- Hardcover: 224 pages
- Publisher: Atholl Publishing; First edition (12 Jan 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0956129900
- ISBN-13: 978-0956129901
- Product Dimensions: 23.1 x 16.3 x 2.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 135,501 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Craig Murray's adventures in Africa from 1997 to 2001 are a rolliciking good read. He exposes for the first time the full truth about the "Arms to Africa" affair which was the first major scandal of the Blair Years. He lays bare the sordid facts about British mercenary involvement in Africa and its motives. This is at heart an extraordinary account of Craig Murray's work in negotiating peace with the murderous rebels of Sierra Leone, and in acting as the midwife of Ghanaian democracy. Clearly his efforts were not only difficult but at times very dangerous indeed. Yet the story is told with great humour. Not only do we meet Charles Taylor, Olusegun Obasanjo, Jerry Rawlings and Foday Sankoh, but there are unexpected encounters with others including Roger Moore, Jamie Theakston and Bobby Charlton! Above all this book is about Africa. Craig Murray eschews the banal remedies of the left and right to share with us the deep knowledge and understanding that comes over 30 years working in or with Africa. Gems of wisdom and observation scatter the book, as does a deep sense of moral outrage at the consequences of centuries of European involvement: even though he explains that much of it was well-intentioned but disastrous.
About the Author
Craig Murray is Rector of the University of Dundee and an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Lancaster. He was a member of the British diplomatic service from 1984 to 2005, and British Ambassador to Uzbekistan from 2002-2004.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I cannot recommend this book highly enough as a means to get to the truth behind the Government's conniving of recent and not-so-recent years. The author was a senior Civil Servant and witnessed first-hand the goings-on and shady British Government dealings which served to bring yet more corruption to the continent of Africa. Such that there have been numerous concerted attempts to prevent publication of this book, resulting in the author having to self-publish. And what's more it's written in the down-to-earth self-deprecating style of Craig Murray who is the first to admit, describe, and entertain us with his own numerous faults and weaknesses normally kept hidden in a book of this nature. And, of course, his honesty. "The foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of Truth."
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This riveting book contains a smoking gun. "The Sandline Affair" (Chapter 4) reveals for the first time that in 1998 the Prime Minister had no objection to British mercenaries breaching UN sanctions by selling arms to Sierra Leone. Despite a thick dossier from Customs & Excise recommending prosecutions, the Crown Prosecution Service decided to take no action - without even reading the papers. As Craig Murray notes, "this was the first major instance of the corruption of the legal process that was to be a hallmark of the Blair years." His account has authority: he was then the most senior FCO official whose sole responsibility was West Africa.
Most of this memoir, including the delightful discovery that provides the title, covers Craig's subsequent posting to Accra. He was number two in a High Commission at the centre of two key African issues: democracy and development. He also acted as midwife for the safe delivery of the Lomé peace agreement over Sierra Leone, dealing with extraordinary people like Colonel Isaac, a boy soldier forced at age eight to kill his own mother and father.
For all its vivid anecdotes, this is a thoughtful account of why effective diplomacy requires far more than mechanical implementation of directives from Whitehall. There is much here that other diplomats will recognise: why it is sometimes not wise (even if much cheaper) to entrust visa work to local employees; and concern at how UK development aid has become primarily a matter of direct budgetary support. There is valuable documentary evidence in several footnotes.
This book is for anyone for whom Africa matters - and for those drawing up the charge sheets against Blair.
Most of this memoir, including the delightful discovery that provides the title, covers Craig's subsequent posting to Accra. He was number two in a High Commission at the centre of two key African issues: democracy and development. He also acted as midwife for the safe delivery of the Lomé peace agreement over Sierra Leone, dealing with extraordinary people like Colonel Isaac, a boy soldier forced at age eight to kill his own mother and father.
For all its vivid anecdotes, this is a thoughtful account of why effective diplomacy requires far more than mechanical implementation of directives from Whitehall. There is much here that other diplomats will recognise: why it is sometimes not wise (even if much cheaper) to entrust visa work to local employees; and concern at how UK development aid has become primarily a matter of direct budgetary support. There is valuable documentary evidence in several footnotes.
This book is for anyone for whom Africa matters - and for those drawing up the charge sheets against Blair.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is the book they tried to ban, from the former British Ambassador they could not silence. It is one of the most exciting books I have read in years and I was keenly awaiting the release of it following his previous book 'Murder in Samarkand'. Craig was forced to publish this book by himself as he says his publishers were scared off by legal bullying threats. Although it has an interesting title, this book could have gone under a range of headings covering many exciting topics of which the author has first hand experience, including the Arms to Africa scandal and his role in bringing democracy to Ghana. It's worth its weight in gold...
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great book, unconvincing evidence
A wonderful read, well written. interesting and amusing.
I really want to believe the whole smoking gun account of arms shipments to Sierra Leone - but there is one very big... Read more
I really want to believe the whole smoking gun account of arms shipments to Sierra Leone - but there is one very big... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Kinace
Amazing Political Revelation in Ghana.
This is a book that reveals what goes on in some African Countries. This author is an insider and has the proverbal " INSIDER INFORMATION " !
Published 19 months ago by RGDebra
Lover of Africa
Reading Craig Murray's book one is transported to the world of expatriate first class, the diplomat. Read more
Published 19 months ago by G. J. Weeks
Essential Testimony about Modern Africa
As in his earlier book, Murray is enormously entertaining. But this is also by far the most informative book I have read about the nature of the problems modern African states... Read more
Published on 17 Feb 2010 by conjunction
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