Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
275 Articles
Defectors Provide Immediate Gratification, But Spies Change History
The CIA’s Instagram post on how to make "secure virtual contact” shows the need for agents and their ability to provide ongoing intelligence.
Uncertain Future for the ICC’s Investigation into the CIA Torture Program
The ICC Office of the Prosecutor has "deprioritized" investigation of CIA torture in Afghanistan. But Julian Elderfield, a former attorney in the OTP, says the stated reasons for…
Reexamining the Fundamentals of the Drone Program After the Kabul Strike
"There are certainly unique circumstances to the Kabul strike, but if we miss the bigger lessons, we only invite further tragedy. "
Hidden Negligence: Aug. 29 Drone Strike is Just the Tip of the Iceberg
A deep analysis of the broader system in which the August 29 Kabul drone strike is situated, by top expert on civilian casualties and lead author of several Department of Defense…
The Overhyping of Over the Horizon
It might represent the only option for the US on terrorist threats from Afghanistan, but it will be brute, imperfect military force.
Paradigm Shift: The Consequences of Choosing a War Path, and Leaving It
We owe it to the next generation to grapple now with the consequences of remaining at war -- as well as the consequences of choosing not to be -- lest we find ourselves reflexively…
In the “War on Terror,” What Did Rights Organizations Get Wrong?
A leading human rights lawyer raises provocative questions about track record of U.S. human rights organizations. An essay in advance of a live event on Thursday night to discuss…
Nuremberg Prosecutor says Guantanamo Military Commissions Don’t Measure Up
In an upcoming filing, the last living Nuremberg prosecutor, Benjamin B. Ferencz, says there is "very limited comparison" between the Guantanamo military commissions and the Nuremberg…
Former Chair of U.S. National Intelligence Council: Learning the Right Lessons from Afghanistan
"The example of the Iraqi army — which quickly collapsed in the Islamic State’s 2014 blitz across northern Iraq — ought to have sharpened the concerns about the Afghan…
CIA’s Former Counterterrorism Chief for the Region: Afghanistan, Not An Intelligence Failure — Something Much Worse
"While it’s certainly convenient to depict the shock and miscalculation U.S. officials claim over Afghanistan’s tragic, rapid fall to the Taliban as an intelligence failure,…
What We Can Expect in Afghanistan from US Intelligence Once US Troops Are Gone
U.S. troops are leaving Afghanistan, but the Intelligence Community is merely entering a new phase of the conflict.
Reimagining Human Intelligence – The Case for a Sunlight Strategy
The current focus of U.S. HUMINT operations is too narrowly defined.