Hard Measures

How Aggressive CIA Actions After 9-11 Saved American Lives

By: Jose A. Rodriguez Jr.

Narrated by: Sean Pratt

Length: 8 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

From a top-level operative in the counterterrorism unit of the CIA comes an explosive memoir about the behind-the-scenes fight against Al Qaeda after September 11.

Since the death of Osama Bin Laden, interest in counterterrorism is at an all-time high. Most people don’t know that Bin Laden’s death was the culmination of years of covert operations and tactics largely overseen by Jose Rodriguez from 2001 to late 2007 and built on by his successors.

Like a real-life Jack Bauer from television’s 24, Rodriguez’s sometimes controversial tenure as Chief of the Agency’s Counterterrorism Center involved CIA officers capturing and detaining key senior Al Qaeda operatives and implementing Enhanced Interrogation Techniques, tools which were an integral part of the War on Terror but are no longer available to those fighting America's fiercest foes.

Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Columbia, Bolivia, and the Dominican Republic, Rodriguez shares his unlikely journey from law school student to CIA recruit and finally, at the end of a 31-year career, to being America’s top spy. Rodriguez sparked controversy and a three-year investigation by his decision to order the destruction of videotapes showing CIA officers conducting harsh, but what he describes as “legal, necessary, and effective interrogation[s]”.

Riveting and timely, Hard Measures also examines how the current political climate and resulting policies have negatively impacted the CIA’s efficiency - even taking away the mechanisms that made feats like the successful Bin Laden operation possible.

©2012 Jose A. Rodriguez Jr (P)2012 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"Jose Rodriguez guided some of the CIA's greatest counterterror victories, and his story is one of courage, commitment, and decisiveness. In this book, he provides concrete details about the value of the Agency's interrogation program of terrorists - a program which thwarted terrorist attacks and has made America safer." (General Michael V. Hayden, USAF [Ret.] Former Director of Central Intelligence)

Heroes harassed by the people they protect & serve

I have read quite a bit about EITs and I'm glad I learned more about what the men and women in the CIA did to protect us. The only disgusting thing in the story is what our own leaders did to these heros is beyond belief. Nancy Pelosi, Diane Fienstien, and a couple republicans too need to be tried for treason for what they did to keep others from safeguarding America.

A true American Hero

Hard Measures by Jose A. Rodriguez is a testament to how we hope all government employees especially CIA personnel should act. He took necessary measures to make sure that America was safe. I for one have no problems with EITs if it protects the homeland and those abroad. I have great respect for him and the people who helped him take down the terrorists. I also find it satisfying that he is a Latino and shows me that we can all achieve greatness no matter our background.

No good deed goes unpunished

All that is required for evil to prevail in this world is that good men do nothing.

I’m thankful for people like the author who willingly put themselves in harms way.

Amazing

What you always thought things were going on , with politics not letting CIA , do there job what crooks are in congress

Necessary summary of post 9/11 CIA activity!

Less than 15% of the 900+ books in my Audible library are non fiction, yet more than 15% of my reviews are of non-fiction books. My issue with this book is I'm uncertain how much of it is true and how much, if any, is self serving fiction. The book was released 3.5 years ago and it is among the long since listened to audiobooks in my Audible library.

As ex-chief of the CIA's Counterterrorism Center Jose Rodriguez certainly has the CIA background and first hand experience to write this book. On balance I am inclined to view Hard Measures as a factual recounting.

In any case, Hard Measures is a very worthwhile, even necessary, listen. Rodriguez's justification for aggressive interrogation techniques is especially worthwhile. Rodriguez is a true hero and his story needed to be told to the US public. I do not detect a political slant.

Excellent!

Can't get a more first-hand account than from this author. Fascinating story of necessary measures taken in an extremely time-critical period, and the resulting criticism from the "repent at leisure" crowd many years later.

🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼

Great book… Very well written… The narrator was sub par in my opinion… But it is not the worst… Overall very informative

Great book on EITs and CIA life abroad

Rodriguez's book is terrific in two primary senses: in its analysis of the pros and cons of Enhanced Interrogation Techniques, as the title suggests, and secondly, as an overall text detailing life in the Directorate of Operations overseas, and general context of clandestine operations. Particularly notable details in the latter category are the ease at which the Puerto Rican Rodriguez was able to blend in South American locales and build rapport with important and high-ranking intelligence sources in various countries. This underscores the importance of a diverse workforce in the Agency, not for political reasons, but rather for operational effectiveness, as evidenced by Rodriguez's strong language, cultural, and appearance-related traits that all aided his successful undercover conduct overseas within the Directorate of Operations. The book of course goes into significant detail on the arguments for and against Enhanced Interrogation Techniques, or as the media emotionally calls them, "torture." If one thinks the techniques Rodriguez describes qualify as torture, they should first look up what the Russians and other authoritarian states do in their interrogations. Rodriguez makes a strong case for the effectiveness and public misunderstanding of EITs and their use, and his analysis is aided his legal background with a law degree from the University of Florida. Highly recommended.

A TRUE HERO

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

A true hero to stand up against the libreals who want to destroy this country

Great perspective, glad I listened…

I enjoyed this first hand perspective; especially describing the weeks and months immediately following 9/11. The sad truth is, this is one of many examples where both political parties are guilty of demagoguery purely for political gain and/or damage to their opponents; without the slightest bit of concern for what is in the best interest of the United States. There is no doubt in my mind that Mr. Rodriguez is a patriot and should be treated as such. That being said, there were certain parts of the book that came across to me as perhaps he was taking too much credit for himself, however after going through what he has been through, I can’t say that I blame him.