Predatory States

Predatory States examines Operation Condor, a secret intelligence network and criminal operation formed by South American military dictatorships in the 1970s. The book traces the evolution of this transnational system that coordinated repression, torture, and assassination across borders. Through extensive research and declassified documents, McSherry reconstructs how the participating states collaborated to track, kidnap and eliminate political opponents throughout South America and beyond. The investigation reveals the role of the United States in providing organizational, financial and technological support to these authoritarian regimes. The analysis places Operation Condor within the broader context of Cold War counterinsurgency doctrine and state terrorism. McSherry demonstrates the links between intelligence agencies, military units, and civilian institutions that enabled systematic human rights violations. The work raises fundamental questions about sovereignty, impunity, and the relationship between democracy and state security apparatuses. Its examination of institutionalized political violence and international complicity remains relevant to understanding contemporary state power.

Readers value McSherry's detailed documentation of Operation Condor and its impact across South America. Many reviewers highlight the book's extensive research and use of declassified documents to expose collaboration between military dictatorships. Readers appreciated: - Clear explanation of cross-border cooperation between regimes - Connection to US foreign policy and intelligence operations - Thorough citations and evidence Common criticisms: - Dense academic writing style - Repetitive sections - Limited coverage of certain countries involved Ratings: Goodreads: 4.35/5 (23 ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (5 ratings) One academic reviewer noted: "McSherry provides crucial evidence about state terrorism networks, though the writing can be dry." A student reviewer commented: "Essential for understanding Cold War Latin America, but requires patience to get through the academic language."

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📚 Operation Condor, discussed extensively in the book, involved the cooperation of six South American dictatorships: Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Brazil. 🔍 Author J. Patrice McSherry spent over a decade researching declassified documents and conducting interviews with survivors to compile the information for this groundbreaking work. ⚖️ The U.S. government's involvement in Operation Condor was confirmed through documents found in Paraguay's "Archives of Terror" in 1992, which contained over 700,000 pages of materials. 🗺️ The operation's reach extended far beyond South America, with assassinations carried out in locations as distant as Rome, where Chilean diplomat Orlando Letelier was killed in 1976. 📋 The book reveals how Operation Condor used sophisticated computer technology - advanced for its time - to share intelligence and track targets across borders, marking one of the first uses of transnational surveillance systems.