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Andrew Cockburn
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Kill Chain: The Rise of the High-Tech Assassins Paperback – March 8, 2016

by Andrew Cockburn (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 185 ratings
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An essential and page-turning narrative on the history of drone warfare by the acclaimed author of Rumsfeld, exploring how this practice emerged, who made it happen, and the real consequences of targeted killing

Assassination by drone is a subject of deep and enduring fascination. Yet few understand how and why this has become our principal way of waging war. Kill Chain uncovers the real and extraordinary story; its origins in long-buried secret programs, the breakthroughs that made UAV operations possible, the ways in which the technology works and, despite official claims, does not work. Taking the reader inside the well-guarded world of national security, the book reveals the powerful interests - military, CIA and corporate - that have led the drive to kill individuals by remote control. Most importantly of all, the book describes what has really happened when the theories underpinning the strategy -- and the multi-billion dollar contracts they spawn -- have been put to the test. Drawing on sources deep in the military and intelligence establishments, Andrew Cockburn's Kill Chain unveils the true effects, as demonstrated by bloody experience, of assassination warfare, a revelation that readers will find surprising as well as shocking.

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  1. Print length
    336 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Picador
  4. Publication date
    March 8, 2016
  5. Dimensions
    5.43 x 0.89 x 8.27 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1250081637
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1250081636
  8. See all details
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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
185 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and informative. They praise the well-researched and honest writing style. The book provides a fascinating history of drone warfare and the defense industry, with an important perspective on military arrogance and the need for political change.

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17 customers mention "Readability"17 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and worthwhile reading for thoughtful patriots. They appreciate the investigative reporting and interesting material on a relevant topic. The book provides useful insights into aborting super weapons and collateral.

"...This book is worth reading together with the other Killchain book by Chris Brose which builds a strong case for the necessity of more unmanned..." Read more

"...It's a good read, clearly derived from a lot of research and many interviews with people who were involved on all sides...." Read more

"Fantastic book in both senses of the word: extraordinarily good and removed from reality - not the book, but what the U.S. military has been up to..." Read more

"...Excellent investigative reporting, extremely interesting material and highly relevant topic concerning today's current events...." Read more

13 customers mention "Research quality"13 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-researched and insightful. It offers valuable critiques of modern US policies and provides a comprehensive overview of relevant topics. The author is well-informed and writes with an engaging style.

"...The author is well-informed and writes very well and it is compelling reading." Read more

"...It's a good read, clearly derived from a lot of research and many interviews with people who were involved on all sides...." Read more

"Detailed almost to a fault, Cockburn’s written the seminal piece of investigative reporting to come along in quite some time...." Read more

"...Chain is not as much fun as reading a spy novel, but it is packed with information that we need to know." Read more

7 customers mention "Readable"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and engaging. They say the author writes well and it makes sense. The writing is honest and amazing on the U.S. intelligence machine.

"...The author is well-informed and writes very well and it is compelling reading." Read more

"...intelligence community, and puts the whole story together in a most readable fashion; I very much second the review by Franklin Spinney...." Read more

"...Surprisingly readable." Read more

"Well written and engaging...." Read more

4 customers mention "History"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fascinating and informative about the history of drones for warfare. They also appreciate the history of the defense industry and the mindset of defense leaders. The book provides a good story about military arrogance and a reminder that war solves little.

"...This is a hard hitting historical account of how the politicians, bureaucrats and lobbyists running the military-industrial-security complex..." Read more

"A good story about military arrogance and a reminder that war solves little" Read more

"This was a fascinating history of the development of drones for warfare...." Read more

"Well written and engaging. Gives the reader a great history of the defense industry, defense leadership mindset and the intersection of politics and..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • George Howell
    5.0 out of 5 stars Page turner
    Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This book has an authoritative tone and is concerned with CIA and special operations activities over the last few decades, particularly in relation to the use of drones and the strategy of targeting high-value individuals. The author explains the rise of unmanned technology at the Pentagon, however he is very critical of the way such technology was used in conjunction with special operations teams and dubious intelligence for the targeting of terrorists in Afghanistan or Iraq. The author builds the case that’s such a strategy was counterproductive.
    The book offers a useful cautionary account of the pitfalls of unmanned military systems which runs contrary to current optimism regarding the use of such systems.
    This book is worth reading together with the other Killchain book by Chris Brose which builds a strong case for the necessity of more unmanned systems as a strategic necessity. Having read both I feel that Brose is on the right track, but this book points out that the ineptness of Military and intelligence leader ship whose belief in flawed politically motivated strategies is not to be underestimated.
    The author is well-informed and writes very well and it is compelling reading.
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  • J
    4.0 out of 5 stars An eye-opening chronicle of industrialized killing
    Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    The author presents a disturbing and highly detailed picture of the complex web of drone warfare, political lobying and huge corporate profits. It's a good read, clearly derived from a lot of research and many interviews with people who were involved on all sides. My only complaint was that it sometimes seemed to jump topics mid chapter.
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  • Drew Hunkins
    5.0 out of 5 stars Magical thinking in the name of killing
    Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Detailed almost to a fault, Cockburn’s written the seminal piece of investigative reporting to come along in quite some time. Of course he’s forced to be incredibly detailed because he’s ultimately attacking serious power structures in the United States: the Pentagon, giant parasitic Defense contractors, the executive branch and establishment media, all face his unrelenting scrutiny. One doesn’t receive kid glove treatment when exposing the machinations of the ruling class.

    He provides several examples of the expensive and much heralded high tech weapons and drones murdering innocent civilians. Even when the evidence is irrefutable, generals and others in the Defense Dept. simply choose to deny the obvious, they plug their ears and cover their eyes and issue mealy-mouthed apologies and explanations for the carnage inflicted by the overpriced killing machines.

    The erections these officials maintain over their high tech gadgets rage on despite the consistent failures of the youngsters – many in their early 20s sitting in air-conditioned strip mall settings thousands of miles away – in distinguishing on their computer screens a Taliban fighter or Iraqi insurgent. Innocent citizens taking a nature walk or kids playing futbol in a field are seemingly fair game to the creamy cheeked laptop bombardiers sitting halfway around the world, some having just returned from lunch at the mall food court.

    Often the distant computer pilots choose to see what they want to see on their screens and little else. This isn’t an in depth creative process since the screens view the action as if looking through a soda straw with a focus that would be considered legally blind for driving. No matter, sheep herders, wedding parties, birthday bashes can all become fair game. Cockburn documents how battles that are cluster fudges to begin with turn into even bigger cluster fudges simply because commanders choose to coordinate the attacks and manage soldiers and planes from hundreds of miles away, safely ensconced behind a screen far from the bloody fighting.

    The finest portion of ‘Kill Chain’ is met with a sort of disclaimer right off the bat from Cockburn. He’s savvy enough to refrain from reporting the full name of a genuine psychopath who works for the CIA who goes by the name of “Mike.” Mike’s a weird and reclusive sadistic sociopath. Cockburn addresses the fact that the Justice Dept. has a penchant for prosecuting journalists; hence Cockburn feels it prudent to keep Mike’s identity confidential. Mike’s a coward who has the bloodthirsty need to drone strike almost everything in sight; he just can’t function without having his finger hovering near a button to launch a strike. He gets his kicks by sitting thousands of miles away yet launching bombs at the drop of a hat. He’s connected to Washington politicians who also have pleasant dreams at night over bloodbaths in faraway lands; they protect Mike and allow his killing operation to roll on unfettered. Mike doesn’t care that war is a racket.

    Regardless of how well any of these high-tech boondoggles perform, it’s ultimately a pointless Sisyphean exercise as the enemy quickly replenishes itself with younger more committed fighters. Speaking of boondoggles, among some others, Northrop Grumman is singled out in Cockburn's marvelous book for selling a real dumpster fire to the U.S. taxpayers, a drone by the name of ‘Global Hawk.'

    All this misguided faith in high-tech weaponry, technological gadgets and gizmos reminds one of Howard Kunstler’s magnificent book ‘Too Much Magic.’ In a way ‘Kill Chain’ and Kunstler’s work make for a satisfying two volume set on how the violent failures of drones and the absurd wizardry of distant drone computer screens point out a sickness that permeates a certain segment of United States society.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Allen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Technology does not trump human beings
    Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the continuing development of technology for war fighting. To be honest, I began this book with the idea that drones are a highly efficient way of dealing destruction without endangering U S troops.

    I was an infantry platoon leader in Vietnam, so I was surprised to find the book beginning with US efforts to stop the flow of North Vietnamese soldiers and equipment down the Ho Chi Minh Trail using sensors of various kinds. The NVA took about two weeks to figure out how to use this technology to their advantage simply by faking activity and tricking the urine smelling devices into making us think there was real activity and expending thousands of dollars destroying ... well ... nothing.

    This was a great way to start this book. We, or our leaders and generals, get an idea in mind and never let it go - and never learn from it if it doesn't work.

    Two concepts may be helpful: 1) drone cameras and sensors are not as good as human senses - Cockburn compares electronic sensors to looking at the world through a soda straw because you cannot tell what else is happening. Our eyes can take in useful info that a drone cannot. One horrifying example was of a B1 Bomber attacking a gathering because from several miles above event the weapons officer (who has no window but relies 100% on computers) detected the gathering. Two minutes before this attack, two A10 Warthog pilots, flying just above the ground with full visibility, had refused to attack the gathering because they could see that it was, in fact, a wedding party and that there were several children present. The children, along with a number of adults, were killed.

    2) Kingpins - the constant focus on killing the leader always results in finding there is another leader (or leaders who may split off and form separate units.) This is easily seen in the drug trade where killing the leader causes the cartel to divide under even more ruthless leaders (how better to show how tough you are?) Can we think of any situations when a leader was captured or killed, and instead of the followers quitting, more groups emerge with ever more horrible leaders? How many times have we heard that the most important chief or, more likely, the number two commander has been killed? How many number two commanders are there? Face it, there is an endless chain of number two commanders. When we kill this commander, there will be another one in his place...today.

    I won't even mention the drones (that I liked at the beginning.) The reader will be shocked at how much it costs to purchase and especially to operate these things. The pilots may be in Nevada, but they cannot launch or land the drones. Someone on site has to do that. Many of the drones cannot operate in foul weather. How about the "stealthy" jet drone that the Iranians forced to land in Iran by tuning to the communications channels on the drone and telling it where to land. Doesn't seem very stealthy or secure to me.

    Kill Chain is not as much fun as reading a spy novel, but it is packed with information that we need to know.
    16 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Mark Adams
    5.0 out of 5 stars Eye opening.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 13, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Gives you a completely different view of Mr President, Obama. Not a pleasant one. Read this book.
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  • Martel
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent !
    Reviewed in France on August 7, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Description très imagée des dérives technologiques du Pentagone et des nombreux ratés sanglants de la lutte contre le terrorisme.
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  • John Silver
    5.0 out of 5 stars Es impresionante y desgarrador
    Reviewed in Spain on October 29, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Lo recomiendo mucho a quienes piensan que la tecnología va a resolver todos los problemas. La tecnología sin gente pensante (y objetiva) detrás, no sirve para nada.
    Es de agradecer el trabajo de gente como Mr. Cockburn para aclarar e iluminar los entresijos de la historia, quitando toda la paja que añaden los interesados, políticos, "lobbists", empresarios y demás. Y, sobre todo, para que las generaciones futuras aprendan un poco de los errores pasados.
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  • arne aamodt
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on May 10, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Very interesting.
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  • Anckarström
    5.0 out of 5 stars Unbemannter Luftkrieg
    Reviewed in Germany on August 29, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Das die amerikanische Militärmaschinerie nicht so überlegen und unschlagbar ist, wie es behauptet wird, wurde wohl spätestens in 2003 beim Einmarsch in Irak völlig klar. Die Beschäftigung der amerikanische Militärführung mit unbemannten Flugzeugen für Aufklärungsflüge und gezielte Morde wird in diesem Buch gründlich durchleuchtet. Das dabei mehrheitlich völlig unbeteiligten Menschen getötet werden und das dies den sogenannten Terroristen einen regen Zulauf sichert, hat nicht einmal unser Mainstream-Media verschleiern können. Langsam verändert dieser Art von Kriegführung trotzdem die Einstellung der Menschen. Dies wird auch von den Herstellern und Befürwortern dieser Waffen deutlich gemacht - die Leute gewöhnen sich daran, dass man Menschen an der anderen Seite der Erde ohne Gerichtsurteil einfach töten kann.
    Das die Roboter nicht so funktionieren, wie von den Herstellern behauptet wird, wird aber selten berichtet. Manche dieser Geräte scheinen nur deshalb produziert zu werden, um die Gewinne der Waffenindustrie zu sichern.
    Wenn Richard Nixon jeden Dienstag eine Liste von Menschen abgesegnet hätte, die demnächst auf offener Straße getötet werden sollen - darunter auch amerikanische Staatsbürger - dann wäre er bestimmt innerhalb von einer Woche aus dem Amt geflogen.
    Der Friedensnobelpreisträger und Konstitutionsexperte im weißen Haus kann es heute aber ohne Probleme tun. Sehr lesenswert!
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