Against All Enemies (Library of Contemporary Thought) (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Were American soldiers serving in the Persian Gulf conflict exposed to chemicals that caused them to come down with "Gulf War syndrome"? Or are they experiencing symptoms of extreme psychological stress? Seymour Hersh, the investigative journalist who alerted Americans to the My Lai massacre and the bombing of Cambodia, can't answer those questions definitively. What he can do--and ably does--is demonstrate two simple facts: (1) military officials, either through a lack of knowledge or deliberate concealment, did not fully inform the government--and more importantly its own troops--about the risks of biochemical exposure in combat against Iraq; and (2) whatever the causes of "Gulf War syndrome," the government has done far too little to help the sick veterans. Other unsettling questions with no easy answers emerge from Hersh's reportage. Why have the so-called heroes of the Persian Gulf, retired generals Norman Schwarzkopf and Colin Powell, seemingly distanced themselves from the plight of troops under their former command? Why did it take so long for Congress to even acknowledge that there might be a problem? Against All Enemies is a brief but disturbing exposé of institutional neglect from one of the media's most tenacious government watchdogs. --Ron Hogan

Product Description

"Why did the system fail the Gulf War veterans? Did national heroes such as Norman Schwarzkopf and Colin Powell, who were known during their careers for taking care of their troops, have an obligation to speak out on behalf of the veterans--as many sick GIs believe--and demand that America's military hospitals stop turning them away? The unsettling fact is that the Gulf War was far more costly to the United States than the Pentagon and its former leaders are willing to acknowledge. The ninety thousand or so victims of Gulf War syndrome are friendly-fire casualties just as surely as if they had been fired upon by their fellow soldiers. The military's inevitable dilemma is profound: Can it protect our soldiers and sailors in future wars if it was unable to do so in the Gulf War?"
--from AGAINST ALL ENEMIES

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Product Details

• Paperback: 103 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1 edition (June 9, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345427483
• ISBN-13: 978-0345427489
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,024,002 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hersh: Lucid and Honest Book About Gulf War Illnesses, May 9, 2000

By A Customer

I am a Gulf War veteran. I've met Sy Hersh. And the book is as accurate as possible under the circumstances.

Remember, the Pentagon lied to soldiers and veterans about chemical exposures involving 100,000 U.S. troops for five years, thus undermining confidence in the military leadership.

The Pentagon, as of the year 2000, is spending $30 million each year on public relations to make Gulf War illnesses go away. The Pentagon still refuses to release millions of classified documents, many with information about toxic exposures.

As of December 31, 1999, more than 136,000 Gulf War Veterans were on disability.

In 50 years, it will be too late for the next generation to ask: "what were you doing when the U.S. Gulf War veterans and the Iraqi children were dying?"

Sy Hersh dares to ask. Read the book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Too late...., August 7, 2000

By	Kelly Seibert (Hillsborough, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This book helped me to understand what my brother had been trying to say...he was sick (a Gulf War Vet...now deceased). My family thanks Seymour Hersh and any others who expose the military for what they did (and didn't do) before, during, and after the Gulf War. The book made a lot more sense than the propaganda material the gov't. has sent our family concerning questions we've had. According to the military....everything (except for the stress) occurred in "insignificant levels to have caused any diseases". Tell that to my brother now... Good job Mr. Hersh!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Against All Enemies, June 16, 2000

By	Deborah J. Kepple (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews

A very well written, well researched and well documented book on Gulf War Syndrome. It concisely answers the "Who, What, When, Where and Why" questions that many of us are asking. In doing so, it lifts the lid on one more of America's dirty little secrets. Powerful and Amazing.