JOHN PERKINS PERSONAL HISTORY 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 Graduates prep school, enters Middlebury College. Befriends Farhad, son of an Iranian general. Drops out of Middlebury. Works for Hearst newspapers in Boston. Enters Boston University College of Business Administration. Marries former Middlebury classmate, whose "Uncle Frank" is a top-echelon executive at the National Security Agency (NSA). Profiled by the NSA as an ideal economic hit man. With Uncle Frank's blessing, joins the Peace Corps and is assigned to the Ecuadorian Amazon, where ancient indigenous tribes battle U.S. oil companies. Lives in the rain forest and the Andes. Experiences firsthand the deceitful and destructive practices em- ployed by oil companies and government agencies, and their negative impacts on local cultures and environments. In Ecuador, meets vice president of international con- sulting firm MAIN, who is also an NSA liaison officer. Joins MAIN, undergoes clandestine training in Boston as an economic hit man (EHM), and is sent as part of an eleven-man team to Java, Indonesia. Struggles with conscience over pressure to falsify economic studies. Due to willingness to "cooperate," is promoted to chief economist and is viewed as a "whiz kid." Meets im- portant leaders, including World Bank president Robert McNamara. Sent on special assignment to Panama. Befriended by Panamanian president and charismatic leader, Omar Torrijos; learns about his- tory of U.S. imperialism and Torrijos's determination 226