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Civilian Warriors
- The Inside Story of Blackwater and the Unsung Heroes of the War on Terror
- Narrated by: Jeff Gurner
- Length: 13 hrs and 12 mins
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Summary
The founder of Blackwater offers the gripping, previously untold story of the world's most controversial military contractor.
Blackwater is one of the most misunderstood companies of our time. As Erik Prince, its founder and former CEO, writes:
"Hundreds of American citizens employed by private military contractors, or PMCs, would lose their lives helping our government wage wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, only to have their memory tarnished by the unfair and/or ignorant depiction of PMCs as profiteers, jackbooted thugs, or worse."
Because of the secrecy requirements of Blackwater's contracts with the Pentagon, the State Department, and the CIA, Prince was unable to speak out when his company's opponents spread false information. But now he's free to tell the often shocking story of Blackwater's rise and fall.
Blackwater hired Special Forces veterans and others with the skills and courage to take on the riskiest security jobs in the world. As its reputation grew, demand for its services escalated. Its men eventually completed nearly 100,000 missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Prince's narrative includes newly revealed details about many controversial events. It debunks myths that have been spread by TV shows and movies. It honors our armed forces while challenging the Pentagon's top leadership. Above all, it will make people rethink exactly who the "good guys" and "bad guys" have been since 9/11.
Critic reviews
"Prince’s book belongs on the shelf next to the memoirs of the other Iraq and Afghanistan war chieftains...we need Prince’s story to help us understand the history of the post- 9/11wars and the myriad roles contractors played in these conflicts." (The Washington Post)
What listeners say about Civilian Warriors
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- Kane Wootton
- 25-12-18
great book, which gets straight into the action
Fun, exciting and a great argument for the free market. Thank you Eric Prince for what you have achieved and for making the world a better place
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- Chris Berry
- 29-01-16
Truthfully
I had the pleasure of knowing quite a few Blackwater and Triple C guys in Iraq. Always professional always on top of their game
It was great to hear the behind the scenes story, I must applaud the honesty in the telling of this story, not just professional but private life too. That took bravery. Well done. Blackwater will I'm sure, be missed
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1 person found this helpful
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- SledgeHammer
- 11-01-17
Totally changed my perception of private military contractors
Hope they make a movie out of this book. The truth deserves to be told to more people. Excellent book
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- C. B. Walker
- 29-09-22
Interesting insight
Really enjoyed hearing one side of the story most won’t have heard. Slightly sad ending to an illustrious beginning. Definitely worth a listen though.
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- Amazon Customer
- 28-03-19
The other perspective
A great revealing book providing a different perspective on what happened in the Blackwater story. Well written and good narration.
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- Tim Carr
- 15-01-18
Really good
Gives a really good insight into the workings of private military. I have a new outlook on the stereotype now. Well worth a listen
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- Amazon Customer
- 30-08-18
Had to be told.
Loved it ! I was so shocked to hear some of the injustices Blackwater dealt with. Truly Eye Opening. 👊🏻
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- Matt
- 11-01-24
Excellent book.
This book is a no nonsense take on how the private sector can provide niche capabilities to warfare which are far superior to public sector capabilities.
Sadly, it is also a no nonsense take on how such superiority goes unappreciated. Instead of accolades, the private sector often becomes subject to unjustifiable activism motivated by nothing more than a desire to spread lies and cut down successful people.
This book is a must read for anyone who does business with any western government. It makes it clear that no matter how good your work is: private businesses doing business with governments are always set up to fail.
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- A. Curtis
- 12-06-17
Interesting insight
Would you consider the audio edition of Civilian Warriors to be better than the print version?
I haven't read the print version
What did you like best about this story?
I loved the steady growth of the Blackwater company and how it relates to world events.
What does Jeff Gurner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
He reads this perfectly. Right tone and pacing. Superb.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
The death of Blackwater contractors and the effects on the family.
Any additional comments?
Wonderful book from an insiders point of view. Clearly the opinions of PMC is a grey area and this is very biased towards the positives. However it's very well written and read and shows the progression and need for such organisations. Mr Price for his faults, really understands his subject. And that comes across.
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- David
- 01-03-18
The silent war of the deniable asset
If you could sum up Civilian Warriors in three words, what would they be?
Who have loved to hear the original story before if was filtered buy the agency’s
What was one of the most memorable moments of Civilian Warriors?
The impact and the lost of the first four black water contractors
Which character – as performed by Jeff Gurner – was your favourite?
I would love to have dinner with Eric Price in the Emirates Palace to get his view of the world in 2018
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