Body of Secrets: Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret National Security Agency | 
 enlarge | Author: James Bamford
Publisher: Anchor
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  143 reviews
Sales Rank: 17430
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 784
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.2 x 1.4
ISBN: 0385499086
Dewey Decimal Number: 327.1273
EAN: 9780385499088
ASIN: 0385499086
Publication Date: April 30, 2002
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Amazon.com
Everybody knows about the CIA--the cloak-and-dagger branch of the U.S. government. Many fewer are familiar with the National Security Agency, even though it has been more important to American espionage in recent years than its better-known counterpart. The NSA is responsible for much of the intelligence gathering done via technology such as satellites and the Internet. Its home office in Maryland "contains what is probably the largest body of secrets ever created." Little was known about the agency's confidential culture until veteran journalist James Bamford blew the lid off in 1982 with his bestseller The Puzzle Palace. Still, much remained in the shadows. In Body of Secrets, Bamford throws much more light on his subject--and he reveals loads of shocking information. The story of the U-2 crisis in 1960 is well known, including President Eisenhower's decision to tell a fib to the public in order to protect a national-security secret. Bamford takes the story a disturbing step forward, showing how Eisenhower "went so far as to order his Cabinet officers to hide his involvement in the scandal even while under oath. At least one Cabinet member directly lied to the committee, a fact known to Eisenhower." Even more worrisome is another revelation, from the Kennedy years: "The Joint Chiefs of Staff drew up and approved plans for what may be the most corrupt plan ever created by the U.S. government. In the name of anticommunism, they proposed launching a secret and bloody war of terrorism against their own country in order to trick the American public into supporting an ill-conceived war they intended to launch against Cuba." Body of Secrets is an incredible piece of journalism, and it paints a deeply troubling portrait of an agency about which the public knows next to nothing. Fans of The Sword and the Shield will want to read it, as will anybody who is intrigued by conspiracies and real-life spy stories. --John J. Miller
Product Description
The National Security Agency is the world’s most powerful, most far-reaching espionage. Now with a new afterword describing the security lapses that preceded the attacks of September 11, 2001, Body of Secrets takes us to the inner sanctum of America’s spy world. In the follow-up to his bestselling Puzzle Palace, James Banford reveals the NSA’s hidden role in the most volatile world events of the past, and its desperate scramble to meet the frightening challenges of today and tomorrow.
Here is a scrupulously documented account–much of which is based on unprecedented access to previously undisclosed documents–of the agency’s tireless hunt for intelligence on enemies and allies alike. Body of secrets is a riveting analysis of this most clandestine of agencies, a major work of history and investigative journalism.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 138 more reviews...
Pretty Good... July 11, 2008
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.
A ringing indictment v. the Establishment War Machine! June 19, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
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!
 Follow-on to The Puzzle Palace. Both are required reading if you are interested in the NSA or Intelligence. June 13, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
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.
Body of Secrets December 26, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
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.
Body of Secrets Review July 26, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Tremendous read for anyone interested in espionage, cryptology, significant historic world events, etc.
Simply stated, for history buffs, this type of knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes is truly fascinating. From the events surrounding the Cuban missle crisis, the reckless mass flyover of Russian airspace by spy planes, oceanic and other listening posts, and the sinking of the Liberty, this book is a veritable library documenting the history and development of the NSA.
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