Book picks similar to
Strategic Warning Intelligence: History, Challenges, and Prospects by John A Gentry
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Shadow Warrior: William Egan Colby And The CIA
Randall B. Woods - 2013
A quintessential member of the greatest generation, Colby embodied the moral and strategic ambiguities of the postwar world, and first confronted many of the dilemmas about power and secrecy that America still grapples with today.In Shadow Warrior, eminent historian Randall B. Woods presents a riveting biography of Colby, revealing that this crusader for global democracy was also drawn to the darker side of American power. Aiming to help reverse the spread of totalitarianism in Europe and Asia, Colby joined the U.S. Army in 1941, just as America entered World War II. He served with distinction in France and Norway, and at the end of the war transitioned into America's first peacetime intelligence agency: the CIA. Fresh from the fight against fascism, Colby zealously redirected his efforts against international communism. He insisted on the importance of fighting communism on the ground, doggedly applying guerilla tactics for counterinsurgency, sabotage, surveillance, and information-gathering on the new battlefields of the Cold War. Over time, these strategies became increasingly ruthless; as head of the CIA's Far East Division, Colby oversaw an endless succession of assassination attempts, coups, secret wars in Laos and Cambodia, and the Phoenix Program, in which 20,000 civilian supporters of the Vietcong were killed. Colby ultimately came clean about many of the CIA's illegal activities, making public a set of internal reports—known as the “family jewels”—that haunt the agency to this day. Ostracized from the intelligence community, he died under suspicious circumstances—a murky ending to a life lived in the shadows.Drawing on multiple new sources, including interviews with members of Colby's family, Woods has crafted a gripping biography of one of the most fascinating and controversial figures of the twentieth century.
The Hacker and the State: Cyber Attacks and the New Normal of Geopolitics
Ben Buchanan - 2020
Silent Warfare: Understanding the World of Intelligence
Abram N. Shulsky - 1991
Leading intelligence scholars Abram N. Shulsky and Gary J. Schmitt clearly explain such topics as the principles of collection, analysis, counterintelligence, and covert action, and their interrelationship with policymakers and democratic values. This new edition takes account of the expanding literature in the field of intelligence and deals with the consequences for intelligence of vast recent changes in telecommunication and computer technology the new “information age.” It also reflects the world’s strategic changes since the end of the Cold War. This landmark book provides a valuable framework for understanding today’s headlines, as well as the many developments likely to come in the real world of the spy.
Cyberwar: The Next Threat to National Security & What to Do About It
Richard A. Clarke - 2010
Clarke sounds a timely and chilling warning about America’s vulnerability in a terrifying new international conflict—Cyber War! Every concerned American should read this startling and explosive book that offers an insider’s view of White House ‘Situation Room’ operations and carries the reader to the frontlines of our cyber defense. Cyber War exposes a virulent threat to our nation’s security. This is no X-Files fantasy or conspiracy theory madness—this is real.
America's Great Game: The CIA's Secret Arabists and the Shaping of the Modern Middle East
Hugh Wilford - 2012
And all too often, the Central Intelligence Agency has made the situation worse. But this crisis was not a historical inevitability—far from it. Indeed, the earliest generation of CIA operatives was actually the region’s staunchest western ally.In America’s Great Game, celebrated intelligence historian Hugh Wilford reveals the surprising history of the CIA’s pro-Arab operations in the 1940s and 50s by tracing the work of the agency’s three most influential—and colorful—officers in the Middle East. Kermit "Kim" Roosevelt was the grandson of Theodore Roosevelt and the first head of CIA covert action in the region; his cousin, Archie Roosevelt, was a Middle East scholar and chief of the Beirut station. The two Roosevelts joined combined forces with Miles Copeland, a maverick covert operations specialist who had joined the American intelligence establishment during World War II. With their deep knowledge of Middle Eastern affairs, the three men were heirs to an American missionary tradition that engaged Arabs and Muslims with respect and empathy. Yet they were also fascinated by imperial intrigue, and were eager to play a modern rematch of the "Great Game," the nineteenth-century struggle between Britain and Russia for control over central Asia. Despite their good intentions, these "Arabists" propped up authoritarian regimes, attempted secretly to sway public opinion in America against support for the new state of Israel, and staged coups that irrevocably destabilized the nations with which they empathized. Their efforts, and ultimate failure, would shape the course of U.S. Middle Eastern relations for decades to come.Based on a vast array of declassified government records, private papers, and personal interviews, America’s Great Game tells the riveting story of the merry band of CIA officers whose spy games forever changed U.S. foreign policy.
Comrade J - Untold Secrets Of Russia's Master Spy In America After The End Of The Cold War
Pete Earley - 2007
In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed, the Cold War ended, and a new world order began. We thought everything had changed. But one thing never changed: the spies. From 1997 to 2000, a man known as "Comrade J" was the highest-ranking operative in the SVR-the successor agency to the KGB-in the United States. He directed all Russian spy action in New York City, and personally oversaw every covert operation against the United States and its allies in the United Nations. He recruited spies, planted agents, penetrated security, manipulated intelligence, and influenced American policy, all under the direct leadership of Boris Yeltsin and then Vladimir Putin. He was a legend in the SVR, the man who kept the secrets. Then in 2000, he defected-and it turned out he had one more secret. For the previous two years, he had also been a double agent for the FBI: "By far the most important Russian spy that our side has had in decades." He has never granted a public interview. The FBI and CIA have refused to answer all media questions about him. He has remained in hiding. He has never revealed his secrets . . . Until now. Comrade J, written by the bestselling author of Family of Spies and The Hot House, is his story, a direct account of what he did in the U.S. after we all assumed the spying was over, and of what Putin and Russia continue to do today. The revelations are stunning. It is also the story of growing up in a family of agents dating back to the revolution; of how Russia molded him into one of its most high-flying operatives; of the day-to-day perils of living a double, then triple, life; and finally of how his growing disquiet with the corruption and ambitions of the "new Russia" led him to take the most perilous step of all. Many spies have told their stories. None has the astonishing immediacy, relevance, and cautionary warnings of Comrade J.
Psychology of Intelligence Analysis
Richards J. Heuer Jr. - 1999
Intelligence rains in, but without an understanding of the nature of the intelligence, it accumulates in puddles of obscurity. The problems therefore seem to be how to obtain it, how to understand it, and how to sell it to one's bosses. This book deals with how to understand it. Three fundamental points are at the heart of this presentation about the cognitive challenges intelligence analysts face: The mind is poorly wired to deal effectively with both inherent uncertainty (the natural fog surrounding complex, indeterminate intelligence issues) and induced uncertainty (the man-made fog fabricated by denial and deception operations). Even increased awareness of cognitive and other unmotivated biases, such as the tendency to see information confirming an already-held judgement more vividly than one sees disconfirming information, does little by itself to help analysts deal effectively with uncertainty. critical thinking can substantially improve analysis on complex issues on which information is incomplete, ambiguous, and often deliberately distorted. Key examples of such intellectual devices include techniques for structuring information, challenging assumptions, and exploring alternative interpretations. This book was first issued by the CIA.
I-SPY : A peep into the world of Spies
Amit Bagaria - 2019
I am sure you’ve seen at least one, if not more of the 26 films made on fictional British spy 007. You may’ve also seen TV shows like The Americans, Blindspot, Chuck, Covert Affairs, Homeland, Nikita, Quantico, The Blacklist, and/or The Night Manager. I wrote this book after I realised that the average person may not know even one-sixth of what I know about spies and spying. Almost each of the Top 50 nations (by GDP, population or military power) has a spy agency/service. Many countries have more than one ‘secret service’ or ‘intelligence agency’. USA has 16. Some countries’ spy agencies are more powerful than entire smaller nations, with annual budgets larger than their GDPs. This books attempts to tell the story of 20 of the world’s largest and most powerful spy agencies, details their important missions, reveals their darkest secrets, and gives you an inside perspective of the often quite gory but thrilling ‘world of spies’. It gives you a 360º view of those spy agencies you only read about or see in a movie or TV show. With one chapter per agency, you can read only chapters you may be interested in. The life of most spies is not as glamorous as it is made out to be. You may think it is all about high-tech and guns and car chases and ‘hot’ women, but that’s not the case. In the real spy world, the techniques boil down to the interpretation of basic human psychology. Even though a spy learns several action techniques on how to get out of a dangerous situation, including how to withstand torture, if he/she is resorting to car chases, it means they’re doing something wrong. Spies don’t get paid very well. Gambling at a casino or flying on a private jet may be part of the job, but a spy doesn’t get to spend this kind of money on personal expenses. Spies cannot disclose the nature of their work to their family and friends, to maintain secrecy. Many have to live away from home for weeks, months, even years. Married life is a mess, as the spouse starts suspecting the spy of having an affair. Who can become a spy? Do you need a law enforcement (police) or military background? Not really. Spies have degrees as diverse as law, political science, finance, economics – even professional athletes have become successful spies.
In Love With The King Of Harlem
Jahquel J. - 2017
Wynner loves Qua. Easy enough, right? But Wynner came with two brothers who couldn't stand Qua with their baby sister. Qua couldn't stand not having Wynner with him, even if he didn't have his life together. With faith, his word and love, he grabs his love's hand and marries her at the court house. Flash forward five years, and all the promises that Qua has made Wynner he has come through on them. To stay true, secure the bag & be her ace through all her pain. With Wynner always being sick, everyone babies her and is always worried about her. As a wife, she supposed to nurture and cater to her husband, but always being sick, she feels less than a wife. When Qua's childhood friend comes to the city, she's sure to shake things up between the couple. Will they take their vows to heart? Or will Uzi be making his baby sister a widow? Uzi is feared by everything with a beating heart in New York. He and his brother's name ring bells in the New York City streets. If you and the Mcknight brother's name are mentioned in the same breath, you know you won't live to speak about it. With no time for a woman, Uzi usually slides in women and dip after. But, when a smart talking bartender at his favorite strip club catches his eyes he chases her like a lion does an antelope. Remi is so over men wasting her time & spitting game that she doesn't want to play. Working two jobs, she doesn't have time for games. When Uzi approaches her at work, both their words collide at full force. In a situationship, she continues to ignore Uzi until it becomes too much to handle. Will Uzi eventually shoot a arrow in her heart? Girl, take it all off cause I know you extra, Future's words couldn't ring truer for Remi's younger sister, Tweeti. Being the heavier of the two, she's was always overlooked as a child. Until now, where all the boys that played her for being plus sized, are same men chasing her. Tweeti doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. One week she wants to save lives then the next she wants to take them. When Jahquel rolls into her life, she's taken back. Never being with a man in a wheel chair, she shuts him down. What happens when Jah eventually captures her heart? Jahquel used to run the same streets his older brother now owns. A gun shot to the back stopped that, but it didn't stop his ruthless and rude demeanor. Being paralyzed limits some things, but when he runs into Tweeti, he feels like the sky is the limit. Tweeti couldn't be less interested than being just friends. Never being one to give up, he continues to pursue Tweeti. Will he eventually wear her down? In New York where you gotta go hard, these kings need to reign with an iron fist, but will they do it with or without queens?
Lured By The Alien
Celeste King - 2021
And he could bench press me with one hand. But if he thinks I'm gonna bend to his rules, he’s got another thing coming.I’m just gonna get through this interview, and do whatever it takes to get back home in one piece. After we save the universe that is.Smh. Aliens.…Okay, maybe I will “bend” to his rules...just this once.
Always (Trelawney Family #1)
Jessie Rose Case - 2018
NOTE TO READERS: If you love the work of Anna Hackett and Eve Langlais you will love this. This is a historical fiction fantasy Novel. A Native American Indian & American West young woman romance. Filled with brooding hot sex, strong dominant men and a sexy kick-ass female who knows how to hold her own. It’s gritty, confrontational and steam will be coming out of your ears. If you’re looking for something to get those juices flowing, you just found it. Enjoy! This novel is written mainly in British English, with Americanisms and slang from both languages. 1879. American west. It had been nearly 7 years since Elizabeth Trelawney, an only child was sent East to live with her Aunt. The last 2 years wearing greatly upon her. How many social engagements and meeting ‘suitable young men’ would she have to endure? None of it interested her. It didn’t feel real or right. It brought a sense of betrayal she didn't understand. She longed for the home she remembered. The life she left behind. Images would flood her dreams and her body would wake in anticipation and loss. It confused her and made her ache with need. No longer able to hold back her feelings, frustrated and determined, with a pull towards home that she did not understand. She starts out on the journey that would forge the rest of her life. Alone, having escaped the ever watchful eye of her aunt. She could do this. She had to. Red Wolf. Oldest son to the Chief of his tribe. Fell in love at the age of 13. His father bringing the whole tribe to pay tribute to the American whose land was part of theirs. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. So light, the sun dimmed in her presence. It called to him. Still a child with the promise of womanhood. He became a brother to her until her family had taken her from him and sent her East. To become the lady of her station. He mourned her loss and waited. The years passed and he refused to take a wife. Tribal responsibility laid heavily upon him. He would not betray his love of her. And still, he waited …. She would be back and soon he could feel it …. the time for waiting was over. He would remind her of where she belonged. Where her future was and then, he would take back what belonged to him and no one would stop him ......
Intel Wars: The Secret History of the Fight Against Terror
Matthew M. Aid - 2012
Five hundred billion dollars of spending in the Bush-Cheney years turned the U.S. spy network into a monster: 200,000-plus employees, stations in 170 countries, and an annual budget of more than $75 billion. Armed with cutting-edge surveillance gear, high-tech weapons, and fleets of armed and unarmed drone aircraft, America deploys the most advanced intel force in history. But even after the celebrated strike against Osama Bin Laden, America's spies are still struggling to beat a host of ragtag enemies around the world. In Intel Wars, preeminent secrecy and intelligence historian Matthew Aid ("our reigning expert on the NSA"-Seymour M. Hersh) delivers the inside stories of how and why our shadow war against extremism has floundered. Spendthrift, schizophrenic policies leave next-generation spy networks drowning in raw data, resource-starved, and choked on paperwork. Overlapping jurisdictions stall CIA operatives, who wait seventy-two hours for clearance to attack fast-moving Taliban IE D teams. U.S. military computers-their classified hard drives still in place-turn up for sale at Afghan bazaars. Swift, tightly focused operations like the Bin Laden strike are the exception rather than the rule. Intel Wars-based on extensive, on-the-ground interviews, and revelations from Wikileaks cables and other newly declassified documents-shows how our soldier-spies are still fighting to catch up with the enemy. Matthew Aid captures the lumbering behemoth that is the U.S. military-intelligence complex in one comprehensive narrative, and distills the unprecedented challenges to our security into a compelling- and sobering-read.
The Spymasters: How the CIA Directors Shape History and the Future
Chris Whipple - 2020
With unprecedented, deep access to all these individuals, Chris Whipple tells the story of an agency that answers to the United States president alone, but whose activities—spying, espionage, and covert action—take place on every continent.Since its inception in 1947, the Central Intelligence Agency has been a powerful player on the world stage, operating largely in the shadows to protect American interests. For The Spymasters, Whipple conducted extensive, exclusive interviews with nearly every living CIA director, pulling back the curtain on the world’s elite spy agencies and showing how the CIA partners—or clashes—with counterparts in Britain, France, Germany, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Russia. He covers every topic from the influence of the White House on intelligence activity to simmering problems in the Middle East and Asia to rogue nuclear threats and cyberwarfare.A revelatory look at the CIA’s impact across the globe, The Spymasters uncovers the inside stories behind the CIA’s seven decades of activity and elicits predictions about which issues—and threats—will occupy the espionage and surveillance landscape of the future. Including eye-opening interviews with George Tenet, John Brennan, Leon Panetta, and David Patraeus, as well as those who’ve just recently departed the Agency, this is a timely, essential, and important contribution to current events.
Deep Black: Space Espionage and National Security
William E. Burrows - 1986
They are spy satellites--the means by which the super-pwers keep tabs on each other in the deep black of space. Excellent . . . Highly recommended!--Booklist.