A memoir by the highest-ranking covert warrior to lift the veil of secrecy and offer a glimpse into the shadow wars that America has fought since the Vietnam Era.
Over the course of his twenty-four year career in the Central Intelligence Agency, RIC PRADO received the CIA's Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal (highest award given upon retirement) and the George Bush Award for Excellence in Counterterrorism, among others.
"Ric Prado is an American original, a shadow warrior whose combat
and street skills actually live up to Hollywood's spy movie
fantasies. Any story of his life and his C.I.A. career will stand
out in the genre of such memoirs and biographies, not only because
of Ric's outsized experiences, but because his adventurous work
included some of the most important covert actions in recent Agency
history." --Steve Coll, New York Times bestselling author of GHOST
WARS and DIRECTORATE S and winner of the Pulitzer Prize
"Ric Prado is a rare breed of CIA officer--a man as comfortable
operating behind enemy lines in disguise as he is strolling the
halls of power in a suit. Having interviewed numerous of Prado's
Agency colleagues, I understand him to be a badass paramilitary
operations officer and a sharp-thinking member of the Agency's
Senior Intelligence Service elite. Further adding to Ric Prado's
unique and complex character is his ability to discuss his flaws,
weaknesses, and struggles, as well as his myriad of strengths. He
reminds me of an ancient warrior-poet, the kind who reads haiku
before going into battle with a very sharp sword." --Annie
Jacobsen, New York Times bestselling author of AREA 51 and
SURPRISE, KILL, VANISH
"Ric Prado is a legendary CIA Operations Officer who gave almost
three decades of exceptional service to his country in the most
challenging foreign assignments, including the potential risk of
immediate physical danger. He has lived his personal and
professional life exhibiting the highest standards of character,
ethics, principle, courage, and heroism. Ric and I served together
in CTC, where he was my Chief of Operations and Chief of Station.
He achieved the CIA rank equivalent of military general. No
stay-at-home bureaucrat, Ric served in harm's way with exceptional
dedication and courage." --Cofer Black, former Director, CIA
Counterterrorist Center
"Enrique 'Ric' Prado is an American hero, having served his country
loyally for decades in tough places, spying and fighting against
tough enemies, from North Korean subversives to al Qaeda
terrorists. He entered the CIA's Clandestine Service as an
operations officer in the early 1980s-and immediately joined the
front lines in the hot battles of the Cold War. Working his way
through the ranks, he recruited and ran spies throughout the globe.
He designed and led some of the Agency's most creative and
successful operations against the hardest targets. When I departed
the CIA's Counterterrorist Center, responsible for all worldwide
operations, I sought out Ric as the one and only candidate to
replace me. The CIA's leadership enthusiastically endorsed my
recommendation. Ric did not disappoint, rallying and directing the
Center's resources after the 9/11 attacks and soon thereafter
embracing some of the most risky leadership challenges, both
operationally and politically, in recent history. He stands alone
in many respects, for his daring and his dedication to the mission.
His story is an operational adventure, but more, an example of a
young immigrant who embraces America and devotes his life to making
his new country even better. A man of towering integrity and
determination, he bears honest witness to his trials, successes,
failures, and his great, enduring love for America." --Ambassador
Henry A. Crumpton, former Director of Operations, CIA
Counterterrorist Center, author of THE ART OF INTELLIGENCE
"In addition to being a loyal, trusted and highly esteemed
colleague and friend, Ric is one of the best intelligence officers
that I worked with in my thirty-year career at CIA. Whether in the
jungles of South and Central America or the dangerous and
challenging operational environments of North Africa or in the
modern capital cities in Asia or Europe, Ric excelled in his chosen
craft. His operational exploits are legendary, especially in
targeting insurgents and terrorists around the globe. His
background in paramilitary operations combined with his expertise
in classic espionage made him uniquely qualified to tackle some of
the most challenging operational requirements in the modern era.
Ric is one of the best operations officers of his generation. His
exploits helped protect the Homeland and saved American lives in
the post 9/11 era. He is the real deal." --Jose Rodriguez, former
Director, National Clandestine Service, author of HARD MEASURES
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
