Ex-CIA Agent Philip Agee Dies in Havana, Cuba

Agee Exposed Several U.S. Agents in a 1975 Book

There might have been a spy or two who loved James Bond, but there was no love lost between the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States and Philip Agee, the ex-CIA operative who passed away on Monday, January 7 in Havana, Cuba at the age of 72. Agee was hospitalized for perforated ulcers and died due to an infection related to his condition. Survivors include his wife, Giselle Roberge Agee, and two sons.

Who Was Philip Agee?

A Google search on the name Philip Agee brings up quite a bit of information, most of it negative. To many observers, Agee is a traitor who sold out his friends, co-workers and his country, but articles written by Agee himself offer a different, almost benevolent perspective on his actions.

Philip Agee: The United States' Position

Reuters News reports that Agee's first book, "Inside the Company: CIA Diary" revealed the names of undercover agents in Latin America. Blowing someone's cover in that manner is tantamount to murder and the United States government referred to him as a traitor. Additional government statements say that some of the agents he exposed were later murdered.

In an obituary about Agee, Will Weissert of the Associated Press quoted Vince Cannistraro, a former CIA counter-terrorism chief, who said Agee's book "was considered a very serious blow to CIA's clandestine operations." "It had a major impact, some people had to be pulled out," Cannistraro said.

Philip Agee: "Loyal Friend of Cuba"

While reporting on Agee's death, Granma, the Cuban Communist Party newspaper, referred to Agee as a "loyal friend of Cuba and staunch defender of the people's struggle for a better world." That's a rather interesting eulogy for a man who supposedly had the best interests of his country in mind when he worked for the CIA for 12 years.

Philip Agee's Rebuttal: "A Tremendous Effect on the Agency's Effectiveness"