Drawing on his own experiences in numerous high-profile investigations over two decades, from 9/11 to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Fine provides a fascinating insider's view of government at the highest levels, illuminating how federal officials spend our tax dollars and how inspector general oversight seeks to make government more honest and accountable. Full of revealing stories--from the FBI's handling of evidence in the Timothy McVeigh trial to the treatment of post-9/11 detainees to investigating the US Navy's most infamous corruption scandal-- Watchdogs illustrates the mission of inspectors general in improving government operations, deterring wasteful spending, and curtailing corruption, and the ways they work every day in America's unique system of oversight.       232 pages  hc