ATS BMC Discussion Thread: The CIA at War: Inside the Secret Campaign Against Terror

In November Valhall founder of the ATS BMC (Book of hte Month Club) asked me as the former moderator of the War on Terror forum to suggest several titles for the club members to read. I gave her a list of books and the winner was " The CIA at War: Inside the Secret Campaign Against Terror" by Ronald Kesseler. The book tells the inside story of how George Tenet, a son of Greek immigrants, turned around the CIA from a pathetic, risk averse outfit to one that has rolled up 3,000 terrorists since 9/11, was critically important to winning in Afghanistan and Iraq, and now kills terrorists with its Predator drone aircraft. This book also discloses highly sensitive information about the CIA's unorthodox methods and its stunning successes and shocking failures. The book explores whether the CIA can be trusted, whether its intelligence is politicized, and whether it is capable of winning the war on terror. In doing so, the book weaves in the history of the CIA and how it really works. It is the definitive account of the agency.

A few more finds readers will discover in the book.

How the CIA devised the plan to topple the Taliban in Afghanistan, rolled up half the senior leaders of al Qaeda, and sent commandoes to prepare the way for U.S. forces invading Iraq.

Which press report that the U.S. was listening in on conversations of Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants led them to stop using the satellite phone that was being monitored.

How the CIA clandestinely uses mullahs to convey a more moderate message to the Arab world and to support the U.S. military intervention in Iraq.
How the CIA bugs or intercepts the communications of al Qaeda leaders, OPEC ministers, United Nations delegates, ambassadors, foreign leaders, and weapons inspectors.

The truth behind the charge that Vice President Dick Cheney repeatedly visited the CIA as part of an effort to hype the agency's intelligence on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

How a CIA officer in Iraq, who had been targeted for assassination or kidnapping by the Iraqi Intelligence Service, returned to Iraq after the war and captured his own pursuer.

How the CIA uses sensors to penetrate camouflage, determine if weapons of mass destruction are being manufactured, and pinpoint bombing targets.

How previous CIA Director John Deutch approved a hare-brained scheme to pay off a CIA operative, whose job had been to break into embassies overseas, to keep him from revealing to his targets that the CIA had stolen their communication codes.

How the Israelis break into CIA officers' homes to gather intelligence.

Why the CIA shut out the FBI when interrogating Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, Osama bin Laden's chief of operations.

How the CIA ignored failed polygraph results of 300 of its employees.

How President Clinton, over CIA protests, diverted satellites from finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

How the CIA obtains secret communication codes of friendly countries like France and South Korea.

What George Tenet's and FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III's biggest secret is.

The point of this topic is for the members of the club to discuss the book, what they found interesting etc. Others who read and enjoyed the book can proably join in as well. For those interested in buying it, the book retails for $27.95 at most Barnes and Noble bookstores.

Pretty soon, I will be going on a school field trip where we will get to meet an author who has written many books on terrorism. I will be sure to ask some interesting questions, and bring back some of the conversionaire here to ATAS.

Dear JediMaster,

Thank you so much for all you have done to help kick off the first ATS book discussion.

What a wonderful starting post! This book has really opened my eyes to a lot of things. I am only halfway through, but have already learned so much.

I appreciate you putting us on to this book!

Valhall,

Your welcome, I enjoyed looking up those books since I love reading about the war on terror. I am glad that you picked me to help out with the ATS BCM. I am happy to do it in the future. The book looks realy good, maybe I'll buy it after Chirstmas.

Cool, the book does look good. Might have to look into it.

What I really want to know is : is the CIA corrupt from the core? or do people working there really think they are going a real job? I really hope that for the most part they are actually doing a job of catching people who might plan on attacking the US ( not that its really my concern not being there mind. ).

From all I have read the only thing I can see is that the CIA are the principle cause of most of the worlds problems. They are the ones that are intefering with other countries. They seem to install pro US dictatorships ( ie. Saddam, Pinochet, Suhato(sp?) so there aren`t exactly helping anyone else apart from big US business who can control the country and bascially rape it off all its worth.

Can anyone actually justify their existance? cos I just don`t buy all this "national security" crap.

It's really easy to round up those on your payroll...

Let me just say that the majority of those in the CIA (or at least those I've known) have a genuine love of their country, and patriotism that would put most to shame. Many of the jobs in the CIA aren't glamourous, and don't pay the big bucks... Though my contact with them was brief, and at a VERY low level...everyone shared this trait. I believe that the majority do believe that they are doing a valuable service (and they are).

However...as the old saying goes...absolute power corrupts absolutely. So, it's the upper echelon of the CIA (and actually the more secretive agencies within it) that is to blame...not the rank and file of the CIA (who are consumate professionals, and tops in their fields...many of which could actually make more in the private sector...but love what they do).

The CIA is also charged with counter-intelligence...in other words...keeping OUR secrets... (It is in this role that they operate in the US vs. abroad...and it's a grey area). The agency was created because the left hand didn't know what the right was doing back in the day. If Army intelligence knew something, they didn't necessarily pass it along to Navy intelligence, and so on... So, the CIA is just that...a "Central" intelligence agency, to make sure that everyone knows what the other is doing, so they don't stumble on each other...

Many times, the support of dictators, coups, etc. weren't just to help big business, but also to install a lesser of two evils, etc. and even to help our allies. Unfortunately for the CIA...the openness of American society, somewhat diminishes their overall ability, and this is why more closed societies (such as Isreal and Russia) surpass us when it comes to intel....

Thanks for the reply Gazrok I did hope that it wasn`t utterly corrupt but as you say the hi ranking ones are driving a very strange agenda. I think they should be restricted to the US border, cos really thats the national sercurity boundary. Unless your inviting trouble in then why do you need to go looking for it?

I know they have to have the ears close to the ground which is fair enough, spying has gone on and will always continue to go on but that doesn`t make it right. Also the CIA have a habbit of stiring up trouble in countries which don`t fall in with the US thinking, I don`t mean they are "Communist" but just not willing to bow down and be plundered by the US either. Iran and Venezuala have both recently had "civil unrest" which I noticed flared up and died again very quickly, now if that doesn`t scream CIA then I don`t know what does. Its pretty much a calling sign.

Also, if they want to removed a leader because they don`t quite think right what are the people living in that country suppost to think? Chile for example, a democratically elected government was over thrown for a dictatorship which slaughtered whoever opposed them. Is that really fair? is that really what the CIA should be doing?

Another small note, this is very suspect : "How the CIA bugs or intercepts the communications of al Qaeda leaders"

So why don`t they ever stop any terrorist bombings? is it because it only helps the CIA budget and widens the scope that they can opperate? So more money means they have a bigger budget for destablising another country?

Ern