Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Sorry, but here comes another war story

"There are more foreign spies on U.S. soil now than at the peak of the Cold War, according to Hank Crumpton, former head of the Central Intelligence Agency's National Resources Division, a highly sensitive operation charged with collecting foreign intelligence here in the U.S. Crumpton also led the covert response to 9/11 in Afghanistan, where the CIA helped topple the Taliban." Those were the words a CBS spokesperson used on the May 13 edition of its news program, "Sixty Minutes." Crumpton has written a book, "The Art of Intelligence, Lessons from a Life in the CIA's Clandestne Service," just published this week, which traces his career in the CIA. As of a few hours before publishing this post, I have not been able to locate a review of the book. So, here is a publisher's promotional piece regarding Crumpton's career and a video of his interview on "Sixty Minutes." If I run across an actual review of the book, I might slip it in here later, but, of course, there is no reason you cannot buy the book and read it yourself. It might be educational and even jolt you into reality.

Hamlet .... Act 1, Scene 5:
"Swear by my sword
Never to speak of this that you have heard"

 A legendary CIA spy and counterterrorism expert tells the spellbinding story of his high-risk, action-packed career while illustrating the growing importance of America's intelligence officers and their secret missions.

For a crucial period, Henry "Hank" Crumpton led the CIA's global covert operations against America's terrorist enemies, including Al Qaeda. In the days after 9/11, the CIA tasked Crumpton to organize and lead the Afghanistan campaign.

With Crumpton's strategic initiative and bold leadership, from the battlefield to the Oval Office, U.S. and Afghan allies routed Al Qaeda and the Taliban in less than ninety days after the Twin Towers fell. At the height of combat against the Taliban in late 2001, there were fewer than five hundred Americans on the ground in Afghanistan, a dynamic blend of CIA and Special Forces. The campaign changed the way America wages war. This book will change the way America views the CIA.

"The Art of Intelligence" draws from the full arc of Crumpton's espionage and covert action exploits to explain what America's spies do and why their service is more valuable than ever.

From his early years in Africa, where he recruited and ran sources, from loathsome criminals to heroic warriors; to his liaison assignment at the FBI, the CIA's Counterterrorism Center, the development of the UAV Predator program, and the Afghanistan war; to his later work running all CIA clandestine operations inside the United States, he employs enthralling storytelling to teach important lessons about national security, but also about duty, honor, and love of country.

No book like "The Art of Intelligence, Lessons from a Life in the CIA's Clandestine Service" has ever been written -- not with Crumpton's unique perspective, in a time when America faced such grave and uncertain risk. It is an epic, sure to be a classic in the annals of espionage and war.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thats a nice post Fram!!

Gonna look for that book.The video interesting too.But iam very tired..so..i watch the beautiful reporter and her dress and the man a t the chopper!!wow..what people!!

i will read it again when it is quiet around me.

Been trying to fix the blog template i have ..but i am not satisfayed..so i gonna try to do something tomorrow..i loved those castles i had before hahaha..innocent and adventure as i am.Now i feel like it is nothing,the way it looks tonight.yeah!!so is life!

Have to do something see you later!

Fram Actual said...

The words -- the publisher's promotional piece -- are mostly designed to lure people into buying the book, Anita. The video interview contains the important and interesting information.

Thank you, for coming once again.

seirios said...

i would like to read this book, assuming that Crumpton wrote only what CIA permitted to write... it seems an interesting book about things we don't know ...

Bitch said...

A very interesting post, you have ever written!!
And thanks to you I could meet a spy, so human..

The book should be a must for us to read. But can we know, what is NOT in this book (after a clean cut from the CIA?)..
What a face that Mr. Black!

Fram Actual said...

It would be an excellent book for everyone to read, Seirios, and, possibly, a fascinating one. At least, that is my opinion.

And, yes, you are right. Usually when you hear about a book written by someone who once worked for the CIA, it is because the agency is trying to block its publication. Apparently, since there is no indication the CIA attempted to stop publication of Henry Crumpton's memoirs, he is revealing nothing agency officials fear would be harmful.

I hope to read both Crumpton's account and Jose Rodriguez's book (May 5 post) to learn the "weltanschauung" of a couple of recent CIA insiders.

Thank you, for your visit and your words.

Fram Actual said...

Two spies, Monika -- Henry Crumpton, in this post, and Jose Rodriguez, a few days ago.

And, yes, once more. It would seem Crumpton is not telling stories the CIA does not wish to be told. I think it would be beneficial for everyone to read his book to gain a better understanding of what is going on behind the scenes in the world around us.

By the way, I grew up playing baseball with the kid who lived across the alley from me. As an adult, he went to work for the CIA. Most of the actual agents are literally the boys next door who wanted more from life than to work in their fathers' furniture stores or to become dentists.

Thanks, for stopping by and commenting.

kittaro said...

dear friend,

and only the intelligence, is an "art" ...

i think that is enough to trouble us all, and change worldview!!!

Fram Actual said...

You think so, do you, Kitt@ro?

It is not so important to me as it once was, but I wish to know what people think and why they think it. In a way, it is/was a search for understanding. Now, I think there is no such thing as understanding because everyone has a touch of insanity within them and one person's logic and reason is another person's paranoia or schizophrenia.

Knowing who is which is important; understanding why is impossible.

It is nice to have you in my neighborhood again.

Smareis said...

Seu blog é maravilhoso. Gostei muito de conhecer.
Vou estar seguindo pra voltar em breve.
Grande abraço!
Excelente semana!

Fram Actual said...

Thank you, Smareis, for words kinder and sweeter than I deserve.

I went to your blog during my evening, and was happy to find a writer who is unafraid to speak her thoughts and opinions and beliefs. The exchange of ideas is what I enjoy most in this life, and it seems there are not very many who are willing to bare their psyche for others to see.

I will enjoy your visits here and my visits to your page.

Smareis said...

Obrigada Fram Actual pela presença. Fiquei muito feliz com seu comentário. Será sempre bem vindo, e vou estar sempre aqui no seu blog lendo suas postagem.

Eu acredito que esse deve ser um livro muito bom de ler, história de espionagem sempre é muito boa.

Deixo um grande abraço!

Fram Actual said...

I am not sure why, but this has been a hectic evening for me and I am not noticing all that transpires around me.

And, I also seem to be repeating myself quite often this evening, but, once again, yes, this pair of books is the sort people should be reading. Too often, I think, people believe they can keep evil at bay simply by closing their eyes and their ears to what is happening around them. Most manage to accomplish that goal by sheer luck, but others among us fall victim to it because of our own inattentiveness.

I do not want to sound overly serious at the moment, so I will close by saying I enjoy your posts, Smareis, and I am pleased that you have found your way to mine.

Something special ....