In December 1974, CIA Director William Colby fired its longtime counter intelligence chief, James Angleton. For years Angleton had engaged in what Colby called a "pointless quest" to find moles within the CIA. With Angleton defenseless and discredited, Colby's view that the CIA had never been penetrated by the Soviet Union's KGB, or any other intelligence service, became "official". In "The Secret History of the CIA", celebrated investigative reporter and intelligence expert Joseph J. Trento uncovers the whole story of America's most secret organization, from its formation after World War II to steer Cold War intelligence operations, through its sordid, illegal attempts to assassinate foreign leaders, arm vicious dictators, and topple democratically elected governments, to the awful failure of 9/11. And, despite its obsession with security, it was riddled with double agents, traitors, and moles. The agency has always been staffed by hundreds of dedicated, patriotic, hardworking men and women, many of whom are true heroes. But it has also always been plagued by arrogant, misguided leaders. Constantly hiding behind the claim of "national security," they act as if they are above the law. In fact, as the book makes clear, even the commander-in-chief does not necessarily get to learn all the secrets. If presidents don't ask the right questions, they won't get the right answers. After all, presidents come and go, but the intelligence bureaucracy remains in place as the real ruling class in our political system.

ISBN: 9781567318470