They Just Don't Get It: How Washington Is Still Compromising Your Safety--And What You Can Do about It

by David Hunt

Book Overview

Brand-new chapter exclusive to the paperback edition Colonel David Hunt has dedicated his career to fighting terrorism. A U.S. Army veteran for nearly thirty years, he has helped take out an active... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 140009741X
• ISBN13: 9781400097418
• Release Date: April 2005
• Publisher: Crown Forum
• Length: 260 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

I wish he were in charge

David Hunt is a no nonsense military man who I personally wish were in charge of our war on terror.

good, common sense-based book

Col. David Hunt's book is a good read. He is not the most polished writer around -- the book is written more like an extended conversation -- but he gets his points across. The book tends to get redundant at times, but it remains an interesting book to read which one can easily complete in one evening or two. If even a small fraction of what Hunt alledges is true, Americans should be very concerned about our safety and the glaring lack of leadership in our country.

Should be mandatory reading

In my youth, I trained anti=terrorist forces in close-quarter combat. I lived in Argentina then and they were waging a war against armed terrorists. They wiped them out. Sure some right were trampled on, but the majority was saved from ruthless thugs. They made hard decisions that needed to be made. They had the balls to do so. Colonel Hunt knows what it takes and he's sharing it for all to learn as well. This book should be mandatory reading for EVERYONE in government and for all Americans too. We can't continue to live in LALA lnad forever... There is only one thing a terrorist understands and that is death. If you don't kill them they consider you weak and will exploit that weakness in every way they can. Terrorists are cowards, not freedomfighters or any other euphemistic term. Colonel Hunt is right on with this. Presidnt Bush should read this 20 times and then re-read it to make sure he understands it before making anymore stupid decisions. Our military leaders should also read this and do what they're paid to do correctly.. Hunt is right, our future depends on it...

I worked for Col Hunt

Sure, Col Hunt's book is written in salty, colorful language and is seemingly facile in its approach and solutions. But allow me to tell you something - - I worked directly and closely under Col Hunt during an intense 6-month deployment, overseas, away from home, during the mid-90s. I am female. I served as an Air Force pilot; he was in the Army. He is the FINEST OFFICER I EVER worked for! No exception. As someone who retired after 20 years in the male-dominated field of piloting jets, I can also honestly say he was/is the most pro-female-supportive guy I've known. Just ask him sometime about the Air Force Academy sex scandals or Tailhook. There again, he'll tell you, 'They just don't get it.' Why do I say all this? Because Col Hunt possesses the most credibility of anyone I know. He writes just as he thinks and speaks - - lasering in on the TRUTH. When he directs an operation, he gets down to brass tacks, ferrets out the truth, lets people "operate", and gets the job DONE! He is the REAL DEAL. Whatever he says; you can take it to the bank, because it is spot-on-target. His book is a CLARION CALL. Do I think the call will be heeded? Unfortunately not. But maybe some of the book's nuggets will resonate at high enough levels, so that some of the bumbling and political interference can be stopped. I likewise worked under Gen Jones and Adm Smith. They knew enough to closely heed his counsel. I sure hope President George W. Bush does.

Let's get serious.

As an American I find it hard to take that after the events of 9-11-01 we as a country have slipped back into complacency. But what also surprises me is that no one in the government quite seems to understand that the rules of the big game have changed. It is about time a book like this has come along. David Hunt is stark and no nonsense in his presentation of the dangers America is now facing. His presentation is frank not hysterical and comes complete with numerous documents published for the first time to back up his contentions. Hunt himself has the credentials to speak to these issues and is no lightweight. A senior research fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard he is recognized expert in the field of terrorism as well as being a military veteran of many years. Be you a hawk a dove or somewhere in the middle this portion of the book alone makes the book a must read for everyone today. But I will go further to say that although Col. Hunt is hawkish (a better word for the times in which we live might be pragmatic) I think all of the main ideas he presents here, our complacency, the weakness of our leaders, our willingness to please the rest of the world to the point of our own determent (in a world where the consequences could be unimaginable) and having bureaucracy in this country that borders on the Byzantine are all problems every reader, be they hawk or dove, should consider. Col. Hunt not only points out the mistakes we are making in the war on terror and our foreign policy but has some solutions. And in that way this is not really a "gloom and doom" book but something which is hopeful. Further he offers practical advice on how to protect one's own family. Whether you agree with his solutions or not this is a book that must be examined and discussed. Jim Connell