Rating: 
Summary: Discussing systematic weaknesses of American intelligence
Review: A Pretext For War: 9/11, Iraq, And The Abuse Of America's Intelligence Agencies is an audiobook that dares to state flat-out what others have only weakly suggested: that President George W. Bush knowingly misused the findings of an incompetent U.S. intelligence community to provide a false pretext for war with Iraq. Discussing systematic weaknesses of American intelligence agencies that caused them to ignore the crucial signs leading up to the attacks of 9/11. Deception and misinformation allowed Bush and his cronies, who cared less about the capture of Osama bin Laden and the end of his terror network than the opportunity to follow a questionable agenda in Iraq, to spend American lives and resources championing a war to find "weapons of mass-destruction" that did not exist - and even this flagrant abuse was only the latest result of twisting American intelligence agencies for the administraton's own ends. With its in-depth research and detail of shady dealings inside the American government, A Pretext For War is proof that truth can be far more chilling than fiction.
Rating:
Summary: It's Intelligence Stupid!
Review: Bamford lucidly argues that the reason for the war in Iraq is fallacious. But it is fallacious for reasons other than those popularly argued by indolent politicians on both sides of the issue. It's intelligence stupid! And stupid it is. Caution, you can actually be injured reading this book. When you read Bamford's revelations, sources thoroughly end noted, you may find your self banging your head on your desk or a wall. You will ask: How can an intelligence community with over 60,000, fairly paid, "experts" get so much, so wrong? Bin Laden provided as much warning before 9/11 as did reading the Japanese enciphered diplomatic messages before Pearl Harbor. We spent over a trillion dollars on our intelligence community and it failed us. There was more intellectual insight in a single US Customs officer on the Canadian border than in the directors of the CIA and FBI. The FBI will argue that it is not really an intelligence agency. That's obvious!
I rated the 9/11 Report 5-stars. 5-stars for author James Bamford too. Bamford used much of the same source material (end noted) but he also used additional sources at the working level within the intelligence community. Bamford is an investigative writer, respected among most grunts in the intelligence community; he doesn't hold punches. Bamford is one of those rare investigative reporters to whom the silent members of the community are willing to aim in the right direction. Bamford's previous books, "Body of Secrets" and "The Puzzle Palace" remain the most authoritative albeit unsanctioned source references about the intelligence community.
Bamford is critical, very critical, of the intelligence community and he lucidly explains why. He explains that there is a lot of management but not much leadership in the CIA. We have over 60,000 members in the intelligence community but bin Laden is still operating. Bamford calls for more leadership not more money. The United States relies on liaison with foreign governments rather than first source human intelligence. That's a critical weakness. Bamford asks how eight Americans like John Walker Lindh can join al Qaeda (he explains how they did it), but the CIA can't find the front door?
Don't misunderstand Bamford's criticism of President George Bush as left leaning. Bamford has been critical of every recent Administration and their lack of emphasis on the potency of the nation's intelligence capability. Enough of the accusations about Bamford as anti-Semitic; he's definitely critical of the impact of Israeli domestic and foreign policy on United States strategy - there's a difference. He explains why. Bamford publicly explains better than others the origin and nitwittery of the Pentagon's civilian run Special Programs Office, birth place of "preemptive war in Iraq." He certainly takes on the Israeliphiles weaving in and out of every administration that created that mess. Military readers will well ask how civilian control of the Pentagon turned into an imposition of civilian political agenda on the military. Bamford provides clues. The "9/11 Report" and "A Pretext for War" run on parallel tracks, the latter makes more and longer stops.
Rating:
Summary: a riveting and disturbing read
Review: bamford provides a riveting and gravely disturbing picture
of how ideology blinkers the critical evaluation of the world
as it is and leads to the propagandistic abuse of a trusting populace. this is, of course, a general theme with reliably anti-democratic consequences for every politically and theologically monolithic ideology. it happens that america is presently experiencing the predictably unhappy consequences of ideological leadership, so it is a story of american opportunities missed and american lives imperilled (to terrorism
and war in iraq) because of the adoption and craftily calculated propagation of the neo-conservative agenda by the present administration. this book is, among things, a compendium of detail for those who doubt the reach and effect of this ideology. it also provides enormous insight into american intelligence gathering communities with respect to their own intrisic,
historical failings as well as to how these failings have been compounded by bush administration desires and policies.
those who were confronted with a moral dilemma concerning how to explain clinton's wagging finger and televised lies about his sexual dilliance(s) to their children, should be absolutely stupified by the task of explaining to a new generation the catalogue of orchestrated talking-points recited by dozens of people in the bush adminstration who wittingly led americans to sacrifice their children and the lives of others in a war
known to insiders to be indefensible on the basis of evidence, but declared all the same, because its adherents sincerely believed it was necessary, despite all credible evidence. if this is not frightening, then you're probably incapable of being scared. if this book doesn't encourage you to re-evaluate your support for the present adminstration, as have numerous lifelong republicans in the intelligence community, then the administration's propaganda as described by bampton has no better example of its success. i'm sure that administration apologists will trash this book (after all, they are ideologues), as they've done to many recent investigative books, but don't let them discourage you from a captivating and mind-opening read.
Rating:
Summary: Disturbing, Simply Disturbing
Review: Despite the weighty subject, this book reads like a novel. Some reviewers pan it as a work of fiction. You owe it to yourself to read this book and decide for yourself. James Bamford asserts that the current Bush administration commenced its service with an agenda to topple Saddam Hussein, end involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and rearrange the dominoes in the Middle East. Bamford's premise is that the Bush administration, with the able assistance of its neo-conservatives previously employed by the Israeli government, manipulated the inadequate intelligence it received to increase public support for its war on Iraq. Along the way, tax dollars were used illegally to propagandize American citizens while the inept US media mutely watched. Additionally, the NSA spied on the UN Security Council and Hans Blix, the chief of the Iraq weapons inspectors. Despite the complexity of the story author James Bamford writes, A Pretext For War is very readable and in fact is very interesting. Initially, Bamford follows the 9/11 terrorists and then the President and other US officials. The second section of the book traces the intelligence gathering. The third and final section of watches the Bush administration as it weaves the events, gathered intelligence and speculation into a tapestry of its own design I recommend the well written reviews posted by Robert D. Steele and "autonomeus". In the "how I would improve this book" category, I would like to have read more on the FBI / CIA turf battle over the terrorist investigations. In particular, more details about John P. O'Neill who headed the bureau's Counterterrorism Division. Finally, the noted fact that George Tennet, as Director of the CIA only controlled 15% of America's intelligence empire while Donald Rumsfield as Secretary of Defense controlled 85% of the intelligence was mentioned twice in the book (p 214 & p 353). Once would have been enough.
Rating: 
Summary: Poorly written, but the info. is compelling
Review: First, I must say that many of the reviewers are correct about certain recurring weaknesses throughout this book. The book is poorly organized, repetetive and lacks focus. Yet the final part of the book ("Deception") does a decent job of collecting some of the frighteningly hollow evidence that was used to make a case for war in Iraq.
Whether or not you agree or disagree with the war or with Bamford's premise, I recommend you do some research on the principle players: Douglas Feith, Richard Perle, Paul Wolfowitz, etc. Take a look also at the events, aluminum tubes, uranium purchases from Niger, and Mohammed Atta's alleged meeting with an Iraqi official, et al. I guarantee that after a small amount of balanced research (meaning don't rely strictly on "The Nation" or "The Wall Street Journal") you will find that for the most part Bamford's findings hold up.
To those reviewers that accuse Bamford of "Bush-bashing" please don't insult anyone's intelligence. If you are going to attack Bamford's premises, please provide some counter-evidence, and not quasi-patriotic raving to do so.
Rating:
Summary: WAR, ABUSE, INTELLIGENCE
Review: I am a writer and reader from California. Bamford is a superb writer, no matter which of his books you are reading. Naturally, those who are unfulfilled will call Bamford's writing "schlocky" - come on, honey, let's leave that description for the Danielle Steele's of the writing world. Bamford gives us information, quality and quantity. The Schlok's give us flower-text hung behind a scrim with large print and a short amount of pages filled with fluff. The only abuse of Bamford's latest book is that the White House, NSA and on down the line, has allowed him only certain information. He could hunt forever and never would have been allowed what was needed to write the ultimate novel, or non-fiction. Parts of our government will allow a chosen writer access to just so much to allow our agencies to "rook mahvalous dahlink." Bamford is splendid. He needs a hidden, hardened hand in order to obtain the REAL ABUSES and all that follows. Unfortunately, that will not be permitted. So, let's give him the credit that he is due. A wonderful job James. Keep on keepin' on . . . a friend.
Rating:
Summary: Pretext for War
Review: I think that this book, along with Scheuer's book "Imperial Hubris" point up a number of flaws in the Intelligence community as well as within this administration and others. I have a profound respect for Bamford and I think that Scheuer's work is impotant as well in the debate that our country is engaged in. I don't think that Bamford portrays Bush as particularly evil but I do think he accurately portrays the policy battles that were a hallmark of the run up to the war. What was particularly troubling to me was the way in which Feith et al were allowed to make foreign policy without any input from the people over at State. As a former intelligence officer, I personally am happy that people like Bamford and Scheuer are speaking up.
Rating:
Summary: A PRETEXT FOR WAR
Review: In his, A PRETEXT FOR WAR, James Damford recaps the tragedy of 9/11 and the tragedy of how Bush responded within the first few hours and days; explores the sad state of our Intelligence community; and how the Bush team blatantly misused and falsified intelligence to stage the war with Iraq. Besides making it clear our CIA is in dire need of an overhaul, it show that we have good reason to impeach Bush for an abuse of power and deception. An interview with James Bamford concerning his book can be found at NPR Fresh Air, June 8, 2004.
Rating:
Summary: A Mixed Bag
Review: James Bamford, one of America's best writers concerning the intelligence community, both past and present, turns his insightful and critical eye to the controversy surrounding the war in Iraq. The title and the jacket, however, are somewhat misleading. I was surprised to find, when I finished the book, that probably 70 percent of it dealt with the errors and the incompetence of the various intelligence agencies preceding the events of 9-11. Even with this somewhat dubious title, the book is very interesting and disturbing. Its analysis of the absolute debacle that was US intelligence in the mid to late 90's is thorough and intriguing. However, when Bamford moves to the situation surrounding the Iraq war, the book gets lost in some kind of ham fisted attempt at political criticism of the Bush administration. Because political assassination seems to be a prime catalyst for increased book sales, some publishing whiz probably thought to make that the main focus of the marketing campaign.
Bamford's nightmarish narrative begins on the crisp September morning where terrorism finally made its way into the greater public consciousness. While almost all Americans witnessed the fiery horror of that day, much was going on behind the scenes that remains cloaked in mystery to this day. Bamford describes the rapid movement of the Secret Service and various other government agencies charged with guarding government officials and guaranteeing the line of succession. This included the use of Site R, the ultra secret underground complex northwest of Washington DC, and the utilization of the White House emergency bunker. This hidden history of various "doomsday"components of the US government was fascinating, and Bamsford has great sources behind his information. Also part of this secret history is Bamford's incisive analysis of agencies such as the CIA and the NSA. This history, in the mid to late 90's, was one of near criminal negligence and abuse by government officials. Comfortable in security guaranteed by international consensus, the Clinton administration had little use for increased emphasis on the intelligence community. This led to a degradation of ability that left America relatively defenseless. The NSA, unable to effectively counter the promulgation of fiber optic technology or the rise of ethnic languages, began to lose its grip on high end communication technology. The CIA, cautious to a dangerous extent, nearly closed down the "Farm", the hidden Virginia training ground for CIA operations employees. When training was ramped up, it was mired in Cold War tradecraft that had little relevancy for the new war against dynamic terrorist groups. The CIA operations directorate became blind to the world, just as the Al-Qaeda network began to flex its muscles.
The fault of 9-11 does not rest on any one individual or group. Instead, it relies more on the broad ignorance of the leaders of the American government, especially those connected to intelligence and defense policy. Because of their woeful lack of performance, 19 men managed to get into the United States, even while making numerous mistakes. They then dealt the United States a crippling blow. After 9-11, the failure of American intelligence could no longer be ignored. As the war against Al-Qaeda ramped up, the hidden ideological war against Saddam Hussein's Iraq also accelerated. Long time proponents of regime change in Iraq, such as Douglas Feith and Donald Rumsfeld began to plan for a campaign against Hussein. They established new intelligence organizations who would search for information on Hussein's regime that would bolster their faltering case. The network of neo conservatives also utilized the false information provided by Ahmed Chalabi, a shady character who had long pushed for his own leadership position inside a new Iraqi government. These high placed group of individuals pushed the right buttons inside the mind of President Bush, who was already inclined to take down the man who had tried to kill his father. Utilizing false information and the bully pulpit of the Presidency, this cabal or sorts managed to push the United States into a war it was not fully ready for.
Or so goes that story. It is a story we have heard a million times in various publications, and it is told very effectively in Pretext for War. However, it appeared to me to be somewhat flawed. The book highlights the criticisms of men such as Richard Clarke and Joe Wilson. Joe Wilson has been recently revealed to be at least a man given to the skirting of the truth, if not an outright liar. Clarke was in charge of running the war against terrorism that Bamford criticizes numerous times throughout the book. If results are any kind of indication, Clarke's complaints hold little water in my opinion. It seemed to me that the same people that were leaking their anti-Bush feelings were the same men who had failed miserably in their campaign against Osama Bin Laden. It begs the questions, why does Bamford put so much credence in their current complaints when he spends so much time casting doubt on their own competence? Bamford is at his best when he delivers a measured examination of the sorry state of American intelligence, not when he attempts to draw a picture much more convoluted than he would have us believe.
Rating:
Summary: This tops all the recent books
Review: Much better than "Plan of Attack" and "Against All Enemies", etc. You want the truth?" Bamford has the courage to tell the part of the story that no one else will. We should all be able to handle the truth now and wake up to who pushed us into this Iraq mess and why. Soldiers and civilians are dying for this "elite" group. They should be brought to justice for their lies and deceptions.
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