The CIA Goes Back to the Movies
Well, it sure beats talking about Benghazi. A few days after the (acting) chief spook wrote his review of Zero Dark Thirty, the Agency itself has returned to its new favorite subject, enlightening its readers about their latest deep thinking about Hollywood. And guess what? After careful study and analysis, they still think that you shouldn’t believe everything you see on the big screen.
You can get the gist of it from the headline: “Hollywood Myths vs. the Real CIA.”
Maybe they’re preparing to offer an online course or something.
Meanwhile, your friends in Langley are trying to make you better informed, and, as before, they’re not talking about our enemies, or the global war against American civilization, or the unmentionable “terrorism.” Nope. Taking a cue from their leader in the White House, it’s all about themselves. “CIA.gov wants to share some of the facts with you.”
Really. Like what? Well, like the CIA has very small (indeed “insect-sized”) listening devices (I guess that’s why they’re called “bugs,” huh?) and froovy robot fish that can sample water. But the big “reality” from CIA.gov is that most of the folks who work for our once-secret espionage agency are NOT spies. They may recruit spies, and run spies, but they are not actually spies themselves (true enough). Furthermore (although you won’t get this from CIA.gov), most of our important spies have been walk-ins. We didn’t go out and find them and lure them to betray their country. They decided to do that, and came to us. And you’ll be pleased to learn that we’re in great shape to deal with them. CIA’s got “a diverse workforce.”
That’s not always a good thing, by the way. It prompts a flashback to a Cold War story, I think when the hapless Stansfield Turner was in charge of CIA. The wonderful Carter years. A man in Czechoslovakia who wanted to spy for us arranged to meet a CIA guy at a bistro in Prague. He was told that the spook would be easily recognizable because he would have the Herald Tribune with him. So the would-be secret agent goes to the bistro and spots a big black man–six and a half feet tall–wearing cowboy boots, with the Trib on the table in front of him.
Careful with that diverse work force.
CIA.gov wants to tell you that you should not believe that your CIA spies on U.S. citizens. It’s hard for them to tell you that with a straight face, because they do. So they dance around it:
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has the lead on intelligence matters in the United States, especially those directed against US citizens. However, the CIA and the FBI work together as needed to protect the interests of US national security. The CIA does not collect information concerning the domestic activities of US citizens, but its foreign intelligence collection mission can be conducted anywhere.
Let me parse that for you. In simple English, “we operate everywhere (that’s what that final ‘anywhere’ means), whenever and wherever we think national security is at stake. If we find, for example, that foreign enemies are in touch with American citizens (abroad or here), we will collect that information. We’re obliged to turn over information on ‘domestic activities of US citizens’ to the FBI, which will then carry on. Mostly.”
Indeed, Attorney General Eric Holder recently authorized the government to collect and retain all manner of information on American citizens who are totally clean, about whom no worrisome information exists.
Oh, and a lot of this information comes from NSA, which CIA.gov’s latest movie review doesn’t even mention.
Then there’s this one: “CIA has no law enforcement authority.” Well, not exactly, as the residents of Camp Guantanamo will tell you. CIA certainly arrests people overseas (or, in friendly countries, causes them to be arrested) and then interrogates them (or causes interrogation to be conducted), and also has them arrested in the course of their many joint operations with the military (notably Special Forces).
Don’t forget that more than a dozen CIA officers are facing arrest warrants in Italy for organizing the snatching of alleged terrorists there.
As the James Bond theme plays, CIA.org closes with a deception:
Myth: The CIA makes foreign policy.
Reality: The CIA informs foreign policy. It works with other members of the Intelligence Community to produce objective analysis on intelligence issues. The president and policymakers make all U.S. policy decisions, not the CIA.
I guess it all depends on what “objective” and “makes” mean. But it’s, uh, misleading to suggest that the intel folks don’t actively try to influence policy. You might want to run that quaint claim of sweet innocence past Dick Cheney.
As for “objective analysis,” well, just give me your opinion and I’ll try to sort it out. So long as you also give me a full picture of the facts.
And stop with the movie reviews already. We’re at war, remember?
Where is Felix Leiter when we really need him?
The CIA can detain you, kidnap you, interrogate you, etc, but it cannot arrest you. People are taking to Guantanamo to avoid conflicts with laws governing CIA detainment without legal cause under U.S. court system.
Arresting an individual can only be done by a lawful agency empowered by US Government to do so, and protect your rights in the process. The CIA is part of the executive branch of Government with no authority to arrest. The FBI is brought in to arrest the individual, even if it is another CIA agent such as Mole or Spy within the USA.
Overseas the CIA will typically work with foreign justice agencies but has caused so many problems they are quickly losing this courtesy.
Technically The CIA cannot request warrants, does not enforce laws, it is a information gathering and processing agency. In reality the CIA has overthrown govts, murdered and assisted in assassination of government officials, procured and supplied weapons, drugs, information and technology and smuggled them to friends and foes alike.
There are various countries with Arrest warrants outstanding for CIA agents due to these activities in their countries.
“The CIA is part of the executive branch of Government with no authority to arrest.”
The FBI is part of the executive branch, which part of “chief magistrate” don’t you get? Who do you think has a direct report from the AG?
What’s your point, “alex”?
When a regime is run by an anti-American, liars, thugs and general nogoodniks are to be expected as part of their top cliques. So it is entirely natural for them to present ‘reality’ via movie clips. In fact, the genre is made for their fantasy milieu!
That being said, one has to know just how joined at the hip this regime is with movie making, to know how off the American path they are. And when heads of top agencies in the gov’t, plus the most highly embedded Muslim Brotherhood operative, sit from and center at a flick’s premiere, then you can discern what they intuit about this or that – http://adinakutnicki.com/2012/10/14/hollywood-liberals-their-cozy-left-wing-political-relationships-protecting-islamic-interests-huma-abedin-plays-ben-affleck-like-a-fiddle-commentary-by-adina-kutnicki/
Made to order by ‘.gov’ is about as reliable as one scripted by Mafia Inc.! Truly.Depressingly and dangerously so.
Wow. YOU live in a miserable place.
And you, little fellow, are one of those who created that place.
The Muslim lobby is getting more influential and powerful in our politics and society. There is evidence as far back as Obama’s Chicago years that the Muslim Brotherhood, through Chicago Muslims, contributed to his campaigns. There are many ties between Islamists and the Obama administration. Obama’s national governance copies the corruption-ridden methods of his Chicago days, basically disbursement of public monies or favorable legislation in return for campaign contributions. Obama’s favoring of Muslims, Greens and Big Labor is not a result of his liberal philosophy but a way to get money and more power.
The CIA has an internal newsletter, and has reviewed books and movies for years. There’s nothing new about it – they happen to be experts in their field, and I’m sure they don’t spend a great deal of time on it.
What next – you won’t let soldiers write articles for Stars and Stripes?
The archive of magazine articles is awesome – check out the article about the berlin tunnel. They enviscerate Phillip Kneightley’s “The Second Oldest Profession” (although it’s still a good read).
Are you sure that your problem isn’t simply that you don’t like what they’re saying?
my “problem” is that I want them to act like a secret intelligence organization, not like a coffee club.
Re:
“5. tanstaafl
When it comes to the inner workings of intelligence agencies…”,….permit me to complete that provocative opening with:
…..all those commenting here on the inner working staff of the C.I.A. don’t have a clue as to what they’re talking (posting) about unless they’re C.I.A. employees or contractors.
Snark Alert!
…..I omitted to suggest here that all readers seek out that authentic classic Hollywood standard of C.I.A. operations, “Air America”, starring……drum rolls…pause here for effect….the grrrrrREEEEEAAAAT AUthority, MEL Gibson!!…….
When it comes to the inner workings of intelligence agencies, I am inclined to believe Vince Flynn scenarios as opposed to formal pronouncements and claims of the agencies themselves, for example, that the CIA’s most “successful” operations are covert and fly well beneath the radar of awareness, sometimes even congressional and presidential awareness.
After 911, the National Intelligence agency was created to supposedly co-ordinate the nation’s many disparate “intelligence” agencies.
It operates under the auspices of one guy who seems to be a Grade A dolt, James Clapper.
Read some Vince Flynn
Pentagon Preps Stealth Strike Force to Counter China BY DAVID AXE 12.26.12
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/12/pentagon-preps-stealth-force/
Well what do you know about that! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/newzealand/9774217/Tsunami-bomb-tested-off-New-Zealand-coast.html
One would think the CIA has impotant stuff do to other than movie reviews…like why would they comment on any movie; I do not recall CIA commenting on 007 et al…
Yes the CIA does not make foreign policy, it is a very secret government agency that getting information to help in making the foreign policy decisions. But in the world of politics there must be political agendas behind the scenes to protect the country’s interests and her national security by a few of policymakers and other senior decision makers in the National Security and Defense and the State. And here it comes the role of intelligence in spying and engaging of covert actions that would help to make the USA too intelligent on the world scene. But the shameful thing is seems that Attorney General, Mr. Holder and his sort of those who “anti-America’s interests” are trying to collect information through spying on those American noblemen, not the enemy and here lies the big problem. The late Angleton is turning over in his grave!
i wonder where the definition of ops sec went to? i may not know how the inner workings of the CIA are but i can read about the messes they make. i know that if you talk to a liar long enough he runs out of creativity, then starts telling the truth, then tries to pass it off as a lie. just listen to the CIC.
This is the place to start silence is a form of guilt if you dont report what you understand then you become a party to an action d.d from raj craptti,racism must be destroyed if you type in enniskerry nazis at google you will find hidden fascist websites that expose this part of ireland you may wish to research the blue shirts
CIA Official Who Destroyed Torture Tapes Squirms at Zero Dark Thirty Abuse BY SPENCER ACKERMAN 01.04.13
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2013/01/rodriguez-zero-dark-thirty/
What would happen to you if you had done something similar? I know. Do you know?
Given how much El Toro Poo-poo is out there about Spooks, why not let Hollywood be labelled “A clear and present Danger to what the US is about”, and let us see more about Hobbits, Elves, and magic crystals.
For, in all honesty, will “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” be the only novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, made into movies?
Plus, what about the writings of the rest of the Inklings?