Customer Reviews

The Shadows of Power: The Council on Foreign Relations and the American Decline

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

The book is a very compelling read. The listing of CFR members in the back is quite enlightening too! A 'man of the people' will NEVER rise to the presidency. Even if he has his own money, the 'shadow government' controls the mass media, and thereby profoundly affect candidacies.

Being a republican, I always had a high opinion of President Reagan. The author shows clearly how Reagan's actions did not match his rhetoric. This was not unique to Reagan, either. The average American doesn't understand how our President's policies are shaped by people outside the 'constiutional government'.

This book has 'the other side' of American history of the 20th century, and it's nothing like you or I learned in school! This is, of course, by design. Read this book, and encourage others to do so -- it's the only way we, as ordinary people, can begin to take back our country.

This book could be titled " Suppressed American History of the 20th Century." Perloff traces the history of the American Establishment, through its political arm, the Council on Foreign Relations. The aims of the CFR and the Establishment are clear - a World Government, removal of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. What is more frightening is the Establishment control of the media and education. Please read this book! You will never watch the news the same way again.

I'll start out by saying that this book is a somewhat useful overview of the Council on Foreign Relations, but I would also say that I have reservations as well. Perloff handles the early history of the CFR in some detail and writes very well about his subject. For that reason I gave the book 3 stars. However, as he progresses toward more recent history (1980 and on) he begins generalizing more and more and his bias begins to show.

The CFR was created in 1921 by wealthy old-line families and (primarily) Wall Street power brokers. Membership is invitation only and members follow a strict rule of 'everything is off the record' as far as what is discussed at meetings and dinners. Considering how many CFR members are in the government, the secrecy creates the first big problem. How can you have transparency in a democratic government if key figures are not allowed to reveal issues and strategies discussed 'off the record'. At the very least it creates a conflict of interest. The public record of the CFR is their publication 'Foreign Affairs' -- a very influential journal read by most policy makers in Washington.

To make his point, Perloff notes (p. 7) that as of early 1988 (publication year of the book) there have been 14 secretaries of state, 14 treasury secretaries, 11 defense secretaries, and lots of advisors and less senior officials throughout the legislative and executive branches of government. That's a pretty hefty number of individuals from one organization to occupy such powerful positions in just 67 years. Perloff also points out that many major changes in American policy were not only instigated by CFR members, but were published at some prior point in 'Foreign Policy'. Perloff contends that if you want a preview of foreign policy just pick up a copy of the CFR journal.

Perloff also contends that one of the CFR goals is a single world government. They supported the League of Nations and U.N. almost 100% of the time he says. Where I disagree with Perloff is the relentless references to the 'socialism' desired by the CFR. If you are going to use a label then use it correctly. Stalin's Russia was not socialist by any means. It was a dictatorship. So don't use 'socialism', 'communism' or 'democracy' when referring to a dictatorship. He also contends that the CFR helped oust elected leaders in Central America to put 'socialist' governments in their place. While I cannot address all of the situations in which the U.S. has intervened to the South, one cannot say that this was the case with Nicaragua. Our government unseated socialist Ortega through the training of vicious rebels who killed innocent civilians as well as Nicaraguan soldiers. And who assassinated Chile's President Allende (a progressive)? The U.S. was only too happy to help install a right-wing government after his death. Popularly elected leaders unwilling to bend to U.S. business interests have been removed in multiple coups for many decades.

Perloff seems to forget that the U.S. policy toward its southern neighbors flips back and forth, depending upon who is in the White House. We armed and aided Castro at first and then called him a dangerous man shortly thereafter. Did Castro con us? Well, if he did then the American people should have demanded that the CIA and State Department clean their houses of those who led us down that path. One day Noriega was our 'good buddy' in Panama; the next day he was a menace and we had to invade.

I think the real keys to the CFR are power and money. Perloff spends way too much time worrying about communism and too little time worrying about war profiteering and power grabs. Members of the CFR rarely miss opportunities to create wars for their corporate friends. Korea was certainly a case in point. The horrible mess we have in Iraq today is another example. It is a simple fact that international banks, chemical companies, and weapons-related industries made handsome profits from the bloody horrors of the two world wars. Under the CFR supported Dawes plan of 1924, Germany's I. G. Farben was loaned significant amounts of money by the Rockefeller National Bank after WWI. Who made Hitler's war machine possible? I. G. Farben of course. The American branch of Farben had CFR members on its board. While several German board members were prosecuted as war criminals at Nuremberg, none of the American members ever were.

One positive aspect about Perloff's book is that he doesn't get carried away with 'conspiracy' theories - and I am not a 'coincidence' theory kind of person either. To clarify, yes at times it can be said that the CFR conspires to influence American policy, but Perloff avoids the extremist views of other authors that state that the CFR is but one part of an ancient secret society plan to take over the world. Facts are so much more useful in creating change than theories any day. Skull and Bones is mentioned of course, but we don't have Perloff claiming that Blair and Bush assume alien form when in private like some CFR critics. (Yes, Virginia, there are books out there that propose that!)

And now we come to the major fault of the book. Perloff's last chapter regarding actions and solutions is a complete flop. Nothing personal against any member of the John Birch Society, but Perloff holds up membership in that group as one of his solutions. Huh? I don't think joining any group is necessarily a solution to reducing or eliminating the power of the CFR. The only way to effectively fight the undue influence the CFR has on our government is to expose them by writing to Congress, newspaper editorial pages, and talking about their aims to other citizens. Why? Because secrecy is the key to their success. It's the ultimate 'good old boy' system.

Perloff's Shadows of Power is a fact based account of the real power behind the American political system. The CFR (Council on Foriegn Relations), an invitation only organization, is the North American sister organization of the RIIA (Royal Institute of International Affairs). The CFR, with David C. Rockefeller as it's Honorary Chairman, permeates the highest levels of government (Current members include Dick Cheney, Condaleeza Rice, Teddy Kennedy, Bill Frist, Colin Powell, Bush Sr., Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, Henry Kissinger, John McCain, John Kerry and the list goes on and on). Media organizations and their highest ups like Rupert Murdoch, Catherine Graham (Washington Post) and all of his media empire (Fox News etc.) as well as reporters like Barbara Walters etc. are also members. And as Perloff makes clear, the organizations goal is to create a one world elitist government.

Once you read and digest the facts that Perloff presents in an orderly fashion, it becomes clear that we are being led down a primrose path by a group of insiders connected to the international banking community and very high level power brokers who keep a low profile and operate in the shadows (Hence, shadows of power.).

This book is not about Conspiracy Theory. It is about Conspiracy facts. If you want to peek behind the curtain of power or can't make sense of the moves of our politicians, this book will begin to clear the haze of confusion for you.

I would also recommend a companion book by John McManus- The Insiders which provides a current list of CFR members. Good overview of the CFR and Tri Lateral Commission that takes you through each Presidency since Carter and traces the CFR members and their moves. It also provides a list of current members which serves as a nice reference while watching TV, etc. Once you understand the motives of this organization, it allows you to see through the hidden messages being conveyed by the media and through current legislation.

I would also suggest 2 books that will significantly clarify the power of economic control and how it is being used to control our lives. One is Edward G. Griffins- The Creature from Jekyll Island which is about the orgin and operations of the Federal Reserve System. (Not Federal, has no reserves and is a cartel of private banks not a system.) Reading this book is like taking the blue pill instead of the red one as was offered to Neo in the first matrix movie. You will never again look at our government in the same way. Again based upon well documented fact, not theory.

The second book is again from John McManus entitled Financial Terrorism and it is also a fact based book on money and economics that is a clearly written yet easily understood (as is Griffins book) expose of how our money system has been corrupted into the hands of internation bankers and power brokers.

There are more, but if you read these 4 books you will be light years ahead of most private citizens in their understanding of what is really going on in out lives and reality and less easily led down a primrose path by the power elites.

Finally, for a sample dose of reality go to http://www.thenewamerican.com/artman/publish/article_2239.shtml and read the article Abolishing the USA, follow the links to the government site on the SPP (Security and Prosperity Partnership for America) and keep an open mind. See for yourself that this stuff is happening before our very eyes while we are asleep at the wheel naively allowing our liberties and prosperity to be stolen away by a ruthless group of power elites who only goal is total dominance, power and control over all of humanity.

Please read the books, reflect and help out before our way of life disappears forever and is replaced by a 1984-like reality.

I am most impressed with Perloff's research. If you want just one book to gain an understanding of what is left out in most history books concerning the CFR, this is it. Reviews accusing Perloff of engaging in conspiracy-baiting are inaccurate to say the least. I recently used this book extensively in constructing the lecture notes for a unit in my U.S. Gov't. classes. As a teacher committed to telling the truth, as opposed to pushing textbook propaganda, I find Perloff's book to be an extremely valuable resource.

Also recommended:
"Wall Street, Banks & U.S. Foreign Policy" by Murray N. Rothbard
"America: Freedom to Fascism" (DVD)

The people we vote into office are the ones who govern us, right? We are a constitutional republic, right? We are a representative democracy, right? If you think so, think again. For many years, an idea has circulated that what we see is not necessarily what we are getting; that there may be a "man behind the curtain" running the show. In this book, James Perloff reveals who that "man" may be ... or more accurately whom the men and women are who really run the show. Before reading this book, I often scoffed at the conspiracists who railed against the invisible forces of the "Shadow Government." However, I am no longer certain that my doubts are well founded. In this book, Perloff makes a well-documented case that suggests an undercurrent to abolish the nation/state (national sovereignty) and to replace it with one-world-government New World Order. Those responsible for creating and maintaining the undercurrent are members of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and the Trilateral Commission (TC). Members of these organizations have had a disproportionate representation in places of power over the last sixty years. When one understands the philosophy and goals of these organizations, many seemingly disjoint events of American history begin to make sense. No American should take this subject lightly. Every American has a responsibility to inform themselves on such matters. I recommend that they do so by reading this book.

In case you have ever wondered what is going wrong with America then you REALLY need to read this book. It is quite an eye opener. After reading about the JFK assisination from other books (and the lingering question about why he was killed) then reading on the internet about Executive Order #11110 -- it all becomes plain. The money is what is behind the CFR and the CFR is behind the IRS, the Federal Reserve and the US Government. After hearing about the "Shadow Government" from other sources -- it becomes clear that James Perloff is talking about that very thing. It is also quite obvious that it doesn't matter if a Democrat or a Republican in the Whitehouse -- we are going to get the same result either way because neither party is "running the show."

This book is very well researched. It gives dates, names, places, photos, etc. It is not a conspiracy book that just says: "I feel this way..." or "I think it is this way..." It is a book that gives facts. Enlightening facts at that. It is a book that easily untangles the web of deception, monopolies, greed, money, politics, and power. If you have lived your life believing everything the mainstream "Establishment" news tells you then you DEFINITELY need to read this book. Things in America are not what they seem. There is more going on behind the scenes. MUCH more. And it is sinister.

BEST HISTORY BOOK IN THE WORLD EVER WRITTEN. IT BRINGS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO THE LIGHT OF THE TRUTH AND OUT OF THE DARKNESS SO AS NOT TO BE IGNORANT OF WHAT THIS GOVERNMENT IS DOING TO US AS A PEOPLE. ONE CAN SEE THAT THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT MEAN US ANY GOOD AT ALL!! THANK YOU MR. PERLOFF FOR EXPOSING AND UNCOVERING THE LIE THAT THIS GOVERNMENT KEEPS SHOVING DOWN OUR THROATS!!

This isn't one of those "aliens are probing us!" conspiracy books. This is a very detailed and FACTUAL book. There are several references to back the facts printed in this book. I've read this book twice (probably read it again) now and can't get over the painstaking detail provided!

Try reading this, then read From Empire to Community by Etzioni. Quite an eye-opener.

Mr. Perloff presents a well documented and thoughtful portrayal of American history through the lens one of who understands the insidiousness of the Establishment. This should be required reading in high schools throughout America. I make this last comment as the concerned parent of teenagers who are being taught history from a decidely globalist and socialist perspective in our schools, which are paid for with hard earned capitalist dollars. It is truly a shame.

Perloff describes beautifully and with a proper sense of wonder some of the history of John Birch. Yes, this is the same man for whom the society is named. If you don't know this story of courage and faith, it alone is well worth the price of the book. Read. Learn. And spread the word. God bless.