The CIA and the Culture of Failure: U.S. Intelligence from the End of the Cold War to the Invasion of Iraq

by John Diamond

The 9/11 attacks and the war in Iraq sprang in no small part from massive intelligence failures, that much is well understood. How the CIA got to a point where it could fail so catastrophically is not. According to John Diamond, this slippage results from the tendency to overlook the links between seemingly unrelated intelligence failures and to underestimate the impact of political pressure on the factors we need to examine to understand both the origin and magnitude of the 9/11 and Iraq intelligence failures. To bring these links to light, Diamond analyzes the CIAs role in key events from the end of the Cold War (when the Soviet Union―and thus the CIAs main mission―came to an end) to the war in Iraq. His account explores both CIA successes and failures in the Soviet break-up, the Gulf War, the Ames spy case, the response to al-Qaedas initial attacks, and the US/UN effort to contain and disarm Iraq. By putting into historical perspective the intelligence failures--both real and perceived―surrounding these events, Diamond illuminates the links between lower-profile intelligence controversies in the early post-Cold War period and the high-profile failures that continue to define the War on Terrorism.

Genres: History, Politics

552 pages, Hardcover

First published August 8, 2008

About the author

Defense analyst and former reporter for USA Today.

Reviews

[Neh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Remarkably well researched, but the title is slightly misleading, and the content should have been condensed. Both the positives and negatives must be because the author is a journalist. Some chapters were quite illuminating, but it was such a waste of paper, ink, and my time. Just cut down 40% of the damn material.. I feel like swearing but I resist. This is why I am not going to pick up another book by a journalist dealing with a very specialized field of knowledge.

[Spencer Willardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. It ties the failures of the CIA to predict the fall of the USSR with its fumbling of Al Qaeda and 9/11 and the Iraq War intelligence disconnect between the President and the CIA. It is well-written and has enough detail for nerds without being overpowering.

Overall I'd recommend it to anyone who is interested in intelligence.

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars!

[Robert Sparrenberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid retelling and analysis of the CIA and the intelligence community for the last 25 years. Mr Diamond starts with the fall of the Soviet Union and proceeds moves through events of the 1990s and early 2000s. I think my favorite part was the discussion the Aldrich Ames. How they never caught this guy for so many years is fascinating.

A final comment would be that gathering intelligence on the "bad guys" is not easy. They are trying to keep this information secret for a reason. Mr Diamond I think forgets this point at times and assumes that the US intelligence apparatus if focused on what it needs to do can achieve this goal. I don't know if that is true. Guessing and speculation based on what you have is probably done more than we are willing to admit. People do it in their everyday lives and it happens at the highest levels of security too.

The CIA will never get credit for it's successes and will always be punished for it's mistakes. They don't want their name out on the Washington Post in either situation. They work best in the shadows. Throw in politicians and their own angles and you have a big mess.

Solid book. Enjoyed the retelling of the intelligence world for the past 20 years.

[Zack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very analysis heavy, which may turn some off. However, I prefer well-researched and thoroughly cited books when reading such things.

The general themes of the book are the negatives of politicizing intelligence, that the business of intel-gathering is inherently difficult and prone to error, that overreactions to previous failures can cause new failures, and that even good intel is worthless if not properly disseminated.

Not the best read there is on the CIA or the topic, but not too shabby.

[Jeremiah Genest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Diamond analyzes the CIAs role in key events from the end of the Cold War to the war in Iraq. His account explores both CIA successes and failures in the Soviet break-up, the Gulf War, the Ames spy case, the response to al-Qaedas initial attacks, and the US/UN effort to contain and disarm Iraq.

This book is rigorously researched but, in its zeal to exhume every detail of the agency's recent past, wobbles under the weight of the accumulated minutiae.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with the staatement that this book

wobbles under the weight of the accumulated minutiae

well researched and detailed, but I can't and won't read every word.