There has been much concern and consternation in the media— some perhaps understandable after two plus years of tweets and “off the cuff” statements by the President — that the national security apparatus that has helped keep this country safe for more than half a century has come unglued under the current administration.
Whether you watch Fox News or MSNBC, the President is either under attack by the “deep state” after disloyal bureaucrats engineered a “coup,” or conversely, the Intelligence Community (IC) is being subject to unprecedented attacks by the White House that is destroying morale and damaging our national security institutions.
This makes for entertaining television and social media, but the fundamental premise of dysfunction that is being pushed by both sides of the political aisle is not entirely accurate.
The truth of the matter is that the national security organs do work, that the men and women of the U.S. intelligence community (my former tribe), including the CIA, FBI, Department of State, and U.S. military remain as dedicated as they always have been to the defense of the nation, and most importantly, we work for the American people, and not one singular figure.
So many of us have served for decades, experiencing the transition from one party’s control to another multiple times in a career. This is nothing new to us. Is the world a more dangerous place in 2019 compared to 2016? Absolutely, with significant challenges from a resurgent Russia, a China that looks forward decades if not centuries, and a terrorism threat that will not go away as long as the economic disparities in the Middle East remains a pressing issue. But make no mistake — the national security apparatus remains a viable and vibrant organism, with brilliant and dedicated warriors on post who work effectively and serve the American people quite well, a point which must be stressed in this often toxic political environment.
As the new administration took shape in late 2016 and the subsequent Mueller investigation became the lead item on cable news, I still recall with great admiration that the majority of my colleagues simply shrugged or rolled their eyes, even with seemingly contradictory, and at times outrageous behavior towards the national security establishment by members of the political class. Refreshingly, politics did not matter to my colleagues, as there was always serious, challenging and often dangerous work to be done and a chaotic and evolving world that did not care about tweets or cable news pundits.
Reflecting on the professionalism of my peers, and thinking back to my 26 years in the federal government, I list four key tenets of life inside the national security apparatus that have remained unchanged, regardless of which administration was in power or what scandal was being pushed by the right and the left. We must keep in mind these four tenets as we try and separate the noise that permeates the political culture of Washington today. Ultimately, these tenets should give some comfort to the American people, who depend on us to do the tough and sometimes unsavory work required to allow them to sleep safely in their beds at night.
1) Morale in the ranks remains high. The U.S. intelligence community, diplomatic corps, and U.S. military attract the best and brightest that this country has to offer. My peers, superiors and subordinates were Ivy League graduates and community college transfers, immigrants from conflict zones and third-generation American farmers, college athletes and concert pianists. I rarely knew their politics, and they went about their business regardless of the tweet of the day. The lesson here is that what happens in the White House briefing room or on cable news may not be followed by the rank and file of our national security warriors to the degree that the media (or even myself, as an intelligence officer who reached the Senior Intelligence Service ranks at CIA) once believed. The rank and file joined the CIA — simply and nobly — to protect this country, and that ethos remains as strong as ever.
2) Experience matters and we have it in droves. There has been much talk that there was a deficit at times of “adults in the room” in the national security senior echelons, particularly after the departure of former Secretary of Defense James Mattis. I find this to be rich fodder for the talk shows but not particularly relevant nor accurate in what was our daily routine, which ultimately drove the engine of the national security apparatus. My colleagues across the IC had decades of hard time serving in war zones, academic and government time in China and Russia, had served with distinction in the CT fight from Europe to Somalia, all with language proficiency and cultural awareness that left me in awe much of the time. I graduated with two degrees from an Ivy League institution, yet always felt I was intellectually inferior to my peers. The White House and Congress are well served by the national security apparatus, and the decision making by our political leadership is as much today — as 20 years ago — aided by top-notch operational information, keen analysis, and at times, sound policy advice always available from true experts in their fields who comprise the rank and file of the IC. The President and Congress have access to the most up-to-date and accurate intelligence information; what they choose to do with it remains subject to political debate.
3) Politicization remains a concern, but not a big one. The senior levels of the national security apparatus naturally gravitate to the whims of the commander in chief. This is a natural part of the national security order, and thus we must always guard against politicization of our product, particularly by our most senior leaders at CIA, FBI, State, and DoD who directly serve the President. Under this administration and this Congress, I note with strong conviction there was never push back internally when we reported up the chain on the evil and often criminal behavior of the Russians, for example, even in the midst of the political storm in Washington. We have been provided more than enough money, resources, and political will to fight our enemies, and ultimately the White House and Congress alike never wavered in providing us the means to defend the nation.
4) We always grumble, no matter which party is in power. This final point must be stressed, and for reasons that may not be apparent to the American public. We in the national security apparatus are human, and thus we do complain, but interestingly, not on ideological terms. Instead, we blanche when we are constrained by bureaucracy. We wince when senior advisors restrict access to the President, when decisions are delayed, or when Congress tinkers with carefully constructed budgets. And this occurs in every administration, Republican or Democrat. We often forget our near constant crankiness under what was sometimes considered an overly bureaucratic — and at times cripplingly multi-layered method of decision making — by the Obama senior national security staff, as we focus on the current administration and the President’s highly unorthodox style of governing.
As I look to retirement and bid farewell to my colleagues after 26 years in the national security field, I want to celebrate and highlight their service with the American people with the simple statement that they are true professionals to the core and operate in a national security system that works and stands the test of time, even in the midst of political turmoil. I will very much miss being in the fight, but I too will sleep well knowing that so many of those who come to work each day with the simple ethos of an infamous 1990s era bumper sticker — now a collector’s item — that made the rounds in CIA’s Counter Terrorism Center that stated “The world is at peace as the CIA is at war.”
Marc Polymeropoulos retired in June from the senior intelligence service ranks at CIA. He served for 26 years in analytic and operational positions both in the US and overseas.
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Mandated Disclaimer: All statements of fact, opinion, or analysis expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official positions or views of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) or any other U.S. government agency. Nothing in the contents should be construed as asserting or implying U.S. Government authentication of information or CIA endorsement of the author’s views. This material has been reviewed by the CIA to prevent the disclosure of classified information. This does not constitute an official release of CIA information.
