USA TODAY, May 16, 2018 Spare me claims Gina Haspel will ‘speak truth to power’. Real truth-tellers go to jail. by James Bovard Gina Haspel and other intelligence leaders all have shady pasts but real truth-tellers get disgraced. In the Senate Intelligence Committee secret vote today on whether to confirm Trump nominee Gina Haspel as chief of […]
Tag Archives | CIA
The Hill: Washington secrecy is creating a know-nothing democracy
The Hill, May 9, 2017 Washington secrecy is creating a know-nothing democracy by James Bovard Washington may be more secretive nowadays than at any time in recent decades. Federal policymakers have become accustomed to rationing what they release while citizens are assured that official secrecy makes them more secure. But American democracy cannot survive perpetual […]
James Comey’s Forgotten Rescue of Bush-Era Torture Regime
Mises Institute, May 1, 2018 James Comey’s Forgotten Rescue of Bush-Era Torture by James Bovard In Washington, writing emails is “close enough for government work” to convey sainthood. “Here I stand, I can do no other,” James Comey told President George W. Bush in 2004 when Bush pressured Comey – who was then Deputy Attorney […]
Torture as the Greatest Boondoggle – Mises Speech
When someone asked me to name the biggest U.S. government boondoggle I had seen, I leaped at the chance to flog torture. From my Friday presentation to the Mises Institute conference – Here’s a link to many of the articles I have written on torture since 9/11.
George Bush: Torturer-in-Chief Becomes Savior of Freedom
From the Mises Institute – Torturer-in-Chief Turned Savior of Freedom? by James Bovard Former President George W. Bush gave a speech yesterday implicitly slamming President Donald Trump for dragging down democracy. Bush told political cronies and other attendees: “We are gathered in the cause of liberty this is a unique moment.” He assured listeners that […]
USA Today: Syria is Trump’s Biggest Foreign Folly
USA Today, June 26, 2017 Donald Trump is reckless on Syria. It’s his most dangerous foreign policy folly. by James Bovard, Opinion columnist Trump said Obama’s ‘horrendous leadership’ on Syria could start World War III. He’s made things even worse. Last year on the campaign trail, crowds roared when Donald Trump denounced his opponent as […]
Assassin Nation Redux
Congratulations to Jeremy Scahill and The Intercept for “The Assassination Complex” – their great expose on Obama’s drone killing program. They provide smoking guns from official sources to prove that the program has been slaughtering innocents for years. I have taken a few swings at this program over the years. After I bashed drone killings in […]