True non-fiction book about spies...

[shockedcanadian]

Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall by Anna Funder

http://www.amazon.com/Stasiland-Stories-Behind-Berlin-Wall/dp/0062077325/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327642296&sr=1-1


As someone who considers himself an expert on Intelligence issues, and being from Canada, this book is a remarkable collection of true stories about the Stasi, the feared and legendary East German intelligence agency. What is most frightening, is the fact that the issues that many citizens were facing then (in the 1980`s), is in fact a reality today in Canada. In fact, the RCMP and now CSIS modeled their own organizations a great deal by what the East Germans were doing at the time, everything from their so called disruption tactics against targets (basically ruining a targets life and gang stalking techniques) to the use of I.M`s, a East German word for the recruitment of regular citizens by the Stasi to spy on their neighbour, brother, sister, mother, husband wife or co-worker; something which is actively engaged in Canada via CSIS. Often the reward would be a government job or opportunity one would not get otherwise.

If anyone is interested in a bit of history, mixed with some sensational but true stories, this is the book for you. If you are from Canada, you might consider it a bit of insight into operations that occur within out borders, except, the victims were able to gain full access to their files with the fall of East Germany. something unheard of in the ultra secret Canadian intelligence apparatus.

[gateley]

1. Thanks for this. I didn't know Canada had a super intelligence apparatus

like this. I always regard you guys as just happy and perfect and what I wish America was like!

I heard about a couple of books from a former Mossad agent that tells some amazing tales, too. I have the titles written down somewhere but I've been sick for a few weeks so haven't looked into them yet. If you're interested in Mossad stuff, let me know and I'll get the titles/author name for you.

[shockedcanadian]

2. Mossad books? Not that interesting to me (anymore). CSIS? I am interested.

Yeah, Canada is not the Utopia is once was, if it ever was. In researching and reading, discussing things with people "in the know', there is a massive gap between human rights and the security apparatus. Things may be not be perfect in the U.S, but I assume they do not manufacture threat to jusitfy their existence over there; they defnitely fo so in Canada.

As for Mossad books, I have read plenty about their agency, there is an abundance of them out there, including a more recently published one by a Canadian (The Volunteer). What I am most interested in is books about CSIS and the RCMP. Their covert operations are of particular interest as they have a less than stellar reputation for ruining peoples lives for friviolous reasons; often just to toe the line and improve their career potential. It is sickening.

It is often said that the more secretive a nation the less books there are on their intelligence agency, well, there are very few specifically focused on CSIS, they simply do as they please and for the most part only foreign intelligence agencies are aware of how they operate against their own citizens (often in very unethical and immoral ways).

Let me know if you have any exposes on CSIS; or, even covert RCMP books (they relinquished their official spying business in 1985 due to getting caught burning citizens barns) as to some degree they often operate jointly.

[gateley]

3. No -- I'm totally clueless about the CSIS, and to me, the RCMP are a bunch of

friendly guys on horses who wear cool uniforms. So I'm not your source.

This is interesting, though -- a whole other world of which I was unaware. Hope you find the books/info you're looking for.