What do you think?
Rate this book
War at Home: Covert action against U.S. activists and what we can do about it
This is a must handbook for private study and group discussion by all progressive and radical activists. Today's defense depends on our knowledge of yesterday's repression. The the political police haven't forgotten us--we can't afford to forget them and their methods.--Philip Agee, former CIA agent
90 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1989
About the author
Brian Glick
3 books3 followersFordham University associate professor of law.
*
In 2000, Professor Brian Glick founded Fordham Law’s Community Economic Development Clinic, and has led the clinic as its director ever since. He retired in 2025. The Clinic represents community organizations that fight for social justice, including health clinics and worker co-ops. Glick previously worked for 15 years as a legal services lawyer representing underserved communities in Brooklyn. He is the author of several books, including The Jailhouse Lawyer’s Manual (1973), and War at Home: Covert Action Against U.S. Activists and What We Can Do About It (1989). In 2019, he was presented with the Public Interest Faculty Member of the Year Award, in recognition of his contributions to teaching and public interest advocacy.
*
In 2000, Professor Brian Glick founded Fordham Law’s Community Economic Development Clinic, and has led the clinic as its director ever since. He retired in 2025. The Clinic represents community organizations that fight for social justice, including health clinics and worker co-ops. Glick previously worked for 15 years as a legal services lawyer representing underserved communities in Brooklyn. He is the author of several books, including The Jailhouse Lawyer’s Manual (1973), and War at Home: Covert Action Against U.S. Activists and What We Can Do About It (1989). In 2019, he was presented with the Public Interest Faculty Member of the Year Award, in recognition of his contributions to teaching and public interest advocacy.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 21, 2008
Brief overview of COINTELPRO and continued U.S. government operations against political groups throughout the 1980's. This was published in 1989 and desparately needs to be updated to include all the recent cop assaults on the anti-globalization movement, anarchists, and the Green Scare.
His suggestions on how to deal with counter-insurgency operations should be read by everyone.
His suggestions on how to deal with counter-insurgency operations should be read by everyone.
April 29, 2013
This is a must read for anyone involved in left-wing activism in the United States. It gives a nice history of the FBI's usage of covert action against progressive and radical groups in America. I suggest taking notes and sharing them and the book with fellow activists and friends.
January 5, 2009
An interesting and useful book, and a quick read. Pretty frightening.
September 30, 2022
This is essential reading for anyone who wants to have a chance at real activism in this country. Know your enemy
September 19, 2024
It's pretty short and pretty informative. I think everyone should read it. The only thing missing I think is a section on how to carry out defense work.
July 15, 2024
A SUMMARY (circa 1989) OF GOVERNMENT ACTIONS AGAINST "DISSIDENTS”
Author Brian Glick wrote in the Introduction to this brief 1989 book, "Government harassment of U.S. political activists clearly exists today, violating our fundamental democratic rights and creating a climate of fear and distrust which undermines our efforts to challenge official policy. Similar attacks on social justice movements came to light during the 1960s. Only years later did we learn that these had been merely the visible tip of an iceberg. Largely hidden at the time was a vast government program to neutralize domestic political opposition through 'covert action' (political repression carried out secretly or under the guise of legitimate law enforcement). The 1960s program, coordinated by the FBI under the code name 'COINTELPRO,' was exposed in the 1970s and supposedly stopped. But covert operations against dissidents did not end. They have persisted and become an integral part of government activity. This book is designed to help today's activists learn from the history of COINTELPRO, so that future movements can better fight this war at home." (Pg. 5)
He notes that, although COINTELPRO was supposedly combatting enemy intelligence, "the government's targets were not enemy spies"; it was used against "perceived domestic threats to the established political and social order." (Pg. 10-11) Included among these were the Communist Party USA; the Socialist Workers Party; Students for a Democratic Society, and many others (pg. 11-13).
He cautions, "we can hardly afford to ignore these many signs of danger... Covert action has been legalized and endorsed at the highest levels of government. Official secrecy has been restored. Government harassment of domestic dissidents continued unabated... full-scale covert operations are already underway to neutralize today's opposition movements before they can reach the massive level of the 1960s." (Pg. 31-33)
He suggests that the government will attempt to make "the victims of official violence appear to be the aggressor," and provoke dissident movements to "tear themselves apart through factionalism and other modes of self-destruction." (Pg. 38) The remainder of the book is devoted to practical suggestions for how to protect oneself and dissident organizations from such covert government operations.
The impact of this book is only increased by later government actions (e.g., since the post-9/11 Patriot Act was passed); it will be of considerable interest---even more than 30 years after it was written---to activists and dissidents of the Left.
Author Brian Glick wrote in the Introduction to this brief 1989 book, "Government harassment of U.S. political activists clearly exists today, violating our fundamental democratic rights and creating a climate of fear and distrust which undermines our efforts to challenge official policy. Similar attacks on social justice movements came to light during the 1960s. Only years later did we learn that these had been merely the visible tip of an iceberg. Largely hidden at the time was a vast government program to neutralize domestic political opposition through 'covert action' (political repression carried out secretly or under the guise of legitimate law enforcement). The 1960s program, coordinated by the FBI under the code name 'COINTELPRO,' was exposed in the 1970s and supposedly stopped. But covert operations against dissidents did not end. They have persisted and become an integral part of government activity. This book is designed to help today's activists learn from the history of COINTELPRO, so that future movements can better fight this war at home." (Pg. 5)
He notes that, although COINTELPRO was supposedly combatting enemy intelligence, "the government's targets were not enemy spies"; it was used against "perceived domestic threats to the established political and social order." (Pg. 10-11) Included among these were the Communist Party USA; the Socialist Workers Party; Students for a Democratic Society, and many others (pg. 11-13).
He cautions, "we can hardly afford to ignore these many signs of danger... Covert action has been legalized and endorsed at the highest levels of government. Official secrecy has been restored. Government harassment of domestic dissidents continued unabated... full-scale covert operations are already underway to neutralize today's opposition movements before they can reach the massive level of the 1960s." (Pg. 31-33)
He suggests that the government will attempt to make "the victims of official violence appear to be the aggressor," and provoke dissident movements to "tear themselves apart through factionalism and other modes of self-destruction." (Pg. 38) The remainder of the book is devoted to practical suggestions for how to protect oneself and dissident organizations from such covert government operations.
The impact of this book is only increased by later government actions (e.g., since the post-9/11 Patriot Act was passed); it will be of considerable interest---even more than 30 years after it was written---to activists and dissidents of the Left.
July 2, 2015
This is non-fiction though it is not as cut and dry as one might expect. There are cartoons to go along with this exposure of the FBI's COINTELPRO operation against U.S. citizens.
There are copies of anonymous letters sent by the FBI to cause problems between couples by claiming their spouse was sleeping with other people in the movement. The movements could be against police brutality, the labor movement, women's rights, as well as Gay and lesbian rights. I have direst knowledge of the FBI activities against the anti-war movements in Central America and can tell you that what Brian Glick writes here is absolutely true.
We personally had death threat calls whenever we had speakers from Central America, naming names of people in our group, usually the Central Americans. We had at least one infiltrator, possibly more.
All of this activity is detailed in the book, along with what to do if 1) you were visited by the FBI 2) if your organization is infiltrated or if any other issues come up, like someone trying to foment anger between people or foment racism among members.
The anti-racism movement, leftist and other groups that have risen up in the past few years could learn a lot from a book like this.
Best of luck to you all!
Sherrie
Do you know a/b my debut novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador”? A young American woman goes to war-torn El Salvador: http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
My husband made a video for my novel. He wrote the song too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P11Ch...
There are copies of anonymous letters sent by the FBI to cause problems between couples by claiming their spouse was sleeping with other people in the movement. The movements could be against police brutality, the labor movement, women's rights, as well as Gay and lesbian rights. I have direst knowledge of the FBI activities against the anti-war movements in Central America and can tell you that what Brian Glick writes here is absolutely true.
We personally had death threat calls whenever we had speakers from Central America, naming names of people in our group, usually the Central Americans. We had at least one infiltrator, possibly more.
All of this activity is detailed in the book, along with what to do if 1) you were visited by the FBI 2) if your organization is infiltrated or if any other issues come up, like someone trying to foment anger between people or foment racism among members.
The anti-racism movement, leftist and other groups that have risen up in the past few years could learn a lot from a book like this.
Best of luck to you all!
Sherrie
Do you know a/b my debut novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador”? A young American woman goes to war-torn El Salvador: http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
My husband made a video for my novel. He wrote the song too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P11Ch...
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews