Senseless Secrets: The Failures of U.S. Military Intelligence from George Washington to the Present (Hardcover)

by Michael Lee Lanning (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Inspired by intelligence failures he observed as an infantry officer in Vietnam (where he "did not receive a single bit of accurate, useful intelligence"), Lanning, a retired army colonel, has put together an informative and charged review of the shortfall in U.S. military intelligence from the Revolutionary War to the ill-fated 1993 attempt to capture Somali warlord Mohammed Farah Aidid. Much of his emphasis is on the frequency with which U.S. armed forces have been taken by surprise: in this century, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the German counterstroke in the Ardennes, the North Korean invasion of South Korea, the Communist Tet Offensive in Vietnam. In the section on Operation Desert Storm, Lanning argues that intelligence about the battle zone was sparse and mostly inaccurate. Calling for reevaluation, reorganization and revitalization of the military intelligence community, he advocates a drastic realignment of U.S. armed forces: reuniting the Air Force with the Army, abolishing the Marine Corps and taking specific steps to reduce the gap between the intelligence corps and the troops in the field. Photos.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description
A unique insider's survey of the many failures of U.S. military intelligence spans the course of American history to show how intelligence blunders have cost lives and money, looking at the blunders of Desert Storm, Grenada, Vietnam, and others.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 324 pages
• Publisher: Carol Publishing Corporation (December 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 155972322X
• ISBN-13: 978-1559723220
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,139,966 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A hopelessly flawed book apparently written in anger., August 2, 1998

By A Customer

It is a sad thing to find a book so needed, and yet so useless. Michael Lee Lanning's "Senseless Secrets" is allegedly about the failures of military intelligence throughout America's history. Unfortunately, the book only illuminates the author's failure in objectivity.

Mr. Lanning's failure occurs from the very outset, when he incorrectly defines "intelligence" and "military intelligence." Forever afterwards the author then confuses military intelligence failures with policy failures, leadership failures, communications failures, and plain bad luck. So muddled is the author's analysis that this reviewer could not find much of value to book whatsoever. For instance, even though it is allegedly about military intelligence, the Defense Intelligence Agency is mentioned just twice in the entire book. Yet when April Glaspie fumbles her words when addressing Saddam Hussein in 1990 about Kuwait, he attributes the remark to an "intell! igence failure."

This book is a great disappointment: the value of intelligence, and of military intelligence is a critical issue to nations worldwide. Readers will have to await another book to find out whether military intelligence has proven it mettle. This reviewer believes that Mr. Lanning could have come up with the seminal book, but didn't have an editor astute enough to team him up with somebody who had direct experience in military intelligence.

The book contains no photographs, timelines, tables or other material that would have been useful to the reader. Basic maps are provided, however. The book lists references, by chapter. The list is impressive, and demonstrates the author conducted significant research.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Deadly Blow In The Wrong Direction, February 25, 2002

By	Eugene Khasilev (APO, AP United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Senseless Secrets," while presenting an outstanding review of the history of the U.S. Armed Forces, is written from a point of view that is difficult to accept. The author cites many examples where he believes the American intelligence services to be responsible for needless deaths of U.S. servicemembers. Many of these "failures," according to LTC Lanning's own analysis, are those of non-M.I. military and even civilian leaders disregarding or undermining the work of the intelligence community and even dismantling the service altogether. However, all are blanketed with the label of "failures of intelligence." Aside from that, of course, the book is extremely well-written and valuable to anyone with an interest in military history of the United States.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear, concise, and powerful critique of US Intelligence., April 29, 1997

By A Customer

Lanning is a hero as a soldier and a writer. His review of the entire history of US Intelligence efforts makes it clear that deceiving ourselves and sending young men into harm's way without adequate information is standard operating procedure. This is a terrific book; a smooth and satisfying read; and should be required reading for all citizens. A book with the heart and soul of an experienced soldier. One can only hope that lawmakers and professional soldiers will read this book. God help us if we continue to repeat our past