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Raid on the Sun (Abridged): Inside Israel's secret campaign that denied Saddam the bomb Audiobook
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(4.07) - 182 listener ratings
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From the earliest days of his dictatorship, Saddam Hussein had vowed to destroy Israel. So when France sold Iraq a top-of-the-line nuclear reactor in 1975, the Israelis were justifiably concerned. The reactor formed the heart of a huge nuclear plant situated twelve miles from Baghdad, 1,100 kilometers from Tel Aviv. By 1981, the reactor was on the verge of becoming "hot," and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin knew he would have to confront its deadly potential. He turned to Israeli Air Force commander General David Ivry to secretly plan a daring surgical strike on the reactor -- a never-before-contemplated mission that would prove to be one of the most remarkable military operations of all time.
Written with the full and exclusive cooperation of Israeli Air Force high command, General Ivry (ret.), and all of the eight mission pilots, Raid on the Sun tells the extraordinary story of how Israel plotted the unthinkable: defying its U.S. and European allies to eliminate Iraq's nuclear threat. Claire recreates a gripping tale of personal sacrifice and survival, of young pilots who faced a nearly unsurmountable challenge: how to fly the 1,000-plus-kilometer mission to Baghdad and back on one tank of fuel. He recounts Israeli intelligence's incredible "black ops" to sabotage constructions on the French reactor and eliminate Iraqi nuclear scientists, and he offers a pilot's eye-eye view of the action on June 7, 1981, when the planes roared off a runway on the Sinai Peninsula for the first successful destruction of a nuclear reactor in history.
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"Real good book on the campaign by Israeli to destroy a nuclear reactor in Iraq in 1981. Good writing style; not boring. As a military buff, I'm pretty sure the author goofs on a few technical details but I think its just minor stuff. "
— Josh (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Raid on the Sun is an extraordinary look into the most secret, and perhaps the finest, air force on the planet. It is also a blistering indictment of the international arms industry that sell[s] modern weapons to anyone with money. Raid is required reading for everyone in the age of terror.”
— Stephen Coonts, New York Times bestselling author -
“A stunning eye-opener, shocking you with the realization of the enormous service the Israeli Air Force rendered the free world with its 1981 attack on Saddam Hussein’s nuclear facility. Claire went right to the source—the Israeli pilots who flew the mission—to tell in colorful detail the full story of this historic strike.”
— Walter Boyne, New York Times bestselling author -
“Until now, no one had told the full story of the extraordinary planning required for the raid and the derring-do of the pilots, who had calculated that there was a one-in-four chance of being shot out of the sky before reaching the target. Rodger Claire, a former magazine editor, has gained access to Israeli military records and to the pilots who handled the mission. In Raid on the Sun, he evokes the rigors and the risks of the plan…A movie-maker…could build a blockbuster around this story.”
— Wall Street Journal -
“Claire breathes life into this largely forgotten event, and his sensitivity to the human element of the story—especially the ability of the Israelis to obtain human intelligence in planning their response—is striking. Extremely well written…highly recommended.”
— Library Journal
Raid on the Sun Listener Reviews
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" This book gives an inside look at Israel's raid on teh Osirak nuclear site in Iraq. It's historically a great book and gives a good background to today's nuclear problems. It's amazing. "
— Robin, 11/5/2013 -
" Reading this book, you can't help appreciate the swagger of the Israeli Defense Forces. "
— Robin, 10/29/2013 -
" The story of Israels attempt to sabotage Iraq's plan to build a nuclear power plant and eventually a nuclear bomb. It's a true story and if it wasn't for this operation, Iraq may have become a nuclear power. "
— Jonathan, 9/17/2013 -
" Don't piss off the Israelis. "
— Jeff.staker, 9/12/2013 -
" Non-fiction that reads like a novel. "
— Jen, 8/12/2013 -
" This book was probably one of the best nonfiction books I have ever read. "
— Courtney, 4/22/2013 -
" A well written journey into Israel's attack on Iraq's nuclear reactor in 1981, condemned globally at the time. Very timely in today's world, with the possibility of history repeating itself with Iran. "
— Jason, 11/13/2012 -
" Fast read, could be a great novel but it's true "
— Philip, 10/7/2012 -
" Real good book on the campaign by Israeli to destroy a nuclear reactor in Iraq in 1981. Good writing style; not boring. As a military buff, I'm pretty sure the author goofs on a few technical details but I think its just minor stuff. "
— Josh, 6/7/2012 -
" Excellent book! The story covers the planning, attack and aftermath of the bomb raid on Iraq's nuclear reactor. This little known event in the western world probably shaped our own history more than we know. "
— Jesse, 5/2/2012 -
" A true eloquent & bone-chilling insight...brilliant sense of history "
— Ahsan, 2/28/2012 -
" True story. Puts life to the people behind one of the most important military actions of the time. Ver well written. "
— Danjewygros, 10/9/2011 -
" This is a well written book on a pretty amazing little known op. The best parts of the book were about the black ops Israel conducted in defense of itself. The Israelis are ruthless and I loved it. "
— Andrew, 4/18/2011 -
" True story. Puts life to the people behind one of the most important military actions of the time. Ver well written. "
— Danjewygros, 4/15/2011 -
" The story of Israels attempt to sabotage Iraq's plan to build a nuclear power plant and eventually a nuclear bomb. It's a true story and if it wasn't for this operation, Iraq may have become a nuclear power. "
— Jonathan, 7/10/2010 -
" Excellent book! The story covers the planning, attack and aftermath of the bomb raid on Iraq's nuclear reactor. This little known event in the western world probably shaped our own history more than we know. "
— Jesse, 5/28/2010 -
" Fast read, could be a great novel but it's true "
— Philip, 1/16/2010 -
" This is a well written book on a pretty amazing little known op. The best parts of the book were about the black ops Israel conducted in defense of itself. The Israelis are ruthless and I loved it. "
— Andrew, 9/2/2008 -
" Non-fiction that reads like a novel. "
— Jen, 5/15/2008 -
" This book gives an inside look at Israel's raid on teh Osirak nuclear site in Iraq. It's historically a great book and gives a good background to today's nuclear problems. It's amazing. "
— Robin, 12/28/2007 -
" Reading this book, you can't help appreciate the swagger of the Israeli Defense Forces. "
— Robin, 12/3/2007
About Rodger Claire
Rodger W. Claire, a former magazine editor, is the first journalist to attain complete access to everyone involved in the raid on Osirak and to the classified materials detailing it. The author of numerous articles and two screenplays, he lives in Los Angeles.
About Adam Grupper
Adam Grupper, award-winning narrator, has garnered honors from AudioFile magazine, Publishers Weekly, iTunes, the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences, and the Audio Publishers Association. He has been in eleven Broadway productions, including the acclaimed revival of Fiddler on the Roof. His film and television credits include The Rebound, Homeland, Master of None, Music and Lyrics, Two Weeks Notice, Elementary, and Allegiance.