The Triple Agent

A project of this size is always a collaboration, but in this case there are numerous individuals without whom this book quite literally could not have been written. Some of them are generous colleagues who assisted me in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Middle East, sometimes exposing themselves to risk. Others are current and former government officials who shared my belief in the importance of this story. Still others are relatives and spouses of slain officers who gave me their trust and shared precious and often painful memories. Several sources in the latter two groups were extraordinarily generous with their time and insights, meeting with me a dozen times or more. Yet, some of them can never be acknowledged by name because they are restricted from speaking publicly by secrecy rules or confidentiality agreements. To each of them I owe an enormous debt of gratitude.

I have been privileged over the past fourteen years to work for a world-class news organization that nurtures journalists and supports their professional growth. I am grateful to the Washington Post and its editors for granting me a leave of absence to work on this book, and for offering encouragement and support in countless other ways. Special thanks go to Washington Post Company board chairman Donald E. Graham and publisher Katharine Weymouth, who offered personal encouragement along the way, as well as executive editor Marcus Brauchli, managing editor Liz Spayd, and national editor Kevin Merida. I am especially indebted to my immediate supervisors, national security editor Cameron Barr and deputy editor Jason Ukman, for their kindness, patience, and advice. A great many current and former Post colleagues assisted me in this journey, but I am particularly grateful to David Hoffman, Peter Finn, R. Jeffrey Smith, Ellen Nakashima, David Ignatius, Greg Miller, Karen DeYoung, Steve Coll, Bob Woodward, Jeff Stein, Walter Pincus, Robert Miller, Michel du Cille, Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Karin Brulliard, Josh Partlow, Dana Priest, Glenn Kessler, Mary Beth Sheridan, John Pomfret, and David Finkel. Several colleagues and friends read some or all of the manuscript and offered helpful suggestions and feedback, including Cameron Barr, David Rowell, Jeff Leen, and a friend from the clandestine world whose expert advice, unflagging enthusiasm, and extraordinary kindness sustained me through many a rough patch. Many others provided critical technical assistance and insight, including Rita Katz of SITE Intelligence Group, Ben Venzke of IntelCenter, Jarret Brachman, and numerous current and former members of the intelligence and defense agencies of the United States, Jordan, and Pakistan. Suzanne Kelly, a talented author and CNN producer who shared my fascination for this story, is owed special thanks for her ideas, inspiration, and selfless generosity.

I was fortunate to have the help of several extraordinarily talented, hardworking assistants and collaborators both in Washington and abroad. I was ably assisted in Jordan by the ever-resourceful journalist, translator, “fixer,” and occasional hotelier, Ranya Kadri; in Turkey by Mahmut Kaya; in Afghanistan by Hazrat Bahar; and in Pakistan by the indefatigable Haq Nawaz Khan and another Pakistani journalist whose name cannot be revealed for security reasons. I benefited immeasurably from the friendship and assistance of one of print journalism’s great news researchers, the incomparable Julie Tate. My wonderful agent, Gail Ross, together with her partner, Howard Yoon, saw the potential in my ill-formed proposal and guided me through an anxious first foray into the publishing world with grace and good humor.

Doubleday and its staff embraced my project with energy and enthusiasm, and worked tirelessly over many months to bring it to fruition. I am enormously grateful to editor in chief William J. Thomas, assistant editor Stephanie Bowen, and the many others who provided critical help with photos and illustrations, editing, legal counsel, and marketing. Throughout this journey I was blessed with one of the best gifts any writer can have: a truly great editor. Doubleday’s Kris Puopolo brought extraordinary talents to this endeavor and was a true partner and collaborator at every stage of the process. Her vision and passion made the book immeasurably better, and her patience and wit kept me sane through long weeks of reporting and writing.