The CIA Insider*s Dictionary of Us and Foreign Intelligence, Counterintelligence & Tradecraft

Carl, Leo D.

This dictionary, most recently published in 1992 as the International Dictionary of Intelligence (Univ. Press of America), is by a former intelligence officer. Terms included are "intelligence-related, security-related or . . . have been made targets of intelligence." There are entries for security organizations, state-sponsored terrorist groups, arms-control terminology, technology transfer data, and weapons. The dictionary is intended for use by students, professionals, and writers of spy fiction interested in intelligence, counterintelligence, and covert operations. There is little biographical information included. Users will find the definitions helpful, but most laypersons will need to read cross-references. Since intelligence agencies are pervasive throughout the world, terms and phrases from Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew, German, and French are defined here.

The format of entries includes variants in spelling, source language if not English, definition, related terms, and author's comments or explanatory notes. There are few etymologies ("mole" being a major exception), but government agencies associated with specific terms are noted. Among the appendixes are the list "Heads of the Principal Soviet Security Organs and the KI," a chronology showing the evolution of Soviet security services, and a list of British, U.S., and Soviet "moles." The bibliography is divided into general sources and U.S. government publications.

Recommended for libraries with strong military science collections and large U.S. depository collections, as well as other public and academic libraries.