NONFICTION

Operation Gladio: The Unholy Alliance Between the Vatican, the CIA, and the Mafia

by Paul L. Williams
Prometheus. Feb. 2015. 305p. notes. ISBN 9781616149741. $24; ebk. ISBN 9781616149758. HIST
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Putting his knowledge of the inner workings of the Vatican to good use, Williams (The Vatican Exposed: Money, Murder, and the Mafia) details the financial ties among the Catholic Church, spies, banks, mafiosi, and the worldwide narcotics trade that began after World War II as a strategy to prevent the spread of communism. Now, years after the Cold War has ended, the results of the alliance reverberate in the political landscapes and economies of many countries, most notably Turkey, Italy, Argentina, and the United States. With its "Leading Rogues" list and more than one thousand notes, this book will intrigue those who appreciate puzzles and a conspiracy theory or two. The lack of an index hinders usability for research, and the sheer volume of people mentioned in every incident makes one wonder if there is anyone who was not involved.
VERDICT This work goes a bit further than Daniele Ganser's NATO's Secret Armies, but readers looking for exciting tales of sabotage, secret societies, and assassination will have their eyes opened to an otherwise little-known operation and will wonder where the truth lies.
Reviewed by Barbara Ferrara, Chesterfield Cty. P.L., VA , Jan 15, 2016
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