Author Archives: Philip Giraldi
About Philip Giraldi
Phil Giraldi is a former CIA Case Officer and Army Intelligence Officer who spent twenty years overseas in Europe and the Middle East working terrorism cases. He holds a BA with honors from the University of Chicago and an MA and PhD in Modern History from the University of London. In addition to TAC, where he has been a contributing editor for nine years, he writes regularly for Antiwar.com. He is currently Executive Director of the Council for the National Interest and resides with his wife of 32 years in Virginia horse country close to his daughters and grandchildren. He has begun talking far too much to his English bulldog Dudley of late, thinks of himself as a gourmet cook, and will not drink Chardonnay under any circumstances. He does not tweet, and avoids all social media.
Government’s Closed-Source Intelligence
Overclassification fetishizes reports stamped “secret,” and covers up official malfeasance.
Consumed by Corruption
Europe and the U.S. are both at risk of falling into an Italian spiral of public theft.
Mossad Meets Resistance
Israeli espionage pushes the national security community to fight Israel’s inclusion in the U.S.’s visa waiver program.
Torture, the Senate, and the CIA
No one wants to prosecute CIA personnel—even if it’s proven that they committed war crimes.
Recovering the Founders’ Foreign Policy
Ideologues across the political spectrum stand between Americans and a constitutionally modest approach to foreign affairs.
Turkey Cooks the Books in Syria
Seymour Hersh documents Ankara’s efforts to pull the U.S. into the Levant.
Obama’s Circle of Bad Advice
Activist experts make bad ambassadors, especially when diplomacy is most needed.
Why Dianne Feinstein Can’t Control the CIA
The Senate Intelligence Committee is as sclerotic and turf-obsessed as the agency it’s meant to regulate.
America’s Torture Doctors
Despite grossly violating their oaths, CIA and military physicians escape professional censure.
The End of Drone War?
The collapse of available bases could push the U.S. to revamp its failed counterterrorism strategy.
Diplomacy by Donorism
America’s top overseas appointments go to status-seeking campaign cronies.
Old Testament Armed Forces
Religious zealotry runs rampant in the U.S. military, and among those wishing to deploy it.
Can Putin Keep Sochi Safe?
Russia faces the greatest Olympic security challenge in 20 years.
Intel Community Makes Peace
Contrary to precedent, analysts have taken an active role in Iranian diplomacy.
Turkey in Conflict
Ankara’s domestic struggles could pose severe risks for the West.
Where Is Robert Levinson?
CIA freelancer disappears in Iran—and Russian and Israeli gangsters are among the suspects.
CIA’s ‘Colossal Flop’
Why having officers pose as businessmen overseas is a bad idea.
The Hollywood Spy
The producer of “Pretty Woman” helped Israel build its nuclear arsenal.
The NFL’s Feel-Good Jingoism
America’s “civic religion” forgets the soldiers in its celebrations.
Quitting Over Syria
How the behind-the-scenes threat of an intel revolt helped prevent war.
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