Full Text:
My Life as a Spy: One of America's Most Notorious Spies
Finally Tells His Story by John A. Walker Jr. Prometheus Books (http://
www.prometheusbooks.com), 59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, New York
14228-2197, 2008, 349 pages, $25.98 (hardcover), ISBN 978-159102-659-4.
An intense, captivating, and challenging book, John Walker's
My Life as a Spy reflects an important, growing political discussion
about information security. Furthermore, it is interesting for a variety
of reasons--first, as a true-life spy story. Curious readers will wonder
how Walker got away with selling secrets to the Soviet Union and will
compare his experience to the depiction of spies, fictional or
otherwise, in the media of popular culture. Second, the suspenseful
narrative not only offers insight into a successful spy program but also
addresses the mistakes that led to Walker's undoing. Third, the
book appeals on a personal level, revealing what this master spy was
like and why he would risk his own life as well as the lives of friends
and family members (notably, Walker's plans to expand his spy ring
over time even extended to his own son). Fourth, My Life as a Spy raises
powerful, thought-provoking political questions by addressing the
disingenuousness of politicians, America's historical tendency to
inflate the severity of Soviet threats, the Navy's weak security
measures, the Department of Defense's longstanding practice of
overclassifying records, and the matter of whether or not compromises of
secret documents actually cause harm to national security.
Many of the political issues that Walker writes about are recurring
ones--witness the current debate over the Wikileaks release of military
and diplomatic records. This leads to questions that face world
governments, which must decide the proper level of access in this modern
information age. Indeed, given the proliferation of computers and
Internet connections, one wonders whether secrets can even exist. Walker
obtained information by photocopying documents and taking pictures with
a microcamera; currently, devices such as pinhole cameras, spy cameras,
and other high-tech equipment are generally available to the public.
Computer users have access to a wide range of information, including
documents, audio and video files, and live video from broadcast agencies
and webcams, not to mention satellite photos--all of which is easily
posted on the Internet in seconds.
Thus, governments must consider the possibility that information
released to the public might help their people move towards democratic
governments and/or overthrow dictators. Instant information access could
also lead to a state of perpetual unrest instigated by individuals
demanding immediate gratification and results. Consequently, governments
must decide if it is more important to control information by making it
secret or to mine available open-source data.
Walker claims that he divulged secret information to assure the
Soviet Union that the United States was not planning a first strike,
arguing that if the two countries knew more about each other, they would
be less likely to go to war. Readers must decide whether he is
rationalizing or genuinely promoting the optimal use of information.
I recommend My Life as a Spy because it holds the reader's
interest on many different levels and because it intriguingly explores a
variety of political issues. This worthwhile book should appeal to a
broad audience.
Maj Herman Reinhold, USAF, Retired
Athens, New York