Interesting Biography and plea for the defense of Western values

This book is an interesting biography of a more than 30 year career in US intelligence. At the very beginning, the author describes the foundation and fundamentals of publication: This has arisen with authorization of the employer, so as not to jeopardize by mention of real names or exact addresses his former colleagues.

The author first describes his youth in South American countries, before taking up at various locations as Puerto Rican immigrants for the CIA to fight against drug trafficking and money laundering. Contrary to the reports of an illegal American system administrator who has found in Russia shelter, he describes the meaning behind the actions and the existing threat to society. Where I was from a German perspective, unaware of how great the threat of drugs decades ago.

He describes some of his long-standing inserts in South American countries and also the personal sacrifices needed to bring the family and its members. The focus of the book is then in the period from 2001. It describes the search for the al-Qaeda terrorists with very memorable images. Unlike the former East-West confrontation you do not have to observe relatively simple armies and troop movements. Instead, he uses the word image of looking for a needle in a haystack even more dramatic: As a defense against the threat of terrorism would have 1,000 Puzzle of small tesserae are assembled. Where no one knows how the situation picture will look in the end.

The author also sheds light on some setbacks in the actions and makes the enormous effort to imagine. A leading terrorists could be arrested only because the same 40 objects have been searched. In addition, the book also speaks plain text over falsifying press reports. The escalation of the interrogation methods ("enhanced interrogation techniques") are described. His approach is very precisely and accurately, showing the excesses of so many other media, for example, as a total of 183 water drops have become 183 individual torture in the rainbow press.

In implementation of the measures after 9/11, the author is also partly thoughtful: He has lost an estimated colleagues in bomb attacks, sometimes lacked the support of the policy.

Some amazing things that struck me about this book:

1.) How many individual measures and how much effort for the defense of freedom must be taken.
2.) How clearly the author also talks about misperceptions, and concerns the question of the right way.
3.) Mr. Rodriguez writes in a part of the book about the rank, which he has achieved. Although he compares this salary grade with a rank of general in the army, he suffered some very significantly below the bureaucracy and sometimes changing requirements.
4) Also he reported that it sometimes advanced coincidences.
5.) His career is a very indirect plea for an open, Western society. He expressed repeatedly his amazement that he could hold a Puerto Rican immigrants such leadership in the fight against terrorism.

Who has good knowledge of English, which should read the book necessarily.

Those looking for a book about the younger American and international politics, which is right here. And should not fall for the distractions in the manner of Edward S. or Glenn G..

Due to a careful selection of topics, some interesting pictures and beautiful language I give the book the full 5 stars.