▁Power ▁Polit ics ▁( 1 9 6 9 ) ▁and ▁The ▁Game ▁Player : ▁Conf essions ▁of ▁the ▁C IA ' s ▁Original ▁Political ▁Oper ative ▁( 1 9 8 9 ). ▁In ▁his ▁mem oir s , ▁Cop eland ▁rec ount ed ▁his ▁invol vement ▁in ▁numerous ▁cover t ▁operations , ▁including ▁the ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁Sy rian ▁coup ▁d ' état ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁Iran ian ▁coup ▁d ' état . ▁A ▁conserv ative ▁influenced ▁by ▁the ▁ideas ▁of ▁James ▁Burn ham , ▁Cop eland ▁was ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁American ▁political ▁magazine ▁National ▁Review . ▁In ▁a ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁Rol ling ▁Stone ▁interview , ▁he ▁stated , ▁" Un like ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times , ▁Victor ▁March etti ▁and ▁Philip ▁Age e , ▁my ▁compla int ▁has ▁been ▁that ▁the ▁C IA ▁isn ' t ▁over throw ing ▁enough ▁anti - American ▁govern ments ▁or ▁assass in ating ▁enough ▁anti - American ▁leaders , ▁but ▁I ▁guess ▁I ' m ▁getting ▁old ." ▁ ▁Background ▁and ▁family ▁life ▁The ▁son ▁of ▁a ▁doctor , ▁Cop eland ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁B irmingham , ▁Alabama . ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁gradu ate ▁from ▁college . ▁According ▁to ▁history ▁professor ▁Hugh ▁Wil ford , ▁there ▁is ▁nothing ▁in ▁Cop eland ' s ▁C IA ▁files ▁to ▁suggest ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁professional ▁music ian , ▁but ▁" se ver al ▁relatives ▁and ▁friends ▁have ▁test ified ▁to ▁his ▁musical ▁ability ." ▁Cop eland ' s ▁books