance in understanding the destruction being sown in our name.”—Glenn Greenwald, New York Times bestselling author and Guardian columnist

“A surefire hit for fans of Blackwater and studded with intriguing, occasionally damning material.”—Kirkus Reviews

Amazing book

Fills in a lot of blanks left by the media. I love this author's work.

Solid journalism, I would have preferred it if it had been read by the author.

I'm a huge fan of Jeremy Scahill. I was introduced to his work by finding a copy of Blackwater on a bargain table at bookstore years ago. I devoured it. Hard hitting, evidence based investigative journalism, that manages to relay the pertinent information without overly succumbing to speculative thinking, but never stripped of the humanity of the real world context.

Intercepted podcast is my favorite listen on long drives. I don't usually listen to audiobooks when driving, the attention required by the road distracts me from large sections of the book. However, audiobooks read by their authors tend to hold my attention much better, do to the performer's connection to the material, as is the case with Jeremy's work on the Intercepted podcast.

There's nothing wrong with the performance of this audiobook, but it would have served me much better if it had been read by the author instead. As it stands, I'm going to have to go back and read large sections of the actual text.

Non political BUT very anti-violence

First off, this is a GREAT book. Very well researched, full of new information, and written in a way that will hold your attention; especially if you enjoy CIA/black ops/ SEALs stuff.

Now for the negative, and it's not really a negative, just something you should keep in mind.

This author comes across as VERY anti-targeted strikes/ anti-drones. In fairness, he does present both sides of the argument, but he presents much more of the "innocent civilian casualties" side than perhaps is necessary.

He tends to disregard the mindset of most Americans, which is "if people are hanging out with terrorists (IE in the same car with them), then they are probably people that are a threat to the US" I'm not saying I agree with this, and there are always exceptions, but it's certainly a stance that deserved more weight in the book. Let's face it, other than journalists, there aren't many "innocent" people riding around in cars in the desert with the leaders of Al Qaeda. There just aren't.

This didn't paint my enjoyment of the book, however. The author doesn't beat you over the head with one particular opinion or the other, he just simply spends a bit too much time talking to the family members of suspected terrorists. For the most part, he sets out all the facts and lets you decide. I'd give this book 5 stars, simply based on the classified information and incredible interviews that are inside. The story and narrator make it outstanding.

TOTALLY DEPRESSING

This is a recap of drone attacks focusing on the drone attack that killed the US citizen in Yemen, who was a fervent Muslim but no more fervent, and less proactive, than a Tea Party evangelical Christian who bombs abortion clinics.

Without due process, he was declared a terrorist. even though there is no proof that he ever killed anyone and his big crime was a cheer-leading blog. Our drones have killed more children than terrorists and the whole sordid JSOP program will probably join Japanese internment camps, segregation and Indian tribe relocation on the list of things we shouldn't have done.

If Churchill was right and 'the only thing we have to fear is fear itself' then we are certainly in trouble because we are dis-proportionally afraid relative to the threat. We should be more afraid of cars and handguns than terrorists.

Important, but has a specific audience.

My initial reaction was that this book was trying to do too much. I was very interested in Anwar al-Awlaki and other victims' stories, but I got lost in the technical details. Later, I realized this book is primarily for journalists, lawyers, and others who are supposed to hold politicians and military personnel accountable, which is why the details are important. It isn't meant to entertain, it is meant to be studied. Still, everyone should at least read Chapter 1 (Obama authorized killing a 16-year-old U.S. citizen in Yemen) and Chapter 35 (family slaughtered by U.S. military; journalist accused of being a terrorist for reporting on it) because, to me, it shows how so called terrorist are made.

Insightful book, utterly disappointing narration

Would you listen to Dirty Wars again? Why?

No I will not. Throughout the book, the monotone narration has been a constant agitation, felt like I was listening to news on the radio. Learned quite a lot about the US clandestine operations around the world, thanks to the author's research and insight - although I found myself often not relating to his accusatory tone. It takes two to tango.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dirty Wars?

Details of the operation Neptune Spear were fascinating - which led me to my next purchase "No Easy Day". Can't wait to hear about the experience of the operatives first hand.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator, unfortunately, ruined the experience of listening to this audiobook. It really was a drag, and had it not been for the author's research and insight, and the subject of the book so fascinating, I probably would have moved on when I was one hour into the book. The narrator is now on my avoid list for my future purchases.

Any additional comments?

The book was quite insightful, there is no questioning the depth of the author's research. Although I found myself uncertain about certain aspects of his story, purpose, and conclusion. On several occasions his tone felt accusatory and his sympathy misguided. While he very aptly covered the expansion of clandestine 'dirty' US wars around the world, I felt that he failed to take into account the factors that might have led towards the adaptation of at least some of these policies. When it comes to the Cheney and Rummy duo, I genuinely do question the motives behind centralizing the power to the white house. And the fact that Obama expanded these powers was quite disappointing. There ought to have been some accountability and some vetting process involved, rather than a god-like status of one man. And of course, very unfortunate the loss of innocent lives that have resulted from such operations, often as a result of rash and irresponsible action based on unreliable intel. Yet, the unfortunate fact is that human life does not really mean much when it comes to the actions of governments, corporations, and terrorist organisations alike.The author vehemently condemned the idea of unilateral actions within sovereign countries. While politically he is right on the money, we don't live in a perfect world and dare I say I do understand the need for unilateral action considering how tricky bilateral arrangements can be. As a Pakistani who has read somewhat in detail about the deceitful and conflicting policies of my government and security agencies over the decades, I felt on several occasions that the author failed to take into account the rationale behind conducting unilateral operations within Pakistan in particular, and for similar reasons within certain other states. The way I look at it, if you are harboring the most wanted terrorist just yards from your military academy, you pretty much lose the privilege of unilateral talks and collaborated action.Likewise, I feel that I might have failed to understand or relate to the author's sympathy towards Al-Awlaki. The fact that he was a US citizen should not absolve him of his role in the global terrorism scene, and inciting acts of terror against other Americans. But then again, I don't know much about the US constitution and what rights it bestows upon its citizens. The way I look at it, he was actively being the PR person for AQAP, a cheerleader for terrorist acts within the US, as well as a recruitment facilitator for the terrorists. And then he was not secretive about his motives either. Needless to say, I failed to see the tragedy in him being taken out. And I still do not understand the author's detailed coverage of his father's pleas to the US government, and contempt for the US assassination attempts on the guy. Good riddance.All said, I did find the author's work very fascinating and respect his struggle for digging up so much information about some of the most secretive aspects of new era US global warfare.

A well set out history of the War on Terror

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, well set out and easy to follow chronology of recent actions around the war on terror

eye opening.

nice to have some one put out facts from a non biased pov. this lets you see just a little about how corrupt every government is.

critical reading

For anyone who wonders how far off of the dock American government has drifted from any ethical moorings, it is quite far. Scahill weaves compelling and complex threads from our blood thirsty recent history. The stain of murder on the Administration of Bush and Obama is indelible.

Necessary reading for every American

The information and insight provided are beyond words. The intense nature of the material required me to listen in short segments and then think about and digest what I heard. It took me over four months to complete the book but, it was well worth the effort.