Plunging Point

(Paperback)

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In the age of the War on terror, high-quality, reliable intelligence is more crucial to our national security than ever. Effective intelligence saves lives. Yet from September 11, 2001 in New York to Bali, Madrid, London and the unfolding situation in Iraq, we hear endless claims and counter-claims about what went wrong and why.As former intelligence officers with the military and ASIS, Lance Collins and Warren Reed are ideally placed to assess these claims. From the policy-makers to the agents on the ground, the authors examine the chain of command and the role of vested interests. they provide an overview for the general reader of how intelligence services work in the post-September 11 world. Non-partisan and clearly written, Plunging Point outlines the historical context, the present problems and future solutions for intelligence services and their societies. Every aware Australian needs to read this.

Author Bio

Warren Reed is a former officer of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service. He is a regular commentator on security and intelligence matters in the press and on radio and television. Warren lives on Sydney's north shore. Lance Collins joined the Australian Army in 1979, graduating from the Officer Cadet School into the Intelligence Corps. After various Army appointments, Collins was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1995. He served with the Headquarters of the Joint Coalition Task Force in Kuwait in 1998 during the crisis that resulted in the withdrawal of the UN arms inspectors. In 1999 Collins was appointed as the senior intelligence officer for the UN International Force East Timor, which conducted successful peace enforcement operations in East Timor between September 1999 and February 2000. He lives in the eastern suburbs of Sydney.