RECENT ARTICLES BY SENIOR FELLOW MELVIN GOODMAN

Beyond Guantanamo: A Bipartisan Declaration - Mel Goodman recently became a participant and signatory of the Constitution Project's study

Revisiting the Rehabilitation of Defense Secretary Robert Gates (November 13, © Truthout.org) "Michael Crowley of the New Republic is the latest journalist to give absolution to Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates for his long record of politicizing intelligence and undercutting conciliatory policy initiatives." [article]

President Obama's Timid Use of the "Reset Button" (November 5, © Truthout.org) "As a result of the perfidy of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, Obama inherited a great deal of low-hanging foreign policy fruit that he has been slow and even hesitant to pick."[article]

Defense Secretary Gates Is Not a Diplomat (October 28, © Truthout.org) The recent behavior displayed by Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates in Japan, has highlighted his lack of tact for diplomacy and is illustrative of the fact that such a disposition will only create difficulties for the United States. [article]

The Washington Post Creates Its Own Facts to Support Afghan Nation-Building (October 22, © Truthout.org) The Washington Post is creating its own facts in order to support its argument for US nation-building in Afghanistan. [article]

The Urgent Need to Demilitarize the National Security State (October 20, © Truthout.org) In order to demilitarize the national security policy he inherited, Obama must lead the debate on the “role of military power in the implementation of American foreign policy” and reverse those policies which have alienated the United States from the entire international community. [article]

Why President Obama Deserved The Nobel Peace Prize (October 11, the Public Record) "President Barack Obama’s willingness to confront the lawlessness and the calumnies of the Bush administration makes him a worthy and obvious recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize." [article]

The Prospect of Change in US Relations With Russia, Iran and Afghanistan Alarms the Washington Post (October 9, © Truthout.org) Editorials and op-eds at The Washington Post are misrepresenting developments in regard to the opportunity for better U.S. relations with Russia and Iran, as well as the fact that the Obama administration may decide against sending additional troops to Afghanistan. [article]

Five Myths on Afghanistan (October 8, © Truthout.org) Goodman delineates five myths regarding Afghanistan, noting that the military bureaucracy is especially susceptible to such geopolitical mythology. [article]

WPost's Neocons Aim Their Editorial Guns At Iran (October 2, the Public Record) The Washington Post editorial writers failed to see the true import of the Geneva meetings between the U.S. and Iran, and instead, neglected all polices of diplomacy and engagement, trading these in for a policy of opposition to Iran. [article]

Intelligence Vets Back Torture Probe, Memorandum For The President, signed by Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (September 27) Mel Goodman and former U.S. intelligence professionals wrote a memo to Obama, imploring him to give his support to an investigation into the torture practices of CIA interrogators; this was a response to the appeal made by ex-CIA directors to halt the Justice Department's investigation. [article]

Seven Former CIA Directors Want To Bury The Truth (September 23, the Public Record) Seven former CIA directors asked Obama to ensure that there would be no criminal investigation of the CIA’s interrogation policies, arguing that such an investigation would “damage the willingness” of intelligence officers to “take risks to protect the country.” [article]

WPost's Neocons In High Dudgeon Over European Missile Shield (September 23, the Public Record) "For the past several months, the editorial and oped writers of the Washington Post have railed against Russia as expansionist and assertive toward the West and have argued against improving bilateral relations between the United States and Russia." [article]

One More Feckless Study On Intelligence Reform (September 17, the Public Record) Kenneth Lieberthal’s recent reform proposal for the CIA presents major shortcomings, as he overlooks critical issues facing current intelligence analysis and fails to critique the role of the Director of National Intelligence. [article]

Exaggeration of the Threat: Then and Now (September 14, the Public Record) George Washington University’s National Security Archive released a study which demonstrated that the U.S. intelligence examination of Soviet military objectives during the Cold War was flawed and contained major exaggerations of the Soviet threat. [article]

Two More Obstacles to Intelligence Reform (September 10, the Public Record) "The appointment of former Central Intelligence Agency director Michael Hayden to the Public Interest Declassification Board and former senator Warren Rudman to the CIA’s External Advisory Board will ensure less openness in the intelligence community and more obduracy in the CIA." [article] 

Déjà Vu All Over Again: The Media Beats The War Drums For Afghanistan (September 8, 2009, the Public Record) Rather than listening to the media’s call to action in Afghanistan and increasing U.S. troop presence there, we should focus on ensuring that international terrorist forces do not find a safe haven in Afghanistan. [article]

Torture's Answerable Question, letter to the editor by Mel Goodman (September 6, 2009, The Washington Post) Mel Goodman responds to Richard Cohen’s op-ed, noting that with the dismissal of violent interrogation techniques, comes a new sense of safety in America.[article]

A tale of Two Davids: The WPosts Ignatius, Broder, compete for the Biggest CIA Apologist (September 3, the Public Record) The Washington Post's David Broder is seeking to thwart Attorney General Eric Holder's call to inspect the policies of the CIA that violated domestic and international law, thereby weakening the nation in international eyes, which see a lack of accountability on the part of the United States. [article] 

CIA IG describes Interrogation crime scene and becomes a major victim (September 2, 2009, the Public Record) Obama has yet to appoint a new Inspector General, as the CIA simultaneously attempts to weaken the Office of the Inspector General, the sole effectual body to investigate illegal activities on the part of the CIA. [article]  

Washington Post Redux: Going from the Sublime to the Ridiculous (September 1, 2009, the Public Record) The Washington Post, remaining true to its questionable editorial policy, continues to omit the word "torture" in its accounts of slumped CIA morale after the release of the 2004 IG report on CIA detention and interrogation. [article]

Exposed: The WPost's One-Sided Account of Torture and Abuse (August 29, 2009, the Public Record) The Washington Post once again provides a biased report of the torture of Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, yet another reflection of the Bush Administration's inefficient governing. It is time to tell Americans the truth about the war crimes authorized by the administration. [article]

WPost's Ignatius forgives the CIA Again and Again (August 26, 2009, the Public Record) David Ignatius, of the Washington Post, continues to resist any criminal examination of CIA officers’ behavior, despite evidence of the CIA’s brutal procedures for interrogation; his efforts to thwart inquiry into the CIA’s interrogation program, present a move that will only work to decrease the credibility of the CIA.
[article]

The Washington Post goes Judge Shopping in the Courthouse (August 25, 2009, the Public Record) An op-ed by the former CIA general counsel Jeffrey H. Smith, cites a disconcerting case to refrain from arraigning torture interrogators, thereby supporting the Washington Post’s endeavors to rebuff the CIA’s role in unsettling detention policies. [article]

Time for the CIA's Chief Apologist to Apologize (August 23, 2009, the Public Record) The Washington Post’s David Ignatius has attempted to downplay the crude tactics used by the CIA in its illegal assassination program, placing the integrity of American democracy at risk. Such tactics which neglect to underscore the accountability of the CIA, call into question Ignatius’ reputability as a journalist. [article]

Panetta’s Pathetic Attempt to Get Lawmakers to Ignore CIA Crimes (August 1, 2009, the Public Record) The Washington Post and Leon Panetta are opposing an investigation into past CIA abuses. Panetta's refusal to address past grievances leaves the CIA as a political tool instead of an objective intelligence agency. [article]

The Washington Post’s David Ignatius Pens Another Exculpatory Brief for CIA (July 23, 2009, the Public Record) David Ignatius has argued against an investigation into past CIA abuses. But an investigation could strengthen the agency, not weaken it. The CIA's history is checkered with secret programs that could benefit from the light of day. [article]

David Ignatius: The Mainstream Media’s Chief Apologist for CIA Crimes (July 17, 2009, the Public Record) David Ignatius has been the latest apologist for the crimes committed during the Bush administration. His excuses bear all the trade marks of typical CIA cover ups. Ignatius argues that any sort of investigation would hurt the morale of CIA personnel. But a thorough examination of the abuses perpetrated could bring the American public to support the CIA again, thereby raising the morale within the agency. [article]

Jane Mayer and the New Yorker Give CIA Director Panetta A Pass (June 23, 2009, The Public Record) CIA Director Leon Panetta has not produced the openness and credibility his candidacy seemd poised to usher in. Instead of pointing out his shortcomings, Jane Mayer, a writer for the New Yorker, has come to the defense of the new director. Sadly, it seems the Obama administration will not receive the same scrutiny the Bush administration faced.[article]

Panetta Continues the CIA's Culture of Covering Up Abuses and Crimes (June 17, 2009, The Public Record) Even his close relationship with the White House can keep Panetta from being pulled into the CIA's secretive culture. Though he has promised to clean up the agency, Panetta has failed to remove any of the senior officials responsible for policies that led to secret prisons, extraordinary renditions, and torture and abuse.[article]

The U.S. and North Korea: The Need for an About Face (June 5, 2009, The Public Record) Recent missile tests and the detention of American journalists have put pressure on President Obama to act decisively on North Korea. The United States should take this opportunity to initiate face to face talks between high level diplomats. Six-power talks have failed and it is time for the Obama administration to take their relationship with North Korea in a new direction.[article] This article was posted on the Chicago Sun-Times' blog. You can access it here.

Britain's Retreat Will Put the World At Greater Risk (May 26, 2009, the Financial Times) Britain should continue to be a presence abroad. Global stability is maintained in part due to British willingness to be an international player. While a strategic review might be in order, it should not necessarily mean a drastically decreased role on the international stage. [article]

The CIA's History of Bamboozling the Congress (May 22, 2009, the Public Record) Whether or not Leon Panetta believes the CIA lied to Congress about waterboarding, the CIA has mislead the Congress on many number of other occasions. [article]

CIA and the Washington Post: Joined at the Hip (April 26, 2009, The Public Record) In a shift of political leaning, op-ed and editorial writers at the Washington Post have moved to the right. They have come to the defense of the CIA over issues involving torture, relations with Russia and military operations in Iraq. Writers use unverified material from questionable sources to back up their stories and support the CIA stand. [article]

'Action Memo' for Obama: Recommendations for Dealing with Torture (April 25, 2009, The Public Record) President Obama wants to step away from his predecessor’s legacy and has done so by stopping torture and shutting down secret prisons. However, he needs to do more. Those responsible for the atrocities committed must be brought to justice. Only a high-level investigation can accomplish this goal. [article]

Obama's Search For A Moral Compass (April 13, 2009, The Public Record): President Obama’s handling of the war crimes of the United States in facilities in Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, Iraq, and Afghanistan is particularly troubling because his administration has admitted that crimes were committed. He has condemned torture and abuse, closed CIA secret prisons, and ordered the closing of Guantanamo within the year. [article]

The Gates Doctrine: Caveat Emptor (April 7, 2009, The Public Record): Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has learned very little from the military trials and tribulations of the United States over the past 50 years. Despite his previous lip service to ensure that the State Department and various civilian agencies get more involved in implementing American national security policy, Gates clearly wants the Pentagon to have pride of place in international areas outside the principal mission of military operations. [article]

Obama is Talking the Talk on Arms Control, But It's Time to Walk the Walk (April 6, 2009, The Public Record): President Obama is successfully taking the rhetorical high ground on the key issue of arms control and disarmament, but it is time for actions to supplement his words. [article]

The Colossal Failure of The Office of The Director of National Intelligence (April 2, 2009, The Public Record): The inspector general of DNI has confirmed the ineptitude and mismanagement of the DNI. The Intelligence Reform Act created the DNI in December 2004 to centralize intelligence production and end CIA's dominence of the intelligence production process within the intelligence community. Centralized intelligence production simply does not work and, in fact, increases the opportunities for politicized intelligence. [article]

President Obama's Briar Patch (March 29, 2009, The Public Record): Both his writings and his first two months in office indicate that President Obama is a man of great confidence and persistence. Unfortunately, he is likely to join his predecessors in failing to stabalize the political and economic foundations of Afghanistan. [article]

The CIA and Director Leon Panetta: Plus Ca Change, Plus C'est La Meme Chose (March 18, 2009, The Public Record): President Barack Obama's CIA director, Leon Panetta, needed only one month to establish that he lacks the courage, contrariness, judgment, and political and intellectual independence to reform the Central Intelligence Agency. It appears that the Obama administration is not interested in examining the errors and corruption of the past in order to reform the intelligence community in the future. [article]

Robert Gates's Big Lie On The Iraq War (March 13, 2009, The Public Record): Gates is lying about the Iraq War, arguing that an intelligence failure was the reason for the Bush administration's decision to launch a preemptive attack against Iraq. But the role of the White House and the CIA in distorting the intelligence on Iraq had nothing to do with the decision to go to war. Policies of militarization along with the superpower notions of unquestioned military superiority must end. [article]

The Israeli Lobby Knocks Down Charles Freeman (March 11, 2009, The Public Record): Obama has learned that the Israeli lobby in the United States can successfully block a distinguished appointee, demonstrating how difficult the administration's task will be to change policy towards Israel, and that it is not prepared to fight for its policy positions. [article]

An Agenda for Demilitarizing American National Security Policy (March 05, 2009, The Public Record): Obama has made an impressive start towards changing American foreign policy, but more needs to be done--Part two in a two-part series on the need to demilitarize American foreign policy. [article]

The Need To End The Militarization of American National Security Policy (March 03, 2009, The Public Record): All presidents since 1981 have contributed to the militarization of national security policy. President Obama must tackle this shibboleth of the Reagan era, but is he prepared to do so?--Part one in a two-part series on the need to demilitarize American foreign Policy. [article]

Caveat Emptor: Obama Getting Economic Briefings from CIA (February 26, 2009, The Public Record): President Obama recently recieved his firse economic briefing from the CIA. It is to become a daily occurence as economic uncertainty is a priority in national security. CIA economic intelligence has a history of error, it cannot compete with government or private institutions doing economic research. Hopefully the need for reform will be addressed. [article]

The Washington Post and Russian-American Relations (February 25, The Public Record): Editorials and articles in the Washington Post over the past few weeks have argued against improved relations with Russian and distorted recent events in Russia and Russian-American relations. These distortions are typical of U.S. mainstream media and are even present in the analysis of some Obama advisors on Russia [article]

Secretary of Defense Gates: An Old Dog Up to His Old Tricks (January 28, The Public Record): Secretary of Defense Gates' remarks on foreign policy show a continuation of his inclination to overstep his bounds. President Obama needs to establish his own strategic agenda and it already appears that retaining George Bush’s secretary of defense could become a significant roadblock to doing so [article]

The CIA's Handling of The Washington Post (January 8, The Public Record): On Jan. 7, the Washington Post published a front-page lead article and an oped on the nomination of Leon Panetta as CIA director; both articles exaggerated the extent of opposition to the Panetta appointment and demonstrated the weakness of mainstream media coverage of the intelligence community, particularly the Central Intelligence Agency. By Senior Fellow Melvin Goodman [article]

Goodman: Right Man for the Job (January 7, The Baltimore Sun): President-elect Barack Obama has made an outstanding move in naming Leon E. Panetta to reform the beleaguered Central Intelligence Agency. Mr. Panetta is a savvy and sophisticated political operative who was a consumer of intelligence as chief of staff in the Clinton White House in the 1990s.[article]

Goodman: Obama should give Bush's defense chief the gate (November 25, The Washington Times): President-elect Barack Obama´s apparent interest in retaining Robert M. Gates as defense secretary and his appointment of two former subordinates of one-time CIA chief George J. Tenet to head the transition team at the Central Intelligence Agency point to continuity - not change - in U.S. national security policy. [article]

The Case Against Retaining Gates at the Pentagon (November 24, The Public Record): Senior fellow Melvin Goodman argues against retaining Gates as secretary of defense.[article]

Change in Intelligence? (November 14, 2008): Senior fellow Melvin Goodman publishes op-ed piece in Baltimore Sun on President-elect Barak Obama's mixed signals on the reform of the bankrupt culture. [article]

Housecleaning time for the CIA: Bush's successor must restore agency's reputation (July 17, 2008): Senior fellow Melvin Goodman publishes op-ed piece in Baltimore Sun outlining the steps the next President must take to alleviate the past presidential mistakes in handling the CIA. [article]

Blackwater's Private Spies (June 5, 2008): Director and Senior Fellow, Melvin Goodman, quoted in article about privatization and Blackwater spies. [article]

Publishers Weekly Web Exclusive Reviews: Week of 03/10/2008 (March 10, Publishers Weekly): Senior fellow Mel Goodman's new book Failure of Intelligence: The Decline and Fall of the CIA receives star review. [Read review]

CIA Myths (February 21, No Quarter): Senior fellow Mel Goodman writes for No Quarter blog about myths of the CIA, drawn from his recently published book Failure of Intelligence: The Decline and Fall of the CIA. [blog]

Denver Council on Foreign Relations (January 28, University of Denver International Relations): Senior fellow Mel Goodman talks about his new book The Decline and Fall of the CIA. [Watch video]

Against the Grain (January 8, KPFA 94.1 FM): Senior fellow Mel Goodman argues that the CIA's clandestine operations harm U.S. security. [Listen]

ARTICLES BY SENIOR FELLOW HARRY BLANEY III

Still on Special (March 19, 2009, The Economist): letter to the editor by senior fellow Harry C. Blaney [link]

New President to Mend EU Fences (May 27, Financial Times): Senior Fellow Harry C. Blaney gives positive outlook on the possibilities of future US-Europe relations. [article]