I heard an interview with Ms. Bakos prior to the release of the book, and immediately pre-ordered it. I then had to stop listening to several episodes of other podcasts, since I wanted to finish the book. I read it in about three sessions, and that’s only because work and other responsibilities kept me from finishing it in one sitting.
Ostensibly it’s the story of the hunt for Zarqawi, a Jordanian-born terrorist probably best known to the average American as the head of Al Qaeda In Iraq, the group that would later become the kernel of ISIL. But as the reader follows Zarqawi, we’re also following Ms. Bakos as she enters into the secretive, exciting, and exhausting work of intelligence analysis. One of the things that really stands out with The Targeter is how accessible it is for readers whose only frame of reference to the DI side of CIA might be Zero Dark Thirty or the TV series Homeland. Ms. Bakos succinctly and efficiently steps in and explains the unique terminology and culture of working in the Intelligence Community, providing the reader with useful background and explanations that they’ll “need to know” in order to follow her narrative. As the Bush White House’s demands for a smoking gun linking Saddam Hussein’s regime with the terror attacks of 9/11 take its toll on a group of incredibly patriotic and dedicated professionals who can’t find what simply doesn’t exist, the reader is shown that CIA is both incredibly powerful and yet susceptible to the same kinds of office politics and unreasonable demands from higher ups that any workplace has. While they can’t find what doesn’t exists, what they do discover is Zarqawi- a street level thug radicalized in prison who became one of the most blood thirsty architects of sectarian violence and terrorism in Iraq.
In a broader sense, Ms. Bakos’ book is something that frequent readers of non-fiction concerning intelligence matters needs- an analyst’s point of view. Many books are written by former DO or SIS guys (and they’re almost always guys) and they’re either a “boots on the ground” POV or the 30,000 foot view of these issues. Ms. Bakos’ unique position as an analyst, as part of the team that took the raw intelligence from disparate sources on the ground and coalesced it into product for consumption at the 8 mile high level, provides a valuable and informative insight that provides the reader a window into one of the most secretive “desk jobs” in the world.
Plus she’s got funny stories in there about her St. Bernard doggo.
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Reviews with images
An engaging, compelling story of the hunt for a dangerous and deadly foe
I heard an interview with Ms. Bakos prior to the release of the book, and immediately pre-ordered it. I then had to stop listening to several episodes of other podcasts, since I wanted to finish the book. I read it in about three sessions, and that’s only because work and other responsibilities kept me from finishing it in one sitting.Ostensibly it’s the story of the hunt for Zarqawi, a Jordanian-born terrorist probably best known to the average American as the head of Al Qaeda In Iraq, the group that would later become the kernel of ISIL. But as the reader follows Zarqawi, we’re also following Ms. Bakos as she enters into the secretive, exciting, and exhausting work of intelligence analysis. One of the things that really stands out with The Targeter is how accessible it is for readers whose only frame of reference to the DI side of CIA might be Zero Dark Thirty or the TV series Homeland. Ms. Bakos succinctly and efficiently steps in and explains the unique terminology and culture of working in the Intelligence Community, providing the reader with useful background and explanations that they’ll “need to know” in order to follow her narrative. As the Bush White House’s demands for a smoking gun linking Saddam Hussein’s regime with the terror attacks of 9/11 take its toll on a group of incredibly patriotic and dedicated professionals who can’t find what simply doesn’t exist, the reader is shown that CIA is both incredibly powerful and yet susceptible to the same kinds of office politics and unreasonable demands from higher ups that any workplace has. While they can’t find what doesn’t exists, what they do discover is Zarqawi- a street level thug radicalized in prison who became one of the most blood thirsty architects of sectarian violence and terrorism in Iraq.In a broader sense, Ms. Bakos’ book is something that frequent readers of non-fiction concerning intelligence matters needs- an analyst’s point of view. Many books are written by former DO or SIS guys (and they’re almost always guys) and they’re either a “boots on the ground” POV or the 30,000 foot view of these issues. Ms. Bakos’ unique position as an analyst, as part of the team that took the raw intelligence from disparate sources on the ground and coalesced it into product for consumption at the 8 mile high level, provides a valuable and informative insight that provides the reader a window into one of the most secretive “desk jobs” in the world.Plus she’s got funny stories in there about her St. Bernard doggo.
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2019
Ostensibly it’s the story of the hunt for Zarqawi, a Jordanian-born terrorist probably best known to the average American as the head of Al Qaeda In Iraq, the group that would later become the kernel of ISIL. But as the reader follows Zarqawi, we’re also following Ms. Bakos as she enters into the secretive, exciting, and exhausting work of intelligence analysis. One of the things that really stands out with The Targeter is how accessible it is for readers whose only frame of reference to the DI side of CIA might be Zero Dark Thirty or the TV series Homeland. Ms. Bakos succinctly and efficiently steps in and explains the unique terminology and culture of working in the Intelligence Community, providing the reader with useful background and explanations that they’ll “need to know” in order to follow her narrative. As the Bush White House’s demands for a smoking gun linking Saddam Hussein’s regime with the terror attacks of 9/11 take its toll on a group of incredibly patriotic and dedicated professionals who can’t find what simply doesn’t exist, the reader is shown that CIA is both incredibly powerful and yet susceptible to the same kinds of office politics and unreasonable demands from higher ups that any workplace has. While they can’t find what doesn’t exists, what they do discover is Zarqawi- a street level thug radicalized in prison who became one of the most blood thirsty architects of sectarian violence and terrorism in Iraq.
In a broader sense, Ms. Bakos’ book is something that frequent readers of non-fiction concerning intelligence matters needs- an analyst’s point of view. Many books are written by former DO or SIS guys (and they’re almost always guys) and they’re either a “boots on the ground” POV or the 30,000 foot view of these issues. Ms. Bakos’ unique position as an analyst, as part of the team that took the raw intelligence from disparate sources on the ground and coalesced it into product for consumption at the 8 mile high level, provides a valuable and informative insight that provides the reader a window into one of the most secretive “desk jobs” in the world.
Plus she’s got funny stories in there about her St. Bernard doggo.
An engaging, compelling story of the hunt for a dangerous and deadly foe
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2019
I heard an interview with Ms. Bakos prior to the release of the book, and immediately pre-ordered it. I then had to stop listening to several episodes of other podcasts, since I wanted to finish the book. I read it in about three sessions, and that’s only because work and other responsibilities kept me from finishing it in one sitting.Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2019
Ostensibly it’s the story of the hunt for Zarqawi, a Jordanian-born terrorist probably best known to the average American as the head of Al Qaeda In Iraq, the group that would later become the kernel of ISIL. But as the reader follows Zarqawi, we’re also following Ms. Bakos as she enters into the secretive, exciting, and exhausting work of intelligence analysis. One of the things that really stands out with The Targeter is how accessible it is for readers whose only frame of reference to the DI side of CIA might be Zero Dark Thirty or the TV series Homeland. Ms. Bakos succinctly and efficiently steps in and explains the unique terminology and culture of working in the Intelligence Community, providing the reader with useful background and explanations that they’ll “need to know” in order to follow her narrative. As the Bush White House’s demands for a smoking gun linking Saddam Hussein’s regime with the terror attacks of 9/11 take its toll on a group of incredibly patriotic and dedicated professionals who can’t find what simply doesn’t exist, the reader is shown that CIA is both incredibly powerful and yet susceptible to the same kinds of office politics and unreasonable demands from higher ups that any workplace has. While they can’t find what doesn’t exists, what they do discover is Zarqawi- a street level thug radicalized in prison who became one of the most blood thirsty architects of sectarian violence and terrorism in Iraq.
In a broader sense, Ms. Bakos’ book is something that frequent readers of non-fiction concerning intelligence matters needs- an analyst’s point of view. Many books are written by former DO or SIS guys (and they’re almost always guys) and they’re either a “boots on the ground” POV or the 30,000 foot view of these issues. Ms. Bakos’ unique position as an analyst, as part of the team that took the raw intelligence from disparate sources on the ground and coalesced it into product for consumption at the 8 mile high level, provides a valuable and informative insight that provides the reader a window into one of the most secretive “desk jobs” in the world.
Plus she’s got funny stories in there about her St. Bernard doggo.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2019
Top reviews from other countries
Stephen M. Saideman
Insightful, fascinating account of female CIA agent hunting terrorists in Iraq
Reviewed in Canada on June 4, 2019
