Tyler Drumheller, the recently retired CIA Chief for the
European Division during the build up for the war in Iraq is out with a
great new book, On the Brink.
Tyler’s account takes you inside the CIA during the month before 9-11
and through the start of the war in Iraq. He was in charge of all
U.S. clandestine operations in Europe, including Turkey. But
beyond a look back at what went wrong with Iraq from an intelligence
perspective, Tyler offers a devastating critique of how the Bush
Administration has engaged in an unprecedented politicization of the
CIA. In corrupting the intelligence community the Bush
Administration has put the nation at greater risk and hobbled an
important government resource.
Tyler’s book is unique because it offers the first insider’s account
about the events surrounding the build up to the war in Iraq, including
the backstory on Curveball (the Iraqi fabricator) and the interactions
with our British and Turkish allies. (Although CIA censors
prevented Tyler from naming specific countries, a careful reader can
easily pick out who is who.) On the Brink
is a perfect companion to the other books published this year
recounting the fabrication and failure that is Iraq–Fiasco (by Tom
Ricks), Hubris (by David Corn and Michael Isikoss), Cobra II (by
Bernard Trainor and Michael Gordon), Imperial Life in the Emerald City
(by Rajiv Chandrasekaran) and State of Denial (by Bob “late to the
party” Woodward). Taken as a whole, these volumes tell a
disturbing and horrifiying story of how our nation’s security has been
hijacked and squandered by the very people sworn to protect it.
Tyler fleshes out the intelligence portion of the story.
Tyler fought an uphill battle in trying to get this book out.
CIA editors did their best to quash the story and keep it off the
shelves before the November elections. Notwithstanding the
bureaucratic and procedural obstacles erected to thwart the book, Tyler
still manges to tell a compelling story.
this is at the apex of my reading list.
Jim Marcinkowski (a former CIA man) was quoted as saying the country is “On the brink” (of very bad stuff) in a recent article in the local daily here. Jim of course is the Dem candidate for the Michigan 8TH District House seat currently held by Mike Rogers.
Perhaps he knew of this book prior to its release, or simply views where this is taking us all in a similar way to Mr. Drumheller. I have so many books on my must read list now, I’m going to have to take out a home equity loan to buy them all.
Re the cost of buying all these books, consider the need for additional bookcases and space for same!
Ron Suskind’s The One Percent Doctrine isn’t on Larry’s list, but I’d add it for the insider revelations, even it if Suskind got info from Tenet himself.
I have a very bad feeling whenever John McLaughlin appears on CNN. Think I’ll drop them a “negative” note soon, asking them to cease using this analyst.
Thanks,Larry. I will place this book at the top of my reading list. As a matter of fact, I will walk a block to Barnes & Nobel tomorrow and buy it.
It is amazing how many different facets of this government (legislative, intelligence, military, science, medicine and more) that this administration (they don’t deserve a capital A at this point) have gutted and set back in such a way that is going to take years to rebuild them.