Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s Legacy
The demise of Osama bin Laden in 2011 did not end al-Qaeda. Nor will the apparent demise of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi end the terror of […] More
The demise of Osama bin Laden in 2011 did not end al-Qaeda. Nor will the apparent demise of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi end the terror of […] More
Marc Polymeropoulos retired in June 2019 from the Senior Intelligence Service ranks at the CIA after a 26 year career in operational headquarters and field […] More
OPINION — As we digest the Trump administration’s unorthodox style of governing in the foreign affairs arena, it is worth focusing on a key aspect […] More
When someone decides to spy on their own country for the U.S., they know they’re taking a risk. But when news broke recently that the […] More
When news broke recently that the U.S. had extracted a high-level Russian official in 2017 who had close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, it […] More
As the U.S. administration is contemplating the next steps in our march toward departure from Afghanistan (what some consider a much needed disengagement from an […] More
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 […] More
Former CIA and FBI official Phil Mudd knows a lot of details you probably don’t about CIA black sites. He knows, because he was associated […] More
Alex Finley worked for CIA’s Directorate of Operations for about six years in the early 2000s. Her roles took her to places like West Africa […] More
Editors note: Daniel Silva is one of America’s most prolific and popular novelists. His latest book, The New Girl, is officially out today, July 16th. […] More
[ED NOTE from Cipher Brief CEO Suzanne Kelly: I met Nada Bakos, the author of The Targeter: My Life in the CIA, Hunting Terrorists and […] More
Almost a year ago, I was approached by an award-winning documentary director and lauded journalist, Richard Kerbaj. He was seeking insight and background on Al […] More
Baseball in the Polymeropoulos family is our life. We spend the majority of our year engrossed in my 17-year-old son’s fledgling career, playing across the […] More
On April 16, The New York Times published an article (in which I am quoted) with the headline, “Gina Haspel Relies on Spy Skills with […] More
John Edwards spent 20 years at CIA in various operational and leadership positions. He also spent 12 years in the private sector, working with two […] More
Bill Rapp’s real story is just as interesting as the ones he makes up. The former CIA Analyst began working in West Germany back when […] More
OPINION — On December 31, The New York Times published a piece that claimed Afghan forces “trained and equipped by CIA agents or contractors” were […] More
Bottom Line Up Front At some point today, the U.S. government is expected to release its assessment on the murder of U.S. resident Jamal […] More
Search