[1] According to The New York Times, George was "a consummate spymaster who moved the chess pieces in the CIA's clandestine games of intrigue".

After a first mistrial, George was eventually found guilty by a jury on two counts of making false statements to congressional committees investigating the Iran-Contra Affair.

After his retirement from the CIA, George continued to hold legendary hero status in the intelligence community and he was a successful consultant on international matters.

As the CIA's deputy director of operations for three years of the Reagan administration, the third-highest post in the spy agency, George was responsible for cloak-and-dagger activities worldwide.

Through cunning and mettle, he advanced through the ranks of the clandestine service, working in Cold War proxy zones in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

The following year he volunteered to replace the Athens station chief, who had just been assassinated by the Revolutionary Organization 17 November over the United States' support of the Regime of the Colonels.

William J. Casey, whom Reagan had named director of central intelligence, appointed George to successively higher positions, among them as the CIA's liaison to Congress.

The operation had been engineered out of the White House by Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North, who served on the National Security Council staff.

After the first court case ended in a mistrial, George was retried in the fall of 1992 on seven counts, resulting in being found guilty on two charges of false statements to Congressional staff.

In the book and subsequent film adaptation of Charlie Wilson's War, Clair George is referenced in an argument between CIA case officer Gust Avrakotos and Director of European Operations Henry Cravely, portrayed on screen by Philip Seymour Hoffman and John Slattery respectively.