The CIA at War: Inside the Secret Campaign Against Terror

Rating:
Summary: Somewhat misleading title
Review: "Inside the Secret Campaign Against Terror" makes it sound, at least to me, that the book will concentrate primarily on the battle against Al-Queda. However, Kessler doesn't get around to that until about 2/3rds of the way in; the first 2/3rds are essentially an overview of the history of the CIA from its inception; not that that isn't interesting, but do I really have to read about the Bay of Pigs and Irangate again? Also Kessler's writing style is dry, lacking flair, which shouldn't surprise me since he comes from a newspaper background. Overall, a mixed bag. For those interested in reading about the battle against Al-Queda, The Cell (the authors names escape me for the moment, but do a search and you'll find it) is far, far superior.

Rating:
Summary: You can't afford NOT to read this book
Review: Anyone interested in learning how the CIA operates (and for Americans that should be all of us) will find this book fascinating. Choc-a-bloc with anecdotes and infomation that is both scary and amusing, it's hard to put down. Did you know that former CIA director John Deutch place l7,00, that's right, THOUSAND, CIA files, some of which were classified as top secret on his unclassified home computer? Did you know that since 9/11 certain Arab countries such as Yemen have actively cooperated with the CIA in its' war against al Qaeda? Do you want to know what the CIA is doing to try to insure there is never another 9/11? Do you (as I do) question whether we should have invaded Iraq? Read Kessler's analysis of the information amassed by the CIA demonstrating that Sadam Hussein was concealing a program dedicated to developing weapons of mass destruction and then decide what you think about the decision. Clearly a fan of George Tenet, whose achievements are impressive by any standard, Kessler is nonetheless critical of the CIA in many respects, as well he should be. Don't criticize the CIA without understanding something about it. This book will help you do just that.

Rating:
Summary: Major Dissapointment
Review: This book is not 496 pages long, it is 362 pages. I was expecting a definitive post-911 account of the CIA's activities "Inside the Secret Campaign Against Terror." What I received was a rehashing of CIA history Kessler culled from his other CIA books (with a few new tidbits culled from recent interviews which have nothing to do with the war on terror but which mainly concern themselves with office politics) which lasted for 192 pages. When we finally get around to 911 Kessler offers no new information. In fact the exact same information we read here concerning the CIA's initial activities in Afghanistan had been reported in Bob Woodwards's book "Bush at War" published nearly two years ago. The author gushes over CIA director Tenet who was on the job FIVE YEARS before 911 and somehow managed to keep his job, probably because he renamed the building at CIA headquarters after George Bush's father! All in all the definitive account of the CIA's post 911 role is yet to be written. I feel conned for my thirty dollars.



Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: This reads like a book rushed into print not long after war in Iraq was declared officially over by the President. As noted by others here, much of it is pastiche history of the agency seemingly slapped together rather haphazardly. The rest of it is a genuflection to Georges Tenet and Bush. What caught my eye is that Iraqi weapons of mass destruction are a given in the author's view up until second to last chapter, where their absence is dismissed rather cavalierly.

Rating:
Summary: Waste of time
Review: When I was a young business reporter and churning out an assignment I cared nothing about, the result was a lot like this book. Without discernable structure, random organization, quotes dropped in with no context. Just a big, inchoate mass of text. It's ironic that Kessler should appear so indifferent to his product, because it's actually hagiography for George Tenet, and one would presume he'd put a bit more craft into it. (Not that I have anything against Tenet, who's probably the best DCI since, well, Donovan.) If you're doing research on The Company there are a few facts you can pull out, and his sniping at Robert Baer is kind of useful as a balance to the overwrought book See No Evil. (for it's faults See No Evil was at least coherent, informative and enjoyable.)