This is the apparently heavily edited re-release of one of the most mysterious conspiracy books and CIA exposes ever written, "The Secret Team" by L. Fletcher Prouty. First published in 1972 by Prentice-Hall, the original ran to three quick editions before disappearing completely from public view by 1975. Many believed it was blacklisted and suppressed by the CIA. In this way it resembles that other conspiracy classic, Professor Carroll Quigley's "Tragedy and Hope." In fact, if one had the patience and desire (both of these books are quite long, convoluted and "wordy") I would recommend reading them in historical sequence. The revelations would be startling. And this is one reason why I like "The Secret Team" so much. Having studied conspiracy for over 30 years while working in government and, I now discover, serving as an unwitting foot-soldier of the secret team (I worked in intelligence, special operations and "peacetime operations" work among other things), I was missing a few pieces of the conspiracy puzzle which all fell into place neatly by the time I finished this book. Not only that, but the bizarre shenanigans of the Intelligence Community, particularly the FBI, CIA and, to a lesser extent, DHS during the 2016 election and the coterie of retired military men selected to serve in President Trump's cabinet all took on greater significance to me due to the revelations of this book. Anyway, I do recommend this but not without some warnings:
- Some reviewers have remarked that this is a re-write and lacks the punch of the 1972 original. Fine, but the original is an extremely rare and pricey book indeed. This re-release does stand well on its own... if you take into consideration the next couple warnings...
- This book is long and somewhat repetitious. This is a real problem if the governmental jargon and acronyms are new to you. I could see the value in much of the repetition... but this is very familiar material to me. It won't be for most readers.
- Do your homework ahead of time. If you are weak in post-World War II through Vietnam era history you will be lost in the sauce in no time. Not for the casual reader!
- This could benefit from an update given the way things have progressed since 1972. But Prouty is a man of his time (circa 1955-64) and isn't qualified to write such an update. But a "Secret Team Part 2" would be a nice sequel if the right researcher/insider could be found to author it.
- This is not pop culture conspiracy stuff nor is it particularly left-wing or right-wing. Your biases may cause you to draw the wrong conclusions about Prouty's motives. You need to do a little research into national security policy and how it changed in the "CIA" years to appreciate some of his points.
All that being said, I loved this book but it's definitely not for everyone. It would make a fine addition to any collection of Cold War, CIA, intelligence, conspiracy and/or Indochina War history. Ignore the one-star and two-star reviews by people who obviously never read it or are incapable of understanding it. And if you aren't prepared for the meaty stuff you find between its covers you can always give it a bad review and go back to Info-Wars, Coast-to-Coast Radio, the Truther blog-o-sphere or wherever else you came from. Or better yet, do some honest research and discover there is real treasure between these covers. Recommended.
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The Secret Team: The CIA and Its Allies in Control of the United States and the World Paperback – April 1, 2011
by
L. Fletcher Prouty
(Author),
Jesse Ventura
(Foreword)
|
L. Fletcher Prouty
(Author)
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Print length624 pages
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LanguageEnglish
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PublisherSkyhorse
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Publication dateApril 1, 2011
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Dimensions6 x 1.5 x 9 inches
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ISBN-101616082844
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ISBN-13978-1616082840
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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Jesse Ventura is the former independent governor of Minnesota. He is also a former US Navy frogman, a professional wrestler, a movie actor, a visiting fellow at Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and the New York Times bestselling author of seven books, including American Conspiracies, 63 Documents the Government Doesn’t Want You to Read, and Don’t Start the Revolution Without Me! He was the host and executive producer of truTV’s Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura, which won the Stony Award from High Times magazine in 2010. He was also the host of the political talk show Off The Grid, which aired on RT America and online at Ora.tv. He has a reputation as a rebel and a freethinker, and he has no qualms about questioning authority. He spends half the year in Baja, Mexico and the other half in his home state of Minnesota.
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Product details
- Publisher : Skyhorse; 2nd edition (April 1, 2011)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 624 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1616082844
- ISBN-13 : 978-1616082840
- Item Weight : 1.54 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 1.5 x 9 inches
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding long suppressed conspiracy history of the CIA finally re-released in a revised although not updated edition
Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2016Verified Purchase
213 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars
The Secret Team: The CIA and Its Allies in Control of the United States and the World
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2020Verified Purchase
THIS IS THE TYPE OF WORK YOU CANNOT WAIT TO GET TO THE NEXT CHAPTER. EACH PAGE REVEALS MORE AND MORE INFORMATION NOT READILY KNOWN TO THE GENERAL READER. IT COVERS THE HISTORY OF THE CIA FROM THE LATE FORTIES TO LETS SAY THE MID SEVENTIES. IT IS WRITTEN BY AN INSIDER WHO CERTAINLY SHOULD KNOW THE INS AND OUTS OF THE AGENCY DURING HIS TENURE. IN MY OPINION PROUTY WAS AN HONEST GOVERNMENT SERVANT. HE WAS NEITHER PRO-COMMUNIST NOR A FANATICAL ANTI-COMMUNIST. I WAS ESPECIALLY INTRIGUED BY HIS VIEW OF THE PENTAGON PAPERS AND DANIEL ELLSBERG. IN REGARDS TO JFK ASSASSINATION THIS BOOK HAS CONFUSED ME MORE THAN ANY OF THE HUNDREDS OF JFK BOOKS I HAVE READ. PROUTY HAS IMPRESSED UPON ME THE GREAT LENGTHS THE CIA WOULD GO TO COVER UP ITS AGENTS, OPERATIONS AND INFORMERS ANY TIME, ANY PLACE ALL OVER THE WORLD. WAS LHO AN ST AGENT, INFORMER OR PART OF SOME SPECIAL OPERATION THAT THE CIA HAD TO COVER UP BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE. WOULD THE CIA MAKE ITSELF LOOK LIKE THE SOURCE OF A JFK CONSPIRACY? PROUTY POINTS OUT THAT THE CIA WAS EXTREMELY DEPARTMENTALIZED WITHIN ITS OWN AGENCY. THEREFORE COULD ONE OR TWO OF ITS MYRIAD GROUPS HAVE PLANNED, EXECUTED AND COVERED UP THE JFK ASSASSINATION WITHOUT ANYONE KNOWING. THE ANSWER IS MOST PROBABLY YES. THERE WERE AND ARE SO MANY LAYERS OF MIRRORS I DON'T THINK WE CAN EVER KNOW WHAT TRULY HAPPENED TO JFK. RIP MR. PROUTY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
19 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars
The Secret Team: The CIA and It's Allies in Control of the United States and The World
Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2018Verified Purchase
All that I can say after reading L. Fletcher Prouty, is already written in the most powerful prayer of all, The Lord's Prayer
Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are Yours,
now and forever.
Amen.
_________
Only the Lord can fix this with our prayers, because it's beyond the power and reaches of the USG, Congress, every Presidential administration. If anything good can be said after reading it, now I understand why nothing good ever happens within the United States Government.
Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are Yours,
now and forever.
Amen.
_________
Only the Lord can fix this with our prayers, because it's beyond the power and reaches of the USG, Congress, every Presidential administration. If anything good can be said after reading it, now I understand why nothing good ever happens within the United States Government.
31 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2016
Verified Purchase
A revealing look at the real forces at work in our government, this well-documented account of the insidious growth of the CIA in the second half of the 20th century presents the profound struggle any elected President has to control it. One is reminded of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-four. Though covering only the period up to and including the Vietnam war, when Communism was viewed as America's greatest threat, the machinery involved and the vast network of influence has great implications for today, when "Terrorism" has replaced "Communism" as our perceived threat. Similar structures and actions persist now as before.
This work is rather repetitive and a bit ponderous to read. However, the repetition may be necessary to pound in understanding. The subject matter is compelling. It is an important document for anyone trying to understand the background of our current involvements in world affairs. The authors credentials make it the more believable.
This work is rather repetitive and a bit ponderous to read. However, the repetition may be necessary to pound in understanding. The subject matter is compelling. It is an important document for anyone trying to understand the background of our current involvements in world affairs. The authors credentials make it the more believable.
30 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2017
Verified Purchase
Prouty shows how the CIA operates. It's many deceptions, first of all, is its cover story or lie, it says it is doing intelligence but really the main thing it wants to do is do is covert actions - fun and games, that nobody - no Senator or no Congressman no President even knows about.
These covert actions have often been serious. - the coup that overthrew the government of Iran, the coup that overthrew Guatemala, the coup that tried to overthrow Cuba and failed - the Bay of Pigs, the coup that overthrew the government of the United States the Kennedy assassination.
Fletcher Prouty really knows what he's talking about. He served in the Air Force and he helped the CIA. He knows what he's talking about and he writes very well.
These covert actions have often been serious. - the coup that overthrew the government of Iran, the coup that overthrew Guatemala, the coup that tried to overthrow Cuba and failed - the Bay of Pigs, the coup that overthrew the government of the United States the Kennedy assassination.
Fletcher Prouty really knows what he's talking about. He served in the Air Force and he helped the CIA. He knows what he's talking about and he writes very well.
24 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries
drone
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting although a little dated
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 16, 2014Verified Purchase
This book provides an interesting critique of the development of the CIA and how it insinuated iteself into virtually every area of American society. My only caveat is that this is a reissue of a book originally published in the 1970's, and is obviously a product of its time. This however does not detract from the insight the book provides into the working of American government in relation to intelligence, and how the CIA has manipulated politicians and society to achieve aims which often appear at variance with publicly stated government policy, with particular reference to the cold war period. For a more recent critique Legacy of Ashes might be a better choice.
4 people found this helpful
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R. F. Culverhouse
4.0 out of 5 stars
Must Read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 31, 2012Verified Purchase
F Prouty knows his subject very well and doesn't spare the detail - this make the book a somewhat dense and difficult read but anyone
who wants to understand CIA methodology and a background to the Vietnam war will find much of value here. Many of the things that have surprised and distressed some of us in recent times e.g. redition and torture are techniques the US have been using for years and have taught to police and other services in many countries. Do a search on "Pacification" and "Indochina" ! He claims that the Vietnam war was always a CIA operation way up to 550K troops involved. A priority has always been to shield the US public (and the UK) from
any sensitive information about CIA activities - the NY Times recently withdrew a reference to CIA involvement in Syria in an article.
who wants to understand CIA methodology and a background to the Vietnam war will find much of value here. Many of the things that have surprised and distressed some of us in recent times e.g. redition and torture are techniques the US have been using for years and have taught to police and other services in many countries. Do a search on "Pacification" and "Indochina" ! He claims that the Vietnam war was always a CIA operation way up to 550K troops involved. A priority has always been to shield the US public (and the UK) from
any sensitive information about CIA activities - the NY Times recently withdrew a reference to CIA involvement in Syria in an article.
9 people found this helpful
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michael emblem
1.0 out of 5 stars
Dreadful book!!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 26, 2021Verified Purchase
The worst book l have read on the CIA . . . seriously it will bore you to death don't bother.
harry bananas
5.0 out of 5 stars
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 3, 2016Verified Purchase
Mind blowing.
sandra
5.0 out of 5 stars
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 15, 2015Verified Purchase
partners choice and he loved it
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