The Question of Intelligence

"A breach of intelligence." Countless pundits and politicians have repeated this phrase in reference to the events of September 11…but what exactly is "intelligence"?

We've always been fascinated by the shadowy underworld of spies, wire-tapping, and code-breaking, but little is publicly known about the activities of our nation's intelligence organizations, outside of the fictionalized accounts that regularly become bestsellers and blockbusters. In the first days after the 11th, so many of us were talking about life imitating art - Die Hard, The Siege, and, of course, Clancy and Ludlum novels -- yet now it seems that life is not only imitating but mocking art. Gone are the convenient narrative arcs, the clear lines between good guys and bad guys, and the certainty of a victorious dénouement that exist in tales of Jack Ryan and James Bond. Even Tom Clancy himself told CNN that his own imagination could never have conjured up the events of the 11th.

Now, as Congress is in a heated debate about what steps to take to improve our intelligence system, so many of us have become even more curious about the real workings of the often secretive agencies like the FBI, CIA, and NSA. To some, such agencies are sacred institutions that uphold our basic freedoms, but to others, they are merely instruments of both global and national social control and are poised to undermine many of our revered civil liberties. The reading list below offers several perspectives, but no definitive answers -- the mystique lives on.

Bombs, Bugs, Drugs, and Thugs
by Lock Johnson
This snappily titled broad overview of all of our nation's intelligence agencies provides a great deal of insight into the inner workings of organizations like the FBI and the NSA. Not stopping there, Johnson heavily criticizes our current system, calling for a more centralized intelligence community rather than the loosely affiliated cluster of agencies that now exists. Johnson may be an intelligence expert, but his straightforward writing style will appeal to pros and non-specialists alike, and he carefully explains the many dilemmas that face our intelligence organizations in the post-Cold War era.

Body of Secrets
by James Bamford
The NSA, America's cryptologic organization that is home to some of the world's most sophisticated codemakers and breakers, may be one of the most secretive governmental entities in the world, but Bamford lets us peek inside. Full of startling revelations (such as the U.S. government's one-time proposal to wage a terrorist attack against America itself in order to gain public support for a war against Cuba), Body of Secrets is the result of exhaustive research -- and a book that asks big questions regarding both the problematic history and the uncertain future of the infamous agency.

The CIA's Greatest Hits
by Mark Zepezauer
While some consider books like this slim volume to be the stuff of alarmists and conspiracy buffs, others take it as the gospel truth. Did the CIA have a role in the bombing of Pan Am flight 103, the Jonestown massacre, and the assassinations of JFK and MLK? Do they place agents inside of media institutions to help control what the public sees and hears? Pick up this cartoon-filled easy-read and decide for yourself.

The CIA Catalog of Clandestine Weapons, Tools, and Gadgets
by John Minnery
The CIA won't "admit or deny" the existence of these gadgets, but author John Minnery claims they are the real deal. Regardless, whether you file it on your secret underground bookshelf or next to your Bond videos and martini set, flipping through this illustrated directory is an engaging look into some of the possible links between spy fact and fiction.

The Master of Disguise
by Antonio J. Mendez
Mendez was a globetrotting, disguise-donning, surveillance-performing CIA operative for 30 years, ending up in the gadgets department no less, and his tell-all contains the stuff of legends. He keeps the proceedings action-packed, so as to appeal to the armchair agent in all of us, but packs in enough revealing details to shed light on a few tricky operations that were, until recently, largely hidden from public knowledge. A great read for some real-life roll-of-the-dice intrigue. .