Customer Reviews

The CIA's Greatest Hits (The Real Story Series)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is another important contribution to the ongoing critic of imperialist culture that many mistaking think ended at the start of the twentieth century. In the vein of Chomsky, Vidal and Jardine, "Real Story Series" pamphlets, Zepezauer gives a quick overview of, perhaps, one of the most dishonorable ongoing chapters of US history. This book is not meant to go into a detailed analysis' of CIA activities, but rather introduce the nefarious activities of this powerful agency to the public. Within this book one will be introduced to the CIA's involvement in the overthrow of democratic governments all over the world. From Nicaragua, Guatemala, and El Salvador and the repeted attempts to bring about the downfall of Castro in our hemisphere, to the Phillipines, Vietnam, Greece, and into Africa, the reader introduced to what could be called the most well financed terrorist organization in the world. This book is only an introduction, as I said, and if one is interested in a more in- depth look at the CIA, check out "Killing Hope" by William Blum. All in all this book is a very good place begin in any investigation of the CIA's activities, especially for those not familar with the subject.

I read this book right after september 11th when I was curious about why someone might want to attack the United States. After reading this book all I can say is WOW! Still I had to admit that I was more than a little dubious about the claims this book makes. I spent several months doing research and was severely disappointed when it all checked out. The CIA's Greatest Hits is the short version of some of the sketchiest things we are never taught in school.

Thinking about this kind of stuff tends to make my guts and my intellect roll. In fact, it may be easier to call the book propaganda and lies so I wouldn't have to think about the consequences of our government killing all those people. If you accept it as truth (or just do the long hours of research like I did) you will probably start to ask some difficult questions about the way the government actually works and how it purports to work and why there is such a massive gulf between two.This book takes some of that pressure off by presenting the information with funny little graphics and a tongue in cheek style that allow you to keep reading instead of getting bogged down and depressed. You can even laugh out loud occasionally.

Zepezaur does a superb job here because the book appeals to wide range of people. Someone who is totally unfamiliar with politics could pick this up and finish in a couple nights of light reading. This book scores major points with me because it's easily approachable to those who don't have a strong backing in history, yet the battle hardened Chomskyite will no doubt find new info.

I do wish he had cited sources on the pages themselves instead of in an index. It just makes them easier to check out for people who think this book is full of lies.

I also just want to say that thought it was really funny when one reviewer said "Yes, the CIA has made mistakes" and another responded by saying "A decades-long pattern of murder and subterfuge does not equal an occasional mistake." Another reviewer said that the book was disrespectful...I think it's sad that "respect" means hiding the truth about egregious crimes.

After reading the book I ended up emailing Mark Zepezaur with a couple questions. He was extremely accommodating and super friendly. I also got to talk to him briefly during a book tour and he has been one of the more politically articulate people I have ever met.

If you liked this but felt that it was a little short or didn't present enough hard facts check out another (short) book called Addicted to War: Why the US can't Kick Militarism. Mark Zepezaur also did a similar comic series called "US History Backwards."

Mark Zepezauer took advantage, unlike many Americans, of the declassified CIA documents, and compacted complicated events into a single book. I got this book after doing years of research regarding the assassination of John F. Kennedy and Malcolm X. Especially Malcolm X, seeing that COINTELPRO (FBI documents) is all declassified now. Don't take Zepezauer's word for it, do your own research, your own thinking. But with the CIA admission concerning the removal of leaders like Lumumba, Mossedegh, Arbenz, Allende, Sukarno, the Pathet Loa Party and so forth, AND the installation os dictators like Suharto, Pinochet, Shah Phalevi, D'Aubassaun, and members of the Al-Quida in Afghanistan, it's hard to deny that the United States of America was, and still is, an imperialist country. And the only reason there leaders were either removed, or installed, was for the fortification of government-protected corporations in America.

-Anton Batey

Many books attempt to include more detail on whatever historical situation they are attempting to *cover*. I know that disinformation is a large part of any secret circus stunt, and everything that happens at a circus might be more convincing than any of the parts of the world that allegedly existed before and after the momentous events that are summarized on the back cover of this book as times when the C.I.A. "participated in the assassinations of . . . literally millions of ordinary people in Indonesia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Vietnam, East Timor and many other countries." I've been in one of those countries on a U.S. government project that was not quite secret enough to suit some people, and it seemed like the C.I.A. was there long before I was, and even William Colby couldn't convince LBJ that hundreds of thousands of American troops shooting people there might get into the newspapers more often than he would like. I like reading this book on places I have never been, like Germany, whose famous Hitler employed General Reinhard Gehlen as "Hitler's intelligence chief for the Eastern front" (p. 6) before he had the opportunity to help form the C.I.A. pursuant to a "secret treaty, his spy organization--which came to be called the Gehlen Org--would work for, and be funded by, the US until a new German government came to power." (p. 6). I have searched for other information on the web about Reinhard Gehlen, which corresponds so well to the information in this book, that it is possible that the secret treaty also required Gehlen to teach the C.I.A. everything it knows.

Hit number 38: Crooked Banks, on BCCI, which had a London branch that was shut down by British bank examiners in 1991, managed loosely "Roughly $20 billion of BCCI's assets remain unaccouted for," though "Before collapsing, BCCI managed to facilitate a host of CIA covert operations, notably George Bush's efforts to pump weapons to Saddam Hussein's Iraq (see Hit #40) and Edwin Wilson's `unauthorized' arming of Libya (see Hit #30)." (p. 81). Some people might still believe that BCCI was a Pakastani bank, and Mark Zepezauer seems to be dubiously relying on a rumor that it was the work of "Director Richard Helms in particular, actually started the bank, and that it `wasn't a Pakistani bank at all.'" (pp. 80-81)

A terrific, terrifying little conspiracy cover-up book. The CIA has been responsible for destroying numerous economies and good governments, causing considerable mayhem since its creation. Don't miss the section on Jonestown, which has nothing in common with the recent Rancho Santa Fe cult suicides: it was murder (primarily of blacks, which was news to me). References are included for those who want further facts

While I found this book to be interesting, there certainly are better. What I find more interesting, though, are the two negative reviews listed here. What kind of blind allegiance are these two people suggesting? I though part of being a democrat (little d intended) is to monitor your government. What they seem to suggest is that we simply sit back and accept at face value that a secret organization is doing what is in our best interest. What kind of Pollyanna world do these people live in? I, for one, want to know on what my government is spending billions of taxpayer dollars. That books such as these suggest that they are spending it on murdering innocent civilians and democratically elected leaders, while, simultaneously installing and supporting and military dictators makes me sick. A decades-long pattern of murder and subterfuge does not equal an occasional mistake. I wonder how we would react if another government "mistakenly" funded the violent overthrow of our government? I doubt we'd say, "Gee, I'm sure you're intelligence services are doing good things otherwise...no, we don't need to see evidence of this...I'm sure these things are classified for your national security purposes. Let's just be pals." While nobody would expect you to accept everything that is printed here, it is certainly your democratic, civic, and moral responsibility to consider the perspectives offered. Reviewing the evidence offered in this short book is a good start.

Here it is. Everything your taxes have been paying for for the past fifty years. Chilling, infuriating, intriguing. Forty-two short vignettes to point you in the right direction for further research; forty-two arguments for the dissolution of a clandestine dinosaur.

Another related book of interest: Veil: The Secret Wars of the CIA by Bob Woodward, 1981-1987 (of Woodward and Bernstein "Watergate" fame.)A book about the actions of the CIA under the Great Prevaricator, Ronald Reagan.

I'm glad to see this nice eye-opener is still in print. Makes you think carefully about a large number of world events. I got this from a good friend and it has introduced me to a new world of critical thinking. If you want to love your government DON'T READ THIS BOOK! But if you have an open mind and want to find out what has been going on behind the scenes it is great material.

This is another important contribution to the ongoing critic of imperialist culture that many mistaking think ended at the start of the twentieth century. In the vein of Chomsky, Vidal and Jardine, "Real Story Series" pamphlets, Zepezauer gives a quick overview of, perhaps, one of the most dishonorable ongoing chapters of US history. This book is not meant to go into a detailed analysis' of CIA activities, but rather introduce the nefarious activities of this powerful agency to the public. Within this book one will be introduced to the CIA's involvement in the overthrow of democratic governments all over the world. From Nicaragua, Guatemala, and El Salvador and the repeted attempts to bring about the downfall of Castro in our hemisphere, to the Phillipines, Vietnam, Greece, and into Africa, the reader introduced to what could be called the most well financed terrorist organization in the world. This book is only an introduction, as I said, and if one is interested in a more in- depth look at the CIA, check out "Killing Hope" by William Blum. All in all this book is a very good place begin in any investigation of the CIA's activities, especially for those not familar with the subject.

I have used this book on numerous occassions for political science classes, journalistic research and studies on Latin America and the "middle east", as well as numerous de-bunking sessions with people who seem set in their denial of US involvement (direct and indirect) in toppling popularly elected regimes in the world. The sad truth is this is only the tip of the iceberg...

The short synopsis and easy access for any audience makes this book a must for anyone serious about having a detailed and informed discussion about US foreign policy both in the past and today.