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  • Hunting the Jackal: A Special Forces and CIA Soldier's Fifty Years on...
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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
453 global ratings
5 star
75%
4 star
18%
3 star
4%
2 star
2%
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Hunting the Jackal: A Special Forces and CIA Soldier's Fifty Years on the Frontlines of the War Against Terrorism

Hunting the Jackal: A Special Forces and CIA Soldier's Fifty Years on the Frontlines of the War Against Terrorism

byBilly Waugh
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Top positive review

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Rocky
5.0 out of 5 starsBilly Waugh GOAT greatest soldier of all time past present and future.
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2020
This book is great written by a man that is the toughest military soldier to ever live and talk about it. It’s clear that he had much more to say but it was classified. I met an old man he was a Vietnam vet. He was in SOG he knew Billy. He operated in Cambodia when I said I read a book about what he did he said no it was classified until the 90’s. I was sure he said maybe it was written by Billy Waugh then he smiled looked out in to the distance and said Billy War that’s what we called him. I figured if a guy with the handle Lobo who spent 3 years conducting missions inside Cambodia with a team of missionaries then I wanted to read about him too. Billy Waugh was in country from the very first soldiers until the end in 73. He missed 1 year in Walter Reid recovering from multiple wounds. But that wasn’t where he began fighting this guy was in Korea and his last deployment was to Afghanistan at age 72. Read the book what you will want to know is more. Oh did I mention he spent time watching Osama Bin Laden. I understand more then most about the recent killing of the Iranian general because Billy explains how the middle eastern military operates. GOAT greatest soldier of all time. If you are an operator read the book and then you will agree.
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7 people found this helpful

Top critical review

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ja in va
3.0 out of 5 starsSo who do you believe in Spookville?
Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2017
There is another book on here, the second in the NOC trilogy by SIS operator using the name " Nicolas Anderson" which is quite believable and which makes clear that Mr. Waugh had nothing to do with hunting down Carlos the Jackal ( who ended up in French prison).

So who do you believe? (and please leave out the jingoism).

And while Mr. Waugh was quite an operator and who actually was marching around the mountains in Afghanistan this century ( although pretty much a burnout who should have retired a while back) I have a great deal of trouble beieving he stayed behind enemy lines for 7 years in Vietnam. For one thing there were no lines in Vietnam so he would have to have spent the time in Cambodia, Laos or North Vietnam. I won't mention then Red China because no teams ever returned from there. And if you read things like " The SOG Chronicles" by John Stryker Meyer or "WTF" by Lynne Black and other similar accounts it seems fairly impossible that anyone stayed behind those lines for 7 years unless they never came into contact.

I'm not trying to start an argument here. But who can you believe in all this stuff layered in secrecy on top of secrecy. Mr. Waugh was for real unlike some obvious posers that have books on here about black ops, but it seems that a bit of hyperobole at best gets into some of these books. And please don't mention a certain late sniper who apparently took out plenty of looters in New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina among other things. ( An older overweight black lady gets the extra-judicial death penalty for trying to steal a TV from a major chain store?) Believe all you read of him and he missed his calling; should have been the leader of a new religion.
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One person found this helpful

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From the United States

ja in va
3.0 out of 5 stars So who do you believe in Spookville?
Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2017
Verified Purchase
There is another book on here, the second in the NOC trilogy by SIS operator using the name " Nicolas Anderson" which is quite believable and which makes clear that Mr. Waugh had nothing to do with hunting down Carlos the Jackal ( who ended up in French prison).

So who do you believe? (and please leave out the jingoism).

And while Mr. Waugh was quite an operator and who actually was marching around the mountains in Afghanistan this century ( although pretty much a burnout who should have retired a while back) I have a great deal of trouble beieving he stayed behind enemy lines for 7 years in Vietnam. For one thing there were no lines in Vietnam so he would have to have spent the time in Cambodia, Laos or North Vietnam. I won't mention then Red China because no teams ever returned from there. And if you read things like " The SOG Chronicles" by John Stryker Meyer or "WTF" by Lynne Black and other similar accounts it seems fairly impossible that anyone stayed behind those lines for 7 years unless they never came into contact.

I'm not trying to start an argument here. But who can you believe in all this stuff layered in secrecy on top of secrecy. Mr. Waugh was for real unlike some obvious posers that have books on here about black ops, but it seems that a bit of hyperobole at best gets into some of these books. And please don't mention a certain late sniper who apparently took out plenty of looters in New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina among other things. ( An older overweight black lady gets the extra-judicial death penalty for trying to steal a TV from a major chain store?) Believe all you read of him and he missed his calling; should have been the leader of a new religion.
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Rick Spell
VINE VOICE
3.0 out of 5 stars Thought the Book Would Never End
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2010
Verified Purchase
I read plenty of books and have an active waiting list. But when someone recommends a book as highly as this one I will move it to the front looking for an expected enjoyable read. This one fell short. A talented warrior in Vietnam can't lead a normal life. He returns marries, then not much is written about whether his marriages last or not. He joins the CIA and later performs surveillance on Carlos the Jackal as well as Osama Bin Laden. But do you understand just how boring surveillance can be? Well, then imagine a book substantially describing this boring surveillance. Billed as a page turner and a high level Special Ops guy I'm just not seeing it. Frankly, it's all downhill from the Vietnam fighting where he was truly a valiant warrior who wants back in the game. The book closes with his serving in Afghanistan but there is really not much to warrant risking a retirement age, former warrior be put in harm's way. Well, of course, there is always complaining about how the decision makers always screw up and don't understand what he does. Not terrible, but not action packed. Read "They were Soldiers Once ...." for a page turning tale of warriors.
3 people found this helpful
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laz_254
3.0 out of 5 stars Amazing American
Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2005
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I take my hat off to Mr. Waugh who is a soldier's soldier. His book highlights how long America has been fighting, pursuing, and surveilling the bad guys. Some of the stories/chapters are rather tepid and not really entertaining, but some of the other chapters on Carlos the Jackal and Usama Bin Laden are a little more interesting. In this book one gets to read about the author's exploits in Vietnam, Middle East (Libya & Sudan,) and in Afghanistan which is about 30 years worth of history from a man who lived to fight for America.
4 people found this helpful
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cl
3.0 out of 5 stars Good
Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2015
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Great read for anyone who likes military topics.
Carlos the Jackal is literally not mentioned until 50% through the book. It is understanable that much of Mr. Waugh's actions are classified and that his vietnam intro is necessary for the remaining content, but I felt The title to be misleading.
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Crux 10-8
2.0 out of 5 stars Billys service great/book bombs
Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2012
Verified Purchase
This biography was really disapointing.This book was written in a very light and simple style,leaving much detail out.I guess you do have a overview of his service,but if you are looking for detail or action dealing w/Vietnam,espionage,Middle East or clandestine warfare there are many other great choices.
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Amazon Customer
1.0 out of 5 stars One Star
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2016
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Terribly written
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Bond, James Bond
2.0 out of 5 stars Typos or errors?
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2014
Verified Purchase
There are an awful lot of errors and inconsistencies in this book. Two for example:- the F80 is a Nikon not a Canon, the runway at Khartoum International is 360/180 not 340. I've been to Khartoum and I can't imagine a lone American jogging around the city without being noticed, even late at night. It's a good yarn but I fear that a lot of it is BS.

Malcolm McGregor.
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Longdriver
1.0 out of 5 stars Hunting the Jackal
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2009
Verified Purchase
I'm a Vietnam veteran (Inf. 1Lt.), so I was interested in his experiences, both in combat and after. I was very disappointed. Much of what he writes is bs and he is so full of himself (he's a little guy with that "Napolean Complex"), that I actually threw the book in the trash after I'd finished. First time I'd ever done that with a book, as I usually pass them along when I'm finished. Not a good review, but that's my opinion.
20 people found this helpful
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Andreas Papademetriou
1.0 out of 5 stars Drop it!
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2015
Verified Purchase
First: Misleading title: I assume the author has no idea about the plot to kill General De Gaul by French-Algerian officers. That affair was called the Jackal.So I thought that I would be reading something about it but instead I started reading the writings of a boastful Texan who knew nothing else but fire his gun. After reading about 13 percent I dropped it. Total waste of time and money and no entertainment at all. It does not deserve even one star as far as I am concerned.
8 people found this helpful
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LTD TIME
1.0 out of 5 stars War Monger - Proud of his Ignorance
Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2011
Verified Purchase
VN Combat Veteran's opinion. The title is intentionally misdirecting, playing to very minimal portion of activities. "Story-teller" Billy Waugh, glorifies his role in whatever military activity, subversive & criminal military activities included, he claims/brags, to have engaged in. The very kind of militaristic miscreant that have made this world a virtual "Killing Field" for the benefit of the rich & powerful, and a sick pass-time for mental midgets like Billy Waugh. After attempting to understand Billy's point of view, and verbose braggadocio, for some 160 pages I tore this trash up and threw it into our wood-burning stove. (The one & only time I have ever done this with a book. I am the proud caretaker of a personal library of some 2000 volumes, lifelong passion - am 63, if a book doesn't remain on my shelves it is passed on, freely.) Any good or benefit Billy Waugh may claim he accomplished for mankind is absolutely minimal, if any from violence loving Billy's mayhem. In short, a disgusting treatise on the joy of murdering foreigners, known as Patriots in their own countries, by a mentally defective American.

Reviewer: Sgt. Ret. US Army LRRP HQHQ 3Bde/25th Inf.(VN67&73)(also wounded & decorated, very unhappily so)
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