The Reluctant Spy: My Secret Life in the CIA's War on Terror

John Kiriakou's memoir recounts his career as a CIA officer during the war on terror. In February 2002, Kiriakou headed counterterrorism operations in Pakistan, where he coordinated a raid with Pakistani agents that captured terrorist Abu Zubaydah. He subsequently served as the captured man's personal guard while a trauma surgeon was brought to Pakistan to keep Zubaydah alive. Kiriakou describes his experiences inside CIA headquarters on September 11, 2001, and identifies agency leaders who responded to the crisis versus those who prioritized their careers. He also reveals that the White House planned to invade Iraq a full year before the CIA was informed. In a 2007 ABC News interview, Kiriakou publicly called waterboarding "torture" while acknowledging its effectiveness. The book combines memoir, adventure narrative, and firsthand account of intelligence operations, documenting both significant errors and individual acts of courage within the U.S. intelligence system. It addresses the torture debate and the work of CIA personnel during the post-9/11 period.