Customer Reviews

Hideous Dream

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4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

Sgt. Stanley Goff, a Special Forces veteran with service in Viet-Nam, had, by his own declaration been moving "leftward" for some time prior to his assignment to Haiti as part of President Clinton's mission to reinstate deposed President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. At last a military operation in a truly just cause--on behalf of the oppressed instead of the oppressors: Sgt. Goff's redemption, to be followed by retirement and return to civilian life with his new family. However the author quickly becomes suspicious that the "liberation" that he is involved in is not purely to restore democracy but also to buffer the anti-democratic Force Armee and the CIA-linked FRAPH and to shield them from an enraged population. He feels that the Carter-(Colin)Powel-(Sam) Nunn pre-invasion agreements constitute a betrayal of the Hatian people and their aspirations for political and economic justice. Goff writes vividly and compellingly of the day to day experiences of his unit in Haiti, sometimes humorously but always with keen moral intensity. He poignantly describes the irony of his position as a good soldier trying to make faulty policy work--at least as well and humanely as possible. Hideous Dream might perhaps have been a little more rigorously edited and included a brief survey, separate from the main narrative, of Hatian-American relations, but those are minor complaints. Enjoy the book and reflect on what you have read.

"Hideous Dream" has taken politics, foreign policy, and the Special Operations military down the Lane of Lost Mystiques.

This highly personal, and highly emotional account, of what for most of us was yet another CNN Docu-drama, puts a fallible human face on this amazingly cynical operation--the US invasion of Haiti in 1994.

Having read some of the other reviews of HD at Amazon.com , I think they are telling us how powerfully our system organizes the thinking of the individuals in it. One man gives HD a glowing review, then when confronted with what it quite likely his own credulity in the face of that other monument of US cynicism, the aggression against Yugoslavia, he retracts everything he has said. And the fellow who says he served with Goff in Haiti... well, his final words tell us a lot. "[A] white guys journey to becoming black..." What is THAT about?

I found the book to be brutally self-critical throughout. Contentiousness there was plenty. Arrogance... nah.

What I found was a book that humanized two groups who are frequently stereotyped, one for public villification, and one for public worship: Haitians and the military. The whole book plays out like an "I am a camera" documentary, with some very emotional editorializing in the interstices, and the result, while a little jarring from time to time (Goff admits he is a novice writer, more than once), is a remarkable demystification of the events and the social forces that underwrote them.

Buy this book.

First let me start by saying that many of those critical of Goff's observations drip with a need to discredit MSG Goff, and with that discredit all the insiders who openly speak out against the agenda's that have guided U.S. foreign policy for most of its history. The most tried and true tactic of those who support the foreign policy decisions of the U.S. government has always been to discredit the individual, hoping then that what they say will also be discredited. I wish to say that those motives stand out in the reviews, as does their lack of factual evidence to counter claims made by not only Goff, but by countless other former employees of Uncle Sam whom claim that the military is the muscle for the business interests of the wealthy elite, (pretty much an all white club) and ethics and morality are not what we fight for abroad. Of course, the more surprising the credentials of the disodence, the more low blows it takes in the desperate attempts to just make what they are saying go away so we'll never have to face that we have to get off our butts and actually think about how we'll make a difference in a situation that seems more and more hopeless every day. Goff is not the only insider who has come out and spoken about the contradictions they witnessed that took the innocence away from them. Others include (plesae look these folks up on your own) Marine Corps General and Medal of Honor receiver, Smedley Butler, former CIA operative Phillip Agee, and former U.S. attorney General Ramsey Clark. All support Goff's ascertations. Countless others do as well, but this is not about them, this is a review of MSG Stan Goff.

The personal attacks to discredit Goff instead of standing up to his ascertations were not effectively masked at all. I agree with another reviewer that the comment made about Goff "becoming Black" is not a very effective way to critique Goff. Nor is another reviewer's comments about Goff breaking General Order one by drinking alcahol. In case you've not heard, once you cross into a brother hood that embraces killing and dying as a way of life, drinking and other destructive behavior (such as bar brawling) that is officialy against the rules is practically a rite of passage and to judge Goff for drinking with his men is to judge a huge population of the military.

I would hope that their would be more straight forward and factual criticism for those whom disagree with MSG Goff. One reviewer claims that Goff distorts facts, please, tell us which ones he distorts if you are going to make those claims so readers can better examine the attack on Goff's credibility.

One reviewer doubts Goff's membership to the elite Special Forces unit, "Delta Force." I would direct that reader to Eric Heney's recent book, Inside Delta Force, where Goff is clearly recognizable as one of the Delta Operators in one of Haney's pictures of B Squadrdron, 1982, Greneda. Of course, Goff is the only one pensively looking away from the camera, conflict plain as day on his face. Haney took the liberty of changing Goff's name for his privacy, calling him Stan Johnson. Most people who criticize Goff would be advised to take note of the fact that, Heney, while less open about his criticism's of foreign policy than Goff, openly expresses the morally corrupt and oppressive role he saw the U.S. plaing in Central America in the 1980's. Right wing death squads? Murder of thousands of civilains by men equiped, trained and advised, and often led by U.S. forces? Heney expresses the torment he felt about being involved in these kinds of operatoins. These things are old news and are not disputed, even by men like Heney who write not to critique U.S. foreign policy, but are simply telling of the role they played and how they felt. It is far more watered down than Goff's criticisms, showing even more that many can see the contradiction, but shy away from opening pandora's box too far, for it usually signals the super patriots attacks on their credibility and loyalties. These should stop being the knee jerk reactions to those with opinions that differ from the status quo. Much is at stake in these times and better infomred is better equiped to make decisions that best honor the good in the spirit of humanity. My advice to those who are considering this book: Do your research. Be open minded. Think before you attack those who criticize the status quo. It is in all of our best interests.

Stan has a unique perspective, and I can say as a former paratrooper myself that he has my ultimate respect. The time spent and units he served under are not to be taken lightly. Obviously to be chosen for these units you are at the very best at what you do. Brainwashing in the military, especially these unit's, is well documented. I can say from my experience, and the experience's of my father, a career Army enlisted man himself and Vietnam veteran - it is thorough. Stan obviously kept his sanity through all of this, and is doing our country a GREAT service by telling the truth. He has my absolute respect, unlike many of our political leaders who lie and grease the palms of eachother to achieve their selfish goals. American's would do themselves a great service by slowly sipping his words and opening their eyes. Thank you Stan.

This is an excellent, detailed book by someone who isn't afraid to speak the truth about current conditions in the United States military.

Notice that the reviewers below are unable to point out any factual problems with the book, but persist in ad hominem attacks against the author. This is merely sad, and indicative of the lengths military apologists will go to resist any criticism whatsoever.

Let's face it, the US government is probably every bit as evil as former US Army MSG Goff makes it out to be. He should certainly know, and I don't doubt that his comment about not wanting his experience in Haiti to be "another El Salvador" hides some dark secrets. Perhaps he will grace us with a book on that one day. But first, he must do us all a favor and regurgitate the idiocy that Leninism will save mankind. For by the end of his Haitian adventure (and conveniently just before he's put in his 20 years and qualified for a pension from the US Army), Mr. Goff is an avowed Leninist. His next book is not entitled "What I did in El Salvador", but rather will be some radical tract about "Women and War".

So should you read this book? It's well written, though a bit too long (one feels that it's building up to some kind of dramatic climax that never really happens, unless you consider that to be Goff's inevitable arrest and removal from Haiti). The little bit of communist diatribe doesn't come until the end, unlike with his more recent book "Full Spectrum Disorder", where it leaps off almost every page. "Hideous Dream" is a good read, and will help you understand much better what happened "on the ground", so to speak, in 1994. And once again, you will be disheartened to learn of all the evil people in the world who thrive and rape and kill not despite of the US government, but BECAUSE of it. For it turns out that the mission is to restore all the brutal and murderous club and machete-wielding macoutes to power! Democracy, hell!

It is no wonder that people all over the world hate us, because our government never practices what it preaches.

Just don't forget that socialism has killed just as many people as facism. The problem is not facism vs. socialism, it's -ism! Mr. Goff's heart is in the right place, but his head isn't. He's made the same fatal mistake of so many millions of intellectuals in the last century, forsaking one evil for another. And when the system changes to their liking, they are always the first ones to go.

I was a Team Leader in MSG Goff's Battalion. The lack of focus of which he writes is exactly what happens when the fog of war meets a presidential administration who sold its soul for domestic agenda. The lack of clarity in our mission came from Clinton's pandering to segments of congress to pass his crime bill for which he agreed to invade a small black country so the US could say we are doing something for blacks around the world. Unfortunately, military action is used to enforce foreign policy...not domestic policy.
Goff writes of our (the Army's) disdain for blacks but does not speak out on the Clinton government who destroyed any progress Haiti had made in the last 20 years by wiping out the upper class who brought what little industry and prosperity to Haiti that there was. Sure, it wasn't by any means good...but when measured by American standards, few third world countries are.
His assertion that Special Forces is nothing but a sub-element of the white supremacist movement is a lie straight from hell and a result of Goff's troubled past and his tormented soul. Two of the finest operators on my team were black. The number of SF soldiers of color is low and less than the percentage of society as a whole, but reflects the number who volunteer for SF. Attrition rates for all races is statistically insignificant.
As for his team's bias...we are highly trained in cultural sensitivities...the reason for Special Forces use around the world. He went in with a chip on his shoulder and was known for being arrogant and contentious.
The mission to Haiti was a farce. It was contrived to pass domestic legislation and to divert the American public from the disaster that was Somalia. Clinton needed a "foreign policy success" on which to run for a second term. Haiti was a country beyond impoverished, with a military using heavy weapons given them by the U.S. after World War II. Soldiers armed with 38 caliber pistols with 9mm ammunition. In short, an adversary that would have taken hours, not weeks nor months to defeat.
Interestingly, Goff begins his book by documenting his participation in a war crime (the killing of the old lady). His troubled life then continues with drugs, alcohol, and various anti-social behavior towards members of his units. He portents all of these were part of his awakening to the bigotry of the white race.
Amazingly...at least to hear him talk...none of his enlistments were `forced'...he signed on the line and went gladly to do his country's bidding. But now he implies some evil force moved him through his days with elite units from Vietnam through the Rangers and ultimately Special Forces.
Sadly, he paints a picture of hate, bigotry and evil within the elite forces of the U.S. Army. I would submit that any such qualities, counter-balanced by the caring, understanding, culturally sensitive actions of thousands more SF operators are a reflection of society as a whole and not a cesspool of racist losers.
I agree with Stan that we went to Haiti with no direction, guidance nor mission. Sam Nunn, then leader of the Senate only authorized a vote on the intervention in Haiti if we refrained from "Nation Building". Therefore our hands were tied as to what we could do to help the average Haitian. But, if we were going to truly help Haiti, we would have needed to be there running the country for 17 years like the U.S. Marine Corps did in the early part of the 20th Century.
This is a well crafted book, however, I recommend it only for veterans who have had experience with the Special Operations community. A novice reader without any military connection would be depressed and disheartened by this tale of one white guy on his journey to becoming black.(...)

I was there too in another team (not the best in 3rd Group since I wouldn't even know what that means). But I sure don't remember it being so dramatic and I must have left my secret decoder ring at Bragg because I missed the whole conspiracy thing completely.

You shouldn't attack MSG Goff's credentials (because of what I remember, he was a stand up guy on the ground and I don't remember YOU there) or because he got in trouble for drinking or what have you. (It was a wonder we didn't all end up in jail on that trip.) What is important to understand is that he was just a guy walking in the wedge like the rest of us and has no greater insight than any of you as to what the master plan was (or is). Hell, his commander's commander didn't have any better clue. In fact, you all back here in the world probably had the advantage of distance that helped you see a lot clearer than us literally face to face with the problem every day.

All that being said, this is a great example of that timeless SF oral tradition, the war story (There I was, There I was, There I was, no sh*t) and it can be appreciated in that vein for its entertainment value. Think Commander McBragg without the accent. Personally, I always preferred the Go Go Gopher Indians. Just my two cents.

This book explores much of what was wrong with the Haiti mission, which was plenty. Unfortunately, some of the credibility is lost when considering the source.

According to a soldier I met I met recently at Fort Bragg who was a squad leader with Goff at 75th Ranger Regiment, he was an operationally sound guy who could plan and execute missions with the best of them. It wasn't until he went SF, and then later on to Delta Force, that his personal habits got the better of him.

While he was in Haiti, he got into trouble for egregiously violating the alcohol policy, then shooting his pistol in the air in anger when he found out they were shipping him back. He also got burned on a later mission for sleeping with a suspected member of the FMLN terrorist group at the ambassador's mansion in El Salvador.

These events may have had something to do with the early termination of his military career, his former associate told me. Now Goff spends his time attending anti-war rallies and trying to rub elbows with the liberal elite. I don't know that I need to have been there for any of this to be true, or to make observations and relate them in a forum designed for such a purpose. If it's all false, I apoligize, as well as welcome any proof to the contrary (I'm still waiting...).

Regardless, I can't help but wonder if he wrote the book because of a personal axe to grind more so than a desire to make a political statement. As far as the accusations of racism in SF goes, I find it curious why nobody ever considers a largely black Army career field (such as supply and artillery, for example) to be racist as well. However, if one wishes to attract attention from military and white male hating journalists, the race card is an effective strategy towards getting published. Pity for him that so few will read this little rant.

Goff is an ideologue pushing an agenda. Having a view about a controversial event is one thing, put distorting facts to fit it into a grand conspiracy theory is something else.