

Highly recommended for those seeking a better understanding of American foreign policy in action' Jacob Sherman, Library Journal 'A behind-the-scenes look at the most shadowy corners of the American intelligence community.Well-sourced and well-paced, this book is full of surprises' Kirkus 'Annie Jacobsen takes us inside the darkest and most morally ambiguous corner of our government, where politicians ask brave men and women to kill-up close and personal-on America's behalf' Garrett M. THE USA TODAY BESTSELLER 'As fast paced as a thriller' Fred Burton, Stratfor Talks' Pen and Sword Podcast 'Jacobsen here presents a tour de force exploring the CIA's paramilitary activities.this excellent work feels like uncovering the tip of the iceberg. And when she’s not pretending to be a biographer, Jacobsen writes TV scripts for shows like Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan - which explains a lot about this unfortunate book.Paperback.


Men like Waugh are not listeners, they’re just boys with dangerous toys. The Israelis do it so well, so why can’t we follow in the celebrated footsteps of the Mossad?. To this end, she uses Waugh’s career to lionize paramilitary operations and targeted killings. My real problem with this work is the author’s underlying themes. You may ask if Surprise, Kill, Vanish is really that bad. And I hate the fact that the author, and evidently her publisher, thinks all this is okay because, well, it is an exciting story about a real-life Rambo character.

I’m annoyed by the sloppy research and the breathless quality of her writing. Nor do I like the author’s pretense that she has written a biography when the hero of her narrative makes only fleeting appearances. I am uncomfortable with her casual approval of all things macho in the world of paramilitary warfare. I have many problems with this book, beginning with its lurid title.Neither do I like the author’s sycophantic take on the CIA, nor her cavalier accounts of CIA targeted killings.
