The CIA’s Selective Secrecy

From the coups that ousted Mohammed Mossadegh, Jacobo Arbenz, and Salvador Allende in the Cold War to the waterboarding of suspected terrorists in the Global War on Terror, the CIA has built a solid reputation as an extralegal agent of international sabotage and murder. Since the agency’s creation in 1947, successive U.S. presidents and their … Continue reading “The CIA’s Selective Secrecy”

CIA’s Push for Drone War Driven by Internal Needs

When David Petraeus walks into the Central Intelligence Agency today, he will be taking over an organization whose mission has changed in recent years from gathering and analyzing intelligence to waging military campaigns through drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia. But the transformation of the CIA did not simply follow the expansion of the … Continue reading “CIA’s Push for Drone War Driven by Internal Needs”

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 officials in recent years, Morell’s record is checkered, at best. … Continue reading “The Rise of Another CIA Yes Man”

US Escalates War Against al-Qaeda

Increasingly worried that al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) is taking advantage of the growing political chaos in Yemen, the administration of President Barack Obama has tasked the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to use drone missiles to strike at suspected AQAP militants. The move, which was reported in Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal and Washington Post, … Continue reading “US Escalates War Against al-Qaeda”

Is Leon Panetta a Saint—or a War Criminal?

David R. Henderson’s Introduction: The first part of this article’s title is absurd, right? How could the head of the CIA, a man who sends drones to kill alleged terrorists and ends up killing not only terrorists, but also many innocent people, be a saint? Well, you probably don’t live in the Monterey area. I … Continue reading “Is Leon Panetta a Saint—or a War Criminal?”

The Five Eyes’ Daisy Chain

So the Five Eyes‘ daisy chain is alive and well. I encountered this at first hand with my own application under Canada’s Access to Information Act (ATIA), submitted in December 2006 and documented elsewhere. In summary, after a hideous delay not countenanced by the framers of the Act, I got 73 pages of redacted rubbish. … Continue reading “The Five Eyes’ Daisy Chain”