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Dead Drop: September 22

<p>dead drop</p>

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SPOOKS:  The CIA celebrated the 70th anniversary of its founding on Monday. What do you get for an outfit that has played such a critical (and on occasion controversial) role in our nation’s history?  President Trump presented the Agency with a Tweet with his best wishes – and a link to a video of his January 21 visit to Langley.  In the clip, the POTUS praises CIA and trashes the media, saying journalists “are among the most dishonest human beings on earth.”

NOT FIT TO PRINT?  As mentioned above, this week the CIA marked the 70th anniversary of its founding. As part of the festivities, it bestowed its “Trailblazer” award on recently retired Agency officer Greg Vogle. Vogle’s actions in Afghanistan post 9/11 are legendary within the CIA, although his name was not widely known to the public, because until recently, he served undercover.  With that cover lifted, the CIA issued a press release about the award.  Vogle’s recognition was noted in places like the Washington Post and Newsweek.  One publication that appears to have ignored the announcement, however, was The New York Times. Oddly enough, the Times revealed Vogle’s identity in a news story in 2015 – over the objections of the CIA, which argued that he was still serving undercover.  As the Washington Post pointed out this week – when the Times blew Vogle’s cover two years ago – they misspelled his name as “Vogel.”

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