The White House, Congress, the military and the intelligence agencies see the war as a lesson in failed policymaking, one deeply absorbed if not thoroughly learned.
Tag Archives: Central Intelligence Agency
Foreign Adversaries ‘Very Unlikely’ to Blame for Havana Syndrome, Intelligence Review Finds
The assessment concluded that there was no credible evidence that any adversaries had developed a weapon capable of causing the injuries that U.S. officials have reported.
What to Know About Section 702, the Post-9/11 Surveillance Law
Skepticism about security agencies and surveillance by Republicans allied with former President Donald J. Trump may bolster traditional liberal and libertarian critics of a post-Sept. 11 law.
Doctor Denounces C.I.A. Practice of ‘Rectal Feeding’ of Prisoners
In a hearing at Guantánamo Bay, an expert gave a graphic public depiction of torture after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
The U.S. Intelligence Playbook to Expose Russia’s Ukraine War Plans
Bolder disclosures are part of a larger effort to stymie the Kremlin’s offensive in Ukraine and align support for Kyiv’s war effort in allied countries.
A Russian Mole in Germany Sows Suspicions at Home, and Beyond
A director at Germany’s spy service was picked up on suspicion of passing intelligence to Russia. German officials and allies worry just how deep the problem goes.
Why the U.S. Keeps Shooting Objects Out of the Sky
After taking down a Chinese spy balloon last week, the U.S. military shot down three other high-flying objects, without knowing exactly what they were.
Freed Guantánamo Prisoner Has Big Dreams for a New Life in Belize
Majid Khan, a “high-value detainee” at Guantánamo Bay, was released last week after two decades of social isolation.
Chinese Spy Balloon Calls Back to Cold War U-2 Episode
The Chinese balloon saga is reminiscent of the U-2 spy plane incident that provoked a tense confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Tortured Guantánamo Detainee Is Freed in Belize
Majid Khan, a Pakistani citizen who attended high school in Maryland, finished his sentence last year.
Biden Leery of Involvement in Potential Plea Deal in Sept. 11 Case
A proposal to end a decade-long attempt to seek the death penalty before a military tribunal carries political risks, but the Trump administration also decided the system failed.
Russia’s War Breathes Life Into Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, a news network originally set up as a C.I.A. operation early in the Cold War, is experiencing a renaissance and making a case for its independence.
Gary Hart: The “New Church Committee” Is an Outrage
The new committee seems designed to prevent law enforcement and intelligence agencies from enforcing the law.
New House ‘Weaponization’ Panel Stirs Memories of Joseph McCarthy
Republicans say a special committee to pursue claims of abuse of power is much like a respected 1970s inquiry, but Democrats and historians see darker historical parallels.
John F. Kennedy Assassination: US Releases Trove of Related Documents
Researchers said they were just beginning to comb through the 13,173 documents, hoping they might shed further light on the government’s actions before and after Nov. 22, 1963.
C.I.A. Director Warns Russian Counterpart Against Using Nuclear Weapons
William Burns’s talks with Russia’s foreign intelligence chief are the most senior in-person meetings since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Sept. 11 Case Awaits Biden Administration’s Reply on Plea Deal
The judge has postponed hearings in the case. A proposed agreement would avert a death-penalty trial for the five defendants.
White House Tightens Rules on Counterterrorism Drone Strikes
A classified new policy requires President Biden’s approval to add suspected terrorists to a kill list. The Trump administration had decentralized control over targeting decisions.
The Spy Who Escaped the Eye of the Storm
Porter J. Goss, the former C.I.A. director and a longtime Florida congressman, was one of the founding fathers of devastated Sanibel.
Renovated C.I.A. and N.S.A. Museums Offer a Peek at Spy Secrets — for Some
The Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency both recently overhauled their showcases of espionage.
Ukrainian Officials Drew on U.S. Intelligence to Plan Counteroffensive
Overcoming a reluctance to share their strategy, the Ukrainians were able to use U.S. resources to identify key Russian targets.
CIA Director Said Putin’s Ukraine Invasion Looks Like a ‘Failure’
William J. Burns said that counterattacks in the south and northeast showed that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia had underestimated Ukraine’s capacity for combat.
Trump’s Tastes in Intelligence Were About His Power and Leverage
President Donald J. Trump’s interests during classified briefings have a new resonance amid the Justice Department’s criminal investigation into his handling of sensitive documents.
Trump Inquiry Fueled in Part by Concern Over Intelligence Sources
Documents related to the work of clandestine sources are some of the most sensitive and protected in the government. F.B.I. agents found some in boxes retrieved from Donald J. Trump’s home.
U.S. Warns Russia May Attack Civilians in Ukraine
The American Embassy in Kyiv once again urged American citizens to leave Ukraine.
Donald Trump and American Intelligence’s Years of Conflict
The F.B.I. search of Mar-a-Lago is a coda to the years of tumult between an erratic president and the nation’s intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
How the C.I.A. Tracked Ayman al-Zawahri, the Leader of Al Qaeda
The U.S. search for Ayman al-Zawahri had spanned decades. His presence on a balcony at a safe house in Kabul presented an opportunity to strike.
Al-Zawahri’s Death Puts the Focus Back on Al Qaeda
The terrorist network has lost eight of its top leaders in recent years. But it has more total fighters than it did on Sept. 11, 2001.
U.S. Drone Strike Said to Have Killed Ayman al-Zawahri, Top Qaeda Leader
The strike, carried out over the weekend, was the first attack since American forces left Afghanistan last year.
Colombia’s Truth Commission Is Highly Critical of U.S. Policy
Its report estimates that 450,000 people were killed in the decades-long internal conflict — more than twice the number previously thought.
Kansas Woman Who Joined ISIS Left a ‘Trail of Betrayal’
Allison Fluke-Ekren, a Muslim convert from Kansas, rose through the ranks of the Islamic State in Syria, where she provided military training to women and girls, including her daughter.
Gina Haspel Observed Waterboarding at C.I.A. Black Site, Psychologist Testifies
The testimony emerged in pretrial hearings in the Cole bombing case at Guantánamo Bay, where the war court is wrestling with the legacy of torture after 9/11.
The Casualties at the Other End of the Remote-Controlled Kill
Capt. Kevin Larson was one of the best drone pilots in the U.S. Air Force. Yet as the job weighed on him and untold others, the military failed to recognize its full impact. He fled into the California wilderness.
C.I.A. Director Says Putin Might Consider Nuclear Weapons
William J. Burns, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, cautioned that he had seen no “practical evidence” that would suggest such a move was imminent.
The Appalling Treatment of a Prisoner at Guantánamo
“The Forever Prisoner,” by Cathy Scott-Clark and Adrian Levy, tells the story of a man who has been held captive by the C.I.A. for 20 years.
William Burns, Head of the CIA, Tests Positive For Covid
William J. Burns got the positive result a day after meeting with President Biden.
The 9/11 Trial: Why Are Plea Bargain Talks Underway?
New leadership, an ever receding trial date and pressure to disclose more information about the C.I.A. torture of the accused plotters all contribute.
Spy Agencies Cite Russia’s Setbacks but Say Putin Is ‘Unlikely to Be Deterred’
Top U.S. intelligence officials told Congress that the Russian leader had underestimated Ukrainian resolve and Western cohesion but was “doubling down” to achieve his goals.
Ukraine Crisis: What Happens Next for the Rest of the World?
Europe faces a new refugee crisis, and harsh economic penalties to punish Russia are expected to reverberate worldwide.
Arab Rulers and Spy Chiefs Stashed Millions in Swiss Bank
A leak of account data from Credit Suisse revealed the holdings of powerful figures across the Middle East, raising new questions about self-dealing.
Peter Earnest, C.I.A. Veteran Who Ran a Spy Museum, Dies at 88
He ran secret agents and later served as the agency’s spokesman. Both roles prepared him well for his role as the International Spy Museum’s first director.
Putin’s Motives Pose a Challenge for U.S. Intelligence Agencies
Knowing the intentions of any autocratic leader is difficult, but President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, who began his career as a K.G.B. officer, poses a particular challenge.
Court Filing Started a Furor in Right-Wing Outlets, but Their Narrative Is Off Track
The latest alarmist claims about spying on Trump appeared to be flawed, but the explanation is byzantine — underlining the challenge for journalists in deciding what merits coverage.
CIA collecting bulk data on Americans without oversight, senators say
Enlarge (credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
Two US senators have asked the Central Intelligence Agency to release the details of a secret bulk data collection program that has apparently ensnared Americans.
Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) wrote the director of national intelligence and the CIA (PDF), asking them to declassify a review of a CIA program known as “Deep Dive II,” the details of which were redacted from their letter. The letter was written in April 2021 but was classified until yesterday.
The secret CIA program is operated under the authority of Executive Order 12333, which former President Ronald Reagan issued in 1981. It has been used to justify bulk data collection of people in the US, including phone calls, SMS messages, and, until recently, email metadata. That practice was limited by a 2015 reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, known as FISA, which banned the bulk collection of phone and SMS metadata by the FBI.
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C.I.A. Is Collecting in Bulk Certain Data Affecting Americans, Senators Warn
A partly declassified letter from two senators, Ron Wyden and Martin Heinrich, does not say what the data is.
Some Havana Syndrome Cases May Stem From Radio Energy, Panel Says
A group of experts found that not all injuries to diplomats and C.I.A. officers could be explained by stress or psychosomatic reactions.
Biden Administration Rejects Use of Testimony Obtained From Torture in Guantánamo Trial
The Justice Department rejected an interpretation by the retired chief prosecutor that lawyers could sometimes use statements obtained during C.I.A. interrogations.
The Battle for the World’s Most Powerful Cyberweapon
A Times investigation reveals how Israel reaped diplomatic gains around the world from NSO’s Pegasus spyware — a tool America itself purchased but is now trying to ban.
C.I.A.-Backed Afghan Fighters Are Still Waiting to Reach U.S.
Commandos who played a key role in helping American forces are waiting for visas in the United Arab Emirates, and are among the last of the evacuated Afghans to get a chance to reach the United States.
U.S. and Russia Take More Measured Stance in Ukraine Talks
The conciliatory tone and absence of ultimatums suggested that both sides were trying to keep tensions in check and give diplomacy time.