The Good Spy (Hardback)

On April 18, 1983, a bomb exploded outside the American Embassy in Beirut, killing 63 people. The attack was a turning point in US relations with the Muslim world. It marked the beginning of Hezbollah as a political force, but even more important, it eliminated America's most influential and effective intelligence officer in the Middle East--CIA agent Robert Ames. What set Ames apart from every other All-American CIA operative was his extraordinary ability to form deep, meaningful connections with key figures in the Arab world. Others relied on threats or subterfuge, but Ames worked by building friendships and emphasizing shared values. This unorthodox approach brought him unprecedented success--Ames personally recruited the Yemeni head of state, advised Ronald Reagan on the Iran hostage crisis, and infiltrated the PLO, partially "turning" one of their most important leaders, Ali Hassan Salameh. Dubbed "The Red Prince" for his flamboyant lifestyle and status as heir apparent to Yasir Arafat, the brilliant Salameh was in charge of PLO intelligence. But Ames was able to earn his respect, and they forged an unlikely but powerful friendship--one with the potential to achieve lasting peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis. But it was not to be. Within a few years, both Salameh and Ames were dead--and American relations with the Muslim world were headed down a path that years later would culminate in 9/11, the rise of Hezbollah, and the War on Terror.