Counterterrorism
Reflections on the Death of Ayman al-Zawahiri
John McLaughlin Mon, Aug 1, 2022, 8:56 PM
The success of the operation is a testament to the CIA’s unrelenting focus on terrorism over the past 20 years.
Latest in Central Intelligence Agency
Cybersecurity and Deterrence
The CIA, Covert Action and Operations in Cyberspace
Robert Chesney Wed, Jul 15, 2020, 3:43 PM
A major story from Yahoo News discloses the existence of a broad covert action finding directing the CIA to engage Iran, Russia and others in cyberspace. Here’s what you need to know.
The Ukraine Connection
The CIA’s Legal Obligation to Report the Ukraine Information to the Attorney General
Steven E. Kaplow Fri, Nov 1, 2019, 5:44 PM
The CIA was obligated to report to the Justice Department information regarding the Ukraine call, but the process by which the initial report was made in this case appears in several aspects to be at variance from the standard recommended process.
Covert Action
Teaching Covert Action to Law Students
Peter deLacy Thu, Aug 8, 2019, 9:26 AM
I recently was a guest lecturer on covert action in a law school seminar. For anyone interested, my instructional approach (fictional scenario, issues for consideration, operational proposals) is available here —feel free to use it (or, better yet, improve on it). In this post I offer a few practitioner-focused thoughts on the “why,” “what” and “how” that informed my planning for this class. I hope this background description and approach are useful to others teaching about covert action.
Executive Order 12333
What Does ‘Collection’ Mean? Discretion and Confusion in the Intelligence Community
Diana Lee, Paulina Perlin Wed, Jul 17, 2019, 8:13 AM
Just before John Brennan ended his term as director of the CIA in 2017, his agency issued a new set of guidelines under Executive Order (EO) 12333, the general charter that governs the intelligence community. Entitled “Central Intelligence Agency Intelligence Activities: Procedures Approved by the Attorney General Pursuant to Executive Order 12333,” the guidelines received little attention.
Intelligence Identities Protection Act
Congress Should Think Twice Before Expanding the Intelligence Identities Protection Act
Gabe Rottman Tue, Jul 16, 2019, 8:00 AM
In 1975, Philip Agee, a former CIA case officer who claimed he had become disillusioned with the CIA’s support for right-wing dictators in Central and South America, published “Inside the Company,” a tell-all memoir of his service, which included an appendix naming 250 alleged CIA officers, agents and informants. Agee also founded a magazine called “CounterSpy,” which advocated outing clandestine CIA officers.
Intelligence Community
Why Intelligence Leadership Won’t Resign in Response to Trump’s Criticisms
David Priess Thu, Jan 31, 2019, 6:04 PM
Earlier this week, CIA Director Gina Haspel, FBI Director Christopher Wray, NSA Director Paul Nakasone, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Director Robert Cardillo, Defense Intelligence Agency Director Robert Ashley and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats testified in an open hearing to the Senate intelligence committee about global threats to U.S. national security.
Intelligence Studies Essay
The Intelligence Studies Essay: "After you, Alphonse," or Why Two Different Intelligence Agencies Now Attend National Security Council Meetings, Whether It Matters, and How to Mitigate the Potential Hazards
Steve Slick Thu, Jul 27, 2017, 10:37 AM
Steve Slick is a clinical professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and directs the Intelligence Studies Project at the University of Texas-Austin. He was a member of CIA’s clandestine service, and served as a special assistant to President George W. Bush and the NSC’s Senior Director for Intelligence Programs and Reform. This essay was reviewed and approved by the CIA’s Publications Review Board.