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CIA veterans say Robert Levinson affair may damage intra-agency co-operation CIA veterans say Robert Levinson affair may damage intra-agency co-operation
(35 minutes later)
An unauthorized CIA spy operation initiated by agency analysts didn’t just lead to an American going missing in Iran. It may have damaged ties between intelligence analysts and operations specialists, according to CIA veterans. An unauthorized CIA spy operation initiated by agency analysts didn’t just lead to an American being seized in Iran. It may have damaged ties between intelligence analysts and operations specialists, according to CIA veterans.
The Associated Press revealed on Thursday that Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent who went missing in Iran in March 2007, ended up in captivity as the result of a botched project to gather data on Iranian official corruption. According to the story, Levinson visited Iran at the behest of friends in the CIA’s analytic corps, which is not trained in the dangerous work of running agents.The Associated Press revealed on Thursday that Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent who went missing in Iran in March 2007, ended up in captivity as the result of a botched project to gather data on Iranian official corruption. According to the story, Levinson visited Iran at the behest of friends in the CIA’s analytic corps, which is not trained in the dangerous work of running agents.
“Since the mid-90s, the agency has recognized that having analysts more involved in operational decisions and choices is a good thing and enhances the finished product,” said Vicki Divoll, a former CIA lawyer. “However, if analysts get too far out in front, without the training necessary to successfully run operations, this could backfire. And a debacle such as this, if true, may set back internal agency co-operation 20 years."“Since the mid-90s, the agency has recognized that having analysts more involved in operational decisions and choices is a good thing and enhances the finished product,” said Vicki Divoll, a former CIA lawyer. “However, if analysts get too far out in front, without the training necessary to successfully run operations, this could backfire. And a debacle such as this, if true, may set back internal agency co-operation 20 years."
Particularly after 9/11, the CIA has attempted to better integrate analysis and operations, to provide government officials with a clearer, holistic view of murky global affairs. Agency veterans say this has not come easily, as the two major branches of the CIA have different internal cultures.Particularly after 9/11, the CIA has attempted to better integrate analysis and operations, to provide government officials with a clearer, holistic view of murky global affairs. Agency veterans say this has not come easily, as the two major branches of the CIA have different internal cultures.
“Historically, there’s been a very strong divide between collection and analysis,” said Stanford University’s Amy Zegart, a leading academic intelligence researcher. “The philosophical idea that analysis and collection should be more tightly intertwined, so we’re not just collecting haystacks, is a good one, but having analysts actually conduct operations is a different kettle of fish.”“Historically, there’s been a very strong divide between collection and analysis,” said Stanford University’s Amy Zegart, a leading academic intelligence researcher. “The philosophical idea that analysis and collection should be more tightly intertwined, so we’re not just collecting haystacks, is a good one, but having analysts actually conduct operations is a different kettle of fish.”
Several agency veterans who would not speak for the record referred to the Levinson case as shocking. Many were supportive of the recent trend toward integrating operations and analysis, but none – analysts and operatives alike – said they had encountered a case in which analysts felt entitled to essentially hire freelance spies to gather information for them.Several agency veterans who would not speak for the record referred to the Levinson case as shocking. Many were supportive of the recent trend toward integrating operations and analysis, but none – analysts and operatives alike – said they had encountered a case in which analysts felt entitled to essentially hire freelance spies to gather information for them.
“If it’s true, it’s extraordinary,” said a retired senior CIA officer who requested anonymity.“If it’s true, it’s extraordinary,” said a retired senior CIA officer who requested anonymity.
Levinson’s alleged experience in off-the-books intelligence collection came by degrees, according to the Associated Press report. His experience in tracking illicit financial networks attracted the attention of CIA analyst Anne Jablonski, who secretly sent him to work tracking drug money in Latin American countries. By the time Levinson expressed interest in Iran, the report says, Jablonski and a few colleagues were comfortable with what amounted to an unauthorized spying enterprise.Levinson’s alleged experience in off-the-books intelligence collection came by degrees, according to the Associated Press report. His experience in tracking illicit financial networks attracted the attention of CIA analyst Anne Jablonski, who secretly sent him to work tracking drug money in Latin American countries. By the time Levinson expressed interest in Iran, the report says, Jablonski and a few colleagues were comfortable with what amounted to an unauthorized spying enterprise.
It has been two years since Levinson has provided his family or the US government with any proof of life, a decision the Associated Press cited as critical to its decision to print after being urged three times since 2010 to keep Levinson’s affiliation with the government silent. The AP said in a statement that the public interest in exposing the botched, unauthorized operation, which was initially hidden from Congress and misleadingly described to the public, was ultimately compelling.It has been two years since Levinson has provided his family or the US government with any proof of life, a decision the Associated Press cited as critical to its decision to print after being urged three times since 2010 to keep Levinson’s affiliation with the government silent. The AP said in a statement that the public interest in exposing the botched, unauthorized operation, which was initially hidden from Congress and misleadingly described to the public, was ultimately compelling.
On Friday, Levinson’s family issued a statement urging the Obama administration to redouble government efforts to secure Robert Levinson's release.On Friday, Levinson’s family issued a statement urging the Obama administration to redouble government efforts to secure Robert Levinson's release.
“Bob is a courageous man who has dedicated himself, including risking his own life, in service to the US government. But the US government has failed to make saving this good man’s life the priority it should be," the family said.“Bob is a courageous man who has dedicated himself, including risking his own life, in service to the US government. But the US government has failed to make saving this good man’s life the priority it should be," the family said.
"There are those in the US government who have done their duty in their efforts to find Bob, but there are those who have not. It is time for the US government to step up and take care of one of its own. After nearly seven years, our family should not be struggling to get through each day without this wonderful, caring, man that we love so much.""There are those in the US government who have done their duty in their efforts to find Bob, but there are those who have not. It is time for the US government to step up and take care of one of its own. After nearly seven years, our family should not be struggling to get through each day without this wonderful, caring, man that we love so much."
Compounding the mystery, two other news organizations said they had withheld years-long knowledge of Levinson’s CIA ties, at the behest of the government. The New York Times and ABC News stated they had declined to publish the information out of fear it would jeopardize Levinson’s life. Both the Bush and Obama administrations have referred to Levinson as an unaffiliated citizen who disappeared after a “business trip” to a resort island off the Iranian coast.Compounding the mystery, two other news organizations said they had withheld years-long knowledge of Levinson’s CIA ties, at the behest of the government. The New York Times and ABC News stated they had declined to publish the information out of fear it would jeopardize Levinson’s life. Both the Bush and Obama administrations have referred to Levinson as an unaffiliated citizen who disappeared after a “business trip” to a resort island off the Iranian coast.
While the retired senior officer said of the Levinson case that “certainly, it’s not going to help” relations between analysts and case officers, the source also said that the deep experience which exists inside specialist centers inside the CIA, on joint intelligence task forces and at integrated intelligence hives like the National Counterterrorism Center, would guard against the Levinson affair being a “major setback”.While the retired senior officer said of the Levinson case that “certainly, it’s not going to help” relations between analysts and case officers, the source also said that the deep experience which exists inside specialist centers inside the CIA, on joint intelligence task forces and at integrated intelligence hives like the National Counterterrorism Center, would guard against the Levinson affair being a “major setback”.
“We might be dealing with a couple of knuckleheads here, but that’s not at all true about the majority of analysts,” the retired senior officer said.“We might be dealing with a couple of knuckleheads here, but that’s not at all true about the majority of analysts,” the retired senior officer said.
Divoll, who stressed that she had no first-hand knowledge of the Levinson case, said Levinson’s story highlighted the dangers of crossing the line separating analysis and operations.Divoll, who stressed that she had no first-hand knowledge of the Levinson case, said Levinson’s story highlighted the dangers of crossing the line separating analysis and operations.
"Any operation that is risky has to go through a battery of approvals by lawyers and senior officials to make sure that it’s safe and that the benefits outweigh the risks,” Divoll said. “If analysts who aren’t even trained in all these in-the-field efforts are running ops without that vetting, that’s just insane. It’s highly dangerous, as this story may have proven.”"Any operation that is risky has to go through a battery of approvals by lawyers and senior officials to make sure that it’s safe and that the benefits outweigh the risks,” Divoll said. “If analysts who aren’t even trained in all these in-the-field efforts are running ops without that vetting, that’s just insane. It’s highly dangerous, as this story may have proven.”
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