The Main Enemy: The Inside Story of the CIA's Final Showdown with the KGB by Milton Bearden, James Risen Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Main Enemy: The Inside Story of the CIA's Final Showdown with the KGB
Book Review: Fascinating on Afghanistan
Summary: 5 Stars
It is good to see a book written about the late stages and aftermath of the Cold War by someone who was actually involved in it and committed to the American side at the time. The straight CIA-KGB stuff at the beginning can be a tad frustrating as it is more anecdotal than analytic, more spy story than retrospective scrutiny. And when the spy narratives resurface at the end amid the USSR's dissolution they go little beyond what was known at the time from the headlines. But the Afghanistan stuff is truly fascinating. Bearden reveals how flawed, indeed sometimes ludicrous, the Soviet rationale both for invading Afghanistan and staying there after 1985 truly was. The Stinger missile technology was only used in Afghanistan after the US became convinced that the Soviets already knew of it so using it in a place where the USSR was bound to capture some evidence of it did not jeopardize the integrity of the technology. This is illustrative of an epistemological paradox--tools which can be effectively deployed are tools whose secret is already known and thus cannot be given away; transparency was, in this case, more efficacious against the enemy than mystery. By being known, the Stingers escaped the net of deterrence that held everything in seeming deadlock, and this was certainly a turning point in the Afghanistan war and perhaps the Cold War as well. Another memorable episode occurs when the Mujahedin use a Stinger to shoot down a Soviet MI-24D attack helicopter and Bearden, monitoring events in Islamabad, sees a video of a dead Soviet soldier of about twenty; realizing it looks too much like a 'typical' American soldier for comfort, he does not transmit it back to Washington along with the rest of the information about the effectiveness of the Stingers. This is not only a moving revelation of humanity and compassion on the part of a hardened operative in the midst of the global chess game but an anecdote rife with implications both for the nature of the Cold War as well, of course, for events in Afghanistan today. Bearden explicitly compares Operating Enduring Freedom to the Soviet Afghan experience. In fact sometimes the similarities he observes are misleading if taken literally because, though the terrain and even some of the personalities have remained the same, the global framework is so different. Bearden is a straight shooter but he has also thought about the events in which he was involved. He and his collaborator James Risen have made this a rich and rewarding book, written with narrative flair, that is a quick and riveting reading experience. Though an ardent Cold Warrior, and justifiably so, he is an independent thinker and does not necessarily ratify consensus. The photographs included also tell many stories in themselves.Book Review: Fast Read in Spy Novel Style
Summary: 4 Stars
This book is indeed a quick and delightful read that shows an insider's view of the CIA during the late 80s and early 90s. It is also a condensed 'point of view' based on the author's interpretation of events and his level of access to information of those events. As the book went through CIA review prior to publishing, it no doubt has been sanitized to some extent, but should prove worthy in the end of those who desire that some light be shed on the demise of the Soviet Union. While it reads like a good spy novel, it does reveal some insight into the waning years and months of the Soviet Union and should be logged into the annals of historical documentation from an individual on the inside of an extremely strong governmental force that worked toward the end of the Soviet Union. Read it with an open mind, and enjoy the style and pace with which it is written. It is not boring and it does provide a window into our country's 'dirty work'.Book Review: a great read
Summary: 5 Stars
This has to be the best book on spies that I have ever read. I am a junkie for spy books, and this one reads like a novel.Book Review: Oleg Knows Better
Summary: 1 Stars
This is a strange book consisting on 50% of a repetition of well known cases and personalities, 30% of a description of the author's heroic deeds in Afganistan secretly fighting against the Soviets, and the rest 20% of an attempt to show how good the team of Gerber, Reynolds and Bearden was in the time span of ten years between 1985 and 1995, when the Agency lost ALL ITS AGENTS in the USSR due to the treason of Howard, Ames, Hanssen (FBI), Nicolson and others under Mr Bearden & Co. As a result, the author strangely claims that the West has won the Cold War. I cannot guess what makes him think so. In almost ten years of Mr Bearden's involvement with the SE Division, his best achievement was probably the so called Gavrilov channel - a secret channel of cooperation/communication proposed by the KGB, which was established in Vienna before the end of the Cold War. It culminated in the author's proud publication of a photo where he was shown embracing KGB Gen. Rem Krasilnikov - practically a sole executioner of the American agents and officers in Moscow, when Bearden was in charge. Congratulations!
Among the best reviews of "The Main Enemy" (the title is evidently ill selected and generally erroneous: should be 'Main Adversary') the most professional is certainly Oleg Gordievsky's article in the London Literary Review. Oleg knows much better than Milt.
Book Review: Learn about how the world really works...a page turning book
Summary: 5 Stars
Superbly written, page burning, riveting book. All of the excitement and word craft of a Tom Clancy novel but real history from a man who lived it. This book is a great read and about a subject that anyone interested in history, politics, or current events should absolutely read. The Main Enemy chronicles the secret war of spying from 1985 until the end of the cold war. What makes this book so interesting, and different, is that one of the authors lived the story. In addition this book shows how men make history while not even knowing the ultimate consequences of their actions. Milt Bearden puts the stories and the lessons learned in a global context. Instead of being simply a collection of anecdotes or a another narcissistic (and self-serving) biography, this book opens up a very poorly understood period of history and of a profession.
The Main Enemy also clearly shows us the debt we owe countless men and woman who protect and serve this country whose actions and sacrifices will never be known. The authors show how the information acquired by these brave people contribute to saving lives on the battlefield, contribute to better US-World negotiations, and impact every American's life, without our even knowing it.
Not only have Mr. Bearden and Mr. Risen written a great book, but they have served this country by better educating us on how the world really works and what is needed in the future. I believe that this book should be required reading by every student and politician. It could save grave errors and costly mistakes in the future.