With Spies Like These . . .[CIA]

Washington Post ^ | 15 Dec 2007 | Joseph Weisberg

[BGHater]

The new National Intelligence Estimate on Iran appears to rely heavily on notes from a discussion between Iranian military officials involved in that country's nuclear weapons development program. What if, instead of such easily manipulated documentary evidence, the CIA's National Clandestine Service had been able to recruit a spy at the highest reaches of the Iranian government, someone who could just tell us what the country's nuclear capabilities and plans were?

It wouldn't have made any difference.

Ever since the inception of the CIA, the operational side of the agency has both believed in and spread the fantasy that foreign agents can provide vital secret intelligence that will clear up great mysteries, change the outcome of wars or prevent terrorist attacks. But this view of intelligence is a myth. To understand why, it's useful to look at what happened the last time the United States desperately needed a spy to get to the bottom of a covert weapons program and what happened when we actually got one.

According to statements by Tyler Drumheller, the former chief of the CIA's European operations, the CIA entered into a clandestine relationship with Iraq's then-foreign minister, Naji Sabri, in mid-2002. Drumheller has claimed that Sabri provided the CIA with documentary evidence that Iraq did not have an active program to pursue weapons of mass destruction.

But Sabri's information had no influence whatsoever on U.S. policy. Nor did it alter the CIA's own assessment of Iraqi weapons capabilities. This is because Sabri, like virtually every other CIA asset, could not possibly have been trusted. So any intelligence he provided was useless.

[Eagles6]

Perpetuate the lie. Say “ Iraq had no wmd or programs and no connection to al queda or terrorism.” Now say it again and again until it is imprinted in your brain.

[GOPJ]

Intelligence from almost all CIA assets is unreliable for the simple reason that so many of them are double agents, meaning that the CIA recruited them but that they are being controlled by their own countries' intelligence services.

As usual, the easy way, NOT the best way. Well it's better than writing with lemon juice...

[Boundless]

> The new National Intelligence Estimate ...

... would have been a lot more credible if it had
concluded with the phrase “slam dunk”.

[wastedyears]

Freedom is Slavery
War is Peace
Ignorance is Strength

Freedom is Slavery
War is Peace
Ignorance is Strength

Freedom is Slavery
War is Peace
Ignorance is Strength

[Eagles6]

You’ve got it.