Facts and Fears: Hard Truths from a Life in Intelligence

James Clapper was the top intelligence advisor for seven years, but he has spent a lifetime in intelligence work. As a matter of fact, he was literally born into the business since his father also worked in intelligence. Obviously, the reader will not gain access to classified material from reading this book, but the history of intelligence work that developed during Clapper’s stellar career is interesting. It is a clandestine world, so many of Clapper’s observations are about the morality of collecting information and how it is used. He seems genuinely puzzled at the recent turn of political events and how the tragedy of Benghazi was politicized to the point of castigation, not remediation. The efforts by congressional committees were all about finger pointing, not discovering facts. So Facts and Fears is a very appropriate name for this book as Clapper ponders the bizarre world in which he finds himself. When facts are not taken as such and “truth is not truth,” as the administration spokesman says, how can any form of intelligence be put to serious good use? Readers will appreciate a glossary of abbreviations at the end of this book and a helpful index.