From Pulitzer Prize winner Tim Weiner comes The Mission, a gripping and authoritative sequel to his acclaimed Legacy of Ashes. This riveting account traces the transformation?and turmoil?of the CIA in the 21st century, from the aftermath of 9/11 to the complex geopolitical rivalries of today. As the Cold War ended, the CIA lost direction, shuttering critical operations and falling behind in technology and intelligence gathering. Then, after September 11th, it shifted into a paramilitary role, prioritizing drone strikes, secret prisons, and torture over traditional espionage. The costs were staggering: the deaths of foreign assets, cyberattacks by Russia and China, and failures in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now, with rising threats from Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran?and a domestic political environment where the agency itself is under attack?America?s spies face perhaps their greatest challenge yet. Drawing on exclusive interviews with six former CIA directors, thirteen station chiefs, and dozens of career operatives who have never spoken publicly, Weiner delivers an unprecedented inside look at the CIA?s evolving mission. Urgent, insightful, and deeply reported, The Mission is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the future of American intelligence?and the stakes for global security.