Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army

Guest Reviewer: Michael Lai

Author: Jeremy Scahill
Price: Below RM70 (Paperback)
Relevance: 10/10
Credibility: 9/10
Riveting: 5/10
Readability: 6/10

Synopsis: This is the explosive story of a company that rose to become one of America's 'War on Terror'. In his gripping bestseller, award-winning journalist Jeremy Scahill takes us from the bloodied streets of Iraq, to hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, to the chambers of power in Washington, to expose Blackwater as the frightening new face of the US war machine.

Verdict: Scahill may not have turned out an 'unputdownable' book, but 'Blackwater' is still a revealing eye-opener for those who remain ardent advocates of Milton Friedman's brand of free-wheeling economics and gung-ho privatisation. When nations privatise their fighting machinery, they can no longer hold the moral high ground.
Overall Rating: 7.5