Thanks for you commentary. Sounds like you know a bit about the cloak-and-dagger business. All I know is what I read in the....well, read on sites like Free Republic.
There are a lot of excellent books out there on the subject. Unfortunately, I think it helps to know if you are reading a book by a genuine Intelligence officer or just someone who worked for the CIA and thinks of themselves as an expert. Most of the "former CIA officers" who appear on the news are lightweights, building a cottage industry from some limited experience. One I can strongly recommend is "The Main Enemy" by Milt Beardon. He was a CIA Case Officer throughout much of the cold war and then led the battle against the Soviets in Afghanistan. He was deeply involved in the Ames investigation and then later was forced into retirement during the Clinton era for not being politically correct. If he has nothing else, he has integrity. You can really get an honest and fair assessment of the CIA from this book.