Customer Review
- Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2014Be warned: this is not a "beginner's level" book. You must understand- at least to an extent- the way the government works. Arkin uses professional language and treats the reader as someone who understands American civics and American government. To clarify, I just graduated with a major in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, I took multiple classes on the Constitution, and I am now in the Navy, yet I still spent a decent amount of time doing outside research to get clarification on what Arkin was saying. This is not to say I know it all, only to warn you that it can be a difficult book.
That being said, this is a good book and it is well worth the time it takes to read it. If you are interested in the inner workings of the US government and are willing to put in the time to do a little research into certain things on the side, I highly recommend it.
When government officials are sworn in, be it FBI, Department of State, etc., they take an oath to defend and uphold the CONSTITUTION. They do not swear to protect the president, the federal government, or even the people of the United States. They swear to protect the Constitution of the United States. However, as Arkin makes clear throughout the book, the federal government is willing to do anything, including destroying the Constitution, in order to maintain security through an infinite number of "what-ifs". Some seem logical; others not so much. Either way, you decide whether you are fine with the government impeding on your civil liberties in order to maintain the security of the nation (and as Arkin makes clear throughout the book, the continuity of the government and the "XYZ", which are ultimately more important in their eyes).
I do my best to answer questions on these, so feel free to ask.
