Authors: Fred Burton
Author’s Note
Just as this book went to press, in February 2008, Imad Mugniyah died in a car bombing in Damascus, Syria, following a meeting with Syrian intelligence officials. Hezbollah blames Israel for the assassination. Like the Red Prince and Abu Nidal before him, Mugniyah’s luck finally ran out.
Acknowledgments
This book recounts the education of a U.S. counterterrorism agent. I have walked you through the world on fire: the assassinations and failures, the lives saved and lost, through the eyes of someone in the arena, when we were greatly outmatched and there were some of us who knew it.
A wise old spook once told me that no operational decision is perfect; you need to manage the blowback. How true. With the benefit of hindsight, which is always perfect, there are some of my past decisions I would love to revise, but amid the shades of gray we operated in, as threats were coming in faster than we could react, we were left with doing the best damn job we could while realizing that some of our decisions might turn out to be mistakes.
Investigating terrorist acts, especially the murky threats, is never easy. Some attacks are simple and others highly complex. Those that involve foreign intelligence agencies are the most complicated because of the merging of two shades of gray and the foggy world of spooks and terrorists, a real nasty combination, one that can get away with murder.
No man goes through life, or a book project, without a lot of help. I needed more than most, I’m afraid. I am sincerely humbled by the efforts of those who saw fit to believe in this project. Jim Hornfischer, my literary agent, set the vision and assembled my team. Will Murphy, at Random House, is owed a tremendous amount of thanks for believing in me, a debt that I can never repay. Lea Beresford at Random House has also been of tremendous assistance. At times, one can’t say thanks enough for the tireless efforts of someone who shuns the spotlight but works endlessly to get the job done. John Bruning, Jr., provided the oversight, direction, and tone. He is a patriot, with true character and honor. Those of you with sons ought to want yours to grow up to be like John. Any success this project may have should be his. I’ll take the blame for failure.
My current employer, Stratfor,
www.stratfor.com
, is the finest private intelligence company in the world. Dr. George and Meredith Friedman, Stratfor’s visionary founders, strive for brutal honesty but are not afraid to admit when they are wrong. That is quite rare among most intelligence agencies. Most spooks bury their mistakes; at Stratfor, coverups don’t happen. Our readers are much too smart to accept errors. Stratfor’s analysts, writers, and support staff are the very best of a unique breed of specialists. They make us look brilliant every day. My personal thanks go to Don Kuykendall, Scott “Stick” Stewart, Anya Alfano, Mike Parks, and Susan Copeland.
In the counterterrorism arena, I would like to thank Brad Bryson, John Mullen, Scott “Stick” Stewart, Mike Parks, Bill Armor, Ron Reams, Scott Tripp, Peter Bergin, the late Clark Dittmer, Frank Rodman, Bernard Johnson, Larry Daniele, Mike Posillico, John Taylor, Bob O’Bannon, Bobby Noll, Chuck Hunter, and Fred “Razor” Piry. There was nothing we could not do, anytime or anywhere, despite the naysayers.
A special thanks to Special Agent Steve Gleason. He taught me everything I know about counterterrorism investigations. There has never been a more dedicated or honorable man, pushing boulders uphill or fighting the good fight. I owe you, my friend.
My father, William Harrison Burton, attempted to teach me service, humility, and tenderness. I miss you. For my mother, Helen, and sister, Kelli, thank you for always being there. Jimmy, Katie, and Maddie: Believe in yourselves and strive to make a difference in this world, because you have made a difference in mine. Follow your calling.
Sharon, without your love, patience, and understanding, I would have failed. May God continue to bless our lives.
Fred Burton
Austin, Texas
About the Author
Fred Burton is one of the world’s foremost experts on security, terrorists, and terrorist organizations. He is vice president for counterterrorism and corporate security at Stratfor, an influential private intelligence company. He is the former deputy chief of the Diplomatic Security Service, the Department of State’s counterterrorism division.
Copyright © 2008 by Fred Burton
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Random House, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
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ANDOM
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OUSE
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Burton, Fred.
Ghost: confessions of a counterterrorism agent/Fred Burton.
p. cm.
1. Burton, Fred. 2. Intelligence officers—United States—Biography. 3. Terrorism—United States—Prevention. 4. United States. Dept. of State. Diplomatic Security Service. I. Title.
JK468.I6.B89 2008
363.28—dc22
[B] 2008000073
eISBN: 978-1-58836-704-4
v3.0