The Mailer Review/Volume 2, 2008/A New Politics of Form in Harlot's Ghost: Difference between revisions

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 real identity of the incompetent data clerk who, it turns out, failed to locate information for Harvey. Hubbard’s mission becomes investigating and reporting on the real identity of an incompetent clerk who turns out to be Hubbard himself (shades of Oedipus).
-Hubbard manages to conceal his identity despite close dealings with Harvey. However, he never finds out the significance of his original inability to
+Hubbard manages to conceal his identity despite close dealings with Harvey. However, he never finds out the significance of his original inability to locate the data requested. Perhaps the original missing information would have provided Harvey with information about a double agent, reporting to the East Germans about the secret construction of a tunnel, which would
-locate the data requested. Perhaps the original missing information would
+have aided the West in spiriting information and people across the Iron Curtain. In other words, Hubbard’s failure might have been of real importance in the Cold War. This distinguishes life in the CIA from other agencies or bureaus of government or business, since the CIA is, to a very large degree, in the business of directly intervening in history through the achievement of
-have provided Harvey with information about a double agent, reporting to
+accurate information or “intelligence.” Hubbard makes clear that he is attracted to the CIA precisely because, as he explains in his CIA personal history statement, “''I have been brought up to face ultimates''” (182), which reflects the belief that the CIA is the road to truth and effective action. However, truth is never so easy. Harlot argues to Hubbard that the successful completion of the tunnel would have been a disaster because it would have provided ''too much'' information about the real state of affairs in the Soviet bloc (a weak level of military preparedness and a series of bankrupt economies), which would threaten CIA funding. Harlot prefers disinformation to accurate information because it justifies future government expenditures. Did he set up Hubbard? Another possibility readers are forced to consider is that
-the East Germans about the secret construction of a tunnel, which would
+Harlot himself is a double agent and therefore subverts the tunnel to aid the Soviets. Readers, like Hubbard, never know for sure.
-have aided the West in spiriting information and people across the Iron Curtain. In other words, Hubbard’s failure might have been of real importance
-in the Cold War. This distinguishes life in the CIA from other agencies or
-bureaus of government or business, since the CIA is, to a very large degree,
-in the business of directly intervening in history through the achievement of
-accurate information or “intelligence.” Hubbard makes clear that he is
-attracted to the CIA precisely because, as he explains in his CIA personal history statement, “I have been brought up to face ultimates” ~182!, which reflects
-the belief that the CIA is the road to truth and effective action. However, truth is never so easy. Harlot argues to Hubbard that the successful completion of the tunnel would have been a disaster because it would have provided too much information about the real state of affairs in the Soviet bloc
-~a weak level of military preparedness and a series of bankrupt economies!,
-which would threaten CIA funding. Harlot prefers disinformation to accurate information because it justifies future government expenditures. Did he
-set up Hubbard? Another possibility readers are forced to consider is that
-Harlot himself is a double agent and therefore subverts the tunnel to aid the
-Soviets. Readers, like Hubbard, never know for sure.
 When Hubbard moves on to operations in Uruguay to fight communist