Be prepared for a peek behind the governmental veil and historical perspectives never before shared.
Dictators and Diplomats is a fascinating memoir offering a glimpse into the extraordinary life of a U.S. Security Attaché.
Robert W. Starnes’ international law enforcement career took him to six continents while encountering terrorism, counterintelligence, executive protection, and criminal investigations.
--Relive a chemical terrorist threat in New Zealand against U.S. golfer Tiger Woods.
--Return to Libya during Col. Muammar Gaddafi’s dictatorial reign.
--Become stranded in Brazil with a suspected high-ranking Hezbollah terrorist.
--Relish in the success of disrupting a Lebanese terrorist plot to bomb a U.S. Embassy.
--Arrest a Pakistani defector and terrorist two weeks from joining the U.S. army Airborne.
--Run the gauntlet of a planned siege of a U.S. Embassy during a coup d’état.
--Brushes with death during Guatemala’s civil war.
--Scour the Samoan jungles to rescue children from an abusive behavior modification camp.
--Restore security after the arson attack against the Texas Governor’s Mansion.
--Enact an Elliott Nest strategy used against gangster Al Capone to disrupt mafia figures.
--Trade moves with the infamous Love Bandit who stole the hearts of lonely women.
You’ll enjoy these adventurous reflections in this well-written memoir that is factual, informative, honest, and, at times, cleverly humorous.
Robert W. Starnes is a retired U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security supervisory special agent with expertise in counterterrorism, counterintelligence, investigations, and protective security. Robert served at multiple U.S. embassies worldwide, including reestablishing diplomatic relations with Libya during dictator Muammar Gaddafi’s rein, Guatemala’s civil war and Paraguay’s violent coup d’état. Robert spearheaded the protective intelligence investigation in New Zealand after receiving a threat letter containing laboratory grade potassium cyanide targeting visiting U.S. golfer Tiger Woods. Robert led 3-separate protective intelligence investigations resulting in the capture of a high ranking Hezbollah terrorist, disrupted a terrorist attack by a Lebanese terrorist planning to bomb the American embassy, and arrested a Pakistani military fighter jet pilot defector wanting to kill Americans in Iraq, who was 2-weeks from active duty with the U.S. army Airborne. He protected Margaret Thatcher; Nelson Mandela; Mikhail Gorbachev; and Prince Charles, and rescued dozens of American juveniles from an allegedly abusive behavior modification camp in Western Samoa. The Texas State Police called upon his expertise to revamp their agency soon after the 2008 arson attack against the Governor’s Mansion. Robert is a recipient of the distinguish FBI Director’s Commendation Award, 2-Superior Honor Awards and 6-Meritorious Awards.
Upon learning that the U.S. Embassy was involved, staff members from a behavior modification camp hid over two-dozen American minors on a remote part of the South Pacific island nation of Samoa. U.S. Embassy staff members and I scoured the jungle to locate and offer the children refuge from this allegedly abusive camp resembling a mixture of Dr. Moreau's Island and Lord of the Flies.
Years later, a rescued child in Samoa, Evan Ebel eventually joined a neo-Nazi group, became a career criminal, and ultimately murdered Colorado's prison chief at his home.
A few days later, after wounding a deputy Boyd, a high speed chase ensued by Texas state troopers. Mimicking something out of a mobster movie, Evan Ebel drove his car with his right hand while shooting at his pursuers with his left hand. Nearing the Wise County sheriff ’s headquarters building, a collision with a tractor trailer brought Ebel’s vehicle to an abrupt stop.
Like horror scenes from the movie 'The Terminator,' Evan Ebel exited his mangled vehicle while continuing to engage the Texas peace officers in gunfire. Moments later, a debilitating shot from a Texas highway patrolman brought Evan Ebel's crime spree to a halt.
Book Excerpt
Dictators and Diplomats: A Special Agent's Memoir and Musings
On March 21, 2013, as the sun shone brightly on Montague County, Texas, Deputy Sheriff James Boyd made what he thought would be a routine traffic stop on a 1991 Cadillac de Ville. Little did Deputy Boyd know at the time, but he had just pulled over 28-year old Evan Spencer Ebel, a seasoned and disturbed career criminal who was on the run for recently murdering Tom Clements, the state of Colorado’s prison chief, and Collin Leon, a Denver-area pizza delivery employee.
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