CIA, Pentagon Missions Increasingly Blurred

The CIA seal on the lobby floor of the agency’s headquarters, left, and a view of the Pentagon taken in December 2000 by Space Imaging’s IKONOS satellite. (cia.gov, SpaceImaging.com/AP)

The Central Intelligence Agency is supposed to do the nation’s spying but the line between the CIA and the Pentagon is increasingly blurry.

The Pentagon is assembling an espionage network that will rival the spooks who operate out of CIA headquarters in Langley, Va.

This effort reflects President Barack Obama’s affinity for covert action over conventional force, and the changing nature of the threats against the U.S. since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Meantime, CIA drones now account for the majority of deadly U.S. operations outside the Afghan war zone, according to The Washington Post.

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Guest:

Greg Miller, national intelligence reporter for the Washington Post. He tweets @gregpmiller.

We welcome comments from all of our listeners. Post below. Please stay on topic and be civil. Comments may be moderated by us, but you are solely responsible for the content of your comments.

gordon_wagner

It’s disturbing (but not surprising) to hear “Al Queda” blamed for… everything. Particularly 9/11/01. I clearly recall numerous intelligence outfits warning the US of an attack using highjacked passenger aircraft in 2001. It was remarkable that they went unheeded.

Of all the questions I have regarding 9/11/01, the one that’s most pertinent is “Why didn’t the 9/11 Commission have subpoena power?”

I guess they didn’t want to really investigate “Al Queda”, eh? There’s no other logical and politically correct explanation.
Elizabeth from Akron Ohio

A war has rules, but targeting individuals goes against Due Process as outlined in Roman Law, the Magna Carta, and the U.S. Constitution. In the Book of Acts 25:16, St. Paul says, “… It is not the custom of the Romans to condemn any man, before that he who is accused have his accusers present, and have liberty to make has answer, to clear himself of the things laid to his charge.” In the civilized world, drone attacks would be legally impossible; therefore, we must have descended into something that is not the United States of America.
RAOUL ORNELAS

During the give in take in this interview, Ms. Young stated “Isn’t about intelligence?” Answer: Well yes and no. Intelligence always falls by the wayside when it comes to sex no matter how many decorations a General may have on his uniform. Sex always trumps intelligence! What is missing from General Patraeus is a medal for adultery. General Patraeus is still valuable plus his education was paid for by my taxes and he should be accountable to my taxes that paid for his free big government education. The other side of this argument is his partner in adultery – it takes two to tango. Proof: The billions that inhabit the planet whom all (we) are the product of sex.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1586840974 Mary Mendoza

Petraeus was always very conscious of his “career”. To the point that I wonder what must have run through his mind when he found out that his blind date was a retired Lt. General’s daughter and the Superintendent’s daughter, no less. He also served as aid to at least 3 senior generals- rather unusual in the army, to say the least.
RAOUL ORNELAS

Ms. Elizabeth:

The world has never been civil for a very long period of time. In 5 B.C. Athens or even during Roman times, a General or public official at the end of a successful term or campaign, he still had to be accountable for the money spent. If he could not be accountable, his property was taken, he along with his family was sent into exile for life. Today in America, one never has to be accountable for just about any type of fraud or sex scandal whether it is in the military or on Wall Street, instead they are given golden parachutes, bonuses along with lifetime retirements and of course healthcare. I prefer the the Greek methods of 5 B.C. The problem with your quotes, I assume, is you haven’t read enough history. For sure, man will be the creator of an Armageddon of their own making – greed trumps intelligence. Proof: Look at todays world.