The Central Intelligence Agency was founded 60 years ago tomorrow. President Harry Truman wanted no more surprises--like the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. But from the beginning, the CIA has been asked to do more than gather intelligence. Subsequent presidents have demanded that secret agents also conduct secret missions, and that has corrupted the CIA's ability to speak truth to power. That's the thesis of Pulitzer-Prize winner Tim Weiner of the New York Times, whose latest book is Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA.
The Stormy History of the CIA
Credits
Guests:
- Tim Weiner - journalist and author - @TimWeinerAuthor
- Fred Hitz - former Inspector General, CIA
- Reuel Marc Gerecht - Foundation for Defense of Democracies - @followFDD
- Steven Simon - Visiting professor at Colby College. Former US National Security Council and senior director for counterterrorism and for the Middle East and North Africa