In his new memoir, “By All Means Available – Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy,” Michael G Vickers details his impressive career in the CIA and intelligence services, where he served under six U.S. Presidents. The book includes anecdotes from his extraordinary life, from Green Beret to leading the CIA’s covert operations against the Soviets in Afghanistan, and recounts the operation to eliminate Osama Bin Laden. Vickers also discusses the increasingly complex challenges the intelligence community is likely to face with technological advancements in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and synthetic biology.
  

Key Points: 

1. Michael G Vickers served a notable career in the CIA and intelligence services under six U.S. Presidents and was involved in significant operations, including the mission to eliminate Osama Bin Laden.
2. Vickers shares insights and experiences from his career, such as training with a small, low-yield nuclear device called the Special Atomic Demolition Munitions (SADM), also referred to as a “backpack nuke.”
3. Despite the perceived glamour of intelligence work, Vickers highlights the challenging realities, including life-or-death decisions.
4. He expresses concern about the future of the intelligence community due to rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and synthetic biology.
5. Upon his retirement in 2015, Vickers was awarded the National Security Medal by President Obama, the nation’s highest award in the field of intelligence.

Source: https://nypost.com/2023/06/24/from-green-beret-to-cia-covert-operations-a-fascinating-career/