Review (PDF) By Way Of Deception : The Making And Unmaking Of A Mossad Officer
The first time the Mossad came calling, they wanted Victor Ostrovsky for their assassination unit, the kidon. He turned them down. The next time, he agreed to enter the grueling three-year training program to become a katsa, or intelligence case officer, for the legendary Israeli spy organization. By Way of Deception is the explosive chronicle of his experiences in the Mossad, and of two decades of their frightening and often ruthless covert activities around the world. Penetrating far deeper than the bestselling Every Spy a Prince, it is an insider's account of Mossad tactics and exploits. In chilling detail, Ostrovsky asserts that the Mossad refused to share critical knowledge of a planned suicide mission in Beirut, leading to the death of hundreds of U.S. Marines and French troops. He tells how they tracked Yasser Arafat by recruiting his driver and bodyguard; how they withheld information on the whereabouts of American hostages, paving the way for the Iran-Contra scandal; and how their intervention into secret UN negotiations led to the sudden resignation of ambassador Andrew Young and the downfall of his career. By Way of Deception describes the shocking scope and depth of the Mossad's influence, disclosing how Jewish communities in the U.S., Europe, and South America are armed and trained by the organization in secret ?self-defense? units, and how Mossad agents facilitate the drug trade in order to pay the enormous costs of its far-flung, clandestine operation. And it portrays a network that has grown dangerously out of control, as internal squabbles have led to the escape of terrorists and the pursuit of ?policies? completely at odds with the interests of the state of Israel. This document is possibly the most important and controversial book of its kind since Spycatcher. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Hardcover: 371 pages
Publisher: St Martins Pr; 1st U.S. ed edition (September 1990)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312056133
ISBN-13: 978-0312056131
Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (129 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #333,136 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #345 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > True Crime > Espionage #408 in Books > History > Middle East > Israel & Palestine #623 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Specific Topics > Intelligence & Espionage
This is a fantastic book if you are looking for an operational manual on intelligence training. Most of the book focuses on how the mossad pick and train their agents, along with the author's experience with the training methods. It also touches upon the politics and foreign relationships within the intelligence community. The last part of the book details several missions of the Mossad from an insider's perspective. This gave real insight into details often missed when reading newspapers (often manipulated by the intelligence community). Buy the book, you will not be disappointed. This is a must have for any intelligence library.
One thing you should know about this book is that in the sequel, The Other Side of Deception, Ostrovsky admits that some of the info in By Way of Deception was deliberately inaccurate and meant to serve as a message to the Mossad that they want to leave him alone or he will reveal the real info. The Other Side of Deception also reveals his true reasons for writing an expose, not so much idealism as it was self-preservation (if he weren't Machiavellian, do you think they would have made him a case worker?).To address another reviewer's doubts: he was given protection by the Canadian government. And he acted quickly to make sure he had a lot of publicity so any sudden death would be carefully investigated with the Mossad being the obvious suspect.
This book and its sequel should be essential reading for every American, especially now with American sons and daughters coming home in body bags from Iraq.The sequel to this book, The Other Side of Deception, was published over 10 years ago. What it reveals is stunning when compared to current events. And deeply disturbing.However, you must read the first book first to fully appreciate the second book.I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of negative reviews of this book were not the work of some of his former colleagues, or 'ordinary' citizens engaged to write for them. Any astute and extraordinarily well-read person can determine that the facts Ostrovsky states about various operations in his book have the definite ring of truth about them. They can be verified with contemporaneous news accounts, available now on microfiche at any large American library that houses world newspapers.I lived in NYC while most of the events he describes were going on, and kept up daily with a broad variety of news sources worldwide. I was front and center when these stories broke. Ostrovsky's account fills in the nagging questions the various accounts presented at the time, and confirm what I was hearing under the table as suspicions from our intelligence sources.
Ostrovsky's book is a must for people who want to understand the secret services. Initially, you are shocked by the revelations, recognizing that it may compromise Israeli national security and its agents. Then you are awed by the training, the logistics and coordination of information gathering. You then become worried, that such a complex and effective organization has no real accountability. Perhaps, the real worry is that Ostrovsky describes a mode of conduct whereby Mossad redefines right and wrong (redefining it in terms of "what's good for Israel and especially Mossad is good, the hell with the rest"), and acts on that basis. And finally, you reconcile your emotions with the knowledge that this couragous book can only force a re-evaluation of Mossad practices. Today's Israeli leaders cannot ignore the claims made by this book, and because of it, there is a little more accountability in the world. I enjoyed the book thoroughly.
This book is best read along with its followup, The Other Side of Deception. The author is/was a true patriot who was honored to serve his country. He reveals many thrilling tales of derring-do, the grinding routine of spycraft and his shock and disillusionment with the personal corruption and immorality of many fellow agents.According to the author, the Mossad nominally answers only to the Prime Minister but often acts on its own agenda and in many cases against the interests of Israel and any prospects for peace. The assassination arm conducts killings authorized by secret Star Chamber-like hearings. Illegal arms sales to unsavory regimes fund operations. A tiny staff conducts worldwide operations with the assistance of local Jews. He refers to staff by their first names only which made it amusing when "Ephraim" wrote his own book, reviewed and panned by Ostrovsky.
This is a great book written by a man who put his life on the line inorder to let the world know how terrible the Mossad really is. He eloquently summarizes his life story, growing up as an ardent Zionist, climbing high in the Israeli military ranks, and finally becoming disillusioned after achieving the dream of many Israelis: joining the Mossad. He explains in great detail many of the ways, training techniques, and past operations of this ultra-secret "intelligence agency" that he was a part of for four years. If, as some people say, this book is not factual, why is it that most of the events are actually recorded in old newspapers, magazines, T.V. news, etc.? All you have to do is spend enough time and you can find for yourself the articles on Yehia Meshad, Jonathan Pollard, Sabra and Shatilla, the Fallashas, and so on. Offcourse the major difference is that Ostrovsky, as an insider, ties things together and goes into the details that we could never find in the news. Furthermore, why would the Israeli govt. and Jewish groups in the U.S. try to prevent this book from being published in the first place? Finally, I just heard that this book is out of print and banned in the U.S. now. If this is true, it is a shame. It just goes to show that Ostrovsky is right.
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