Treasury’s War: The Unleashing of a New Era of Financial Warfare

In this lengthy memoir, Zarate, a former U.S. Treasury and White House counterterrorism official, recounts how his team worked to “uncover hidden or layered [financial] assets” in Iraq and helped fight the Bush administration’s “War on Terror.” He ably describes the sophisticated financial chicanery of enemy states, the ins and outs of money laundering, and the efforts of private banks and corporations to protect global trade and finance. However, readers should not expect to receive a complete picture of financial warfare, much less learn about the future. These windy recollections are crafted mainly for the purpose of finding a place for their author in recent history. Zarate’s insider’s account, which relies on diaries and personal experiences, offers no fresh insights into Middle East or global financial strategy, and the narrative contains more than its share of tedious “I sat down with U.S. Central Command”–type moments. Zarate squeezes important topics such as systemic vulnerability, currency manipulation, and cyberwarfare into a few pages at the end. No doubt, as the author makes clear, dirty money from Iraq, Iran, Syria, North Korea, and other nations threatens to poison the entire global economic landscape. In spite of the book’s limitations, those intrigued by international money laundering and the U.S. government’s efforts to prevent rogue states from financing terrorism will appreciate Zarate’s account. Agent: Max Brockman, Brockman Inc. (Sept.)