Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Evidence
Review: For those who have dilligently read this book, the following fact should be apparent: That al-Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden's hideous terrorist organisation, was "covertly" founded, staffed, trained, armed, based and used by the American CIA and America's Pakistani government proxies as one of their last weapons against the former Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the last act of the so-called Cold War. We all know where that led to, yet in all the hype we hear in the current war being waged on terror, this basic fact is muted most shamelessly...
Over half a century of US-Western "neocolonial" policy has reduced most Middle Eastern and South Asian societies, notably Saudi Arabia, the Gulf states and Pakistan besides Afghanistan, into the crucibles of an incurable and intractable malignancy which now threatens modern civilisation more audaciously and effectively than Soviet ICBMs ever could. Although the US-West managed to keep these areas out of the "Soviet orbit", stated simply, they have got something far worse now...
The US-Western "war on terror" effort can't simply be construed as the crushing of al-Qaeda as it is often deliberately made out to be. I wish it was that simple, but it isn't. It isn't merely a matter of destroying an elusive al-Qaeda or catching Bin Laden to put on trial for the amount of people he has killed (Americans of course, not the Soviets he killed when he was a good guy); It is now actually a matter of dealing with whole societies where corrupt attitudes, cynicism, and backward religious and cultural extremism course through the veins of their wretched masses as normally as motor cars do through prosperous Western streets. And the US knows that.
The US may be foremost among the nations of modern civilisation, but it doesn't deserve to bear the mantle of its leadership or lay claim to it after what it has done. Those who read this book by Robert Baer honestly, will be acutely aware of that fact.
Rating:
Summary: See No Evil: The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA's
Review: Mr. Baer you have done a great job in letting us "normal people" know what's going on in the Washington click. I love you book and I wish more people would read it and ask Washington for the truth. I told all my friends to read it and think about what's going on out there. Great book I couldn't put it down.RG
Rating: 
Summary: Spycraft
Review: 'See No Evil'
Robert Baer The book illustrates that ' in your face and on the ground, dirty and on-site human intelligence' cannot be replaced by relying solely upon technology and the products of analysts who are far removed from the gathering of real time information through the work of personal spycraft. In Baer's world, too many folks at the CIA cared more about not clashing with their immediate supervisors or the White House or NSC as contrasted to determining what was going on in various places around the globe. There is a time and place for the management of operations and much to be said for taking a step back from those in the field in order to better chart a more objective course. In this instance, Baer suggests that the ship was sinking because the culture of the organization prevents it from gathering and using intelligence which might come from human sources on the ground. The author came out of the operations side of the CIA and some have called him a 'cowboy'...an easy way to stigmatize and dismiss his book if one does not want to deal with the substance of what he contends. In point of fact, the CIA needs to have more folks who can think on their feet and do whatever it takes to cultivate and recruit agents and sources from within cultures and regions in places where it is dirty, dangerous and a long way from a three star restaurant. 'See no Evil' is a tale which captures the soft underbelly of the bureaucracy of the CIA in the decades after it had its wings and tail clipped in the seventies. A basic lack of ability to see future danger through an analysis of culture is a mainstay of his critique. People in charge of areas within the CIA who don't know the reality of the moment or who the players are or will be...and who lack the guts to find out. He contends that the failure of the intelligence community to stop 9-11 was directly related to the culture of the CIA and political interference from within and outside the CIA. The CIA should have placed a greater emphasis upon a variety of basic activities,e.g., language and cultural training for all who work in-country or are supposed to be experts regarding a foreign cultural setting. What makes the book remarkable, is that it was vetted by a committee at the CIA and that only a small amount of censorship is present. This might be interpreted as a signal that some segments within the CIA agree with many of Baer's points and that this book allows others outside the community to acquaint themselves with the issues. Who in their right mind would look negatively at an agent who engaged in a parachute jump with Russian Special Forces and drove a Russian tank when he needed to establish his credibility with Russian military officers to obtain information...these officers were in a position to share key pieces of intelligence with him. Baer was sanctioned for doing these things and told not to do them again. Amazing! He also learned Arabic and used his eyes and ears and ended up having access to information that was not available to others through normal channels. One of the ironies is that he was accused of arranging for the killing of a foreign national and had be fluttered (polygraphed) in order to be cleared. After attempting to feed him to the wolves... the CIA decorated him. Any one who reads See No Evil will decry the CIA's apparent reluctance and inability to recruit and to then use human resources in many regions of the world. He suggests that we still have a shortage of linguistically and culturally skilled agents. Baer points out that an agent observing body language, local expressions and dialect and feeling the entire context is frequently superior to an image from space. He is not suggesting that operations is the only game in town, merely that some credence should be given to restoring it to a more important place within the CIA. One could almost come away with the impression that the CIA wanted this message to be heard, that we found ourselves in a Pearl Harbor setting because of the cutbacks and the unrealistic constraints which were placed upon the agency in the seventies. There has been recent talk and some action regarding these issues within the CIA. The author has stuck his neck out on the line with his allegations. He has not made a lot of friends within the CIA in that the messenger is usually singled out for something other than praise. In one way, Baer is somewhat akin to Mike Levine whose own epic struggle for reform in the DEA is legend...both risked their lives outside the country using deep cover and both were highly decorated and both wrote books about the failure of culture within their respective organizations. Ironically, few listened to Levine when he noted that the Drug Cartels in the Americas had arisen...while Baer noted who some of the key players were in regards to extremism in Islam long before 9-11.
Rating:
Summary: Not always objective, but very informative and entertaining
Review: Overall, this is a very educational and entertaining book. It gives the reader the real story when it comes to the life of a CIA operative, and also explains how the U.S. presence in the Middle East has evolved. It made me thankful that people like Robert Bauer are willing to perform the service they do, largely without notice or recognition. I realized as I was reading, however, that Bauer's is not an objective point of view. Rather, he has some significant bones to pick with the CIA and with certain individuals, and he seems to use this work as a means of getting back at them. In some cases this detracts from the quality of the book. On the other hand, part of what makes this book good is that Bauer "tells it like it is", or at least the way he sees it. I'd think that some of those he implicates could tell their story in an equally convincing manner. In any event, if you're interested in current events, the Middle East, or "spy stories", this book is an excellent read.
Rating:
Summary: they declared war; we ignored them
Review: This is the personal story of a man who joined the CIA to "get a slice of the truth not available to everyone" and who travels to many hearts of darkness in search of that truth. This tells us of the friends and foes he makes in his quest; of the Kurds he befriends in Iraq-the ones who nearly overthrew Saddam but stopped their operation because the White House could not "remember to care" whether Saddam was in power or not-and the enemies he makes. Perhaps most notable of the last is Sheila Heslin, a prominent DC lawyer who represented Caspian oil in the Clinton Administration. It is also the story of a quest that almost became an obsession: Robert Baer's determination to find out who was behind the bombing of the US embassy in Beirut in 1983. He discovered his answer 15 years later: Yassir Arafat's Fatah bombed the US embassy on Iran's orders. At the same time Robert Baer discovered that Usama bin Laden had made an alliance with Iran and with Egyptian fundamentalists-the latter most likely with ties to Arafat. And last of all it is the story of an organization. An organization that goes from being a serious spy agency to one that is so politically correct and so politicized at every level that when Robert Baer suggested sending someone to interview fleeing Afghanis, the central CIA office recommended giving them sexual harassment training instead. For the "mantra at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue seemed to be: Get through the term. Keep the bad news from the newspapers. Dump the naysayers. Gather money for the next election-globs and globs of it-and let some other administration down the line deal with it. Worst of all, the CIA had decided to go along for the ride." And as a result, when the terrorists in Iran, PLO, and Saudi Arabia declared war on the US and the West, we decided to ignore them. With what results, we all know.
Rating:
Summary: VERY INFORMATIVE
Review: I think the import of this book, in light of the continuing U.S. presence in Iraq, is the extensively documented history of the intent of middle East terrorists to wage war against the U.S.. One comes away with the the profound understanding that we are truly at war with terrorists. Mr. Baer is no apologist for conservatives or liberals. He simply points out the issues, difficulties, and "bureaucracy-think" during his twenty-plus years of service to our country that seriously weakened our ability to develop intelligence sources, find and prosecute those who waged murderous acts against our people, and undermined the CIA's mission. It is an outstanding yet disturbing read. While some reviewers have criticized his writing style, there is no serious or legitimate challenge to his observations and conclusions.
Rating:
Summary: Move Over Stephen King!
Review: If you want a truly horrifying story read this book. The author describes an intelligence service concerned more with politics and careers than...well, intelligence. This book is not a condemnation about the average hard working foot soldier, rather, it is a condemnation of managers. After reading Baer's book I am thankful that we have enough nuclear weapons to destroy mankind.
Rating:
Summary: WALKS US THROUGH THE MINEFIELD OF THE MIDDLE-EAST!
Review: A very believable primer of intelligence-gathering... Baer is trained more to listen than to talk. This Gub-ment edited book follows one CIA field officer's career from recruitment to retirement; with lots of detailed clandestine Middle Eastern operations. Baer reveals Clintonian non-policy, where everything seems to be for sale ( or worse ), and the great-parcers can justify anything. This litany of betrayal is revealed, and exposed as the root cause of our present dilemna. As a perfect humorous flip-side,I recommend Keshner's "COCKPIT CONFESSIONS OF AN AIRLINE PILOT." Don't be turned off by the title, it should go by "A Jewish Mossad Agent Flys Muslims to Mecca/Medina." Keshner lived in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Indonesia, and he exposes the core-rotteness of liberal (non)values, and shows us what the Muslim world is really all about ( my islam is holier than your islam ). What a funny book. The hot-fudge here is the Indonesian and middle-east flying, the whipped cream is the sex.... the great pokes to the Saudis is our cherry on top... my kinda Sundae. Read Keshner's "COCKPIT CONFESSIONS OF AN AIRLINE PILOT."
Rating:
Summary: GREAT BOOK. IT WOULD MAKE A GREAT SCREENPLAY
Review: I WOULD LOVE TO GO DRINKING WITH BAER TO HEAR ALL HIS GREAT STORIES. THE U.S. NEEDS ABOUT 1,000 BOB BAERS.
Rating:
Summary: Realistic and Depressing
Review: Robert Baer's novel of his experiences in the CIA is fascinating. He provides a gripping account describing the various assignments of his career which ultimately leads to Iraq. The book seems to accurately describe life as a CIA Officer. It describes the many ways the US government and the CIA, in particular, bungles delicate missions. The short-sightedness of the US government, as portrayed, is convincing enough to leave one with a sense of wonder at how we've managed any successes to date. One can only hope the CIA and our government has changed it's ways since the 90's but it's doubtful. Definitely a good read.
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