Body of Secrets: Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret National Security Agency by James Bamford
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Book Reviews of Body of Secrets: Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret National Security Agency
Book Review: Good Book, Not Just SIGINT Though
Summary: 5 Stars
This was a worthwhile read. It covers several of the key intelligence operations that were spearheaded by the NSA during the close of the cold war and during the beginning of the middle-eastern anti-terrorism campaign. While this book is informative and entertaining, it is not about just the NSA. Many of the intelligence missions detailed in this work can be accredited to other agencies. But that isn't a major issue. Overall it is a very interesting read that should be required for anyone interested in the basic foundations of the field of modern SIGINT or the broad impacts of signals intelligence analysis.Book Review: Pretty Good...
Summary: 4 Stars
I would hardly call it an anatomy but nevertheless it provided great insight for those without a clue on what the NSA does. The book focused primarily on the years between 1960-1975 on gathering of intelligence aboard on foreign nations particularly Russia and Vietnam. Bamford is sometimes controversial and comes to conclusions that to me warranted a much more careful examination; for instance, the claim the USS Liberty was purposely ambushed by Israel (rather than a mistake) and U.S. administration knew but in short let it slide. Other times the author examines how officials in U.S. administration(s) would be willing to clandestinely kill its own in plots that would rally the people and justify war.
Only in the last couple chapters does the reader get a glimpse of the inside of the NSA. And it is merely a glimpse. This book is much more focused on history and operations of gathering intelligence without getting technical. Certainly worthwhile for those never privy to the NSA.
Book Review: A ringing indictment v. the Establishment War Machine!
Summary: 4 Stars
The author, an intelligence expert, has
written this book on the National Secur-
ity Agency that contains a lengthy and
very detailed section on the Israeli at-
tack on the USS Liberty, the 41st anniv-
ersary of which has just past. It shows
that Israel clearly, deliberately inflic-
ted the brutal assault on the 172 man
crew that killed 34 of the US sailors, 5
of which were jewish Amer-I-cans! Israel,
the UN'S 'lil pet country, has a terrible
human rights record since 1948. It is usually
not easy to find such frank discussion by an
established figure on these matters, but aut-
hor Bamford lets it all hang our for the pub-
lic to see. Pick up on this winner!
Book Review: Follow-on to The Puzzle Palace. Both are required reading if you are interested in the NSA or Intelligence.
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is, like the author's previous book about signals intelligence and the National Security Agency (NSA), simply excellent, well researched, and very interesting.
It explores the U.S. government's intelligence activities as it relates to the acquisition of foreign government and foreign military communications and signals. It discusses Echelon, and the USA, UK, and New Zealand partnership to collectively acquire/intercept, collect, decode/decypher, and interpret communications and signals.
It is the definitive open-source study on signals intelligence and the NSA. It is by the foremost public expert on the NSA and signals intelligence (SIGINT).
If you are interested in learning about the NSA, cryptology, cryptanalysis, codebreaking, the U.S. governments interception of signals, and fascinating tour-de-force of world-wide signals interception, then this book (as well as the author's previous book The Puzzle Palace) are required reading.
Book Review: Body of Secrets
Summary: 4 Stars
Having been attached to the National Security Agency I appreciate how difficult it must have been for the author to obtain permission to present previously classified top secret code word material about such sensitive issues as Vietnam, the capture of the USS Pueblo, and the Isreali attack on the USS Liberty.
Although he is still constrained and unable to reveal all that went on I appreciate his courage in taking on the task of educating the general public as to the far reaching capabilities of NSA and it's three letter friends in the intelligence communities.
Having served in Asia I can say with surity that he is dead-on in his discriptions of what transpiried and edges the public far closer to the truth then they have ever been.
Enough said. Very good read for all those willing to accept the ruth.