Ambassador Henry Crumpton: "The Art of Intelligence: Lessons from a Life in the CIA's Clandestine Service"
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-05-16/ambassador-henry-crumpton-art-intelligence-lessons-life-cias-clandestine-service
Last week we learned that the CIA and Saudis infiltrated al-Qaida, foiling a bomb against a U.S.-bound plane. The double agent also provided information on a suspect in the 2000 USS Cole attack. The suspect was killed in a U.S. drone strike. Ambassador Henry Crumpton understands the importance of this kind of infiltration. He recruited agents in his 24 years as an operations officer in the CIA’s clandestine service. He also led the organization’s war against al-Qaida before and after Sept. 11, and pioneered programs like the unmanned predator drones. Diane speaks to Ambassador Henry Crumpton about the art of intelligence.
Guests
Ambassador Henry Crumpton
a former operations officer in the CIA’s clandestine service for 24 years, former U.S. coordinator for counterterrorism, chairman and CEO of Crumpton Group LLC, a global business advisor firm.
Read An Excerpt
Excerpt from "The Art of Intelligence: Lessons from a Life in the CIA's Clandestine Service" by Henry Crumpton. Copyright 2012 by Henry Crumpton. Excerpted here by permission of The Penguin Press HC. All rights reserved
Comments
Please familiarize yourself with our Code of Conduct and Terms of Use before posting your comments.
.
The excerpt is duplicated twice. 28 pages -- 14 pages of the introduction two times.
.
.
Ambassador Crumpton I have been amazed by how many former CIA analyst etc came out before the invasion of Iraq questioning the validity of the pre war intelligence. I have also followed the analysis of former head of the CIA's Bin Laden unit Micheal Scheuer (NON INTERVENTION WEBSITE) having to do with the reasons so many people in the middle east seriously dissaprove of US foreign policies in that part of the world, his analysis of the situation with Iran and what he describes as a threat to US national security which is the lopsided support that the US gives Israel no matter what they do. I also follow what former Bush administration and former middle east CIA analyst Flynt Leverett (RACE FOR IRAN WEBSITE) has to say about the situation with Iran and US foreign policy.
Ray McGovern, Kathleen and Bill Christison.
Have you ever known so many former CIA intelligence analyst coming out and sharing their well informed opinions about US foreign policy with the American public?
Double Agent, there is no double agent. Sad what has happened to that old woman.
Ambassador Crumpton can you discuss Mark Parry's article at Foreign Policy having to do with Israeli Mossad agents posing as CIA agents recruiting members of the terrorist organization Jundallah?
Mark Parry's article
False Flag
A series of CIA memos describes how Israeli Mossad agents posed as American spies to recruit members of the terrorist organization Jundallah to fight their covert war against Iran.
BY MARK PERRY | JANUARY 13, 2012
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/01/13/false_flag
Ambassador Crumpton do you think the role of the CIA has changed over the years? What do you think "protecting US national interest" means?
Is it to protect American lives or protecting corporate interest overseas.
How has the CIA changed over the years?
I wonder, did the CIA have any role, as did the misguided ATF in operation Fast and Furious, in supplying the technology and the know-how to Al-Qaeda to implant a metal-free underwear bomb? To me the two cases sound similar
Several memoirs about the CIA in the years immediately following 9/11 complain about antiquated training of new officers. For example, while concentrating on Al Qeada, new recruits were still taught to recruit opperatives at embassy parties, just as they might have been in previous decades, while fighting the USSR. How has the agency adjusted to the new reality?
Thank you for sharing your opinions about Valerie Plame. Do you think those in the Bush administration who purposely outed her should be prosecuted? Scooter Libby received a sentence but Bush undermined that federal decision. How can the public ever believe that "no one is above the law" A bunch of hooey.
What do spies do after retirement? How do you find something as exciting to do after a career like this?
With people like Crumpton, the Christisons, Ray McGovern, Micheal Scheuer, Flynt Leverett being former members of the CIA it makes me want to believe in this country. Can't wait to read the book.
Diane and Rehm Team you should have Valerie Plame and Joe Wilson on again. How are they feeling now about what happenned to Plame. How can people this country really go "forward" without accountability for such serious crimes by our elected and selected leaders? How?
Mr. Crumpton,
Those mothers and children and families that are killed and devastated by drone attacks are no more guilty than your neighbors and loved ones. How do you justify this?
Ambassador Crumpton:
I lived in Viet-Nam 68-70 & was married to an Air America pilot Jon Merkel who was killed flying in Laos 18 Feb 70. I thank you for your service. I look forward to reading CIA, an Air. As my 101st airborne brother said, Watch your 6:00.
I too was glad of the mention and question for the guest about Valerie Plame (not sure of last name spelling).
Also, My concern about the use of 'foreign nationalists' that he described as being motivated by money is - in contrast to the patriotic motivation that is the foundation of the guests secret work - ..how comfortable should we be, or can we be with supporting spies who are just motivated by such shallow, self serving purposes? I hope the agencies aren't also reveling too much info to such characters. I am reading about such 'assets' in the new book titled 'The Black Banners" by former FBI agent ALi H. Soufan; a must read!! Don't know if guest Crumpton is mentioned in the book because there is no index.
I too was glad of the mention and question for the guest about Valerie Plame (not sure of last name spelling).
Also, My concern about the use of 'foreign nationalists' that he described as being motivated by money is - in contrast to the patriotic motivation that is the foundation of the guests secret work - ..how comfortable should we be, or can we be with supporting spies who are just motivated by such shallow, self serving purposes? I hope the agencies aren't also reveling too much info to such characters. I am reading about such 'assets' in the new book titled 'The Black Banners" by former FBI agent ALi H. Soufan; a must read!! Don't know if guest Crumpton is mentioned in the book because there is no index.
Fariba Ayub wrote:
Mr. Crumpton,
Those mothers and children and families that are killed and devastated by drone attacks are no more guilty than your neighbors and loved ones. How do you justify this?
Ultimately, a people are responsible for the government they allow to lead them. If a people are going to allow their government to support or even just turn a blind eye toward terrorism then I find it difficult to feel bad for them. Even when they are caught up in a war designed to destroy the terrorists, in their backyards.
markieobrien, could you elaborate on what you mean? (Reading about cases of double agents always makes me a little nervous).
There was one mistake when you were discussing the asset being compromised in Yemen, he was not a CIA asset he was an MI6 asset so the Whitehouse and CIA weren't the ones who outed the asset it was MI6.
Love the guest you have on your show keep up the good work Diane.
I see, mnemecek, so if you had loved ones who got decimated in your neighborhood in an attack avenging the repeated and ongoing backing of despots, incursions and violence visited upon peoples and countries all over the world by YOUR government, you'd be satisfied with being waved off with the usual "highly regrettable", "most unfortunate", "we try our best to avoid it"?
If you have ever sincerely wondered why your government and people like you who "ultimately are responsible for the government they allow to lead them" are the most despised and hated the world over just reread what you posted above. In the arrogance and hypocrisy displayed there lies the answer.
.