Kinzer, Stephen. Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq. New York: Times Books, 2006. 2007. [pb] Kinzer, Stephen. Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq. New York: Times Books, 2006. 2007. [pb]
Clark comment: The author is a journalist who has previously writtem on the U.S.-supported coups in Iran (1953) and Guatemala (1954). Here, he begins in the late 19th century, sweeps across the 20th century, and covers the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in the beginning of the 21st century. Kinzer's speculation, following each case he presents, about what might have been without U.S. "intervention" eventually gets quite tiresome.
According to Sweig, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2006, the author argues that "the United States has deployed its power to gain access to natural resources, stifle dissent and control the nationalism of newly independent states or political movements.... Kinzer's narrative abounds with unusual anecdotes, vivid description and fine detail, demonstrating why he ranks among the best in popular foreign policy storytelling, especially for those on the left." However, the book "stumbles when its tone shifts from lively storytelling to World Book Encyclopedia entry. It also sometimes slips into deliciously tempting caricature." Nor does Overthrow "tell us enough about the domestic environments that shaped the perspectives of those leaders whom the United States was busy overthrowing, isolating or provoking."
Lieven, NYT Book Review, 16 Apr. 2006, who clearly supports the argument that U.S. interventions have fueled anti-Americanism around the world, refers to this work as a "fine book," "detailed, passionate and convincing," and "meticulously reported."
On the other hand, Peake, Studies 50.4 (2006) and Intelligencer 15.2 (Fall/Winter 2006-2007), finds that while "[n]o one can argue that the events Kinzer cites did not take place," the book has "a barely latent malevolence" to it. The author clearly "doesn't approve of covert action but despite his best efforts, he has not succeeded in justifying its demise."
Ikenberry, FA 86.2 (Mar.-Apr. 2007), finds the author's account to be "fascinating history ... recounted in lively and colorful detail." Kinzer "offers a useful portrait of the presidents who have influenced the exercise of U.S. power and the interesting judgment that interventions have often succeeded in their immediate goals but failed to advance U.S. interests in the long term."
Lowenthal, Mark M. Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy. Washington, DC: CQ, 2000. 2d ed. Washington, DC: CQ, 2003. 3d ed. Washington, DC: CQ, 2006.
Clark comment (on 1st ed.): The author's latest textbook on intelligence is excellent. His earlier text -- U.S. Intelligence: Evolution and Anatomy, 2d ed. (Westport, CT: Praeger, 1992) -- was an extremely useful (though increasingly dated) overview of the U.S. intelligence community. I have used the latter as a supplementary text in a broad national security course for undergraduates. Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy goes much further than a mere updating; it is a fuller, more comprehensive presentation, and is more directed toward supporting a full-blown course on intelligence.
Reacting after a quick scan of the book, Jonkers, AFIO WIN 40-99, 8 Oct. 1999, finds that this book is "a primer on intelligence, clear in organization and ... written in a readable, direct, concise style.... [A]t first glance, a winner."
Macartney, AFIO WIN 46-99, 18 Nov. 1999, believes that Lowenthal's new book "will undoubtedly be the textbook of choice in many college classes next semester. It is a primer on intelligence, especially strong in its discussions of analysis, the role of the policy consumer, oversight and the post-Cold War intelligence agenda."
To Loeb, "IntelligenCIA: Intelligence 101," Washington Post Online, 3 Apr. 2000, the author "wastes no space in the book preaching about either the ills or the virtues of U.S. intelligence. He frames the right issues, and he asks the right questions. And he is able to bring both an insider's insight and an anecdotal flair to bear throughout the text."
McIntosh, Choice, Sep. 2000, notes that the work "summarizes the problems of collection, analysis, counterintelligence, and action from the point of view of a self-aware insider." This "excellent brief introduction to the role of secrecy and national intelligence in the American foreign policy process ... [provides] a solid, informative, and useful text for undergraduates and beginning graduate students."
For Hulnick, IJI&C 14.1, Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy "is nicely geared for teaching," but "is not the kind of stand-alone text that could be used in the classroom by itself." While "no other work on intelligence is so authoritative" in the areas of "the role of policymakers in intelligence and on the role of oversight," Lowenthal's chapters on collection and counterintelligence fall short of being sufficient by themselves for most academics. Nevertheless, the work "goes a long way toward achieving" the goal of "educat[ing] the public about how secrets become part of the United States foreign policy process."
Dalton, NWCR, Autumn 2002, says that this work "is much more than an introductory textbook; it is a trove of valuable information and insights ranging from the basic concepts and definitions of intelligence to a thorough examination of the intelligence process. Thus not only is this an excellent textbook on the basics of intelligence and ideal for a course in Intelligence 101, but it is also an interesting and informative examination of intelligence and national security disciplines, one that would be of interest and value to national security 'old-timers'.... In sum, Lowenthal has written an outstanding primer on intelligence, the intelligence process, and the intelligence community."
From advertisement for 2d ed.: "In this thoroughly revised second edition, Lowenthal updates each and every chapter, including new material on the infamous Robert Hanssen and Wen Ho Lee cases. Two new chapters significantly round out coverage: one on intelligence reform and another that takes a comparative look at intelligence in Britain, France, Russia, Israel, and China. This new edition also takes into account the impact and effects the war on terrorism now has on collection, analysis, and counterintelligence, as well as the ethical and moral issues surrounding these tasks."
Peake, Studies 50.4 (2006) and Intelligencer 15.2 (Fall/Winter 2006-2007), comments that the third edition of this work constitutes a "major revision," with more material and two new chapters [on intelligence reform and foreign intelligence services].... As an introductory text, this book gives the reader an understandable functional view of the national Intelligence Community."
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