current events

bamford provides a riveting and gravely disturbing picture
of how ideology blinkers the critical evaluation of the world
as it is and leads to the propagandistic abuse of a trusting populace. this is, of course, a general theme with reliably anti-democratic consequences for every politically and theologically monolithic ideology. it happens that america is presently experiencing the predictably unhappy consequences of ideological leadership, so it is a story of american opportunities missed and american lives imperilled (to terrorism
and war in iraq) because of the adoption and craftily calculated propagation of the neo-conservative agenda by the present administration. this book is, among things, a compendium of detail for those who doubt the reach and effect of this ideology. it also provides enormous insight into american intelligence gathering communities with respect to their own intrisic,
historical failings as well as to how these failings have been compounded by bush administration desires and policies.
those who were confronted with a moral dilemma concerning how to explain clinton's wagging finger and televised lies about his sexual dilliance(s) to their children, should be absolutely stupified by the task of explaining to a new generation the catalogue of orchestrated talking-points recited by dozens of people in the bush adminstration who wittingly led americans to sacrifice their children and the lives of others in a war
known to insiders to be indefensible on the basis of evidence, but declared all the same, because its adherents sincerely believed it was necessary, despite all credible evidence. if this is not frightening, then you're probably incapable of being scared. if this book doesn't encourage you to re-evaluate your support for the present adminstration, as have numerous lifelong republicans in the intelligence community, then the administration's propaganda as described by bampton has no better example of its success. i'm sure that administration apologists will trash this book (after all, they are ideologues), as they've done to many recent investigative books, but don't let them discourage you from a captivating and mind-opening read.

Despite the weighty subject, this book reads like a novel. Some reviewers pan it as a work of fiction. You owe it to yourself to read this book and decide for yourself.

James Bamford asserts that the current Bush administration commenced its service with an agenda to topple Saddam Hussein, end involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and rearrange the dominoes in the Middle East. Bamford's premise is that the Bush administration, with the able assistance of its neo-conservatives previously employed by the Israeli government, manipulated the inadequate intelligence it received to increase public support for its war on Iraq. Along the way, tax dollars were used illegally to propagandize American citizens while the inept US media mutely watched. Additionally, the NSA spied on the UN Security Council and Hans Blix, the chief of the Iraq weapons inspectors.

Despite the complexity of the story author James Bamford writes, A Pretext For War is very readable and in fact is very interesting. Initially, Bamford follows the 9/11 terrorists and then the President and other US officials. The second section of the book traces the intelligence gathering. The third and final section of watches the Bush administration as it weaves the events, gathered intelligence and speculation into a tapestry of its own design

I recommend the well written reviews posted by Robert D. Steele and "autonomeus".

In the "how I would improve this book" category, I would like to have read more on the FBI / CIA turf battle over the terrorist investigations. In particular, more details about John P. O'Neill who headed the bureau's Counterterrorism Division. Finally, the noted fact that George Tennet, as Director of the CIA only controlled 15% of America's intelligence empire while Donald Rumsfield as Secretary of Defense controlled 85% of the intelligence was mentioned twice in the book (p 214 & p 353). Once would have been enough.

In his, A PRETEXT FOR WAR, James Damford recaps the tragedy of 9/11 and the tragedy of how Bush responded within the first few hours and days; explores the sad state of our Intelligence community; and how the Bush team blatantly misused and falsified intelligence to stage the war with Iraq.

Besides making it clear our CIA is in dire need of an overhaul, it show that we have good reason to impeach Bush for an abuse of power and deception.

An interview with James Bamford concerning his book can be found at NPR Fresh Air, June 8, 2004.