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iWar: War and Peace in the Information Age
Discover how the United States can beat China, Russia, Iran, and ISIS in the coming information-technology wars from the New York Times bestselling author and veteran Washington Times columnist Bill Gertz.
America is at war, but most of its citizens don’t realize it.
Covert information warfare is being waged by world powers, rogue states—such as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea—and even terrorist groups like ISIS. This conflict has been designed to defeat and ultimately destroy the United States.
This new type of warfare is part of the Information Age that has come to dominate our lives. In iWar, Bill Gertz describes how technology has completely revolutionized modern warfare, how the Obama administration failed to meet this challenge, and what we can and must do to catch up and triumph over this timely and important struggle.
America is at war, but most of its citizens don’t realize it.
Covert information warfare is being waged by world powers, rogue states—such as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea—and even terrorist groups like ISIS. This conflict has been designed to defeat and ultimately destroy the United States.
This new type of warfare is part of the Information Age that has come to dominate our lives. In iWar, Bill Gertz describes how technology has completely revolutionized modern warfare, how the Obama administration failed to meet this challenge, and what we can and must do to catch up and triumph over this timely and important struggle.
384 pages, Hardcover
Published January 3, 2017
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198 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 4, 2017
The first half of this book is a pretty good summary of how other nations and non-nation states are deploying modern tools - social media, bots, fake sites, dark web, etc - to fight the war of ideas and information, especially the axis of evil states, Russia, China, and other de facto enemies (Islamic State, et al), compared to the USA's effectiveness on the same fronts.
One of the best "finds" in this book is the reference to China: The Three Warfares, a Pentagon study from 2013 which apparently provides some rich detail into how the Chinese are operating on the world stage compared to the USA. I've downloaded it and it seems to have the level of detail I was expected in Gertz' book. Another "key learning" was that the US Information Agency was disbanded in 1999 and rolled into the State Department
The biggest problem I have with iWar: War and Peace in the Information Age, is it quickly devolves into a diatribe against the liberal leftist political agenda and who the author considers it's spiritual leader, President Obama. By the time the second half of the book rolls around, the leftist agenda essentially becomes the new enemy of the USA. The other big problem I have is that it's way more about war than peace.
Ironically, after railing about feckless and ineffective government geopolitical information battles and the bloated federal bureaucracy generally, the big solution recommended by the author at the end, The Information America Program, is a series of massive interconnected government-driven projects in big data, cable news, global law, military information, and covert action.
The feeling I got is that the author believes we have to essentially become our "enemies" - create massive propaganda machines to counter those being used against us. It's not exactly the "shining beacon of light on the hill" approach. And I fear from the tone of the book that Gertz would just as soon turn the same propaganda machines onto who he views as the "enemy within," liberals and progressives.
One of the best "finds" in this book is the reference to China: The Three Warfares, a Pentagon study from 2013 which apparently provides some rich detail into how the Chinese are operating on the world stage compared to the USA. I've downloaded it and it seems to have the level of detail I was expected in Gertz' book. Another "key learning" was that the US Information Agency was disbanded in 1999 and rolled into the State Department
The biggest problem I have with iWar: War and Peace in the Information Age, is it quickly devolves into a diatribe against the liberal leftist political agenda and who the author considers it's spiritual leader, President Obama. By the time the second half of the book rolls around, the leftist agenda essentially becomes the new enemy of the USA. The other big problem I have is that it's way more about war than peace.
Ironically, after railing about feckless and ineffective government geopolitical information battles and the bloated federal bureaucracy generally, the big solution recommended by the author at the end, The Information America Program, is a series of massive interconnected government-driven projects in big data, cable news, global law, military information, and covert action.
The feeling I got is that the author believes we have to essentially become our "enemies" - create massive propaganda machines to counter those being used against us. It's not exactly the "shining beacon of light on the hill" approach. And I fear from the tone of the book that Gertz would just as soon turn the same propaganda machines onto who he views as the "enemy within," liberals and progressives.
August 29, 2017
New York Times best selling author Bill Gertz's main thesis in this book is that America's enemies, both state and non-state actors, are involved in a sustained information war against the country, and successive US administrations from Bush Senior to Obama have been ill-equipped to handle these attacks. These enemies include North Korea, Iran, Russia, the Islamic State and 'Liberal Left' groups within the country. Sadly, while this would have been an intriguing subject matter, the author is not able to support this thesis well as most of his materials are from questionable sources including far-right "news" sources such as Info Wars. Throughout the chapters, the author also keeps up a constant tirade against Barrack Obama, which taints his objectivity in discoursing the subject matter. It is a god starting point to understand information warfare, but it lacks the depth and impartiality that the subject matter truly needs.
November 21, 2017
The book covers a wide spectrum of information war. It doesn't focus on just cyber-warfare, but also about the winning-of-minds, propaganda amongst the enemy population, or presenting a false reconcillatory front while engaging in attacks in the rear.
Chapters include:
1) North Korea and its Sony cyber-attack;
2) China who urges the signing of a UN cyber-peace treaty while conducting multiple attacks on corporate, civilian, military, and utilities infrastructure, and publishing miltary doctrines on the effectiveness of information/electronic warfare coupled with kinetic/missile warfare;
3) Russia who peppers social media with inflammatory posts to divide the American public, and to create ambiguity over the identify of the MH17 missile attack over Ukraine, as well as the foreign, unlabelled military forces occupying in Crimea;
4) ISIS who uses social media as propaganda to recruit combatants and stir up anti-Western feelings;
5) Iran who retaliated to USA's nuclear centrifuge (Stuxnet) attack with infrastructure attacks on USA's hydro dams and financial institutions; and
6) the Liberal Left.
Wait what?
Yes. The liberal left.
As it quickly becomes apparent in the first few pages, the author shows a fierce and obsessive disdain for Obama and "the liberal left". He constantly accuses and insults Obama, his administration, "elite" news media, calling them "acolytes" or his "echo chamber". He believes they are "Marxists" who have infiltrated into positions of power to impose their ideas on a nation built on "Judeo-Christian values and the American traditions of independence and freedom". He goes on to attack "Yippies" of the 1970s, and calls the concept of white privelege as "bogus". It's all incredulous, but there it is all on Page 287.
Not only does it make his arguments seem more emotionally charged than factually accurate, it has also led him on several wayward discussions that have absolutely nothing to do with Information Warfare, but just to attack Obama's foreign policy and his ideology. For instance, he spends 20 pages from pages 232 to 251 with no mention of how Iran uses cyber-attack methods, instead preferring to attack Obama and his ideas of appeasement policies. And that was just one of the many chapters.
I think there is nothing wrong with being on the other side of the political spectrum, but the author has to put aside his personal prejudices and give calm, evidence-based arguments.
Conclusion:
If one successfully reads the book with a political filter, the book can be rather interesting. For all its grievances, it does present the perspective that Obama's appeasement policies may not have worked. Signed agreements and regulations are quickly broken with no repercussions or binding power. In an effort to take the moral high ground, Obama refuses to conduct counter-information warfare on social media, like what Russia or China has done.
And in fact, the author's deep-seated political bias is itself a curiosity to read. It gives you an insight about how the "right" thinks, and how easy it is to get tempted into directing all discontentment onto an entity. You just have to get over initial stages of disbelief that he wrote an entire book of accusations with no citation, and that he loves ranting about Obama.
Do skip the chapter on the Liberal Left though. The author completely derailed by then.
Chapters include:
1) North Korea and its Sony cyber-attack;
2) China who urges the signing of a UN cyber-peace treaty while conducting multiple attacks on corporate, civilian, military, and utilities infrastructure, and publishing miltary doctrines on the effectiveness of information/electronic warfare coupled with kinetic/missile warfare;
3) Russia who peppers social media with inflammatory posts to divide the American public, and to create ambiguity over the identify of the MH17 missile attack over Ukraine, as well as the foreign, unlabelled military forces occupying in Crimea;
4) ISIS who uses social media as propaganda to recruit combatants and stir up anti-Western feelings;
5) Iran who retaliated to USA's nuclear centrifuge (Stuxnet) attack with infrastructure attacks on USA's hydro dams and financial institutions; and
6) the Liberal Left.
Wait what?
Yes. The liberal left.
As it quickly becomes apparent in the first few pages, the author shows a fierce and obsessive disdain for Obama and "the liberal left". He constantly accuses and insults Obama, his administration, "elite" news media, calling them "acolytes" or his "echo chamber". He believes they are "Marxists" who have infiltrated into positions of power to impose their ideas on a nation built on "Judeo-Christian values and the American traditions of independence and freedom". He goes on to attack "Yippies" of the 1970s, and calls the concept of white privelege as "bogus". It's all incredulous, but there it is all on Page 287.
Not only does it make his arguments seem more emotionally charged than factually accurate, it has also led him on several wayward discussions that have absolutely nothing to do with Information Warfare, but just to attack Obama's foreign policy and his ideology. For instance, he spends 20 pages from pages 232 to 251 with no mention of how Iran uses cyber-attack methods, instead preferring to attack Obama and his ideas of appeasement policies. And that was just one of the many chapters.
I think there is nothing wrong with being on the other side of the political spectrum, but the author has to put aside his personal prejudices and give calm, evidence-based arguments.
Conclusion:
If one successfully reads the book with a political filter, the book can be rather interesting. For all its grievances, it does present the perspective that Obama's appeasement policies may not have worked. Signed agreements and regulations are quickly broken with no repercussions or binding power. In an effort to take the moral high ground, Obama refuses to conduct counter-information warfare on social media, like what Russia or China has done.
And in fact, the author's deep-seated political bias is itself a curiosity to read. It gives you an insight about how the "right" thinks, and how easy it is to get tempted into directing all discontentment onto an entity. You just have to get over initial stages of disbelief that he wrote an entire book of accusations with no citation, and that he loves ranting about Obama.
Do skip the chapter on the Liberal Left though. The author completely derailed by then.
September 8, 2017
This was a good book to read, especially in light of the many challenges we face as a nation on a daily basis from individual hackers and some state sponsored group trying multiple means of breaking into our infrastructure and trying to steal intellectual property, control SCADA, and manipulate business and banking. We are constantly fighting an uphill battle on this because we do not have a comprehensive protection plan and the fact that we are in a very reactive position instead of actively looking for opportunities to be proactive.
That said, Gertz does bring up some very important issues, what led to those issues, and potential ways to turn things around. The thing that bothered me the most about this book was more about how Gertz continually blamed most of these issues on the Obama administration and Democrats in general. I am not a supporter of either entity, and while they may be to blame for the majority of the issues discussed, after a while, it becomes very redundant to hear. That may in turn cause readers to tune out and away from the message Gertz is trying to get across.
Overall, a well researched book with much to consider and think about, especially as this will continue to be a contested area for years to come.
That said, Gertz does bring up some very important issues, what led to those issues, and potential ways to turn things around. The thing that bothered me the most about this book was more about how Gertz continually blamed most of these issues on the Obama administration and Democrats in general. I am not a supporter of either entity, and while they may be to blame for the majority of the issues discussed, after a while, it becomes very redundant to hear. That may in turn cause readers to tune out and away from the message Gertz is trying to get across.
Overall, a well researched book with much to consider and think about, especially as this will continue to be a contested area for years to come.
October 31, 2021
This has a lot of useful content on information warfare and America's failings on this new front, albeit steeped in some alarmist stances. It really did open my mind up to problems I didn't really think were issues. The three things I dislike about Gertz's writing: His war hawk nature, his fixation on the left, and his double standards of left and right wing politics.
First, Gertz is so ready to go to war, but has never been a soldier. He is fuzzy on how much information and misinformation campaigns should be directed towards allied citizens, foreign enemies and domestic residents. He gives no thought to what the US would get out of hostile actions to other powers. He also shows little to no understanding of the research on radicalization. Instead of understanding this phenomenon, he is convinced that Radical Islam is the new Communism. However, communists in the Cold War were born and left. Every single Jihadist chose to come. That alone changes the playing field. I recommend Gertz read "Radicalization to Terrorism: What Everyone Needs to Know".
Second, he is absolutely fixated on how the liberal left is the reason for America's lagging behind in the information wars. It gets really bad in Chapters 7 & 8 ("Iran" & "The Left"). He spends half of Chapter 7 explaining why the Iran nuclear deal was bad, making me groan so many pages before getting to the point. Chapter 8 borders on being exclusively an angry editorial on the left. While political correctness does go out of control often and is an ineffective concept implemented for the wrong reasons, labeling this as the sole reason for America's lag in the information wars is not only partisan, but also a missed opportunity of giving an honest analysis of a pressing problem.
Thirdly, he is ridiculously hellbent on tearing the left a new one. Yes, institutional Democrats SUCK at being hard and aggressive. Yes, Obama bungled quite a few things. But there was absolutely no talk on the right. What are the exact things the left is stifling? Gertz takes that knowledge as simply known to the audience. Yes, Obama's administration should have done better in anti-radicalization research and programming. But he did more than George W. Bush, who really should have been the point person on upgrading the military for information war, seeing as he waged two land wars.
First, Gertz is so ready to go to war, but has never been a soldier. He is fuzzy on how much information and misinformation campaigns should be directed towards allied citizens, foreign enemies and domestic residents. He gives no thought to what the US would get out of hostile actions to other powers. He also shows little to no understanding of the research on radicalization. Instead of understanding this phenomenon, he is convinced that Radical Islam is the new Communism. However, communists in the Cold War were born and left. Every single Jihadist chose to come. That alone changes the playing field. I recommend Gertz read "Radicalization to Terrorism: What Everyone Needs to Know".
Second, he is absolutely fixated on how the liberal left is the reason for America's lagging behind in the information wars. It gets really bad in Chapters 7 & 8 ("Iran" & "The Left"). He spends half of Chapter 7 explaining why the Iran nuclear deal was bad, making me groan so many pages before getting to the point. Chapter 8 borders on being exclusively an angry editorial on the left. While political correctness does go out of control often and is an ineffective concept implemented for the wrong reasons, labeling this as the sole reason for America's lag in the information wars is not only partisan, but also a missed opportunity of giving an honest analysis of a pressing problem.
Thirdly, he is ridiculously hellbent on tearing the left a new one. Yes, institutional Democrats SUCK at being hard and aggressive. Yes, Obama bungled quite a few things. But there was absolutely no talk on the right. What are the exact things the left is stifling? Gertz takes that knowledge as simply known to the audience. Yes, Obama's administration should have done better in anti-radicalization research and programming. But he did more than George W. Bush, who really should have been the point person on upgrading the military for information war, seeing as he waged two land wars.
December 20, 2020
(Audiobook) (0.5 stars) I could not get through this book, which is a major disappointment. There was potential for interesting and in-depth analysis of a key component of modern competition/warfare. Yet, this book is an undisguised partisan hatchet job, as the partisan author (Gertz is a writer for many of the conservative/hard-right papers in the DC area) is laying the primary responsibility for any US failures in the information realm at the feet of the liberals, particularly Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. While there are legitimate non-partisan arguments to be had for Obama's cyber policy limitations and the potential compromise of Hillary's emails, this work is an over-the-top attack, no different if Sean Hannity or Tucker Carlson wrote this screed.
There are moments of analysis and insight that are useful, as in the case of the analysis of the North Korean hack of Sony Pictures (how he got some of the information is a point of concern). However, he can't help but blame the liberals. It is all the liberals' fault. Gertz tries to discuss the past efforts of the US to counter information warfare and some of its successes with the OSS against the Germans. However, it is selective history. Claiming the CIA was too liberal...maybe a number of the people were, but that ignores American action in Latin/South America. Also, the OSS was hardly the juggernaut Gertz claims (the Soviets knew more about the OSS than the US did). It was at this point I just had to turn this off.
There was legitimate research and some insights, but the hyper-partisan nature of the thesis and writing was an immediate turn-off. Cherry-picking history so blatantly is not unheard of, but it make this type of work practically uncredible.
There are moments of analysis and insight that are useful, as in the case of the analysis of the North Korean hack of Sony Pictures (how he got some of the information is a point of concern). However, he can't help but blame the liberals. It is all the liberals' fault. Gertz tries to discuss the past efforts of the US to counter information warfare and some of its successes with the OSS against the Germans. However, it is selective history. Claiming the CIA was too liberal...maybe a number of the people were, but that ignores American action in Latin/South America. Also, the OSS was hardly the juggernaut Gertz claims (the Soviets knew more about the OSS than the US did). It was at this point I just had to turn this off.
There was legitimate research and some insights, but the hyper-partisan nature of the thesis and writing was an immediate turn-off. Cherry-picking history so blatantly is not unheard of, but it make this type of work practically uncredible.
June 29, 2018
The books does a good job in highlighting cyber security threats and his prediction that more will come. Discusing to great lengths about the Sony Cyber attacks by NK, the Iran-US back and forth attacks and Russia's involvement in US presidential elections 2016.
He correctly identifies the importance of information control, the social media platform (citing the example of ISIS using it, or the arab spring organizing themselves). However, he writes with extreme disdain towards Obama's foreign policy when it comes to describe cyberspace. He describes it to be weak, pattern of inaction and suggests more active meddling. However, his one-sided opioniated argument leaves a sour taste in my mouth that he does not appreciate the larger context of why the US stays out of local politics and is very narrow minded. Gertz even identified 'the liberal left' as a threat and the 'political correctness' damages American Superiority. His position on racial profiling and Islamaphobia is also misguided because his arguments on a correlation between Islamic and terrorism is tenuous. Gertz also described that "Climate change has a dearth of scientific study" and I find that highly misinformed (pg 207).
In addition, Gertz attitude towards warfare is scary. He seems predisposed to the use of force, exerting US military dominance readily and seems to be shut an eye to personal liberties (such as innocent lives rights to life) and suffering. I find that lack of discussion in his book worrisome to his character and morals.
Concluding the book, he suggests numerous actions: most of which emplyoing information warfare tactics that meddle in foreign countries internal affairs, explicitly broadcast pro-american values. I find that condescending and arrogant.
The book started great but went to the drain really fast.
He correctly identifies the importance of information control, the social media platform (citing the example of ISIS using it, or the arab spring organizing themselves). However, he writes with extreme disdain towards Obama's foreign policy when it comes to describe cyberspace. He describes it to be weak, pattern of inaction and suggests more active meddling. However, his one-sided opioniated argument leaves a sour taste in my mouth that he does not appreciate the larger context of why the US stays out of local politics and is very narrow minded. Gertz even identified 'the liberal left' as a threat and the 'political correctness' damages American Superiority. His position on racial profiling and Islamaphobia is also misguided because his arguments on a correlation between Islamic and terrorism is tenuous. Gertz also described that "Climate change has a dearth of scientific study" and I find that highly misinformed (pg 207).
In addition, Gertz attitude towards warfare is scary. He seems predisposed to the use of force, exerting US military dominance readily and seems to be shut an eye to personal liberties (such as innocent lives rights to life) and suffering. I find that lack of discussion in his book worrisome to his character and morals.
Concluding the book, he suggests numerous actions: most of which emplyoing information warfare tactics that meddle in foreign countries internal affairs, explicitly broadcast pro-american values. I find that condescending and arrogant.
The book started great but went to the drain really fast.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2019
Did not get to read all of it. Opens your eyes to the scary world we live in. And the potential upheaval. Hopefully none of the predictions in this book come true. But given the historical and well researched facts, they are all to likely.
This book will make you more ethno centric and fearful of people from other countries, although it is the intentions of those governments that after suspect. I did not like his proposal near the beginning that deception might be the only way to protect our country, since everyone else is doing it. I do think that, like mentioned near the end, we should be promoters all around the world of truth and human rights and types of government that are for the people.
This book will make you more ethno centric and fearful of people from other countries, although it is the intentions of those governments that after suspect. I did not like his proposal near the beginning that deception might be the only way to protect our country, since everyone else is doing it. I do think that, like mentioned near the end, we should be promoters all around the world of truth and human rights and types of government that are for the people.
June 18, 2018
As with many current event-political analysis,Gertz covers many known topics.He does provide some depth of several of the topics.He at least provides some actual solutions.Good luck with U S govt doing anything to actual help the American people.
October 19, 2019
Insightful about the bureaucratic history of information ops., however the author needlessly adds in his own perspectives on politics. His lack of objectivity ironically is a form of propaganda for his own writings (ego) and his hatred to liberals.
September 1, 2022
Has Gertz always been this partisan?
March 27, 2017
The first few chapters had some enlightening information about various government(s) hacking and electronic espionage. Some how I finished reading the whole book in spite of all the ultra pro republican rhetoric. I don't think the author likes anyone.
Update: I've finished reading Dark Territory and Cybersecurity and Cyberwar since finishing iWar. I would recommend either of these other books over iWar.
Update: I've finished reading Dark Territory and Cybersecurity and Cyberwar since finishing iWar. I would recommend either of these other books over iWar.
February 20, 2017
The book was a bit different than I expected and that is not a criticism. Like the title entails, it goes into detail on computer warfare, our strengths and weaknesses, and the history of attacks on our internet infrastructure. But it also goes into how information warfare can influence a large group of people, even the population of nations.
It’s overall a quick read and it makes its points directly. One criticism is while the book has an excellent list of references at the end, it has only a few footnotes. Perhaps I’m getting old fashioned, spoiled by other non-fiction books with extensive noting, or the fact I just finished my master’s thesis and it was drilled into my head, but I believe footnoting is critical for your argument.
Otherwise, an excellent book to give you an overview of the new form of warfare we’re in, and why we need to be engaged.
It’s overall a quick read and it makes its points directly. One criticism is while the book has an excellent list of references at the end, it has only a few footnotes. Perhaps I’m getting old fashioned, spoiled by other non-fiction books with extensive noting, or the fact I just finished my master’s thesis and it was drilled into my head, but I believe footnoting is critical for your argument.
Otherwise, an excellent book to give you an overview of the new form of warfare we’re in, and why we need to be engaged.
February 7, 2017
If you are a supporter of President Obama you will find all kinds of reasons NOT to like this book. I find that sad because Gertz provides facts and figures and estimates of damaged caused by cyberattacks on America and then defines the lack of an adequate response by the Obama Administration to counter those attacks. Millions upon millions of records and data have been hacked and as of Jan 2017 NOTHING has been done to China for hacking such sensitive information including military operations. This is NOT a "right-wing" hack job as described by another reviewer. Instead it should be considered a warning buzzer that we ARE being attacked by China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, ISIS and others and that is a formula for an unseen warfare or a cyberattack. Ignoring the attack as we have done thus far is not an effective strategy, it will not go away! It will only get worse! We all are aware or should be aware of the cyberattack on Sony Pictures but did you know Iran hacked into the Sands Hotel Corp and it cost them over 40 MILLION DOLLARS to replace computers and lost data? It was not mainstream news because the Obama Administration did not want to adversely affect the Iran deal in the works. THIS IS ONE SCARY BOOK. Read and you decide if America is paying attention. If not we all are in trouble.
August 21, 2019
Was hoping for a great book about cyber warfare, but I couldn't get passed the first chapter which was largely just the author rallying against the liberal agenda and failed politics of former President Obama. I could have handled that if it had any substance, but it was primarily just finger pointing. If he'd had written the libertarian agenda has caused the downfall in beef production, that statement would have had the same level backing as his actual statement. He may have actually gotten passed this in later portions of the book, but there are far too many books to read for me to listen through another political finger-pointer.
January 17, 2017
Absolute garbage. I was pretty excited for this book but it is nothing more than Right Wing fear mongering and conjecture. Expect very little nuance or new information, lots of talk of those evil "terrorist" that are out to get everyone because they want to kill all that is good, and how Hillary almost destroyed the US with her emails. I only made it to chapter 3 or 4 before I couldn't take it anymore.
February 20, 2018
Bill Gertz explores the Cyberwars America's enemies have launched against us. If you think your digital "space" is secure, think again. Chilling!
April 8, 2017
For anyone who is interested in what has happened to the word over the past few decades as far as the information wars, including propaganda and computer hacks by nation states then this is a must read book. It is very well researched, well written and provides facts and data that are hard to argue with.
I would like to see all of our politicians read this one at least once.
I would like to see all of our politicians read this one at least once.
April 15, 2017
I have never been more torn on a review and book than this. I am beyond confused on how to rate this. If this book speaks all truth, it is terrifying. However, I can't help but wonder how much of the conclusions are arrived to by facts versus Gertz's opinions and agenda. I found the flow of the book to be very terse and abrasive but this book was not written to be a literary adventure, so I can see past that. I listened to this book and I think I may have missed out on important references and footnotes. I'm not sure if those exist in the printed version, but it would certainly have increased my interest and attention if I was able to trace the statements and claims made by Gertz. Gertz is clearly knowledgeable about cybersecurity and foreign policy, and the conclusions drawn about the risk the US currently faces. He provided a very accurate summary of recent events including the rise of ISIS, information warfare, North Korea/Russian/Chinese threats, along with accounts of recent major security breaches. Gertz does not hesitate to call out leaders for their failures and to pointedly discuss the negative effects of "political correctness" and the "liberal left" which is most certainly food-for-thought. I found it difficult to see eye-to-eye on every argument against liberal agendas but I do think this book is an important and interesting critique of the current American climate, and in context of recent major global events in 2017, especially for those who find themselves lacking understanding of foreign policy.
May 3, 2017
Quite thin on citations and sourcing while rather fat with facile conclusions, iWar is a somewhat entertaining read on an important subject, but ultimately can't be recommended as a comprehensive piece of journalism. I would steer readers interested in the subject to Dark Territory by Fred Kaplan and Future Crimes by Marc Goodman instead.
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