Homeland Insecurity: How Washington Politicians Have Made America Less Safe (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Kathleen M. Puckett (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Turchie, a former FBI Deputy Assistant Director, and Puckett, an author and former Special Agent (Hunting the American Terrorist), bring their expertise to bear in a spirited defense of the bureau and a stinging attack on those who would limit its scope. Damning "the exercise of unfettered political power" in Washington that has constrained FBI operations, the authors charge politicians with being "literally addicted to the perks and pleasures of power," their only aim to protect themselves from exposure. Comparing Washington's political culture to the "royal courts of monarchies and the ancient Roman Senate," they specifically charge presidents Nixon, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush with "concealment, lying, and deception," and are particularly unsparing in their criticism of VP Dick Cheney. Truly fascinating insights crop up throughout, such as their discussion of Associate FBI Director Mark Felt, aka "Deep Throat," who was attempting to expose Hoover's successor L. Patrick Gray, a Nixon appointee with an important role in the Watergate cover up. Though their dim view of those who've worked to defend civil liberties (President Ford, Senator Frank Church, Rep. Don Edwards, etc.) and clamorous frustration may rub some the wrong way, Turchie and Puckett provide an account full of intriguing sidelights from inside the bureau.
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Review

"...With the precision of a surgeon and the markmanship of a sniper the authors peel away the wrapping surrounding some of our most famous leaders both past and present. What we find laying under the the public vaneer are some pretty ugly facts. Don't be fooled into thinking this is a partisan book whose timing is set to coincide with Novembers election. Turchie and Puckett have no political affiliations, in their eyes both Republicans and Democrats are equally guilty as charged..." --Simon Barrett, Blogger News Network

"...a compelling and devastating look at the attacks by power-hungry members of Congress on the FBI that were intended to discredit it for personal, political gain and how the placing of CIA personnel over FBI operations threatens to divert its mission from pursuing criminals and terrorists, from investigating wrong-doing by members of Congress, and from operating free of the temporary political objectives depending on who is in power. This is, in so many ways, an important expose and discussion of the present and future of the FBI." --Bookviews.Com, Alan Caruba, December, 2008

"Homeland Insecurity describes the FBI's wide-ranging tasks involving both domestic law enforcement and internal/external security and how the bureau's independent procedures have been weakened by political maneuvering during a time when the United States is in desperate need of stronger protective measures.

The authors describe past misconceptions about the FBI and the reasons that power-hungry politicians have long sought to lessen the bureau's capacity to investigate and enforce the law domestically. The addictiveness of power and money figure heavily into their reasoning as to why politicians have attempted to lessen the bureau's authority since practically Day 1 of its existence... I liked the fact that I came away from the book with exactly the knowledge and understanding that I'd hoped to gain from the reading. I think it's a book that Americans really need to read and discuss, simply because we're accustomed to being misled by corrupt politicians and the only way to solve a situation that involves the safety of every American citizen is to take matters into our own hands via the power of our votes... But, politicians have recently stomped all over the way the FBI is run and essentially blamed the entire agency and its "culture" for the tragedy of September 11th, as well as a few other fiascos. The two authors worked for the FBI and I found that their explanations for various events and procedures were written, in general, with clarity and intelligence without becoming either inflammatory or sinking to fear-mongering. They encouraged trust with their even-handed writing style. The most damaging politicians are named; the authors are very specific in describing who is at fault or a danger (or has done damage in the past), rather than lumping them all into one pot. It's easy to get annoyed with those who have made it their mission to unravel the fabric of an organization that is, in the long run, really out to protect us all. So, you know . . . boo to the bad guys. I found myself rooting for the FBI. A side note: The big to-do about spying on Americans is explained well -- the reasons for domestic surveillance and investigation, I guess I should say. The "wall" that inhibits communication between various agencies is also described. Interesting stuff. Recommended? Absolutely, highly recommended. --Bookfoolery and Babble, Oct. 30, 2008

"In reading this book certain pieces of the political jigsaw puzzle started to make sense. Without doubt the most important political event in the past 50 years was the atrocity carried out on Sept 11. This created an almost ideal environment for our politicians to further their own needs. Much has been made of the need to secure our borders from further attack, however when you actually look at the actions taken in this direction, you discover that much of the work is subterfuge to reign in what Washington considers renegade groups like the FBI." --Blogger News Network, Simon Barrett, Sept. 2008

"Turchie, a former FBI Deputy Assistant Director, and Puckett, an author and former Special Agent (Hunting the American Terrorist), bring their expertise to bear in a spirited defense of the bureau and a stinging attack on those who would limit its scope. Damning "the exercise of unfettered political power" in Washington that has constrained FBI operations, the authors charge politicians with being "literally addicted to the perks and pleasures of power," their only aim to protect themselves from exposure. Comparing Washington's political culture to the "royal courts of monarchies and the ancient Roman Senate," they specifically charge presidents Nixon, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush with "concealment, lying, and deception," and are particularly unsparing in their criticism of VP Dick Cheney. Truly fascinating insights crop up throughout, such as their discussion of Associate FBI Director Mark Felt, aka "Deep Throat," who was attempting to expose Hoover's successor L. Patrick Gray, a Nixon appointee with an important role in the Watergate cover up..." --Publishers Weekly, Sept.15, 2008

Nixon started it.

And its hard to argue with FBI veterans, Terry D. Turchie and Kathleen Puckett who maintain that President Richard Nixon started the politicization of the Federal Bureau of Investigation when he "put his own man,( L. Patrick Gray) in control of an organization that had proven to be a thorn in the side, of politicians for nearly half a century."

But Nixon is not the only villain threatening the FBI's methods and rules.and not all the public enemies are household names.

One major culprit is Assistant Attorney General Jamie Gorelick's 1995 order restricting "criminal and intelligence sides" from sharing information. It was the icing on the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act's cake,a dessert that doesn't recognize "the true nature of 'working on the front lines, where law enforcement, terrorism and intelligence analysis collide."

Collisions continue. The list of politicians who prefer power over national protection tries hard to be non-partisan, featuring Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Al Gore. Dick Cheney `the Godfather'for secrecy in government, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush among others.

Both Bushes? "Given the actions of the first Bush White House in pardoning the principals of the [Reagan} Iran Contra scandal, it's not surprising that President George W. Bush wiuld commute the sentence of Lewis "Scooter" Libby after his conviction for leaking the identity of a CIA officer to the media.

"Politicians of all stripes have critically endangered national security by favoring their political allies in the intelligence community-the CIA and the military-over the FBI.

In this book, the FBI is the good guy, the White House and Congress are the bad guys and John Q. Public is the loser. The facts in "Homeland Insecurity" make you feel insecure. --"Marine Corps Times," J. Ford Huffman, Jan. 26, 2009

A department dedicated to the security of our country sounds like an excellent idea on paper, but in practice, it has problems. Homeland Insecurity: How Washington Politicians Made America Less Safe is a highly critical piece attacking the incompetence of Washington and their blunders which have made America less safe since the tragic events of September 11th, 2001.

Focusing its persecution on twelve politicians who reside on both sides of political spectrum, it calls their motivations into question, making Homeland Insecurity a highly recommended piece of writing, a must read for those who are trying to figure out what's wrong with today's Washington. --Midwest Book Review, January 10, 2009

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 310 pages
• Publisher: History Publishing Co LLC; 1st edition (September 25, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933909331
• ISBN-13: 978-1933909332
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #790,822 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Book for the Law Enforcement Professional, December 6, 2008

By	Kathleen McChesney, Ph.D. (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

A perfect book for a criminal justice, political science or history curriculum, and with important revelations for the serious reading public. Homeland Insecurity should be required reading for intelligence experts and law enforcement professionals. Intriguing, informative endnotes share the authors' insider stories. The book contains a convincing and clear justification for maintaining the FBI as the single federal agency responsible for both criminal and national security investigations. The inside information will surprise and fascinate readers.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Honest Look at the FBI versus our political leaders, January 27, 2009

By	Anthony T. Riggio (Santa Rosa Beach, FL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I previously read Hunting the American Terrorist by Terry Turchie and Kathleen Puckett and was very impressed with their complimentary writing style and the presentation of their hunt for UNABOMer Ted Kazinski.

I bought "Homeland Insecurity, How Washington Politicians Have Made America Less Safe" at the same time and added it to my list of readings. Unfortunately I waited four months before I pulled it off the shelf to read. This is a book for every American to read and be forewarned about the possible dismantling of the FBI by corrupt and compromised politicians whose addiction to power is patent. I agree that the FBI is the only entity capable of the transparency needed to investigate many of these politicians and adhere to the "Rule of Law". Unfortunately, the steadfast adherence to this principle by the FBI has made many politicians nervous because of their own corruption or their being reminded that the FBI is and has always been a "whipping boy" for their mistakes or failure to do their jobs in leading the country.

This book and its authors, Turchie and Puckett did an excellent job in summarizing many of major "black eye" events for this country over the last fifty years. And emphasizing how politicians have used the FBI as the scapegoat to hide their own failures. If you have been alive during some or most of these events, you should read this book! The blame is not based on partisan politics but on the addiction to power by our leaders irrespective of party affiliation.

I am not surprised that there is no promotion of this book by any mainstream media. It is obvious to me, that they do not want accolades for the FBI's indefatigable work on behalf of the American people and the rule of law. This just doesn't sell papers or sell advertisement. The media would rather wait for some faux pas to emblazon their presentations.

Our FBI has been too often excoriated for doing the job that has to be done to protect and defend the American people. There is no organization, I know of, that can hire such principled men and women for an often super-criticized effort, who could be earning "big" bucks in the private sector. Instead, they sacrifice and dedicate themselves to upholding the rule of law for their fellow Americans.

As Americans, this book is a must read!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for those who are trying to figure out what's wrong with today's Washington, January 10, 2009

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

A department dedicated to the security of our country sounds like an excellent idea on paper, but in practice, it has problems. "Homeland Insecurity: How Washington Politicians Made America Less Safe" is a highly critical piece attacking the incompetence of Washington and their blunders which have made America less safe since the tragic events of September 11th, 2001. Focusing its persecution on twelve politicians who reside on both sides of political spectrum, it calls their motivations into question, making "Homeland Insecurity" a highly recommended piece of writing, a must read for those who are trying to figure out what's wrong with today's Washington.