Pvt. Manning and Imperative of Truth

When I was asked to speak at Saturday’s rally at Fort Meade in support of Pvt. Bradley Manning, I wondered how I might provide some context around what Manning is alleged to have done. (In my talk, so as not to think I had to insert the word “alleged”...

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Are Americans in Line for Gitmo?

Ambiguous but alarming new wording tucked into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and just passed by the Senate is reminiscent of the “extraordinary measures” introduced by the Nazis after they took power in 1933. And the relative lack of reaction so far...

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Ask the Candidates Real Questions – Like These

During recent presidential debates, moderators have asked mostly predictable questions and – except for some notable gaffes – have elicited mostly talking-point answers. But ex-CIA analyst Ray McGovern says it's time for citizens to put politicians on the spot with...

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Honoring Whistleblowers

Our country's need for courageous whistleblowers is now. That is mostly why Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence (SAAII) publicly honors people who have spoken truth, and suffered the consequences, as Sam Adams, my former analyst colleague at CIA, did on...

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Switching Focus from Iraq to Iran

You might think that by now I would be so used to infuriating neocon drivel that, to preserve my own sanity, I would avoid looking at The Washington Post, or at least its editorial pages. I have tried. But it seems that after almost a half century in Washington, and...

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Freedom Plaza Protesters Settle In

"Exhilarating" is the most appropriate word to describe our assembly since Thursday on Freedom Plaza — our “Tahrir Square” — in Washington, D.C., called into being by October2011.org. And it appears we will be staying for the duration to exercise our freedom to...

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Israel’s Window to Bomb Iran

There are mounting signs that the right-wing Israeli government may think the timing is right for an attack on Iran, with growing alarms inside Israel about alleged Iranian progress on building a nuclear bomb — and with President Barack Obama fearing loss of key...

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The Rise of Another CIA Yes Man

As Gen. David Petraeus prepares to take the helm at the CIA in September, he can expect unswerving loyalty from his likely deputy, Michael Morell, who has been acting director since July when Leon Panetta left to become secretary of defense. Like many senior CIA...

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Lemmingly, We Roll Along

When soldiers die, the politicians who sent them to their deaths typically use euphemisms and circumlocutions — like “lost,” “fallen,” or “ultimate sacrifice.” On one level, the avoidance of blunt language can be seen as a sign of respect, but on another, it is just...

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