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).

NYT Gives Russia-Gate CPR – WSJ Pronounces It Dead

Special Council John Durham’s indictment of Hillary Clinton campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann met differing reactions Friday from the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Those who may still think it was Russia that "interfered" with the 2016 election owe it to themselves to read the Sussmann indictment/charging document. Spoiler: It was the very … Continue reading “NYT Gives Russia-Gate CPR – WSJ Pronounces It Dead”

Isikoff’s Cops and Robbers Camouflage the Big Lie

Michael Isikoff is at it again – this time with co-authors Zack Dorfan, and Sean Naylor – in a long, pot-holed piece posted Sunday on Yahoo where Isikoff is "chief investigative correspondent." Seeing the title, wouldn’t you dip in? "Kidnapping, assassination and a London shoot-out: Inside the CIA’s secret war plans against WikiLeaks." I sent … Continue reading “Isikoff’s Cops and Robbers Camouflage the Big Lie”

Old Soldier Mark Milley Should ‘Fade Away’

A week after President Harry Truman fired WWII war hero Gen. Douglas MacArthur in April 1951, MacArthur addressed a joint session of Congress with some self-pity about being overruled and under-appreciated by that civilian Truman: "Old soldiers never die – they just fade away." MacArthur had publicly criticized Truman for denying him permission to nuke … Continue reading “Old Soldier Mark Milley Should ‘Fade Away’”

Plenty of Intelligence To Prevent 9/11

Shortly before 9/11 the National Security Agency (NSA) asked Thomas Drake to join its senior staff. As things turned out, Sept. 11 was his first day on the job. Already au courant with key NSA programs via his earlier contract work, Tom was immediately tasked to find out how much information NSA had on terrorist … Continue reading “Plenty of Intelligence To Prevent 9/11”

Robert Gates and Those ‘Transfer Cases’

My longtime colleague at CIA, Mel Goodman, has written an instructive article about our decades-ago co-worker Robert Gates, whom Mel labels the “Poster Child for Bureaucratic Deceit.” Sadly, I can vouch for the correctness of Mel’s findings. Gates’s case is emblematic of how it is that ambitious, brown-nose functionaries (as well as rising four-stars) can … Continue reading “Robert Gates and Those ‘Transfer Cases’”

Generals End-Run Around Civilian Intel Analysts

In a posting earlier today I alluded to the fact that the National Intelligence Estimate process seems to have fallen into a state of complete disrepair – or, at least, disuse. I can speak from personal experience with NIEs and what happens when their judgments are not welcome and/or not even asked for. Westmoreland Rules … Continue reading “Generals End-Run Around Civilian Intel Analysts”

Hold the Generals Accountable This Time

If, after the horrors of this week in Afghanistan, the 4-Starry-eyed generals responsible for this 20-year March of Folly are not held accountable, there will be still worse to come. None were held accountable for the disasters of Vietnam or Iraq, and now the allegedly smart 4-Star Generals and Admirals are – get this – … Continue reading “Hold the Generals Accountable This Time”

Love Triangle Exposed: Democrats-Mueller-NY Times

Yesterday on The Critical Hour, in connection with the flurry of commentary on the latest anti-Russian piece from The Guardian, I explained in some detail how Special Council Robert Mueller helped the Democrats win back the House in 2018. There were other factors in play, of course, but in retrospect, Mueller’s performance was highly instructive. … Continue reading “Love Triangle Exposed: Democrats-Mueller-NY Times“

The Guardian: Regurgitating the Russia-Gate Canard

The UK Guardian, and particularly Luke Harding, lead author of Thursday’s Kremlin papers appear to show Putin’s plot to put Trump in the White House, are heaping still more discredit on what was once a respectable newspaper. This long story (long in both senses of the word) regurgitates "what are assessed to be leaked Kremlin … Continue reading “The Guardian: Regurgitating the Russia-Gate Canard”

Blaming Russia for MH17 Shoot-Down: A Bum Rap?

Veteran journalist and specialist on Russia, John Helmer, reports that the trial in the Netherlands of three Russians and one Ukrainian accused in the July 17, 2014 downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, killing 298, has called into serious question evidence of Russian involvement. Sad to say, the evidence the U.S. earlier claimed to have … Continue reading “Blaming Russia for MH17 Shoot-Down: A Bum Rap?”