The Recruiter

August 15, 2021
An inside look at the CIA over the past few decades, including the agency's degradation and politicization in the age of Trump. London is a decorated 34-year veteran of the CIA and currently teaches at Georgetown University's Center for Security Studies. It's clear the author has good intentions in revealing his experiences and opinions about the history and direction of the agency, and he shares a secret or two, but as with many books about the CIA, FBI, or other government agencies, redactions scrape away some of the intrigue. In addition to his overview of his entry into the CIA and subsequent training--there's plenty about the embarrassments at jump school but little about tradecraft--London devotes most of the book to "war stories," describing his experience as a case officer in recruiting agents, foreign spies working on behalf of the U.S. but lacking any identifiable factors, from geography to the culture of local forces working in opposition to American interests. One refreshing discovery two decades after 9/11 is the importance that the agency levies on HUMINT, or human intelligence derived from agents and other actors, bad and good, that leads to actionable pursuits to move a case forward or interrupt a plot to hurt others. "Espionage is about relationships," writes London. "Agents are all human beings with hopes, dreams, fears and communities....They don't want to be treated like prostitutes, nor even employees, and they deserve respect. You dehumanize them or otherwise take them for granted at your own peril." There are a few recognizable names here, but most of the players remain silent, from a case officer who committed suicide to an aggressively alcoholic head of a remote posting to the asset who declared that he needed to kill his handler in order to be taken seriously. An inconspicuous but well-informed and readable snapshot of one of America's most secretive organizations.

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October 1, 2021

London retired from the Central Intelligence Agency in 2019, after a 34-year distinguished career, in which he served under six Republican and five Democratic presidents. Here he shares his story of what life is like for United States case officers and how they perform the art of recruiting and retaining agents. Much of the content has been redacted, but London still speaks truth to power and criticizes the CIA for becoming a cult of personality following 9/11, where loyalty is often prized more than intelligence gathering. The author calls for the revitalization of counterterrorism programs to limit the emergence of foreign terrorist cells, although he cautions about more likely domestic terrorism from lone wolves and white supremacists. The most fascinating chapters describe what life is like for CIA officials in nations that don't welcome Americans, and what special challenges London encountered when his wife and children lived with him overseas. London and his family dealt with illness and poor medical care, lack of support networks, and threats of rocket attacks, kidnappings, and car bombings. VERDICT This mostly fast-moving account is at times slowed by jargon and acronyms. It will appeal to general readers and specialists intrigued by the modern CIA.--Karl Helicher, formerly at Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA

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