The Italian Letter

by Peter Eisner

First edition of The Italian Letter.

More than a decade after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, this investigative report on the Bush administration's march toward war is more relevant than ever. Timely and revealing, The Italian Letter provides explosive, historic insights for a greater understanding of the Iraq War and how the United States got there.
There are few true stories with as much drama, intrigue, and mystery as that of the Italian Letter. Known all along by many in the U.S. intelligence community to have been a forgery, the Bush administration adopted the Italian Letter as a basis for going to war, making it the justification behind the rally for war in George W. Bush's 2003 State of the Union speech.
The Italian Letter takes readers from Italy, to Niger, to Iraq and into the Washington offices of the National Security Agency, The Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency and inside the White House itself, demonstrating that this was not a case of finding out too late that certain intelligence information was faulty. Rather, with calculation and single-minded purpose, the Bush administration used information it knew was questionable to convince Congress and the American public that Saddam Hussein was seeking materials to make a nuclear bomb.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

268 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2007

About the author

PETER EISNER's newest book is MacArthur's Spies, a nonfiction account of American spies and guerrillas who challenged the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. He has served as deputy foreign editor and Washington, D.C, political editor with the Washington Post, foreign editor and senior foreign correspondent of Newsday, and bureau chief and correspondent for AP in the US and Latin America. Eisner is the former managing director of the Center for Public Integrity, a Washington-based watchdog organization. He is the author or coauthor of five previous books, including The Pope’s Last Crusade, The Italian Letter, and The Freedom Line, winner of the Christopher Award.

Reviews

[Dutch · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an eye-opening read! I remember the media attention regarding this scandal but could never piece together what actually happened based upon what was reported in the media, what was claimed by the administration (lies and misinformation) and what was reported by the intelligence community (group think). That's why I avoid the media or take what I read with a grain of salt - just wait until some viable journalists peel back the layers and report what actually happened years later for a comprehensive account of the facts.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real eye opener. Easily understandable and packed full of information. Must read for anyone who wants to learn a little bit more about the things that have happened. Won via Goodreads Giveaway.

[Katrina Knittle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads win. Will read and review once received.

I thought this was a great book. It was well written and had a very interesting subject. I'm a news junkie and was very captivated with what I read in this book. This book opened my eyes even more to the issue of the war in Iraq. It is a very in depth both and seems very accurate from what I know. I can definitely see myself recommending and passing this book along to friends.

[Noelle Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a real eye opener. Filled with facts and information with a format that is easy to read, this book is a worth while experience for anyone interested.



*won on GoodReads First Reads*