Ray McGovern

Ray McGovern works with Tell the Word, the publishing arm of the ecumenical Church of the Saviour in inner-city Washington. In the Sixties he served as an infantry/intelligence officer and then became a CIA analyst for the next 27 years. He is on the Steering Group of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS).

Pelosi-Taiwan: An Easy Way Out for Biden

Let’s begin with a syllogism: Major Premise: Biden Does Not Want War With China Minor Premise: He is Commander-in-Chief Conclusion: Biden can order a Navy carrier battlegroup to change direction In other words, a solution to the still up-in-the-air (so to speak) visit of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, amid Chinese threats of military … Continue reading “Pelosi-Taiwan: An Easy Way Out for Biden”

Ukraine-US-Russia: Dangers of Tit-for-Tat

In an unusual escalation of words depicting Russia’s broadened aims in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today declared that Russia’s military "tasks" in Ukraine territorial objectives are no longer limited to the Donbass. Lavrov told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti things had "substantially changed" since the Russian-Ukrainian peace talks in Istanbul failed four … Continue reading “Ukraine-US-Russia: Dangers of Tit-for-Tat”

Blinken Leading the Blind Into the Mideast Desert

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan embark on their next excellent adventure later this week with President Joe Biden – this time to the Middle East, with Israel the first stop. There is not the slightest pretense that the visitors will reproach their Israeli hosts on Israel’s Apartheid regime. Nor … Continue reading “Blinken Leading the Blind Into the Mideast Desert”

NATO Scribes vs. Russian Artillery and Rockets

Incongruity was the hallmark of the extraordinary NATO summit just concluded in Madrid. NATO offered bluster and promised muster: more troops against its "most significant and direct threat ," Russia. Meanwhile, Russian "cauldron"maneuvers in Donbas methodically destroyed or enveloped major units of Kyiv’s army, further strengthening Russia’s position there. Those of realistic and compassionate bent … Continue reading “NATO Scribes vs. Russian Artillery and Rockets”

Lithuanians Stick New Finger in Eye of Russian Bear

Lithuania is trying to create new "facts on the ground," hoping to provoke the kind of response from Russia that will determine tone and substance of the important NATO summit scheduled for June 28-30 in Madrid. Trouble Ahead On June 17 the Lithuanians announced they were banning the rail transit of goods through Lithuania to … Continue reading “Lithuanians Stick New Finger in Eye of Russian Bear”

Did Obama Know ‘Russian Hacking’ Was a Fraud?

FBI emails made public in connection with the recent trial of Michael Sussmann show that President Barack Obama was actively encouraging his top security officials to do a number on the Queen of Hearts’ "Sentence First; Verdict Afterwards" in order to help Mrs. Clinton win in 2016. For those, like me, who wondered how top … Continue reading “Did Obama Know ‘Russian Hacking’ Was a Fraud?”

55 Years Ago Israel Admitted To Killing 34 US Sailors, But ‘By Mistake’

The murder of journalist Shereen Abu Akleh on May 11, 2022 is, sadly, not the first time Israeli forces have killed American citizens and gotten away with it. The Israeli bulldozer that ran over – and then backed up over – 23 year-old Rachel Corrie to ensure her back was broken on March 16, 2003 … Continue reading “55 Years Ago Israel Admitted To Killing 34 US Sailors, But ‘By Mistake’”

Lies About Russia Still Matter – a Lot

Clinton campaign manager Robbie Mook recently admitted under oath that prior to the 2016 election Mrs. Clinton personally approved feeding the media a bogus story that Donald Trump had a back channel to Alfa Bank in Moscow. The online magazine Slate obliged on Oct. 31, 2016, a week before the election, with the desired story. … Continue reading “Lies About Russia Still Matter – a Lot”

Gina Haspel Watched the Waterboarding at CIA ‘Black Site’

It still makes me sick to my stomach – this time the sworn testimony of CIA contract psychologist/torturer James Mitchell that Gina Haspel was watching as he and psychologist/torturer colleague John Bruce Jessen waterboarded Saudi captive Ab al-Rahim al-Nashiri in Thailand. For services performed (and obfuscated), Haspel passed muster in the Senate and was confirmed … Continue reading “Gina Haspel Watched the Waterboarding at CIA ‘Black Site’”

US Counting on Putin To Signal Before Using Nukes

Hats off to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines for her Senate May 10 testimony on the likelihood of nuclear war with Russia, even though parts of it were surreal, as we discuss below. From an intelligence perspective, she told it like it is. Not only that; she took the quintessential nuclear-use question a step … Continue reading “US Counting on Putin To Signal Before Using Nukes”