Trump's New CIA Director Played a Significant Part in Detainee Torture
Gina Haspel, now in the highest position at the CIA, was involved in the use of "enhanced interrogation" techniques on a suspected terrorist in 2002.
CIA
Errol Morris Examines MKUltra
Morris' latest, an investigation into whether the CIA assassinated one of its own scientists, pushes the boundaries of "documentary" further than ever before.
Trump Delays Release of Most JFK Files
Facing pressure from the CIA and FBI, Trump balks at full declassification.
'Bridge of Spies' Is Even Stranger Than Fiction
Steven Spielberg's movie captures the essence of the Cold War in the tale of a man whose "legend" was so encompassing, U.S. agents did not learn his true identity until the Soviet Union started to collapse.
On the Terrorism Watch List for Years
As questions swirl around U.S. efforts to keep people with terrorism ties from entering the country, the story of Rahinah Ibrahim is a cautionary tale.
Where's the Evidence That Mass Surveillance Actually Works?
Officials are again pointing to the need for mass surveillance to take down terrorists. Here’s what we know about how well it works.
The CIA's Fugitive Banker
How Michael Jon Hand, at the center of a mystery surrounding an Australian bank with ties to American intelligence officials that defrauded investors and then collapsed, was found in Idaho 35 years after disappearing.
'Sicario''s Dirty War on Mexican Cartels Is Not Yet Reality
Denis Villeneuve’s movie gets much right about the borderlands but crosses the line into exaggeration. A veteran border correspondent compares the film’s underworld to the one he knows.
The Case for Passports for the World's Refugees
There is past precedent for the production of passports for refugees by an international body, and now is the time to use it.
The Consequences of Psychology’s Shameful Collusion in Torture
The American Psychological Association pandered to the CIA out of self-interest. In so doing, it betrayed a core ethical spirit—and opened the path to a dangerous future.
The Forgotten Detainee of Guantanamo Bay
The Senate torture report chronicled the CIA’s interrogation of high-profile detainee Abu Zubaydah, but the justice system’s treatment of his habeas corpus petition has largely escaped notice.
Leaked Private Emails Reveal Former Hillary Clinton Aide's Top Secret Spy Network
Emails disclosed by a hacker show a close family friend was funneling intelligence about the crisis in Libya directly to the Secretary of State’s private account starting before the Benghazi attack.
Here's One Unexpected Way to Land on the NSA's Watch List
If you downloaded the privacy software Tor in 2011, you may have been flagged to be spied on.
ZunZuneo: Do Former Users Care That It Was Secretly Built by USAID?
Our criticism of the U.S. government's covert or "discreet" funding of communication channels like ZunZuneo or Radio Free Europe presumes that they try to seed something non-native.
Another Name for the Bermuda Triangle: The Ocean
Ships disappear everywhere, not just in the western North Atlantic Ocean.
Why Is the U.S. Arming Those in Syria It Legally Defines as Terrorists
The designation could also make it harder for Syrian refugees to come to the U.S., even if they haven’t actually taken up arms against the regime.
Does Europe Have a Sex Selection Problem?
Because we tend to think of Asia as the place where parents frequently choose boys over girls, the country with the biggest difference in birth rates could surprise you.
Does the U.S. Pay Families When Drones Kill Innocent Yemenis?
We requested information on how the U.S. handles condolence payments for civilian drone strike deaths in Yemen. But the military won’t reveal a thing.
How Can We Keep Prisoners Sane While They're Behind Bars?
Whatever the method, it’s in everyone’s best interest.
The Changing War on Terror: How Safe Is the United States?
The Authorization for Use of Military Force was passed by Congress after 9/11 to give the president authority to hunt and fight those responsible. But al Qaeda is a completely different kind of organization now, according to this former CIA operative who spearheaded the Zarqawi Operations team from 2004-2006 as a targeting officer, and we need to rethink the tools we've created.
Does It Matter That the CIA Script-Doctored 'Zero Dark Thirty'?
While balancing the need for access against an intelligence agency's incentive to control the message, the movie botched the job.
How True is Zero Dark Thirty? A Former Operative Weighs In
Despite debates over its depiction of torture, Zero Dark Thirty became the most-watched movie in America this week, and looks to be heading for another strong weekend. How reliable the film’s portrait? Does it give an accurate picture of how the CIA anti-terrorism efforts really work? Nada Bakos, who spearheaded the CIA’s Zarqawi Operations team from 2004-2006 as a targeting officer, weighs in. Prior to the operations position, Bakos served as an analyst for the agency primarily in the Counterterrorism Center, and was a member of the team charged with defining the relationship between Iraq, al Qaeda, and 9/11.