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Hard Measures
- How Aggressive CIA Actions After 9-11 Saved American Lives
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
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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.
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Kiss the Boys Goodbye convincingly shows that a legacy of shame remains from America’s ill-fated involvement in Vietnam even though that conflict ended over 35 years ago. Until US government policy on POW/MIAs changes, it remains one of the most crucial issues for any American soldier who fights for home and country, particularly when we are engaged with an enemy who doesn't adhere to the international standards for the treatment of prisoners - or any American hostage...
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God Grant Them Peace
- By Gillian on 05-19-15
By: Monica Jensen-Stevenson, and others
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500 Days
- Secrets and Lies in the Terror Wars
- By: Kurt Eichenwald
- Narrated by: Holter Graham
- Length: 22 hrs
- Unabridged
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In 500 Days, master chronicler Kurt Eichenwald lays bare the harrowing decisions, deceptions, and delusions of the eighteen months that changed the world forever, as leaders raced to protect their citizens in the wake of 9/11. Eichenwald's gripping, immediate style and true-to-life dialogue puts readers at the heart of these historic events, from the Oval Office to Number 10 Downing Street, from Guantanamo Bay to the depths of CIA headquarters, from the al Qaeda training camps to the torture chambers of Egypt and Syria.
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Gory Details of Torture, Not An Unbiased History
- By Graham on 09-27-12
By: Kurt Eichenwald
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The Finish
- The Killing of Osama bin Laden
- By: Mark Bowden
- Narrated by: James Lurie
- Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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From Mark Bowden, internationally best-selling and acclaimed author of Black Hawk Down and the preeminent chronicler of the actions of our military and special forces writing today, comes an intensely gripping account of the hunt for and elimination of Osama bin Laden. With unprecedented access to key sources and his great gift for storytelling, Bowden takes us inside the rooms where decisions were made and on the ground where the action unfolded.
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Listen to No Easy Day...much better
- By JMM on 10-20-12
By: Mark Bowden
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The Watchers
- The Rise of America's Surveillance State
- By: Shane Harris
- Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne
- Length: 15 hrs
- Unabridged
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Our surveillance state was born in the brain of Admiral John Poindexter in 1983. Poindexter, President Ronald Reagan's national security adviser, realized that the United States might have prevented the terrorist massacre of 241 Marines in Beirut if only intelligence agencies had been able to analyze in real time data they had on the attackers. Poindexter poured government know-how and funds into his dream---a system that would sift reams of data for signs of terrorist activity.
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Important context for privacy debate
- By Keefer on 09-17-11
By: Shane Harris
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The Skripal Files
- The Life and Near Death of a Russian Spy
- By: Mark Urban
- Narrated by: Mark Urban
- Length: 9 hrs
- Unabridged
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The Skripal Files is a remarkable and definitive account of Sergei Skripal’s story, which lays bare the new spy war between Russia and the West. Mark Urban, the diplomatic and defense editor for the BBC, met with Skripal in the months before his poisoning, learning about his career in Russian military intelligence, how he became a British agent, his imprisonment in Russia, and the events that led to his release. Skripal’s first-hand accounts and experiences reveal the high stakes of a new spy game that harks back to the chilliest days of the Cold War.
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Facinating story and very relevant
- By Sheri on 06-25-24
By: Mark Urban
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Pay Any Price
- Greed, Power, and Endless War
- By: James Risen
- Narrated by: Christopher Lane
- Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Ever since 9/11 America has fought an endless war on terror, seeking enemies everywhere and never promising peace. In Pay Any Price, James Risen reveals an extraordinary litany of the hidden costs of that war: from squandered and stolen dollars, to outrageous abuses of power, to wars on normalcy, decency, and truth. In the name of fighting terrorism, our government has done things every bit as shameful as its historic wartime abuses - and until this audiobook, it has worked very hard to cover them up.
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If you care about our liberties, read this book.
- By John L. Moncrief on 11-02-14
By: James Risen
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Destiny Betrayed, Second Edition
- JFK, Cuba, and the Garrison Case
- By: James DiEugenio
- Narrated by: Paul Neal Rohrer
- Length: 23 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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If you enjoyed the chilling experience of In Cold Blood and were at the edge of your seat while watching Oliver Stone’s JFK, you’ll love this investigative look into all the facets of one of the top conspiracies of the 20th century and beyond. DiEugenio, who has spent decades researching the Kennedy assassination, takes both an analytical and conversational approach to his fascinating exploration of the pivotal historical events and scandals surrounding that day.
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Essential Book but Narration Almost Ruins it
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By: James DiEugenio
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The Burglary
- The Discovery of J. Edgar Hoover's Secret FBI
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- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot, Betty Medsger
- Length: 25 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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The never-before-told full story of the history-changing break-in at the FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania, by a group of unlikely activists - quiet, ordinary, hardworking Americans - that made clear the shocking truth and confirmed what some had long suspected, that J. Edgar Hoover had created and was operating, in violation of the U.S. Constitution, his own shadow Bureau of Investigation.
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Forget Ocean's 11
- By Susie on 02-06-14
By: Betty Medsger
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Hubris
- The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War
- By: Michael Isikoff, David Corn
- Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
- Length: 18 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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This fast-paced, behind-the-scenes narrative tells the inside story of how the Bush administration used bad intelligence to sell and then justify the Iraq war. Veteran reporters Michael Isikoff and David Corn take the reader behind the scenes at the White House, the CIA, the Pentagon, the State Department, and Congress, where controversial decisions and turf battles were fought in the highest circles of the Bush administration.
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Hubris
- By Pamela on 12-19-06
By: Michael Isikoff, and others
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Manhunt
- The Ten-Year Search for Bin Laden - from 9-11 to Abbottabad
- By: Peter L. Bergen
- Narrated by: Mark Deakins
- Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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From the author of the New York Times best-selling Holy War, Inc., this is the definitive account of the decade-long manhunt for the world’s most wanted man, Osama bin Laden. Al Qaeda expert and CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen paints a multidimensional picture of the hunt for bin Laden over the past decade, including the operation that killed him.
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DO NOT MISS THIS ONE!
- By Betty on 05-04-12
By: Peter L. Bergen
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The Ghost
- The Secret Life of CIA Spymaster James Jesus Angleton
- By: Jefferson Morley
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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In The Ghost, investigative reporter Jefferson Morley tells Angleton's dramatic story, from his friendship with the poet Ezra Pound through the underground gay milieu of mid-century Washington to the Kennedy assassination to the Watergate scandal. From the agency's MKULTRA mind-control experiments to the wars of the Mideast, Angleton wielded far more power than anyone knew.
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Flawed Superpatriot
- By Bubblehog on 11-23-17
By: Jefferson Morley
What listeners say about Hard Measures
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- JustBill
- 07-12-19
Served and Forgotten
Jose A. Rodriguez, Jr. wrote this book. He was a CIA Officer who worked mostly in the southern hemisphere until hard work put himself in a position to where he was right under the Director. He was and still is a honorable man and thank him for his service.The book itself gives you tantalizing factoids on how the CIA works, and suggest the book to those that do not know how the agency operates in a very sanitized manner. I enjoyed the book and the commentator gave an "Eagle Scout" performance. I hope the book does good, as there is an audience out there that will enjoy it. Oh, Did I mention that I truly believe the CIA might have written it. Just Saying.
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- Michael H.
- 09-22-23
Firsthand Account
Incredibly insightful and eye opening story from someone who was actually there when things happened. There’s so many widely spread false narratives regarding the CIA’s Enhanced Interrogation Techniques and how/why they were used, what the results were from it. This book is perhaps the most informative and accurate breakdown of what it was, providing true clarity in regards to all the false claims of torture and illegality of the actions taken in those years after 9/11.
Truly a must-read for those interested in the war on terror and the aftermath of 9/11.
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- Curtis
- 05-28-12
Making clear the CIA's role in fighting Terrorism
This book explains clearly how the CIA operates to glean intelligence and maintain the safeguards necessary to insure that detainees are not tortured. All the while doing what is needed to get the intel. that keeps America safe from Radical Islam.
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1 person found this helpful
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- RJT378
- 06-30-18
Solid counter-narrative to the media/political one
I've read a number of articles on the topic of enhanced interrogation from unbiased investigative journalists - an increasingly rare thing. So I knew what the ultimate tone was going to be. It fleshes the story out as much as the author can. I believe him and agree with him.
The most frightening aspect is how the media and politicans can be so disingenuous, and/or worse. They did the same stuff with the NSA and PRISM. It's a very real problem and ironic that many of the people talking about the Trump effect and not being able to walk that back, were doing things we also cannot walk back years before Trump. The arbiters of truth have lost their way. This is just another major example. At this point we see it daily in many smaller ways. It's death by a thousand cuts.
I'm grateful that Americans like Mr. Rodriguez still choose to serve our country. I don't know how much longer they will put up with the backstabbing. We are our own worst enemies at this point.
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- Christopher
- 05-29-12
An American Hero
Where does Hard Measures rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Hard Measures ranks in the top 10 books.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Jose Rodriguez because he is a sane voice in an insane government.
What does Sean Pratt bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
He has a great reading voice.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
When Rodriguez received his letter of reprimand.
Any additional comments?
A great book written by a true American hero.
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- USAGUY
- 01-07-21
Very well detailed book, more than expected.
Must read before considering a career into any Govnment Agency. The World has turned neurotic with baeucratic red tape. There are too many rules & regulations as we pursuit some man made false utopian society. LET'S GO BACK TO THE BASICS OF DEFENDING OR FAMILIES. THE TAPES SHOULD BE DESTROYED TO PROTECT OUR FAMILIES AND PEOPLE. We need more common sense in our World. It's clear all branches of governments need term limits for all elected officials. Politicians need to be impeached for lieing to the public. Honesty is the best policy. I'm highly impressed with the author's integrity and fortitude. We need more honest people in government. Traitors need to be hung to stop corruption. As our society moves away from GOD we loose our moral integrity. Bring back the basic Ten Commandments. The World needs the teachings of Jesus Christ and his teachings found in the Bible & Book of Mormon. Reading these work's of GOD will make interigation & eventually killing 'mad dog' terrorists easier to understand and morally correct. See Alma Ch. 51 for better understanding. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/51
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- ian keller
- 04-07-22
This man is a national treasure.
This man is a national treasure and a true hero to our country. Anyone who thinks otherwise is an ignorant shitbag.
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- Aloisio
- 10-21-19
Thank you
Dear Mr Jose A. Rodrigues, thank you for sharing your story and you life at CIA.
Thank you for the dedication and the leadership on the decisions that not only save our life’s but save the life of officers of the CIA that put their life in the life to safe this country from another terrorist attack.
Man like you should receive a Medal of Honor a Nobel price.
Thank you.
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- Lynn
- 07-31-12
To Set the Record Straight
Jose Rodriguez, a 25-year veteran of CIA undercover operations, sets out in Hard Measures to describe the agency’s response to 9/11. The result is an informative, insightful, entertaining and worthwhile read. The strength of the book is in the personal memoir-like insights which bring readers as close to the feel of what took place as possible without revealing state secrets. Readers may disagree with Rodriguez s analysis or find fault with his point of view, but each page brings detail worth considering. That said, I think that the book s subtitle, How Aggressive CIA Actions after 9/11 Saved American Lives, is a little misleading. The book fulfills that aim, but to me the book s true focus is on defending Rodriguez s work while at the CIA during that era. Rodriguez was a controversial person at the CIA and he justifiably seeks to set the record straight. The chapters making his case do not detract from the entire volume nor should it discourage readers from taking up the book. Rodriguez has done a great service by leaving his memoir-like insights behind for all to see. The reading of Sean Pratt is excellent. There is an afterward presented by Rodriguez in person.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Douglas
- 06-25-12
Water Boarding Detail Post 9/11 - The Inside Story
What did you love best about Hard Measures?
It told how water boarding works, how often it was used after 9/11, and the kind of information that resulted. The media missed most of the main points here.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Hard Measures?
The press criticized the process saying that most of the useful information gained happened after the water boarding stopped when that is how it is supposed to work.
What does Sean Pratt bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
He did a fine job. He keep me interested the whole way.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
No
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2 people found this helpful