Playing to the edge

By Michael V. Hayden

Subjects: Intelligence service, united states, International Relations, Biography, United States. National Security Agency, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY, Intelligence officers, Biographies, Political Freedom & Security, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Political, General, New York Times bestseller, Terrorisme, HISTORY, Intelligence, Säkerhetspolitik, National security, United States. Central Intelligence Agency, Sécurité publique, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Freedom & Security / Intelligence, United states, central intelligence agency, Services secrets, United States, New York Times reviewed, POLITICAL SCIENCE, Télésurveillance, HISTORY / United States / 21st Century, United states, national security agency/central security service, Intelligence service, Government, Political, nyt:combined-print-and-e-book-nonfiction=2016-03-13, National security, united states, International, 21st Century, Espionnage

Description: "An unprecedented high-level master narrative of America's intelligence wars, from the only person ever to helm both the CIA and the NSA, at a time of heinous new threats and momentous change For General Michael Hayden, playing to the edge means playing so close to the line that you get chalk dust on your cleats. Otherwise, by playing back, you may protect yourself, but you will be less successful in protecting America. "Play to the edge" was Hayden's guiding principle when he ran the National Security Agency, and it remained so when he ran the CIA. In his view, many shortsighted and uninformed people are quick to criticize, and this book will give them much to chew on but little easy comfort. It is an unapologetic insider's look told from the perspective of the people who faced awesome responsibilities head on, in the moment. How did American intelligence respond to terrorism, a major war, and the most sweeping technological revolution in the last five hundred years? What was the NSA before 9/11 and how did it change in its aftermath? Why did the NSA begin the controversial terrorist surveillance program that included the acquisition of domestic phone records? What else was set in motion during this period that formed the backdrop for the infamous Snowden revelations in 2013? "-- Provided by publisher.