Jack Devine had a 30-year career in the CIA, rising to the
position of acting deputy director of operations. He is, of course, committed to
the CIA, but this book tells the recent history of the CIA (or as much as can
be told), warts and all. He gives both credit
and criticism where it is due.
The book is a fascinating insight into how the CIA really
operates, as opposed to the dramatized Hollywood view or the hysterical
anti-CIA “cowboy” image. If anything, he
thinks the CIA has at times not been bold enough (especially in standing up to
White House pressure to slant intelligence the way they want). I found the
entire book enlightening, but would call special attention to the last chapter,
chapter 14, in which he discusses his assessment of the current world situation
(through 2014) and of the role covert operations and the CIA ought properly to
play in managing the nation’s security.
It should be perfectly clear to all but perhaps the most
left-leaning conspiracy buffs that a nation like ours needs a robust
intelligence service, and the ability and capability at times to mount covert
operations when overt military action would be counterproductive. Afghanistan is perhaps the textbook example –
our covert operations there have achieved results that our massive overt
military presence has not. It does appear, in the wake of the Snowden
revelations, that some parts of the intelligence world have overstepped their
bounds and ought to be reined in. But we
would be foolish to let this hamper the essential national security role of
intelligence collection – we still have plenty of enemies out there trying to
do us harm.
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