The Family Jewels: The CIA, Secrecy, and Presidential Power | Agenda Bookshop Skip to content
Black Friday Sale Now On! | Buy 3 Get 1 Free on all books | Instore & Online.
Black Friday Sale Now On! | Buy 3 Get 1 Free on all books | Instore & Online.
A01=John Prados
Age Group_Uncategorized
Age Group_Uncategorized
Author_John Prados
automatic-update
Category1=Non-Fiction
Category=JPSH
Category=JPZ
COP=United States
Delivery_Delivery within 10-20 working days
Language_English
PA=Available
Price_€20 to €50
PS=Active
softlaunch

The Family Jewels: The CIA, Secrecy, and Presidential Power

English

By (author): John Prados

In December 1974, a front-page story in the New York Times revealed the explosive details of illegal domestic spying by the Central Intelligence Agency. This included political surveillance, eavesdropping, detention, and interrogation. The revelation of illegal activities over many years shocked the American public and led to investigations of the CIA by a presidential commission and committees in both houses of Congress, which found evidence of more abuse, even CIA plans for assassinations. Investigators and the public soon discovered that the CIA abuses were described in a top-secret document agency insiders dubbed the Family Jewels. That document became ground zero for a political firestorm that lasted more than a year. The Family Jewels debacle ultimately brought about greater congressional oversight of the CIA, but excesses such as those uncovered in the 1970s continue to come to light.

The Family Jewels probes the deepest secrets of the CIA and its attempts to avoid scrutiny. John Prados recounts the secret operations that constituted Jewels and investigators pursuit of the truth, plus the strenuous effortsby the agency, the executive branch, and even presidentsto evade accountability. Prados reveals how Vice President Richard Cheney played a leading role in intelligence abuses and demonstrates that every type of Jewel has been replicated since, especially during the post-9/11 war on terror. The Family Jewels masterfully illuminates why these abuses are endemic to spying, shows that proper relationships are vital to control of intelligence, and advocates a system for handling Family Jewels crises in a democratic society.

With a new epilogue that discusses former CIA employee Edward Snowdens revelation of massive covert surveillance by the NSA, this powerful accounting of intelligence abuses committed by the CIA from the Cold War through the war on terror reveals why such abuses and attempts to conceal them are endemic to spying and proposes how a democratic nation can rein in its spymasters.

See more
Current price €20.23
Original price €21.99
Save 8%
A01=John PradosAge Group_UncategorizedAuthor_John Pradosautomatic-updateCategory1=Non-FictionCategory=JPSHCategory=JPZCOP=United StatesDelivery_Delivery within 10-20 working daysLanguage_EnglishPA=AvailablePrice_€20 to €50PS=Activesoftlaunch
Delivery/Collection within 10-20 working days
Product Details
  • Weight: 626g
  • Dimensions: 140 x 229mm
  • Publication Date: 01 Sep 2014
  • Publisher: University of Texas Press
  • Publication City/Country: United States
  • Language: English
  • ISBN13: 9780292762152

About John Prados

John Prados is a senior fellow of the National Security Archive in Washington DC where he helps bring newly declassified government records to public attention. He is the award-winning author of twenty-one books including Islands of Destiny: The Solomons Campaign and the Eclipse of the Rising Sun. He also lectures widely on security freedom of information and other issues; analyzes combat processes; serves as a historical adviser to filmmakers; and designs strategy board games including the well-known Third Reich and other award-winning titles.

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue we'll assume that you are understand this. Learn more
Accept