War Dogs

April 6, 2015
In early 2007, two men from Miami Beach, both in their mid-20s, won a Department of Defense contract to supply $300 million worth of ammunition intended for the Afghanistan military. Efraim Diveroli and David Packouz (who were later joined by their buddy Alex Podrizki) were already running a successful arms-dealing organization, but this order was of a size and scale that they were wildly unprepared for, forcing them to bend rules and subsequently pad their wallets. In this highly specific account, Lawson (Octopus: Sam Israel, the Secret Market, and Wall Street’s Wildest Con) details the backroom machinations, corruption, red tape, and intrigue that go along with high-stakes arms deals. Diveroli, the leader of the group, is portrayed as a master manipulator. His insatiable greed, combined with constantly changing regulations and the Department of Defense’s convoluted and conflicting requests for large quantities of ammunition and arms at the lowest possible prices and the regulations that seemed to change every day, created a perfect setup for corruption and corner-cutting. Lawson’s eye for detail and extensive research are commendable, though the book often veers into the weeds as he details the mercurial minutiae of government contracts and international diplomacy.

May 1, 2015

Picture three twentysomething dudes with little to no experience and a $300 million arms contract with the U.S. military. What could possibly go wrong? Journalist Lawson (Octopus: Sam Israel, the Secret Market, and Wall Street's Wildest Con) does a great job of weaving the central story of the three guys with a broader perspective of the war in Afghanistan and a government rife with incompetency. David Packouz, Alex Podrizki, and their leader, Efraim Diveroli, didn't know what to do with their lives unti one of them, Diveroli, became a legal gunrunner. Every morning would consist of smoking marijuana and perusing the federal website that listed all of the contracts open to bidding. Diveroli was successful and brought in a partner, Packouz. With their confidence high, they decided to try to win a big contract, and that's when they saw one for an ammunition-starved Afghanistan military. Against all odds, they won the deal and immediately were in over their heads. Forging documents, dealing with Albanian mafia, generals yelling at them--and that's not even the worst of it. VERDICT This is a thrilling portrait of three men who were in a position they never should have found themselves. Lawson clearly shows all of the parts as events start to unravel. For fans of entrepreneurial tales, military contract work, and lovers of the movie Lord of War. [Warner Brothers is making a film version, directed by Todd Phillips.--Ed.]--Ryan Claringbole, Coll. Lib. at the Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison

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