When the San Jose Mercury News ran a controversial series of stories in 1996 on the relationship between the CIA, the Contras, and crack, they reignited the issue of the intelligence agency's connections to drug trafficking, initially brought to light during the Vietnam War and then again by the Iran-Contra affair. Broad in scope and extensively documented, Cocaine Politics shows that under the cover of national security and covert operations, the U.S. government has repeatedly collaborated with and protected major international drug traffickers. A new preface discusses developments of the last six years, including the Mercury News stories and the public reaction they provoked.
Cocaine Politics
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
This important, explosive report forcefully argues that the "war on drugs" is largely a sham, as the U.S. government is one of the world's largest drug pushers. The authors unearth close links between the CIA and Latin American drug networks which provide U.S. covert operations with financing, political leverage and intelligence. CIA-protected Panamian ruler Manuel Noriega supplied drugs, pilots and banking services to Honduran and Costa Rican cocaine smugglers who were partners in Reagan's support program for Nicaragua's Contras. Together, Honduran and Costa Rican traffickers supplied one-third of the cocaine smuggled into the U.S. in the 1980s, according to the authors. The Bush administration showers hundreds of millions of dollars on Latin American military elites in Guatemala, Colombia, etc. to enlist them in the "war on drugs." In so doing, charge the authors, the U.S. risks empowering the very forces that protect drug-pushing crime syndicates. The U.S. also gave covert aid to Afghan guerrillas who smuggled drugs in concert with Pakistan's military--an operation that produced half of the heroin consumed in the U.S. during the 1980s. Scott, a professor at UC-Berkeley, and San Francisco Chronicle economics editor Marshall call for immediate political action to end Washington's complicity. Their heavily documented book deserves a wide audience.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Coauthor Marshall's recent Drug Wars ( LJ 2/15/91) shows how Washington overlooks or supports drug trafficking as part of its efforts to thwart Third World communism around the world. This new book explores in detail the tangled connection between the Nicaraguan Contras, U.S. support for them, and drugs. Marshall and Scott argue that the United States might actually have furthered the flow of cocaine from Central America to the States by colluding with anti-Sandinista forces. Government intimidation of witnesses, a complacent Congress, and timid media have served to keep this a quiet story. Extensive interviews, government records, and secondary sources (enough, in fact, to produce over 60 pages of cited sources), are used to document in great detail how the war on communism took precedence over the war on drugs. An authoritiative account of a crucial but underpublicized issue.
- Cathy Seitz Whit aker, Univ. of Pittsburgh Lib.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
- Cathy Seitz Whit aker, Univ. of Pittsburgh Lib.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
47 of 48 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This incredible volume was one of the first things I read when I began researching the issue of Contra cocaine trafficking for the San Jose Mercury News in 1995. To call the experience an eye-opener is a major understatement. Cocaine Politics not only confirmed to me that the Contra-drug link was for real, but that it was just a small part of an even more insidious picture: a secret and practically invisible world where intelligence operatives and criminals collude, wreak havoc, and almost always escape prosecution and accountability. When a producer from Dateline NBC, which did a show about my Dark Alliance series, asked me for recommended reading material on this issue, I unhesitatingly recommended Cocaine Politics. His reaction afterwards was memorable: "This is the most amazing book I've ever read. How come I've never heard any of this stuff before?" The answer is pretty obvious once you read this book. If the American public ever got wind of this story, our country and our government would never be the same again.
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book has all the possibilities of being an academic pot boiler. Divided into two parts, "Right-Wing Narcoterrorism, the CIA, and the Contras," and "Exposure and Cover-Up" and covering twelve chapters, including a glossary of terms, the book is one part investigative journalism and another academic treatise. In general, the book details the toleration or complicity of the American government with drug traffickers to protect the interests of national security or covert operations.
The book has a number of advantages and disadvantages. First, while perhaps a moot point is that a considerable amount of discussion focuses on South America rather than on Central America as promised in the title. Second, and perhaps an editorial point, while there is a four-and-a- half page glossary of names and organizations at the back of the book, there is a sort of breathless spouting off of a succession of names and organizations in the book. This is distracting and tiresome for the reader. Third, even though there is a phenomenal amount of documentation (i.e., approximately 23 percent of the book (a total of 64 pages) is devoted to notes) and a 14-page index, the authors rely on the same basic sources, including Kerry's subcommittee report and american and mainstream newspaper and magazine coverage; few articles come from the spanish speaking press, and few interviews are conducted with sources. Fourth, while the book is highly descriptive and reads like a murder mystery, it is short on analysis, theory building or testing, and/or recommending policy changes. Regardless, this book is a disturbing and sobering necessity for those wishing to understand the so-called war on drugs in the United States and the reasons U.S. foreign policy in Latin America is problematic, a best.
The book has a number of advantages and disadvantages. First, while perhaps a moot point is that a considerable amount of discussion focuses on South America rather than on Central America as promised in the title. Second, and perhaps an editorial point, while there is a four-and-a- half page glossary of names and organizations at the back of the book, there is a sort of breathless spouting off of a succession of names and organizations in the book. This is distracting and tiresome for the reader. Third, even though there is a phenomenal amount of documentation (i.e., approximately 23 percent of the book (a total of 64 pages) is devoted to notes) and a 14-page index, the authors rely on the same basic sources, including Kerry's subcommittee report and american and mainstream newspaper and magazine coverage; few articles come from the spanish speaking press, and few interviews are conducted with sources. Fourth, while the book is highly descriptive and reads like a murder mystery, it is short on analysis, theory building or testing, and/or recommending policy changes. Regardless, this book is a disturbing and sobering necessity for those wishing to understand the so-called war on drugs in the United States and the reasons U.S. foreign policy in Latin America is problematic, a best.
Jeffrey Ian Ross
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Good reading.
The book gives an account of the dirty tricks involving Oliver North, the State Department and the Justice Department regarding the Central American activities.
The use of cocaine to finance the contra activities is well documented with opinions and lots of factual information.
Even the Israeli involvement in the central american politics is mentioned. Not to mention about the references to the Argentine hold over the Contras during the early phase of the war.
Although at times I have felt, there is too much of factual information to digest.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
COCAINE POLITICS
I just ordered this for my roommate for a project he is doing at Appalachian State University. The only thing he had to say about the book was thanks so I guess it is serving his... Read more
Published on March 3, 2009 by Guy W. Seamster
dont bother with this book
plain and simple dont waste your money on this old information taken of other official documents dont waste your dollars
Published on February 25, 2008 by Alberto Rodriguez
A shocking indictment of US foreign policy
I wouldn't say the book needs better editing. Some people may find the sheer amount of names and information presented to be cumbersome. Read more
Published on March 17, 2007 by George Nilsen
Needs better editing
This book provides a well-documented and comprehensive study of US involvement with drug runners and drug lords in the Central American countries of Panama, Guatemela, Honduras,... Read more
Published on November 15, 2005 by Newton Ooi
A Corrupted Patriotism that Trafficked in Guns and Drugs
This is a densely packed book that serves more as a collation of other sources - the exhaustive task of assembling it was no small feat and much thanks is to be given to Mr. Read more
Published on July 17, 2004 by Christopher Beckwith
An eyeopener
Most Americans will not want to believe the contents of this book. Scott & Marshall compile mountains of evidence to support their conclusions. Read more
Published on June 17, 2002 by Bert Ruiz
Highest regard
Excellent book, responsibly written, clear and readable. The information in it is highly important if you want to understand what is going on. Read more
Published on October 16, 2001 by LLM
Corruption at the highest level; interesting, informative
I recommend this engrossing account of secret power struggles in Central America during the 1970's and 1980's. Read more
Published on September 3, 2000
Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
President Reagan came to office with a mission: to roll back the frontiers of world communism, especially in the Third World. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
counterterrorism powers, cocaine coup, cocaine wars, arms supermarket, contra leadership, contra movement, deposition exhibit, cocaine connection, cocaine shipments, drug corruption, intelligence connections, cocaine industry, drug story, drug connection, subcommittee staff, drug traffickers, cocaine trafficking, drug shipments Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
United States, Costa Rica, Central America, John Hull, Senator Kerry, State Department, Christic Institute, Oliver North, New York Times, Frank Castro, Robert Owen, Jack Terrell, White House, Bay of Pigs, Suarez Mason, Latin America, Southern Front, Washington Post, Mexico City, New Orleans, Floyd Carlton, Rene Corvo, Eden Pastora, Barry Seal, Felipe Vidal New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
President Reagan came to office with a mission: to roll back the frontiers of world communism, especially in the Third World. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
counterterrorism powers, cocaine coup, cocaine wars, arms supermarket, contra leadership, contra movement, deposition exhibit, cocaine connection, cocaine shipments, drug corruption, intelligence connections, cocaine industry, drug story, drug connection, subcommittee staff, drug traffickers, cocaine trafficking, drug shipments Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
United States, Costa Rica, Central America, John Hull, Senator Kerry, State Department, Christic Institute, Oliver North, New York Times, Frank Castro, Robert Owen, Jack Terrell, White House, Bay of Pigs, Suarez Mason, Latin America, Southern Front, Washington Post, Mexico City, New Orleans, Floyd Carlton, Rene Corvo, Eden Pastora, Barry Seal, Felipe Vidal New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 42
books:
See all 42 books this book cites
- Out of Control: The Story of the Reagan Administration's Secret War in Nicaragua, the Illegal Arms Pipeline, and the Contra Drug Connection by Leslie Cockburn on 17 pages
- The Underground Empire: Where Crime and Governments Embrace by James Mills on 16 pages
- Costa Rica (Spanish Edition) by Javier Rodriguez on 16 pages
- Costa Rica (Countries of the World (Gareth Stevens)) by Nicole Frank on 11 pages
- The Iran-Contra Connection: Secret Teams and Covert Operations in the Reagan Era by Jane Hunter on 11 pages
See all 42 books this book cites
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