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June 13
General Jim Mattis interviews Michael Vickers about his upcoming memoir.
date and time
Tuesday, June 13, 6 – 7pm EDT
the location
online
About this event
General Jim Mattis interviews Michael Vickers about his upcoming book. In Available by all means. Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Ops and Strategy, Vickers recounts his remarkable career, from his days as a Green Beret to his vision for victory in Afghanistan to his role in leading America’s war on al-Qaeda at the highest levels of government. He describes in compelling detail his years in the Special Forces, including his training to parachute behind enemy lines during the Soviet invasion of Western Europe with nuclear weapons in his backpack, and reveals how these experiences directly influenced his approach to policymaking. Vickers has played a significant role in most of the military and intelligence operations of the past four decades, and he offers a deeply informed analysis of the greatest challenges facing America today and for decades to come.
Fascinating and illuminating, this is the story of rare and important insiders at all levels of the modern military and intelligence world.
“Mike Vickers’ remarkable life story could easily be mistaken for a first-rate adventure novel. He tells it matter-of-factly and deliberately, making sure we understand the context of his selfless service and the many consequential achievements. And he tells it with humility, giving us some insight into the character of this most interesting and accomplished man.” — Admiral Eric T. Olson, US Navy (retired), former Commander, US Special Operations Command
“Mike Vickers has written the best and most comprehensive memoir yet about US military special operations and CIA covert operations in the last decade of the Cold War and America’s generational war against foreign terrorists. From the Reagan administration’s conduct of the war against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan to the assassination of Osama bin Laden and beyond, Vickers was at the center of the planning and execution of some of the president’s most consequential secret directives. His ability to think and plan strategically and tactically was rare, but adding to that excellent practical performance made Vickers a unique talent in the intelligence agencies and the Department of Defense. From enlisted Green Berets to some of the highest government positions, Vickers has seen it all, experienced it all. Readers of his memoirs are in for a rare treat and a thrilling story.” — Robert M. Gates, Director of Central Intelligence 1991–1993. and Minister of Defense 2006-2011.
“In my more than 50 years of public life, I have known only a few special people who are completely dedicated to the challenge of defending our country. Mike Vickers is one of those special people. His experiences are unmatched. But because he’s spent his life as a “silent warrior,” much of what he’s accomplished is out of the public eye. He was always in the right place at the right time, providing the essential courage, advice and commitment essential to accomplishing the mission. He helped make our country safer. There is no greater legacy for a ‘silent warrior’.” — Leon E. Panetta, former secretary of defense and director of the CIA
