Intelligence activities
161 Articles
Unpacking the National Intelligence Council’s Memo on Russian Bounty Operation
President Trump's former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center and our editor-in-chief write about the apparent skewing of intelligence to suit the White House narrative.
The Potential U.S. Security Threats in Letting New START Lapse
Almost every problem that critics say this nuclear-weapons pact doesn't solve would be aggravated if the treaty expires.
A Deep Dive into Canada’s Overhaul of Its Foreign Intelligence and Cybersecurity Laws
Following the release of documents by Edward Snowden, many of the Western governments whose agencies’ activities were implicated in the leaks raced to update and modernize their…
WhatsApp v. NSO Group: State Immunity and Cyber Spying
WhatsApp claims NSO implanted spyware on phones of human rights activists, lawyers, and religious figures. NSO says it can't be sued if it did so on behalf of (undisclosed) foreign…
Iran’s Murder of an American, CIA Contractor Bob Levinson, Suggests Impunity at Home Too
In light of the internal power struggle that turned Levinson into a tragic pawn on the bureaucratic chessboard, fundamental questions remain unanswered.
Congress Must Insert Oversight of Intel Community in COVID Emergency Legislation
Governments often curtail individual liberties when faced with national or global emergencies. Unsurprisingly, one result of the COVID-19 pandemic is that governments around the…
Improve FISA on Civil Liberties by Strengthening Amici
A series of recommendations could position amici to make forceful civil liberties and privacy arguments, effecting change from within the FISA court system.
The CIA in the Age of Trump
Under Trump, the CIA workforce has experienced two directors unwilling to spend any of their political capital on encouraging the president to be more supportive of the Intelligence…
How Late DCI William Colby Saved the CIA, and What That Can Teach Us Today
His willingness to tell truth to power and the challenges he faced in overseeing previously unimagined institutional reforms offer important lessons at this momentous juncture…
The President, His Relationship with Intelligence, and the Soleimani Strike
When it comes to intelligence, like with so much else, President Donald Trump likes big names. It’s this focus on celebrity, headlines, and immediate gratification -- versus …
Leaving the DNI Leaderless is Reckless and Dangerous
Despite the critically important role of the director of national intelligence, this week marks the third straight month that the top two positions in the Office of the DNI have…
New Spy Museum’s Torture Exhibit Glosses Over Depravity
If any visitor to the new International Spy Museum in Washington D.C. leaves the exhibit without a clear understanding that the CIA torture program was immoral, illegal, and counterproductive…