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The Shadow War: Inside Russia's and China's Secret Operations to Defeat America
CNN’s Chief National Security Correspondent reveals the invisible fronts of twenty-first century warfare and identifies the ongoing battles being waged—often without the public’s full knowledge—from disinformation campaigns to advanced satellite weaponry.
The United States is currently under attack from multiple adversaries—yet most Americans have no idea of the dangers threatening us. In this eye-opening book, military and intelligence expert and seasoned reporter Jim Sciutto traces the expanding web of attacks that together amount to an undeclared but deeply dangerous war on America.
With in-depth reporting from Ukraine to the South China Sea, Cuba to the earth’s atmosphere, unprecedented access to America’s Space Command, and new information from inside the intelligence agencies tracking election interference, Sciutto draws on his deep knowledge, high-level contacts, and personal experience as a journalist and diplomat to paint the most comprehensive and vivid picture of a nation targeted by a new and disturbing brand of warfare.
America is engaged in a Shadow War on multiple fronts, with multiple enemies. The practitioners include America’s most familiar Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran. But unlike conventional warfare, these conflicts are conducted in the shadows, with no formal declaration and often use multiple sources, from influential businessmen and lawyers to hackers. And it is happening today.
But America is adapting and fighting back. In The Shadow War, Sciutto introduces the dizzying array of soldiers, sailors, submariners and their commanders, space engineers, computer scientists, and civilians who are on the front lines of this new kind of forever war. Intensive and disturbing, this invaluable and important work opens our eyes and makes clear that future war is here.
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2019
425 people are currently reading
1487 people want to read
About the author
Jim Sciutto
5 books70 followersJim Sciutto is CNN’s Chief National Security Correspondent and CNN Newsroom Anchor based in Washington, D.C. He reports, anchors. and provides analysis across the network's programs and platforms on all aspects of U.S. national security, including foreign policy, the military, and the intelligence community. Prior to joining CNN, Sciutto served as ABC News' senior foreign correspondent. - Amazon bio
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
May 24, 2019
Informative and interesting, but paints a dangerously incomplete picture of the world.
Jim Sciutto's book is a very interesting look at the tactics employed by two of America's rivals - Russia & China - to challenge American global dominance. Sciutto's theory is that both nations are employing a form of assymetric warfare designed to challenge US interests, but to stay "below the threshold" that would elicit a powerful (presumably military) response.
In order to support this idea, he cites several different incidents - from China's expansion in the South China sea, where he paints a picture of the transformation and militarization of the region by China over the last decade; to the Ukraine, where Russia very successfully employed proxies to manipulate the situation towards their interests. Throughout the narration, he builds a convincing case that these two countries are indeed violating what he defines as "the rules based global order", led by the United States. There is a compelling amount of evidence to demonstrate both that this is happening, and that the US response to it has been inadequate.
However, this is ultimately a superficial examination of world events, because the author seems to be under the delusion that these are exceptional actions, rather than simply tools of statecraft used by almost all global players - foremost among them the United States itself. Russia's use of proxies in the Ukraine follows exactly the template the US set in Libya and Syria, except that the Russians were more committed to the operation due to geographical closeness, and thereby more successful. China's militarization of the South China sea and aggressive ramp-up of military spending deserves scrutiny, but it must be viewed in context: China’s military spending is still only 1/5th that of the United States - and both past and current US administrations have made plenty of noises that would make any competitor nervous and inclined to increase their military budget.
The author’s portrayal of these two nations as the primary obstacle to world peace is simply not believable for most people who live outside US borders: Global polls, even during the Obama era, consistently showed that Russia and China are seen as less of a threat to world peace than the US.
Additionally, all the solutions proposed by the author fall right into the category described by Ronan Farrow as “mil-think” - an approach to solving conflicts that is primarily military, rather than diplomatic in nature. Sciutto’s selection of who he interviews is consistent with this, as his selections generally involve the people whose job it is to be paranoid about security - again, it is reasonable to interview people in security and threat assessment, but interviewing only these people without gathering the thoughts of diplomats is a glaring error. Thus, almost all the proposed “solutions” involve escalations in military pressure by the United States, or more drastic sanctions; neither of which are likely to garner any degree of public support from an already war-weary general electorate.
All in all, this is an informative book to read, but it paints a disturbingly inaccurate view of the world and involves almost no reflection on what our place in the world ought to be. Instead, much like former President George W Bush, it attempts to neatly divide the world into good and evil forces, and attempts to ask the question, “How should we respond to these evil people attacking us?”. It answers that question well, but the flawed premise of that line of questioning remains unexamined.
The book is still worth reading, as it is an entertaining and informative look at the tools of statecraft employed by our rivals, but I’d highly recommend reading two other books first: (1) Ben Rhodes’ “The World as it is” - an excellent memoir of the State Department during the Obama administration; and (2) Ronan Farrow’s “War on Peace: The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence” - about the decline of what used to be the world’s most powerful & effective diplomatic machine: the US State Department. Without that background reading, this book will likely just lead you into a state of mindless jingoism, the results of which were clearly seen during the Bush administration years. The world cannot be neatly divided into forces of good and evil, no matter how hard security experts try to convince you otherwise.
Jim Sciutto's book is a very interesting look at the tactics employed by two of America's rivals - Russia & China - to challenge American global dominance. Sciutto's theory is that both nations are employing a form of assymetric warfare designed to challenge US interests, but to stay "below the threshold" that would elicit a powerful (presumably military) response.
In order to support this idea, he cites several different incidents - from China's expansion in the South China sea, where he paints a picture of the transformation and militarization of the region by China over the last decade; to the Ukraine, where Russia very successfully employed proxies to manipulate the situation towards their interests. Throughout the narration, he builds a convincing case that these two countries are indeed violating what he defines as "the rules based global order", led by the United States. There is a compelling amount of evidence to demonstrate both that this is happening, and that the US response to it has been inadequate.
However, this is ultimately a superficial examination of world events, because the author seems to be under the delusion that these are exceptional actions, rather than simply tools of statecraft used by almost all global players - foremost among them the United States itself. Russia's use of proxies in the Ukraine follows exactly the template the US set in Libya and Syria, except that the Russians were more committed to the operation due to geographical closeness, and thereby more successful. China's militarization of the South China sea and aggressive ramp-up of military spending deserves scrutiny, but it must be viewed in context: China’s military spending is still only 1/5th that of the United States - and both past and current US administrations have made plenty of noises that would make any competitor nervous and inclined to increase their military budget.
The author’s portrayal of these two nations as the primary obstacle to world peace is simply not believable for most people who live outside US borders: Global polls, even during the Obama era, consistently showed that Russia and China are seen as less of a threat to world peace than the US.
Additionally, all the solutions proposed by the author fall right into the category described by Ronan Farrow as “mil-think” - an approach to solving conflicts that is primarily military, rather than diplomatic in nature. Sciutto’s selection of who he interviews is consistent with this, as his selections generally involve the people whose job it is to be paranoid about security - again, it is reasonable to interview people in security and threat assessment, but interviewing only these people without gathering the thoughts of diplomats is a glaring error. Thus, almost all the proposed “solutions” involve escalations in military pressure by the United States, or more drastic sanctions; neither of which are likely to garner any degree of public support from an already war-weary general electorate.
All in all, this is an informative book to read, but it paints a disturbingly inaccurate view of the world and involves almost no reflection on what our place in the world ought to be. Instead, much like former President George W Bush, it attempts to neatly divide the world into good and evil forces, and attempts to ask the question, “How should we respond to these evil people attacking us?”. It answers that question well, but the flawed premise of that line of questioning remains unexamined.
The book is still worth reading, as it is an entertaining and informative look at the tools of statecraft employed by our rivals, but I’d highly recommend reading two other books first: (1) Ben Rhodes’ “The World as it is” - an excellent memoir of the State Department during the Obama administration; and (2) Ronan Farrow’s “War on Peace: The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence” - about the decline of what used to be the world’s most powerful & effective diplomatic machine: the US State Department. Without that background reading, this book will likely just lead you into a state of mindless jingoism, the results of which were clearly seen during the Bush administration years. The world cannot be neatly divided into forces of good and evil, no matter how hard security experts try to convince you otherwise.
June 13, 2019
Jim Sciutto presents a solid overview of the "shadow war" being waged against the United States but offers dangerously militarized solutions that exacerbate the problem.
I found myself repeatedly frustrated by the author's overt deference to military analysts without regard for other areas of expertise in international relations. Sciutto writes as though the threats facing the U.S. from its adversaries represent a unique aggression toward a benevolent power. He offers no serious acknowledgment of the long U.S. history of aggression toward other nations. Of course other powerful nations are trying to weaken us to reduce our global power and increase their own. Why wouldn't they, given our track record?
What this book needs are fewer military experts upping the ante with their bombastic rhetoric and more diplomats offering 21st century answers that won't lead us into World War III through predictable miscalculations.
I found myself repeatedly frustrated by the author's overt deference to military analysts without regard for other areas of expertise in international relations. Sciutto writes as though the threats facing the U.S. from its adversaries represent a unique aggression toward a benevolent power. He offers no serious acknowledgment of the long U.S. history of aggression toward other nations. Of course other powerful nations are trying to weaken us to reduce our global power and increase their own. Why wouldn't they, given our track record?
What this book needs are fewer military experts upping the ante with their bombastic rhetoric and more diplomats offering 21st century answers that won't lead us into World War III through predictable miscalculations.
June 13, 2019
It’s a very telling question: “Are we losing a war few of us realize we’re fighting?”
Yes, as Jim Sciutto’s very detailed and disturbing book reveals, and it’s mostly a war without a physical battle but with more devastating potential for disruption of the United States and Western civilization.
This is the nature of conflict in the 21st century - - land grabs extending the disputed borders of both Russia and China, exercises in outer space near the satellites we depend on, undersea activity near the Trans-Atlantic cable network linking the U.S, with Europe, divisive propaganda on social media and possible election tampering, cyber theft by China of U.S. technical property and blueprints - - it’s all detailed and documented here.
More than just a well-researched documentation of these acts calculated to undermine and discredit the United States, Sciutto also provides analysis, detailing the lessons learned from the various acts of the Shadow War, and proposing a nine-step plan of preparation, defense, and counter-measures. Here’s hoping the right people in government pay attention to this important book and heed the warning signs.
After twenty years covering foreign affairs in the world, Sciutto noticed some similarities in authoritarian stares and wrote an article titled “The Police State Playbook”. In many instances counties like Russia, China, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia and Syria mimicked each other, and too many of those similarities seem to me like they are no longer far from home.
Sciutto writes: “The ‘playbook’ went something like this. They each blamed any dissent at home on enemies abroad. They each pointed to perceived victimization in the past to rally their people to a common cause today. They each dismissed dissidents and other critics as traitors. They each fed their population false information. And, together, they justified whole host of bad to reprehensible behaviors on the raw emotions of fear and hate.”
According to Sciutto, behind the scenes the military and intelligence agencies within the U.S. government are aware of Russian and Chinese interference and are keeping tabs on these activities. However, there is no official federal program to address the problems directly.
I’m especially concerned that the upcoming 2020 elections will be truly fair and honest.
We need leadership on this issue so that these agencies can respond appropriately, and that leadership is lacking from the Trump administration. President Trump downplays Russia’s tampering and does not call them out, even disputing the assessments of United States intelligence services. He seems to think that these authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Kim Jong-un are his “friends”. The Trump Administration should be at the forefront of developing a strategy for responding to Russian and Chinese efforts to undermine The United States. One can only hope.
This is an important book.
Yes, as Jim Sciutto’s very detailed and disturbing book reveals, and it’s mostly a war without a physical battle but with more devastating potential for disruption of the United States and Western civilization.
This is the nature of conflict in the 21st century - - land grabs extending the disputed borders of both Russia and China, exercises in outer space near the satellites we depend on, undersea activity near the Trans-Atlantic cable network linking the U.S, with Europe, divisive propaganda on social media and possible election tampering, cyber theft by China of U.S. technical property and blueprints - - it’s all detailed and documented here.
More than just a well-researched documentation of these acts calculated to undermine and discredit the United States, Sciutto also provides analysis, detailing the lessons learned from the various acts of the Shadow War, and proposing a nine-step plan of preparation, defense, and counter-measures. Here’s hoping the right people in government pay attention to this important book and heed the warning signs.
After twenty years covering foreign affairs in the world, Sciutto noticed some similarities in authoritarian stares and wrote an article titled “The Police State Playbook”. In many instances counties like Russia, China, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia and Syria mimicked each other, and too many of those similarities seem to me like they are no longer far from home.
Sciutto writes: “The ‘playbook’ went something like this. They each blamed any dissent at home on enemies abroad. They each pointed to perceived victimization in the past to rally their people to a common cause today. They each dismissed dissidents and other critics as traitors. They each fed their population false information. And, together, they justified whole host of bad to reprehensible behaviors on the raw emotions of fear and hate.”
According to Sciutto, behind the scenes the military and intelligence agencies within the U.S. government are aware of Russian and Chinese interference and are keeping tabs on these activities. However, there is no official federal program to address the problems directly.
I’m especially concerned that the upcoming 2020 elections will be truly fair and honest.
We need leadership on this issue so that these agencies can respond appropriately, and that leadership is lacking from the Trump administration. President Trump downplays Russia’s tampering and does not call them out, even disputing the assessments of United States intelligence services. He seems to think that these authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Kim Jong-un are his “friends”. The Trump Administration should be at the forefront of developing a strategy for responding to Russian and Chinese efforts to undermine The United States. One can only hope.
This is an important book.
February 27, 2024
It is not a flawless book, from time to time it reads a bit too much like a series of news reports. However, reading this book in the year 2024, I must admit the author is correct in his prediction and he did the right thing by sounding the alarm so early on.
Let's face it, Russia and China have been weaponizing a lot of things (e.g. tourists, international students, their overseas migrants, hackers, netizens, social media platforms, trade contracts, etc etc) to strengthen themselves and gaining influence and benefit for them, and before you start screaming "Every other country is doing the same deeds!", don't forget that either country is playing by the rules, they want to make new rules that work things to their advantage, their strategy includes the abuse of the Western countries' high-trust social system, free press, and open internet, while closing off their own internet, the press and the social system, and keep their citizens ill-informed and ignorant.
If you are wondering why you haven't heard much bad news about Russia and China, it is because reporters (within these two countries and without) tend to get suppressed, threatened, jailed, or forced out of business if they ever dare to criticize the governments of these two countries whilst freedom of the press is nearly a given in the Western world and the reporters over there have a lot more freedom to criticize their own countries.
I also like it when the author has some 'What to do next?' suggestions for readers in the last chapter.
PS: However, isn't it a little bit big-head when the author kinda, sorta put the post-WWII world's order set by America up as some kind of golden rule? Although I am not saying it's better off for America to be replaced, it isn't.
Let's face it, Russia and China have been weaponizing a lot of things (e.g. tourists, international students, their overseas migrants, hackers, netizens, social media platforms, trade contracts, etc etc) to strengthen themselves and gaining influence and benefit for them, and before you start screaming "Every other country is doing the same deeds!", don't forget that either country is playing by the rules, they want to make new rules that work things to their advantage, their strategy includes the abuse of the Western countries' high-trust social system, free press, and open internet, while closing off their own internet, the press and the social system, and keep their citizens ill-informed and ignorant.
If you are wondering why you haven't heard much bad news about Russia and China, it is because reporters (within these two countries and without) tend to get suppressed, threatened, jailed, or forced out of business if they ever dare to criticize the governments of these two countries whilst freedom of the press is nearly a given in the Western world and the reporters over there have a lot more freedom to criticize their own countries.
I also like it when the author has some 'What to do next?' suggestions for readers in the last chapter.
PS: However, isn't it a little bit big-head when the author kinda, sorta put the post-WWII world's order set by America up as some kind of golden rule? Although I am not saying it's better off for America to be replaced, it isn't.
April 13, 2020
I spent my weekend reading The Shadow War. When I would come across a particularly astonishing (let’s be honest -- HORRIFYING) fact, I’d share it with my life partner Doug. By Sunday afternoon, he was saying, “I’m REALLY READY for you to be done with that book!” Suffice it to say, Jim Sciutto’s news is Not. Good.
The book came out in May 2019, and I happened to be in DC during the launch of the book. One Saturday afternoon (May 18th), Sciutto and Wolf Blitzer (both CNN anchors/reporters) were speaking at the Newseum about the contents of the book. I wandered down to the National Mall and planted myself right in front of these two journalists, prepared to listen with rapt attention. I took gobs of notes. (You can take the recovering journalist out of reporting, but you can’t take the reporting out of a recovering journalist…) Before I’d even cracked the pages of the book, then, I had a few chilling nuggets to look forward to, things like:
1) “The shadow war” is, according to Sciutto, when adversarial countries creep alllllll the way up to the line of hostile actions that will bait the United States into a fighting war. China and Russia are constantly seeing what they can get away with. They are winning this war.
2) Both China and Russia -- but especially China -- are developing ‘kamikaze satellites,’ which can wander over to other satellites and take them out. Space warfare is a current and going concern.
3) Thankfully, Russia and China aren’t currently working together, although they were still both parties to the Iranian nuclear deal as of May 18, 2019.
4) US leaders, including/especially presidents, of both parties have totally missed the growing shadow war. Trump’s efforts, though, are pushing back more than any previous president; however, Sciutto is quick to note that Trump is entirely missing the Russian front of the shadow war and much of the Chinese front. (This is not a ringing endorsement of prior presidential administrations…)
5) Former intelligence officials of the highest ranks (e.g., National Security Advisor, head of the CIA, etc.) say that some of our wounds are caused by our deep partisan divides and mistrust of one another.
6) There’s a major disconnect between those serving on the front lines (they understand what’s happening and how high the stakes are) and the administrators who oversee them (they are cagey and seemingly unconcerned with what’s developing).
I could literally write P-A-G-E-S telling you what I found most interesting / important / horrifying in this book, but I’d rather you read it. It’s a quick and easy read, and more importantly, it’s a VITAL READ to understand the future of the United States’s role internationally.
However, there are two other things that I feel I simply must nod to in this short review:
7) The ability of Chinese and Russian satellites to disrupt American satellites has massively far-reaching consequences. Take, for example, the GPS system, which has 24 satellites that feed information to systems worldwide -- “a massive, state-of-the-art technology provided to the world by the US military for free” (page 159). Should one or more of these satellites be taken out, the ripple effects would be astronomical. Systems affected range from (obviously) navigational systems for all sorts of vehicles, including military craft, airplanes, etc. But less obvious: traffic lights and railroad signals would default to red; air traffic would be suspended; no more weather forecasts from NASA/NOAA; disruption of the nation’s power grid and water treatment plants; financial markets would be shut down (they rely on time provided by GPS to facilitate trading); ATMs and credit cards would no longer work. [Can you see why Doug wanted me to stop reading?!]
8) In 20 years as a foreign correspondent, Sciutto developed something he called “The Police State Playbook” -- a set of actions by governments that he saw deployed in countries as far-flung as Egypt, Myanmar, Zimbabwe, China, Russia, and elsewhere. Those actions include:
* Blame dissent at home on enemies abroad.
* Rally supporters by pointing to perceived past victimization.
* Dismiss dissidents and other critics as traitors.
* Feed the public false information.
* Use fear and hate to justify bad-to-reprehensible behavior.
Yeesh.
(You can read his full piece in the World Affairs Journal, if you happen to have an institutional subscription to do so.)
The book came out in May 2019, and I happened to be in DC during the launch of the book. One Saturday afternoon (May 18th), Sciutto and Wolf Blitzer (both CNN anchors/reporters) were speaking at the Newseum about the contents of the book. I wandered down to the National Mall and planted myself right in front of these two journalists, prepared to listen with rapt attention. I took gobs of notes. (You can take the recovering journalist out of reporting, but you can’t take the reporting out of a recovering journalist…) Before I’d even cracked the pages of the book, then, I had a few chilling nuggets to look forward to, things like:
1) “The shadow war” is, according to Sciutto, when adversarial countries creep alllllll the way up to the line of hostile actions that will bait the United States into a fighting war. China and Russia are constantly seeing what they can get away with. They are winning this war.
2) Both China and Russia -- but especially China -- are developing ‘kamikaze satellites,’ which can wander over to other satellites and take them out. Space warfare is a current and going concern.
3) Thankfully, Russia and China aren’t currently working together, although they were still both parties to the Iranian nuclear deal as of May 18, 2019.
4) US leaders, including/especially presidents, of both parties have totally missed the growing shadow war. Trump’s efforts, though, are pushing back more than any previous president; however, Sciutto is quick to note that Trump is entirely missing the Russian front of the shadow war and much of the Chinese front. (This is not a ringing endorsement of prior presidential administrations…)
5) Former intelligence officials of the highest ranks (e.g., National Security Advisor, head of the CIA, etc.) say that some of our wounds are caused by our deep partisan divides and mistrust of one another.
6) There’s a major disconnect between those serving on the front lines (they understand what’s happening and how high the stakes are) and the administrators who oversee them (they are cagey and seemingly unconcerned with what’s developing).
I could literally write P-A-G-E-S telling you what I found most interesting / important / horrifying in this book, but I’d rather you read it. It’s a quick and easy read, and more importantly, it’s a VITAL READ to understand the future of the United States’s role internationally.
However, there are two other things that I feel I simply must nod to in this short review:
7) The ability of Chinese and Russian satellites to disrupt American satellites has massively far-reaching consequences. Take, for example, the GPS system, which has 24 satellites that feed information to systems worldwide -- “a massive, state-of-the-art technology provided to the world by the US military for free” (page 159). Should one or more of these satellites be taken out, the ripple effects would be astronomical. Systems affected range from (obviously) navigational systems for all sorts of vehicles, including military craft, airplanes, etc. But less obvious: traffic lights and railroad signals would default to red; air traffic would be suspended; no more weather forecasts from NASA/NOAA; disruption of the nation’s power grid and water treatment plants; financial markets would be shut down (they rely on time provided by GPS to facilitate trading); ATMs and credit cards would no longer work. [Can you see why Doug wanted me to stop reading?!]
8) In 20 years as a foreign correspondent, Sciutto developed something he called “The Police State Playbook” -- a set of actions by governments that he saw deployed in countries as far-flung as Egypt, Myanmar, Zimbabwe, China, Russia, and elsewhere. Those actions include:
* Blame dissent at home on enemies abroad.
* Rally supporters by pointing to perceived past victimization.
* Dismiss dissidents and other critics as traitors.
* Feed the public false information.
* Use fear and hate to justify bad-to-reprehensible behavior.
Yeesh.
(You can read his full piece in the World Affairs Journal, if you happen to have an institutional subscription to do so.)
May 6, 2024
Ages, unfortunately, very well. Elucidates complex events with clarity. The sort of American journalism that is inspiring and straightforward, and so well written that makes it hard for you not to mimick Sciutto's style afterwards. The author discusses history without abandoning his own voice - and it's a voice of freedom, truth, and humanity.
August 10, 2019
As an Obama fan, I found myself surprised to agree with the author's critical take on Obama's foreign policy stance on Russia and China. And I found myself agreeing with Trump that we need a "Space Force" (I'm sure Trump and I disagree on the details, but I have done a 180 on my assumptions about conflict in space). Those were just two of the issues I changed my mind about while reading this insightful, fair, and forward-looking take on some of the conflicts that will shape the next decades. Great read.
August 26, 2019
The author is a CNN reporter who has been to many places, and even went to the freezing Artic in a nuclear submarine and spoke to the naval officers. This is quite an eye-opening report. The world has morphed into a phase where Great Powers fight shadow wars with each other:
1. Russian annexation of Crimea with the little green men. Ultimately a Malaysian civilian aeroplane was tragically shot down.
2. China building a naval base on an artificial island.
3. China hacked into Boeing and others to steal secrets of F35.
4. Russian hackers stole DNC and Clinton emails through phishing.
5. Russia has 15 military ice-breakers, America 0. That is the new frontier.
6. Space war: Russia’s kamikaze satellite, China’s kidnaper satellite, their anti-satellite missiles can all know out the global GPS system which is important not only for location, but synchronised firing of weapons.
7. China and Russia’s supersonic anti-ship weapons.
8. Russian poisoning of dissidents in UK soil.
9. Russian hacking of Estonia.
What to do?
1. Design space and Artic weapons.
2. Warn and show of force to China and Russia.
3. Work with allies.
4. Invest in more and better weapons.
This is exactly Thucydides’ trap. So both sides would develop more and more lethal weapons, fearing the other side will get an upper hand. Hopefully the day of actual war will never come...
1. Russian annexation of Crimea with the little green men. Ultimately a Malaysian civilian aeroplane was tragically shot down.
2. China building a naval base on an artificial island.
3. China hacked into Boeing and others to steal secrets of F35.
4. Russian hackers stole DNC and Clinton emails through phishing.
5. Russia has 15 military ice-breakers, America 0. That is the new frontier.
6. Space war: Russia’s kamikaze satellite, China’s kidnaper satellite, their anti-satellite missiles can all know out the global GPS system which is important not only for location, but synchronised firing of weapons.
7. China and Russia’s supersonic anti-ship weapons.
8. Russian poisoning of dissidents in UK soil.
9. Russian hacking of Estonia.
What to do?
1. Design space and Artic weapons.
2. Warn and show of force to China and Russia.
3. Work with allies.
4. Invest in more and better weapons.
This is exactly Thucydides’ trap. So both sides would develop more and more lethal weapons, fearing the other side will get an upper hand. Hopefully the day of actual war will never come...
May 28, 2019
Written by Jim Sciutto, CNN's chief national security corespondent, in its first chapters the book promises a lot of exciting revelations about the "Shadow War" being fought between the global superpowers on all fronts - kamikaze satellites, submarine drones, laser weapons to name a few. Reads incredibly well.
While the book slows down in the second part and grows a bit repetitive, it's a must-read which will definitely challenge the way you look at global politics and current events. The sole fact that the Huawei events took place just days after publishing the book shows how relevant it is. "Shadow War" will definitely put those events in a larger context for you.
While the book slows down in the second part and grows a bit repetitive, it's a must-read which will definitely challenge the way you look at global politics and current events. The sole fact that the Huawei events took place just days after publishing the book shows how relevant it is. "Shadow War" will definitely put those events in a larger context for you.
December 5, 2025
My only complaint (which is obviously no fault of the author) is that this book was written in 2019 and…. A lot has happened with Russia and China since then. But overall fascinating and scary of course. I rarely read nonfiction but maybe I should read more?
September 29, 2024
This was an interesting read. Sciutto has criticisms of both the Obama and Trump administrations' handling of foreign policy, and I don't think the book is particularly biased on a Republican/Democrat spectrum. It reads fairly well, though there are some repetitive passages. The book basically goes over the many provocative things Russia and China have been doing for the past 30 years, and explaining how the US has not come up with great ways of dealing with the aggressions. The "Shadow War" is not really war, but aggressive moves that are aimed at not starting a "shooting war." Sciutto goes over Ukraine, Crimea, and election interference and hacking for Russia. For China, the islands of the South China Sea, hacking, and stealing of intellectual property. The book also gives a good overview of the upgrades in conventional forces that China and Russia have been doing, and in what I think is the best parts, explains the dangers of a war in space (that is, of satellites being attacked or attacking other satellites).
If you have followed foreign policy news, these provocations should not be new, but Sciutto does a good job explaining how they can be interpreted. I think his explanations and analysis of the problems of militarizing space are definitely the best part of the book. There are not really great solutions to this problem, since if Russia and China use satellite destroyers, the US does not have a great reply. Yet, if the US makes its own satellite destroyers, then Russia and China will definitely make more space weapons, etc.
Sciutto comes up with some ways to try to counter shadow war tactics at the end of the book, and they seem fairly good if a bit generic. Given that much of the responses are going to be classified, it's not clear how one could give any very specific recommendations, and I think Sciutto is mostly trying to give civilians a peak at why there should be support for interventions aimed at stopping Russian and Chinese aggression. While the book is not politically biased, it is definitely more on the hawkish side of foreign policy. Sciutto does not put much faith in diplomatic negotiations with China and Russia. I sometimes think that Sciutto doesn't give enough credit to US diplomacy with China [the rise of China has had many good benefits for the US, even if China has not been a great partner], but on the specific issues he deals with there are good reasons to be skeptical of Chinese and Russian overtures.
Overall, it is a good overview of the tactics used by US adversaries (at least in some realms) and how the US cannot assume that it will retain technological superiority.
If you have followed foreign policy news, these provocations should not be new, but Sciutto does a good job explaining how they can be interpreted. I think his explanations and analysis of the problems of militarizing space are definitely the best part of the book. There are not really great solutions to this problem, since if Russia and China use satellite destroyers, the US does not have a great reply. Yet, if the US makes its own satellite destroyers, then Russia and China will definitely make more space weapons, etc.
Sciutto comes up with some ways to try to counter shadow war tactics at the end of the book, and they seem fairly good if a bit generic. Given that much of the responses are going to be classified, it's not clear how one could give any very specific recommendations, and I think Sciutto is mostly trying to give civilians a peak at why there should be support for interventions aimed at stopping Russian and Chinese aggression. While the book is not politically biased, it is definitely more on the hawkish side of foreign policy. Sciutto does not put much faith in diplomatic negotiations with China and Russia. I sometimes think that Sciutto doesn't give enough credit to US diplomacy with China [the rise of China has had many good benefits for the US, even if China has not been a great partner], but on the specific issues he deals with there are good reasons to be skeptical of Chinese and Russian overtures.
Overall, it is a good overview of the tactics used by US adversaries (at least in some realms) and how the US cannot assume that it will retain technological superiority.
June 17, 2019
Not a good book but excellent newspaper article (just longer).
It deals with current situation so it has and Expiration date 2019
It deals with current situation so it has and Expiration date 2019
August 8, 2019
Hi you CIA propagandist, you American Goebbels.
Fuck you.
Fuck you.
March 3, 2021
He’s such a good storyteller. It’s a fast read that makes you want to keep reading, very hard to put down.
It reminded me a lot of Michael Lewis’s The Fifth Risk. That was an examination of Executive branch departments, this is more national security and defense, primarily in relation to China and Russia, but they both use stories and the people who lived them to highlight overlooked and important parts of our government. Parts that most people are unaware of but are critically important and may be failing in certain ways (mostly from the top, the people doing the work are great).
He had so many stories and details I did not know anything about. One example was the section about The Air Force Space Command, almost entirely unknown to me, despite laughing a little at Trump’s Space Force decision. Trump was probably right in the long term. It keeps getting more differentiated from what The Air Force does; it’s already so different, they do need their own focus, budget, skills, soldiers, etc. Perhaps it would have felt less laughable if the new logos and uniforms weren’t so based on pop culture.
But...but...holy cannoli did this book’s editors need to be better. There are so many annoying repetitions, then a lack of reminders of who people are when we actually need them. I haven’t been this annoyed by this kind of thing since my last Laurell K. Hamilton Anita Blake book.
Nevertheless, if I was to recommend 10 must-read books for the last few years, this would definitely be on the list. I’m usually ready to move on to a next book by the end of nonfiction books because my to-read shelves are overflowing, but I was disappointed to be done with this. I would love more chapters from him about how our military, government and politics work.
It reminded me a lot of Michael Lewis’s The Fifth Risk. That was an examination of Executive branch departments, this is more national security and defense, primarily in relation to China and Russia, but they both use stories and the people who lived them to highlight overlooked and important parts of our government. Parts that most people are unaware of but are critically important and may be failing in certain ways (mostly from the top, the people doing the work are great).
He had so many stories and details I did not know anything about. One example was the section about The Air Force Space Command, almost entirely unknown to me, despite laughing a little at Trump’s Space Force decision. Trump was probably right in the long term. It keeps getting more differentiated from what The Air Force does; it’s already so different, they do need their own focus, budget, skills, soldiers, etc. Perhaps it would have felt less laughable if the new logos and uniforms weren’t so based on pop culture.
But...but...holy cannoli did this book’s editors need to be better. There are so many annoying repetitions, then a lack of reminders of who people are when we actually need them. I haven’t been this annoyed by this kind of thing since my last Laurell K. Hamilton Anita Blake book.
Nevertheless, if I was to recommend 10 must-read books for the last few years, this would definitely be on the list. I’m usually ready to move on to a next book by the end of nonfiction books because my to-read shelves are overflowing, but I was disappointed to be done with this. I would love more chapters from him about how our military, government and politics work.
September 11, 2019
Good reporting. Essentially a series of long-form articles on different national security topics and aimed at the general public.
June 1, 2019
Really fascinating collection of the state of war we are now engaged in with Russia & China. Covers what has been going on and how we got to where we are today with hacks and electoral manipulation, divisive politics and hate memes. After reading this I am still mystified as to how to resolve the new cyber warfare being wages successfully, and inexpensively, against us. Ultimately we are terribly vulnerable to attack and are doing far to little about it. Great book. Hard to put down.
January 14, 2020
Sciutto's examination of Russian and Chinese military activity over the past few years does not provide much new insight or cover any new ground for readers who have followed the news closely. I wish I could say that it was a fine introduction for people who would like to catch up on the current events covered in this book, but it would just provide a misleading picture of Russian and Chinese ambitions. However, this would be a fine book for readers who are familiar with other aspects of US/China and US/Russia relations, such as economic or political, and want to learn how to analyze relations from a military, or more assertive, perspective. In this respect, Sciutto's book is a fine examination of security challenges facing the US and how many people, particularly those in the military, are inclined to view those challenges.
One major fault of Sciutto's book, one not uncommon for writers who are trying to tell an engaging story that covers many facts and places, is to be ascribe a country's actions to "China," "Beijing," "Russia," or "Moscow." For Sciutto, Russia's annexation of Crimea or China's land reclamation are representative of their respective country's interests. By doing this Sciutto ignores the fact that it is individual Russian and Chinese bureaucrats and politicians who implement policy. Not all Russian and Chinese agree with their country's military expansion, and there are many Americans who focus on other aspects of international relations that offer more nuanced perspectives about the factors driving Russia and China to expand their geographic influence.
Sciutto does not seem to rely on much original research or new interviews. Instead, he simply adds his personal commentary, supported by the public remarks of named and anonymous generals and officials, to reporting on national security issues related to Russia and China. However, Sciutto does not take the opportunity to talk to a wider group of officials and commentators who could helped guide him toward a more nuanced view of "The Shadow War."
One major fault of books like this is that in applying a realist lens to a problem of international security, the do not seem to understand that similarly minded officials in other countries are looking at the US in the same way, creating a classic security dilemma. In finding it shocking that China and Russia are fielding technology the US fielded decades ago Sciutto reveals his weak analysis and alarmist inclination. Finding it shocking that Russia and China can shoot down satellites is at least as surprising as discovering that their citizens have smart-TVs.
This book would have been better if Sciutto had attempted to look at how Russian and Chinese officials look at the security challenges facing them, and how the US can respond to avoid conflict. Sadly, if one reads this book they may have the impression that the only thing the US can do to avoid further conflict is to have more, bigger, and better military equipment than its potential rivals. History and common sense show us that this is unaffordable and that there are other ways to avoid international conflict by signaling commitments and reassuring allies and partners.
One major fault of Sciutto's book, one not uncommon for writers who are trying to tell an engaging story that covers many facts and places, is to be ascribe a country's actions to "China," "Beijing," "Russia," or "Moscow." For Sciutto, Russia's annexation of Crimea or China's land reclamation are representative of their respective country's interests. By doing this Sciutto ignores the fact that it is individual Russian and Chinese bureaucrats and politicians who implement policy. Not all Russian and Chinese agree with their country's military expansion, and there are many Americans who focus on other aspects of international relations that offer more nuanced perspectives about the factors driving Russia and China to expand their geographic influence.
Sciutto does not seem to rely on much original research or new interviews. Instead, he simply adds his personal commentary, supported by the public remarks of named and anonymous generals and officials, to reporting on national security issues related to Russia and China. However, Sciutto does not take the opportunity to talk to a wider group of officials and commentators who could helped guide him toward a more nuanced view of "The Shadow War."
One major fault of books like this is that in applying a realist lens to a problem of international security, the do not seem to understand that similarly minded officials in other countries are looking at the US in the same way, creating a classic security dilemma. In finding it shocking that China and Russia are fielding technology the US fielded decades ago Sciutto reveals his weak analysis and alarmist inclination. Finding it shocking that Russia and China can shoot down satellites is at least as surprising as discovering that their citizens have smart-TVs.
This book would have been better if Sciutto had attempted to look at how Russian and Chinese officials look at the security challenges facing them, and how the US can respond to avoid conflict. Sadly, if one reads this book they may have the impression that the only thing the US can do to avoid further conflict is to have more, bigger, and better military equipment than its potential rivals. History and common sense show us that this is unaffordable and that there are other ways to avoid international conflict by signaling commitments and reassuring allies and partners.
January 3, 2021
4.5/5 stars. Jim Sciutto breaks down the ongoing power struggle between the US, Russia, and China, and the actions Russia and China have taken and contribute to take to undermine the US. These actions range from cyber attacks like Russia conducted in Estonia in 2007, to the use of paramilitary forces in Ukraine in the 2014 annexation of Crimea, to China turning reefs in the South China Sea into islands used to project naval power. Other topics are security in space, election hacking, and submarine capabilities. Sciutto’s biggest point is that up until this time, the US lacks a comprehensive strategy on how to deal with these emerging threats. He warns that Russia and China will continue to take actions that are below the threshold of a traditional kinetic response, but still undermine the US significantly. Determining a strategy for combating these threats is essential for the US moving forward.
June 26, 2019
Everything is a conspiracy. It would be interesting to know if Sciutto is that nuts or is just selling his 24h fear mongering shop.
April 24, 2020
86%
The Shadow War is the red pill to understanding the modern Cold War of today.
Jim Sciutto describes each ongoing battle in a casualty free war, one in which that the United States is losing. A very broad and detailed picture is painted of the ongoing foreign policy engagements, such a detailed picture in fact, that it is even unknown by the majority of politics (regardless of party), and even some senior military commanders.
Community Discussion Commentary: It seems the larger portion of critiques for this book are centered around a reader's opinion of how the problem can be solved. Sciutto's main effort with his writing was simply that the problem needs to be acknowledged. This is ongoing history, therefore we do not know the endgame of this, nor does Jim Sciutto, nor does the entire U.S. Intelligence community, and finally nor does the reader. I think it is unfair to this book to hinder its rating, due to your own self righteous opinion of how the world should be ran. ("Tears for Fears-Everybody Wants To Rule The World" echoes in the background...)
That being said what did I dislike about this book?
I certainly agree with other reviewers that this book feels largely like a compilation of informative news articles, mixed in with some historical backgrounds and political histories. It lacks a cumulative drive towards an end. Maybe I would prefer that Sciutto interjects more of his own opinions throughout each chapter, and explains its relation and connection to the threat's motives/long term strategy; rather then obtusely ending a specific section and sharply transitioning to a new domain.
With all being said, The Shadow War will absolutely enlighten you of a worrying reality you've never known of, from a neutral, stoic stance. It will also definitely educate yourself for any further arguments you may have about foreign policy/geopolitics, if that's your kink.
The Shadow War is the red pill to understanding the modern Cold War of today.
Jim Sciutto describes each ongoing battle in a casualty free war, one in which that the United States is losing. A very broad and detailed picture is painted of the ongoing foreign policy engagements, such a detailed picture in fact, that it is even unknown by the majority of politics (regardless of party), and even some senior military commanders.
Community Discussion Commentary: It seems the larger portion of critiques for this book are centered around a reader's opinion of how the problem can be solved. Sciutto's main effort with his writing was simply that the problem needs to be acknowledged. This is ongoing history, therefore we do not know the endgame of this, nor does Jim Sciutto, nor does the entire U.S. Intelligence community, and finally nor does the reader. I think it is unfair to this book to hinder its rating, due to your own self righteous opinion of how the world should be ran. ("Tears for Fears-Everybody Wants To Rule The World" echoes in the background...)
That being said what did I dislike about this book?
I certainly agree with other reviewers that this book feels largely like a compilation of informative news articles, mixed in with some historical backgrounds and political histories. It lacks a cumulative drive towards an end. Maybe I would prefer that Sciutto interjects more of his own opinions throughout each chapter, and explains its relation and connection to the threat's motives/long term strategy; rather then obtusely ending a specific section and sharply transitioning to a new domain.
With all being said, The Shadow War will absolutely enlighten you of a worrying reality you've never known of, from a neutral, stoic stance. It will also definitely educate yourself for any further arguments you may have about foreign policy/geopolitics, if that's your kink.
May 6, 2024
This is a riveting and eye-opening exploration of the covert battles being waged against the United States by two of its most formidable adversaries. In this gripping and timely book, Sciutto pulls back the curtain on the shadowy world of espionage, cyber warfare, and disinformation campaigns that threaten to undermine American democracy and security. From the halls of power in Moscow to the bustling streets of Beijing, Sciutto takes readers on a thrilling journey through the covert operations and clandestine activities of Russia and China as they seek to gain the upper hand in the global power struggle. Drawing on his years of experience as a journalist and foreign correspondent, Sciutto provides a nuanced and insightful analysis of the tactics and strategies employed by these hostile powers to weaken and destabilize the United States. A compelling aspect of “The Shadow War” is Sciutto’s ability to humanize the individuals involved in these secret operations, from the spies and hackers on the front lines to the politicians and military leaders pulling the strings behind the scenes. By weaving together personal anecdotes and in-depth interviews with key players, Sciutto brings a human element to the often faceless and abstract world of international espionage. But “The Shadow War” is not just a cautionary tale of the threats facing America – it is also a call to action for citizens and policymakers alike. Sciutto’s impassioned plea for vigilance and resilience in the face of these shadowy adversaries is both timely and urgent, reminding readers of the importance of remaining vigilant in the face of foreign interference and manipulation. Sciutto’s compelling storytelling and expert analysis make this book a gripping and informative read that will leave readers both informed and inspired to take action against the threats posed by Russia and China.
March 11, 2024
"The Shadow War: Inside Russia's and China's Secret Operations to Defeat America" by Jim Sciutto offers a chilling exposé of the covert battlegrounds where Russia, China, and other adversaries are waging a relentless war against the United States and its allies. Drawing on his extensive experience as CNN's Chief National Security Correspondent, Sciutto delves into the shadowy realms of disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks, and strategic military buildups that threaten the very fabric of Western democracy.
In this eye-opening account, Sciutto argues that the West is facing a new Cold War—one characterized by stealthy maneuvers and asymmetric tactics designed to exploit vulnerabilities in open societies. Through compelling narratives and firsthand reporting from global hotspots, he reveals the extent of the threat posed by these hostile powers and underscores the urgent need for vigilance and adaptation.
While "The Shadow War" doesn't necessarily break new ground, it serves as a timely reminder of the ongoing struggle against authoritarian regimes bent on undermining Western values and institutions. Sciutto's comprehensive analysis sheds light on the complexities of modern warfare and the multifaceted efforts required to counteract the threats posed by Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.
Overall, "The Shadow War" is a sobering wake-up call that demands attention and action. As Sciutto vividly illustrates, the war of the future is already here, and only by understanding the scope of the challenge can we hope to confront it effectively. This book is a must-read for anyone concerned about the evolving landscape of global security and the defense of democratic ideals.
In this eye-opening account, Sciutto argues that the West is facing a new Cold War—one characterized by stealthy maneuvers and asymmetric tactics designed to exploit vulnerabilities in open societies. Through compelling narratives and firsthand reporting from global hotspots, he reveals the extent of the threat posed by these hostile powers and underscores the urgent need for vigilance and adaptation.
While "The Shadow War" doesn't necessarily break new ground, it serves as a timely reminder of the ongoing struggle against authoritarian regimes bent on undermining Western values and institutions. Sciutto's comprehensive analysis sheds light on the complexities of modern warfare and the multifaceted efforts required to counteract the threats posed by Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.
Overall, "The Shadow War" is a sobering wake-up call that demands attention and action. As Sciutto vividly illustrates, the war of the future is already here, and only by understanding the scope of the challenge can we hope to confront it effectively. This book is a must-read for anyone concerned about the evolving landscape of global security and the defense of democratic ideals.
August 25, 2024
the wild Amazone
Major fluff little substance
There were points of interest, the chapter on space was the most eye opening. The rest of it was a typical CNN view of the US. Since I am not a CNN fan, I was not impressed by this book.
sue
/////
Not much depth but a good intro into the topic
The Shadow War by CNN reporter Jim Scuitto reads like one of his extended reports – informative but not the full story.
He argues that other countries – specifically China & Russia, have been engaged in what he describes as a 'shadow war' – a death-by-a-thousand-cuts conflict where no single incidence rises to the declaration of full hostilities. He points to China’s land-grab of South China Sea archipelagos converted into man-made islands. These 'unsinkable aircraft carriers’ are intended to deter vulnerable US aircraft carriers from entering Asian waters and thus challenges our marine superiority. He notes the rapid buildup of the Chinse navy is expected to exceed ours in number of war vessels within a decade.
He points to Chinese and Russian advances in space warfare demonstrating 'hunter-killer' satellites ultimately capable of disabling our ability to target missiles and smart bombs.
He details the advances and remarkable buildup that the Russian navy has achieved in submarines and hypersonic missiles.
He concludes with the Russian gambit to tilt our 2016 presidential election away from interventionist Hillary Clinton. Throughout he cites only US government and military sources whose job it is to be paranoid, but leaves out the ‘why’ of what motivates China & Russia to such behavior.
Joe Briggs
/////
The Shadow War book is a shadow of its hype
Disappointed in this book. Somewhat boring. A lot like reading a diary. Did not hold my attention. Way too bland. Off to the Goodwill
josephcristel
/////
July 17, 2020
I'm finally finished. Wow. For only being 281 pages, that was some work. That is a shame because the information shared and arguments made are legitimate and important.
To get the negative out of the way, here's the problem: it is written like a script for CNN. Go figure, as that's his day job. That makes the first half of the book tedious, repetitive, and tediously repetitive. Also, the book is repetitively tedious, at least in the first half. Maybe he had writer's block or the coffee didn't kick in until later? Bah!
But, to the positive: Sciutto does, ultimately, an excellent job of detailing the efforts of Russia and China to undermine America and the West in all domains (land, sea, air, space, cyberspace). His prescription for the future is useful and thoughtful. Overall, I'm smarter and better informed for having read this book. Indeed, were it more accessible, it would be five stars, not three. Maybe skip the first half of the book or just read the final chapter.
I expect some may harp on possible criticisms of President Trump, but I found Sciutto to be fair. He points to acts we know President Trump did and puts them in context he spent about 250 pages establishing with facts.
An edited (or something - bah!) version of this book should be taught in schools; every American should read it. America and the West are losing a war we don't even agree we're in... and the long term ramifications of that are severe. Reading this book informs you to those dangers.
To get the negative out of the way, here's the problem: it is written like a script for CNN. Go figure, as that's his day job. That makes the first half of the book tedious, repetitive, and tediously repetitive. Also, the book is repetitively tedious, at least in the first half. Maybe he had writer's block or the coffee didn't kick in until later? Bah!
But, to the positive: Sciutto does, ultimately, an excellent job of detailing the efforts of Russia and China to undermine America and the West in all domains (land, sea, air, space, cyberspace). His prescription for the future is useful and thoughtful. Overall, I'm smarter and better informed for having read this book. Indeed, were it more accessible, it would be five stars, not three. Maybe skip the first half of the book or just read the final chapter.
I expect some may harp on possible criticisms of President Trump, but I found Sciutto to be fair. He points to acts we know President Trump did and puts them in context he spent about 250 pages establishing with facts.
An edited (or something - bah!) version of this book should be taught in schools; every American should read it. America and the West are losing a war we don't even agree we're in... and the long term ramifications of that are severe. Reading this book informs you to those dangers.
September 7, 2020
At the end of 2011, Jim Sciutto moved to Beijing to become chief of staff and senior policy adviser to U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke, after spending a decade as ABC News senior foreign correspondent. After his two-year stint in China, Sciutto returned to the world of journalism and was named CNN’s chief national-security correspondent. This move from a position in the Obama administration to a major cable-news organization led to familiar complaints that Sciutto was biased, and that he would be unlikely to assess his former colleagues and bosses fairly.
But anyone who wanted Sciutto’s new book, The Shadow War: Inside Russia’s and China’s Secret Operations to Defeat America, to offer a flattering portrait of the Obama administration will be deeply disappointed. In fact, anecdote by anecdote, chapter by chapter, Sciutto assembles a stinging indictment. (He’s also not all that impressed with most of the Trump administration’s moves, although he credits it for “aggressively calling out Chinese theft of U.S. secrets.”)
More thoughts on this book and the topic it covers here.
But anyone who wanted Sciutto’s new book, The Shadow War: Inside Russia’s and China’s Secret Operations to Defeat America, to offer a flattering portrait of the Obama administration will be deeply disappointed. In fact, anecdote by anecdote, chapter by chapter, Sciutto assembles a stinging indictment. (He’s also not all that impressed with most of the Trump administration’s moves, although he credits it for “aggressively calling out Chinese theft of U.S. secrets.”)
More thoughts on this book and the topic it covers here.
January 20, 2021
This book makes it obvious that the government is facilitating in lies. Because... the title is really the obvious "dead give away".
No country can have a government being in at "a War" with another country's government, and then... allow the government's people to facility reports, books, and analysis in regards to how the governments in dispute (in war), are in "attacks and Tactic" of gaining advantage of the other country's government.
This book makes it obvious that life and the world we live in... and how society is revolved around, is strictly, solely, and definitively through just a narrative. A story, that currently, presumes to be a lie. Fake. A tool to control and abuse the people subjugated to the story's influence. To further, terrorize the people whom are subjugated to the story's influence, so that those persons are then terrorized enough, to fear of generating any determination to retaliate to those persons of government, and to then... default, cooperate with whatever those persons whom facility the government's executions... just to survive. To secure their life. To not be tortured, terrorized, and suffer more than they are already.
Also... this book is just lies to ensure that someone has a lead to advance their fake professional career.
#MIC-DROP
No country can have a government being in at "a War" with another country's government, and then... allow the government's people to facility reports, books, and analysis in regards to how the governments in dispute (in war), are in "attacks and Tactic" of gaining advantage of the other country's government.
This book makes it obvious that life and the world we live in... and how society is revolved around, is strictly, solely, and definitively through just a narrative. A story, that currently, presumes to be a lie. Fake. A tool to control and abuse the people subjugated to the story's influence. To further, terrorize the people whom are subjugated to the story's influence, so that those persons are then terrorized enough, to fear of generating any determination to retaliate to those persons of government, and to then... default, cooperate with whatever those persons whom facility the government's executions... just to survive. To secure their life. To not be tortured, terrorized, and suffer more than they are already.
Also... this book is just lies to ensure that someone has a lead to advance their fake professional career.
#MIC-DROP
January 20, 2020
This book was a real eye-opener for me. Sciutto describes the multiple ways that countries like Russia and China are attacking America while staying below the threshold of provoking a war. Russia annexed Crimea from the Ukraine, attacked eastern Ukraine, and hacked the 2016 US Presidential election. China is stealing US technology and manufacturing militarized man-made islands in contested waters. Some of the attacks read like science-fiction, but are real threats against US communications, from destroying satellites to cutting trans-Atlantic cables. Across multiple Administrations, the US response has not been strong enough to deter further activity. For example, our current President will not admit Russian election meddling and will not take any punitive steps against them. We have been slow to acknowledge many of the threats, and are late in responding to them. To be honest, I found this book scary. I only hope the US will be more bipartisan and proactive in working to address these threats. This book is a provocative and illuminating read that I highly recommend. I learned a lot.
April 28, 2020
As usual, caveat that I didn't walk into this book with much prior knowledge, although I did have passing familiarity with most of the topics mentioned here. I had heard Sciutto on two interviews (one on Axe, one on Recode) and thought he was pretty good there. The book does a good job jumping between his personal experience/observations, the opinions of experts, and the historical/factual record.
The basic thesis of the book is that China and Russia (but really mostly Russia) are out to get the US and that their plan is to do everything short of hot war to defeat the US (and allied forces). He goes through various theaters of potential war (cyber, space, politics, business/trade secrets) and various actual incidents (2016 election, Estonia, Ukraine, South China Sea), illustrating what has been done and what can be done.
A few things felt like they were missing:
- Assessment of the domestic pressures that propel American, Chinese and Russian attitudes
- Assessment of Chinese economic strategies (i.e. One Belt One Road)
- Non-Military assessments (i.e. State Department gets much less play here)
Overall its very interesting
The basic thesis of the book is that China and Russia (but really mostly Russia) are out to get the US and that their plan is to do everything short of hot war to defeat the US (and allied forces). He goes through various theaters of potential war (cyber, space, politics, business/trade secrets) and various actual incidents (2016 election, Estonia, Ukraine, South China Sea), illustrating what has been done and what can be done.
A few things felt like they were missing:
- Assessment of the domestic pressures that propel American, Chinese and Russian attitudes
- Assessment of Chinese economic strategies (i.e. One Belt One Road)
- Non-Military assessments (i.e. State Department gets much less play here)
Overall its very interesting
June 19, 2024
I recently finished reading this, and I have to say, it left quite an impression on me. I picked up this book because I wanted to learn more about the current state of affairs, and suffice to say I felt better informed after reading it. "The Shadow War" explores the covert geopolitical struggles between major world powers, particularly focusing on the United States, Russia, and China. The book delves into the methods these nations use to undermine each other, such cyberattacks, election interference, and military maneuvers. Scuitto argues that this "shadow war" represents a new era of conflicts that operates below the threshold of conventional warfare but poses significant threats to global stability and security. From the beginning I was hooked and couldn't put it down. One of the strengths of this book is Sciutto's in depth knowledge and experience in this area of world affairs that brings to life the words on the page. This book is an essential read for anyone interested in current international relations, national security, and the evolving nature of warfare in the digital age.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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