I was born and raised in Iowa. I studied mathematics and economics at the University of Iowa. I then took a commission in the U.S. Navy, serving aboard guided missiles destroyers and frigates. After that, I returned to Iowa to study law at the University of Iowa. I had every intention of practicing law in a small county seat town in Iowa when the CIA approached me and invited me to apply for a position in the clandestine service.
"A thoughtful, provocative analysis of practically every possible
moral dilemma that is ever likely to prick the conscience of an
assiduous case officer. The scenarios presented by James Olson,
himself a veteran insider, have the authentic whiff of cordite that
suggest little has been drawn from his imagination, but much has
been looted from the operational files."—Nigel West, author of The
Third Secret: The CIA, Solidarity and the KGB's Plot to Kill the
Pope
"James Olson is a legend in the clandestine service, having served
in some of the most difficult, dangerous, and complicated
assignments at the height of the Cold War. As director of central
intelligence, I trusted him without reservation when he was chief
of counterintelligence not only because he was enormously capable
but also because I knew he thought deeply about the ethical and
moral dimensions of what we did every day. Amid the countless books
and memoirs of retired spies, especially at this time, this one is
essential reading."—Robert M. Gates, Director of Central
Intelligence, 1991-1993
"Under veteran intelligence officer James Olson’s sure direction,
the reader enters a world few Americans ever see or even know
exists. From his insightful summary of intelligence history through
each of his fifty reality-based scenarios, he confronts the
difficult ethical issues head-on. An unprecedented examination of
the challenging moral dilemmas of human intelligence operations,
Olson’s work will soon be the standard reference."—Peter Earnest,
executive director, International Spy Museum, and former CIA
officer
"James Olson has deftly plumbed the depths of the spy’s dilemma:
How can one spend a lifetime practicing deception and still retain
a strong moral compass? Fair Play is the primer on how to balance a
little bit of evil so it will yield the maximum benefit to the
common good. A must read."—Antonio J. Mendez, former CIA officer
and author of The Master of Disguise: My Secret Life in the CIA
"Do the ends ever justify the means? CIA veteran James Olson
explores the complex choices, limitations, and moral dilemmas
facing U.S. intelligence officers who attempt to operate within an
ill-defined standard of ‘acceptable moral behavior.’ Fascinating
and thought provoking, Fair Play will become a must-read for
officers on the frontlines of the global war on terror. There isn’t
anything else like it!"—H. Keith Melton, intelligence historian and
author of Ultimate Spy
"A unique, compelling read."—Midwest Book Review
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
