Blank Check: The Pentagon's Black Budget

This excellent book should be read by every USA taxpayer, civilian and military. Mr. Weiner, with an excellent bibliography, tells it like it is. Without barriers, he gives historical, verifiable--if you desire--facts on the irresposible mechanisms used by USA presidents to advance an empire through the throats of many countries--beginning with the USA itself, and justify murders, lies, frauds, thefts, violations of the USA Constitution, through the military and paramilitar civil agencies such as the CIA, based on the very doubtful and euphemistic principle that almost anything is a threat to USA national security. Excellent book. Written almost 20 years ago it is as updated as if it had been written yesterday.

I know the author personally, from his time as the New York Times investigative journalist responsible for covering the US national and military intelligence programs, and I consider him one of the most balanced, thoughtful, and well-intentioned reporters in the intelligence field.His book remains very, very important because the Pentagon is in the process of reconstituting the "Yellow Fruit" organization, with the same blank check black budget, and the same mind-sets that previously led to enormous ineffectiveness, waste, and some outright corruption and theft of government funds. Known as Gray Fox, this new incarnation of Yellow Fruit has Richard Secord, one of the leaders or the Iran-Contra scandal for which several top personalities were indicted and some convicted, as a primary player.Tim Weiner's book is important, it is relevant, and it should be read by those responsible for the oversight of military intelligence budgets and capabilities--and by citizens who might wish to question their elected representatives on this important topic.

I admit, I read the book about 2 years ago, but, I will remember the hard cold facts. The American public is so misinformed about how the miltary is spending our money. It is very disturbing to find out what I thought was true. Blank Check, opened my eyes a lot wider. Did you ever really think the government was honest with us and congress? Don't believe it.

Blank Check is a meticulously researched and chilling account of how the Cold War led the nation into a frenzy of spending based on fear and propaganda. The book spans 40 years of government development and National crises from the viewpoint of a checkbook. However, the fact that the book was published before the fall of the Soviet Union means that, to a modern reader, the stories told are a frightening look at times gone by rather than a relevant commentary on modern life. Also, with no central character to latch onto the book, while conscience stirring, is not necessarily compelling. That said, revelations in this book about the government's outright violation of the constitution in the name of National Security still have the ability to leave a reader appalled.