Tim Weiner exposes CIA operations

Author Tim Weiner, a reporter for the The New York Times and wrote the book Legacy of Ashes. I'm wondering if anyone out there has read it.



NPR Audio interview page

It sounds like it could be a very interesting book that really takes aim at the CIA for being incompetent. I'm pretty curious to learn more about the CIA. I have a good knowledge of other three-letter groups, but not so much with the Christians In Action.

The L.A. Times said about the book:

Even when you take that real-world caveat into account, however, it still is clear that Tim Weiner's "Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA" is about as magisterial an account of "the agency's" 60 years as anyone has yet produced. More than that, it is a timely and vital contribution to one of the most fraught debates now roiling our bitterly divided capital: the correct role of the intelligence agencies and their proper relationship not only to the executive and legislative branches but also to the rule of law itself.
Source

So, thoughts? Comments?

Interesting.

Has anybody heard anymore about that book that Stanton Friedman told G Noory on C2C that is coming out from the CIA?

It's going to be talking about UFOs and a whole lot of other things, in retaliation for the way it's being treated by the Bush admin.

He sounds like an appologist for the Criminals In Action.

He claims that the CIA suffers from simple incompetence, nothing more.
Plain enough on its face, but it doesnt stand up to scrutiny.
He does throw some truth at us, telling us that secret prisons, renditions and torture go back 50 years, but then he lies and says that the CIA just plain sucks at its job.
He can say this, and some people will believe him because we dont see the benefits of having the CIA, but rest assured that the money men which the CIA actually serve ABSOLUTLY see the benefits of having an intelligence agency.

I did like how he took a jab at the 911 conspiracy followers with that little morsal about Tenent.

I looked at the video promoting the book and it struck me as not very artfully concocted baloney designed to conduct intelligence related public ire away from the Bush administration particularly and all of the CIA's previous political masters in general.

Here is a link to the PBS documentary "The Dark Side" which shows just what the CIA had to put up with from the Bushwackers.

www.pbs.org...

The CIA is a big league intelligence agency, like Britain's SIS, or the former KGB in the Soviet Union. Summing them up as "incompetent" is simple minded kitty litter designed to fool the suckers. Having said that, the world series champion intelligence agency of the 20th century was without question, the KGB. They made jackasses out of everybody. The fact that the Soviet Union collapsed had nothing to do with them. No intelligence agency can overcome the stupidity of the political masters it serves.

There are many books on espionage, but if you want to read just a couple of excellent ones get SpyCatcher by Peter Wright, or, what in my view is the greatest book about espionage ever written, My Silent War by Kim Philby.

[edit on 9-8-2007 by ipsedixit]

Summing them up as "incompetent" is simple minded kitty litter designed to fool the suckers.

yeah, its not like they had an hour and 42 minutes to stop the pentagon attack.

that is assuming they wanted to stop the pentagon attack ... now isn't it.

don't assume either way, then draw your conclusion based on the evidence you view ... without bias or being led.

With that, you will find the truth.

If a book about the 'Conning Ignorant Americans' group can make think they are stupid and incompetent ... then, why not abolish the agency and save the taxpayers money? It would make sense right? We are not suppose to think that way, and let them make their gov't paychecks as well as money under the table as well.

They want to stay in business, and they weigh out the good and bad enough to keep things going. It is better to look incompetent than complying to something that bad ... but a group that has organized such grand things in other countries ... can they really be that oblivious to something going on here?

There is a new stance I am taking, if you can't beat them, join them ... but you don't have to act like them. If so many people here have a problem with the agencies and government ... quit complaining and sign up ... I think they have degrees for homeland security now, run for office, join an intelligence/security group, military ... just don't sit on your laurels and complain ... and if you do want to be a couch warrior, print fliers, talk to people in your community ... or shut up and take it like a man/woman respectively ...

there is always a militia, a constitutional right ... but form or join a militia that is active in the community, has high morals and values, and cannot be criminalized in the future. Rogue groups will be taken out as far as I can tell ... but, it would be hard to take a large, pro-active and helpful militia that always has the public's best interest in mind, and constantly in the public spotlight for doing so. A person or group of true character cannot be slandered, people will not believe the lies.

I think this book can be taken either way ... I tend to think it is a sly propaganda, but having not read it and am basing off of the posters gut feelings and reviews, I cannot really form an opinion. From facts of what this agency has accomplished in the past ... I cannot see a worthy argument for incompetence being made. I can allow for some mistakes, since they are human ... but they are of a mental caliber we are not giving them enough credit for. They aren't composed of drop outs and slackers. Think about what they excel at, it seems odd they would drop the ball in their own game, on their own field ... but it does happen. I just wish and hope they are on our side and stay that way ... but it doesn't appear to always be so.

This could just be disinformation. You would think they do things knowingly, that makes them criminaly intent. So they are criminals.

My understanding of the CIA's jurisdiction is that it is outside the United States territorial area. They were under no obligation to stop the 9/11 attack. That took place in the FBI's "parish" as John LeCarre would put it, but the FBI was hindered in their investigation of the sabateurs by directives from above, from the people behind the sabotage.

The book presented in the linked video goes to the heart of what is going on in this whole 9/11 related mess. In terms of 9/11 it serves to divert responsibility for the event away from the responsible parties. Those people are the planners of this event in positions of power supporting the Bush administration, the executors of the event in the Bush administration itself, including ancillary agencies, and the American people themselves who elected and enable the Bush administration.

When they start hunting for scapegoats, one can be assured they are feeling the heat.

Added note: I haven't read Mr. Weiner's book. My remarks are all based on the notion derived from the video that he is making a case that the CIA is an incompetent organization. I think that is a long way from the truth and would urge people to watch the PBS documentary linked above. It makes a very damaging case against the Bush administration and to a lesser extent against the Clinton administration.

[edit on 9-8-2007 by ipsedixit]

I just stumbled upon this book in a bookstore an hour ago, and have it in front of me. A wikipedia search for both 'Tim Weiner' and the title, 'Legacy of Ashes,' reveals nothing at all, which is odd as he is quite a prolific writer.

Pulitzer.org

FOR NATIONAL REPORTING
1988
Tim Weiner of Philadelphia Inquirer.
For his series of reports on a secret Pentagon budget used by the government to sponsor defense research and an arms buildup.

To have written two thick books on government operations not even have a wiki article seems a bit odd. Anyway, I plan to start reading this book immediately.
It has a nice index in the back, for those quick references of shady CIA ops.