When the CIA Got it Right

With public opinion of the Central Intelligence Agency (which just turned 60) at an all-time low, Ignatius compares the storied, early days of the organization to its current incarnation. Attempting a corrective to recent media reports, he suggests that the CIA is not as bumbling as you might think, and that the organization often gets things right. As an example, Ignatius cites retired intelligence analyst Paul R. Pillar, who recently gave a speech discussing two January 2003 CIA intelligence reports that predicted civil unrest in Iraq and a risky situation in the Middle East, post-invasion. Both were ignored by the White House and both, Ignatius concludes, show the CIA at its best.

The Washington Post 'Outlook' by David Ignatius, 23 September 2007
This abstract was edited by Brijit.
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