This is a review of the advanced copy “From Warsaw with Love: Polish Spies, the CIA, and the Forging of an Unlikely Alliance” by John Pomfret for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

The book tells the story of the Polish-U.S. intelligence relationship in the last three decades. Definition of espionage or spying is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information. A person who commits espionage is called an espionage agent or spy.

After Poland’s first post-Communist, freely elected prime minister took office in 1990, the Polish and U.S. spy agencies began working together. Polish operatives came to the U.S. for training; the U.S. provided millions of dollars in cash and equipment.

In 1994, journalist John Pomfret was the Washington Post bureau chief for Eastern Europe, located in Warsaw. He hears a rumor that in 1990 America’s new allies were tested when six U.S. intelligence operatives found themselves trapped in Baghdad after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.

The U.S. had turned to Poland, which had companies and citizens operating under contract in Iraq; Poles could move around there easily. It is a suspenseful tale of an almost insanely difficult exfiltration. Never a dull moment in this story.

The man who got it done, Gromek Czempinski, was a swashbuckling Tom Selleck look-alike who had spent decades spying against the U.S. under the Communists — and who disregarded direct orders not to execute the escape himself.

John Pomfret tracked down the story and it was no easy matter, but his efforts have produced an entertaining political history of Poland since World War II, almost entirely focused on its intelligence service, which, under Soviet domination, rivaled the KGB in its ability to steal U.S. secrets. Very scary stuff the ordinary citizen never hears about.

This reviewer highly recommends this book and rates the book with 4 ½ out of 5 stars. ( )

I received this book from a LibraryThing giveaway. Unfortunately, I did not finish it. It just was not the right book for me, it failed to sustain my interest. I'm sure that this is not to say it is not a good book, and that others might find it fascinating, only that it wasn't for me. ( )

It’s not that long ago that Polish jokes were a very popular American form of humor. (They were replaced by blonde jokes.) Ignored was the strong, positive relationship between Poland and the United States beginning with the Revolutionary War.
In FROM WARSAW WITH LOVE, John Pomfret supplies that missing information.
Poland’s relationship with the United States began with Revolutionary War when Tadeusz Kosciuszko and Casimir Pulaski were recognized as heroes by people such as Thomas Jefferson. Many German immigants were already living here.
The first country in Europe to have a constitution (1791), Poland was the first country to stand up to Germany during WWII and one of the first to be taken over by Germany during the war. In 1939, Polish mathematicians broke the Germany’s Enigma codes and gave the information to France and Britain.
The relationship changed after 1945 when Truman and Churchill agreed to shrink Poland by 20%. It’s western border pushed 50 miles into Germany and 12 million people were forced out.
In 1978, Time considered Poland’s intelligence agency the fifth best in the world. Some of its results, including some stolen from the US, had been deliberately falsified to mislead the Soviets.
Poland’s goal was protecting Poland, 1987. Job of Polish intelligence was to ensure the security of Poland, not to protect socialism. With the CIA’s approval, Poland kept many former security people because it believed they could be turned and be useful. Shirley Temple Black, gave President Vaclav Havel list of names of spies that might cause problems. He retired them with their pensions.
In 1990, Poland snuck six Americans out of Baghdad.
The US was able to get important information from Poland because the latter had relationships with countries that the US did not.
Changes in both Poland’s and the US’s government led to changes between the two governments. Some CIA officers leaked information damaging to Poland and balked on supporting some of Poland’s needs and requests.
Poland felt it could no longer trust the US. It’s people became the only European country to support Donald Trump in 2016.
Using specific names and actions, FROM WARSAW WITH LOVE is a readable, well-written, fact-filled book that explores the relationship between the countries.
I received a copy of this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers. ( )

Former NYT correspondent details Poland's spy history with U.S., including their switching of allegiance from Russia to the US in 1990 and how it came about. Main thrust is Poland's dramatic rescue of 6 US officers trapped in Iraq with intelligence that could ruin Operation Desert Storm. Ebb and flow of alliances between countries though the years also interesting, ( )

Eye opening book about the relationship of Polish intelligence and USA cooperation at the end of the cold war. ( )