They say that writing is a solitary business, but without my perfect love, Luciana Frigerio, and the always constant Chuck Gundersen, I might have forgotten to eat; and without Galen and Olivia, Jacques and Christine Guilloton, Kevin and Cory, and my new Norwich friends, I might have forgotten to live and laugh as well.
American Coup has its genesis in the Top Secret America project, and that project would not have been possible without those who indulged and supported me at the Washington Post, particularly Marcus and Raju, and without the incomparable Washington maneuverings of Dana Priest, who encouraged me to write my own book.
As for “sources,” well, you know who you are. To help me think about the military and the society we live in, thanks to the always affable and wrongheaded Tom Powers, and thanks to my squadron of graybeards, including Phil, Steve, John, Mike, Tim, Dave, Dutch, Gary, Mace, Gene, Bob, and Dan, for years of inspiration. Thanks also to John Young, Steve Aftergood, Michael Ravnitzky, Hans Kristensen, the National Security Archive, and the people at the Public Intelligence and Government Attic websites, as well as the ACLU and EPIC for consistently and constantly pushing for the truth and then sharing what they find out with the public. I gained enormous knowledge from the works of authors whom I cite in the book. Thanks to the many journalists who share information with me in spite of potential competition, trusting and knowing that what comes around goes around, particularly Greg, Sy, Eric, John, Bob, Tom, Justin, Graham, and Mark.
I live a lot more securely knowing that my attorney, Jeff Smith, can both be my attorney and work for the secret recesses of government when duty calls.
My editor at Little, Brown, Geoff Shandler, recognized what I was trying to say even before I did and conducted delicate and much-needed surgery on the manuscript. He has been a constant supporter. His former assistant Brandon Coward tended to the essential but boring, keeping me on the straight and narrow. Thanks also to my crew at Little, Brown and Company and Hachette: Barbara Perris, Ben Allen, Keith Hayes, Michelle Aielli, Heather Fain, Reagan Arthur, and Michael Pietsch.
Thanks also to Chip Fleischer for always giving me sound publishing advice.
I recognize, now going on forty years in this world of the military and government, that I love to collaborate but also tend to escape to my reading and the collection of facts. I’m a terrible friend, especially when I’m lost in a book project, but I couldn’t sustain my soul without knowing that I have you in my corner: Julia and Reed, Philene and Darren, Peter and Eleanor, Steve and Hannah, Laura, Stan Norris, Bob Windrem, Marianne Manilov, Lena Ag, Andy Mack, Steve Shallhorn, David Chappell, Tom Cochran, Matthew McKinzie, John Robinson, and Marianne Szegedy-Maszak. Thanks also for the laughs and conversation and real world provided by my new friends Sara and Bob, Vicky, Watt and Roberta, Julia and T, Daniel and Cynthia, Linda and Rowlie, Colleen and Clif.
Thanks, Kimberly and Laurie. Thanks, Sondra and Ron, Danny and Jamie, and the Frigerio clan. To Rikki and Hannah, I love you.