Spymaster's Prism: The Fight against Russian Aggression

by Jack Devine

Overview

Spymaster’s Prism is a prescient study of our unending struggle with Russia and its intelligence agencies’ relentless effort to undermine our national security. Replete with the most salient spy stories, covert actions, and counterintelligence investigations from the beginning of the Cold War up until the eve of Putin’s misguided march on Kiev, legendary spymaster Jack Devine builds a vivid and complex mosaic that illustrates how Russia has employed intelligence activities to undermine our democracy throughout modern history and lay the groundwork for this invasion.

Devine tells this story through the gimlet-eyed perspective of a seasoned CIA professional who served his country for more than three decades, some at the highest levels of the agency, offering objective and candid analysis that will bring new insight into Russia’s invasion. Devine offers key lessons from our intelligence successes and failures over the past seventy-five years that illuminate how best to address our current strategic shortfalls, emerge ahead in the war, and be prepared for what’s to come from any adversary. This cogent study illuminates why intelligence has been such a key driver in the war and how it will be a critical lever in order to prevail.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781640126015
Publisher:	Potomac Books
Publication date:	11/01/2023
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	846,281
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Jack Devine is the president of the Arkin Group, an international risk consulting and intelligence firm. He formerly served as acting director and associate director of operation at the CIA and was in charge of the CIA’s largest and most successful covert action operation which drove the Russians out of Afghanistan. He is the author of Good Hunting: An American Spymaster’s Story.
 

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations    
Acknowledgments    
Preamble    
Introduction    
List of Abbreviations    
1. Our Strategic Intelligence Shortfall—Then and Now    
2. Shaping and Reshaping the CIA    
3. A Study in Russian Spycraft    
4. A Spymaster President    
5. Spies among Us    
6. A Spymaster’s Rules in Counterintelligence    
7. Limits of Counterintelligence    
8. Agents-in-Place    
9. Policy Spies        
10. An American Covert Action Playbook    
11. Best Practice    
12. A Cautionary Tale    
13. Onward        
Appendix: Russia’s Known Elicitation Attempts in Trump’s Inner Circle    
Notes    
Bibliography    
Index    

Editorial Reviews

Devine applies the lessons of the Cold War to today’s great power struggles as only an insider, spymaster, practitioner could do. Policymakers should act on Devine’s message: The threat is clear, the challenge unrelenting, and the resolve to counter it is paramount.”—Jami Miscik, vice chairman of Kissinger Associates


“Just in time, a splendid intelligence perspective on thug Putin’s determination to get even with us for the Russian loss of the Cold War. . . . The spy history included here is necessary to illustrate that Russian leadership still employs nasty means, from murder to manipulation, to undermine democracy. Only the naïve and inept will fail to heed this message.”—Tom Twetten, former CIA deputy director of operations and chief of the Near East division


“Spymaster’s Prism is a must-read, and the title says it all. The Cold War is not over. The actors may have changed, but the goal remains the same. Jack Devine is a real spymaster, beginning his career as a young CIA operations officer who rose to the highest ranks of the CIA. This book belongs on everyone’s shelf.”—Sandra Grimes, CIA Russian operations specialist and coauthor of Circle of Treason: CIA Traitor Aldrich Ames and the Men He Betrayed


“Jack Devine’s comprehensive history of Russian intelligence efforts against the United States and the West could not be more timely. As amply noted in the book, election meddling, disinformation, and assassination attempts are all modern descendants of a long Russian tradition of espionage and subversion that has been renewed with a vengeance today. Devine’s highly readable style and insider experience in intelligence make this must-read study a persuasive warning to implement the measures he suggests to thwart this threat to our national security.”—Michael Sulick, former director of the U.S. National Clandestine Service


“Told with the immediacy of an eyewitness, Devine is a keen observer of the events and personalities that have shaped U.S. intelligence—from the treachery of spies such as Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen to the CIA’s Cold War covert operations in Afghanistan. It is a remarkable volume, told by one of America’s great spymasters, that will appeal to both the intelligence professional and the armchair operative alike.”—Rollie Burans, president of the Foreign Policy Research Institute and former CIA senior executive official


“Devine’s extraordinary career rising to master spy gives the reader multiple glimpses across geographic boundaries into intelligence operations from the optic of a practitioner. From the armchair student of foreign policy to the professional spy wannabe, Devine’s narrative of Russia’s obsession with the West and the United States should be mandatory reading.”—David R. Shedd, thirty-three-year CIA career case officer and former acting director of the Defense Intelligence Agency

From the Publisher

Told with the immediacy of an eyewitness, Devine is a keen observer of the events and personalities that have shaped U.S. intelligence—from the treachery of spies such as Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen to the CIA’s Cold War covert operations in Afghanistan. It is a remarkable volume, told by one of America’s great spymasters, that will appeal to both the intelligence professional and the armchair operative alike.”—Rollie Burans, president of the Foreign Policy Research Institute and former CIA senior executive official

Rollie Burans

Just in time, a splendid intelligence perspective on thug Putin’s determination to get even with us for the Russian loss of the Cold War. . . . The spy history included here is necessary to illustrate that Russian leadership still employs nasty means, from murder to manipulation, to undermine democracy. Only the naïve and inept will fail to heed this message.”—Tom Twetten, former CIA deputy director of operations and chief of the Near East division

Tom Twetten

Devine applies the lessons of the Cold War to today’s great power struggles as only an insider, spymaster, practitioner could do. Policymakers should act on Devine’s message: The threat is clear, the challenge unrelenting, and the resolve to counter it is paramount.”—Jami Miscik, vice chairman of Kissinger Associates

Jami Miscik

Spymaster’s Prism is a must-read, and the title says it all. The Cold War is not over. The actors may have changed, but the goal remains the same. Jack Devine is a real spymaster, beginning his career as a young CIA operations officer who rose to the highest ranks of the CIA. This book belongs on everyone’s shelf.”—Sandra Grimes, CIA Russian operations specialist and coauthor of Circle of Treason: CIA Traitor Aldrich Ames and the Men He Betrayed

Sandra Grimes

Jack Devine’s comprehensive history of Russian intelligence efforts against the United States and the West could not be more timely. As amply noted in the book, election meddling, disinformation, and assassination attempts are all modern descendants of a long Russian tradition of espionage and subversion that has been renewed with a vengeance today. Devine’s highly readable style and insider experience in intelligence make this must-read study a persuasive warning to implement the measures he suggests to thwart this threat to our national security.”—Michael Sulick, former director of the U.S. National Clandestine Service

Michael Sulick

Devine’s extraordinary career rising to master spy gives the reader multiple glimpses across geographic boundaries into intelligence operations from the optic of a practitioner. From the armchair student of foreign policy to the professional spy wannabe, Devine’s narrative of Russia’s obsession with the West and the United States should be mandatory reading.”—David R. Shedd, thirty-three-year CIA career case officer and former acting director of the Defense Intelligence Agency

David R. Shedd