Betrayal : How the Clinton Administration Undermined American Security [Hardcover]

Bill Gertz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 25, 1999

Bill Gertz has done more than any other reporter to expose the threat Bill Clinton's administration poses to U.S. national security. Now, using his extensive sources within the government and his unrivaled access to confidential documents, Gertz tells the whole, sordid story of an administration that has sold out our national security--and has gone to great lengths to cover it up.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Bill Gertz, who covers national security for the Washington Times, lays out a chilling argument against Bill Clinton's foreign policy in Betrayal. In his view, Clinton's "naive" strategies of "appeasement" with China and Russia have resulted in a betrayal of American interests, leaving "the United States weaker militarily as its enemies grow stronger and the world becomes more dangerous." According to Gertz, Clinton's policies have compromised national security: Clinton opposed development of a missile defense system that would derail arms control agreements with the Russians--even though they are believed to be developing such a system themselves. Gertz also maintains that the Russians are using U.S. aid targeted for decommissioning nuclear weapons to develop new weapons of mass destruction and to continue to develop new nuclear weapons.

Gertz also makes the case that the Clinton administration's sale of sophisticated computer and satellite technology to China was influenced by campaign contributions to the Democrats from Chinese and American executives. "The small but growing force of Chinese strategic nuclear missiles has become more reliable--thanks to American high technology," writes Gertz. He further charges that the Clinton administration has attempted to downplay the Chinese threat to U.S. security even though "China has undertaken a steady military buildup that is directly aimed at fighting a future war with the United States."

Betrayal asserts that the "most important legacy" of Bill Clinton's presidency may be "his dead serious disarmament of the United States and his self-serving appeasement of powerful and determined foreign enemies.... The administration's policies have endangered not only the United States," Gertz concludes, "but the peace and security of the entire world." --Linda Killian

Product Details

• Hardcover: 291 pages
• Publisher: Regnery Publishing, Inc.; illustrated edition edition (May 25, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0895263173
• ISBN-13: 978-0895263179
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (113 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #175,603 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

79 of 86 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Definitive Review of Clinton's Bungled Foreign Policy, May 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Betrayal : How the Clinton Administration Undermined American Security (Hardcover)

As a member of the intelligence community for more than 40 years, I can tell you first-hand that this book is right on the mark. The author (without revealing confidential sources) has carefully set forth how the United States has been compromised by the Democrats' ethical lapse in dealing with the Communist Chinese.

If there is a shortcoming in this work, it may be that the author fails to delve into how President Clinton's inexperience in foreign affairs has gone unchecked and put our nation's security at risk when there are plenty of savvy Democrats who could have stepped in to prevent it, on many occasions.

My personal conclusion is that the Clinton presidency has so damaged his political party that capable people are reluctant to intercede for him out of fear of being too closely identified with his "legacy." You'll have to read Gertz' book to draw your own conclusions. Suffice it to be said that this book contains plenty of detail and supporting facts. We liberals may bristle at it frankness, but that's no reason to attack the work--it's a real bombshell!

87 of 103 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Impeached President's Worst Crimes, December 10, 1999

By 

Steven Fantina (Phillipsburg, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Betrayal : How the Clinton Administration Undermined American Security (Hardcover)

Discovering seminal uses for a cigar with a twenty-something intern was unquestionably Bill Clinton's most famous and salacious scandal, but when all is said and done, it will probably prove to be less pernicious than the events chronicled in Bill Gertz's real life horror story. In a nutshell, Clinton gave away the store. EVERY U.S. military secret was handed over to China. Of course, this nation of unparalleled human rights atrocities did engage in several illegal forms of spying, but had Clinton and his myrmidons not chosen to ignore the blatantly obvious, Bejing would have been far less successful. In stead Clinton's biggest concern was making sure that China's crime did not threaten Most Favorite Nation status for the world's most dangerous rogue. While the other foreign policy lapses covered pale compared to China's pandemic infiltration of our military know-how, Gertz highlights several other deleterious activities. From the Pentagon's covering up a Russian spy ship lazing an American pilot to North Korea's massive starvation of its citizens, the book shows many Clinton foreign policy failures, and all the spin in the White House can't change the facts.

This book has filled me with a newly rekindled respect for the wisdom and foresight of our Founding Fathers. Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and the rest of those brilliant patriots created an impervious form of government when they gave birth to the United States of America. Any government that can survive the unbridled corruption of Bill Clinton and his janissaries simply cannot be overthrown. The only issue that worries me is that as of this writing 13 more Clinton-stained months remain.

Still, if America survives, historians will forever look back and wonder how the nation perdured throughout such rampant rejection of the rules and principles that guided us for 200+ years, (and they'll also ponder why we allowed it.) The answer will ultimately lead back to the heroic sacrifices of those who gave us the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution--two documents betrayed repeatedly by Clinton's twisted view of world affairs.

33 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely Scary., July 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Betrayal : How the Clinton Administration Undermined American Security (Hardcover)

Years ago I read a novel called "The Red President" about a Soviet agent who manages to become President. That seemed far-fetched then. However, now I'm not so sure. I'm just not sure whether The Manchurian Candidate in the White House works for Russia or China, certainly not for the American people. Millions are given by this Administration to rebuild Russia. The money goes to create new missiles aimed at us. The Clinton administration ignores China stealing our secrets and peddling them to terrorist nations around the world. The administration discredits our own intelligence agencies to keep China happy. The list goes on and on. Like many other books critical of this administration, it has been ignored by most organs of the liberal media. It has become a best seller nonetheless. During the impeachment, I heard many interviewed that supported this President. Most seemed rather uneducated and really had no idea what was going on but knew that they loved Bill Clinton. Some thought that he was a liar and corrupt but wanted him to stay in office anyway. The fact that this book and others like High Crimes and Misdemeanors have become best sellers, despite being ignored by the New York Times, the Today Show, etc., is a clear indication that those critical of this corrupt and loathesome administration are the ones that are out there buying the books and reading.