I WOULD LIKE TO THANK my former CIA colleagues who devoted their lives to attempting to give America a first-rate intelligence organization, one it now so badly needs. Their many achievements, which can never be made public, are the foundation of everything I managed to accomplish in the CIA. Equally, I thank my many Arab and Iranian agents and friends who patiently walked me through the complexities of the Middle East and provided the raw facts so essential to decoding the place. I am only sorry none of them can be named. Special thanks goes to Rafe Sagalyn, my agent, who was one of the first to see the possibilities of turning my story into a book. Howard Means, Kristin Kiser, and Steve Ross provided the editorial support that turned a rambling CIA story into a book.