Covert Ops

Elliott Abrams looking pensive

Henry Kissinger, Elliott Abrams, and the Rot of American Foreign Policy Henry Kissinger, Elliott Abrams, and the Rot of American Foreign Policy

Our bipartisan elite is always willing to forgive war crimes by its made men.

Jul 7, 2023 / Jeet Heer

A sculpture called “Anything to Say,” which features life-sized bronze figures of whistleblowers (left-right) Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, and Chelsea Manning, is unveiled at Parliament Square, London, during a protest for Assange’s release from prison.

Julian Assange and Arnon Milchan: The Lopsided Scales of American Justice Julian Assange and Arnon Milchan: The Lopsided Scales of American Justice

One has boasted of espionage. The other revealed massive government wrongdoing. So why is the whistleblower in jail?

Jun 27, 2023 / James Bamford

Don DeLillo’s Cold Wars

Don DeLillo’s Cold Wars Don DeLillo’s Cold Wars

His 1980s novels take the story of America’s postwar years, usually seen as a triumphal rise to perpetual dominance, and converts it into one about a long and chaotic decline.

Jun 26, 2023 / Books & the Arts / Siddhartha Deb

The CIA’s New Nord Stream Narrative Is Terrifying

The CIA’s New Nord Stream Narrative Is Terrifying The CIA’s New Nord Stream Narrative Is Terrifying

Should we believe American officials who claim they can’t stop Ukraine from reckless escalation?

Jun 20, 2023 / Jeet Heer

Retired Marine Gen. James Cartwright arrives for a hearing at US District Court, October 17, 2016 in Washington, DC. Cartwright was charged with making false statements during a federal investigation.

If Donald Trump Went to Jail for Violating the Espionage Act, He’d Be an Exception If Donald Trump Went to Jail for Violating the Espionage Act, He’d Be an Exception

It’s only whistleblowers who do hard time. Generals and high officials typically get just a slap on the wrist.

Jun 20, 2023 / James Bamford

NSA surveillance protesters, organized by the “Stop Watching Us” coalition, march from Union Station to the US Capitol in 2013.

The FBI Is Back to Its Old Habits: Illegally Spying on Protesters The FBI Is Back to Its Old Habits: Illegally Spying on Protesters

There should be no future for Section 702, an enduring vestige of the post-9/11 security state. To kill it, all Congress has to do is do nothing.

Jun 9, 2023 / Column / Spencer Ackerman

A view of Kremlin after the drone attack in Moscow, Russia on May 3, 2023. Kremlin reported that Ukraine attempted to attack Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence with drones at night.

The Line Between Support for Ukraine and War With Russia Just Gets Thinner The Line Between Support for Ukraine and War With Russia Just Gets Thinner

Recent Pentagon leaks reveal that the shadow war between Russia and the US over Ukraine is becoming more overt—and far more dangerous.

May 22, 2023 / James Bamford

Kissinger’s Bloody Paper Trail in Chile

Kissinger’s Bloody Paper Trail in Chile Kissinger’s Bloody Paper Trail in Chile

The secret memo in which he plotted the murder of Chilean democracy.

May 15, 2023 / Feature / Peter Kornbluh

Henry Kissinger, War Criminal—Still at Large at 100

Henry Kissinger, War Criminal—Still at Large at 100 Henry Kissinger, War Criminal—Still at Large at 100

We now know a great deal about the crimes he committed while in office, from helping Nixon derail the Paris Peace Talks and prolong the Vietnam War to green-lighting the invasion o...

May 15, 2023 / Feature / Greg Grandin

The Nord Stream Explosions: New Revelations About Motive, Means, and Opportunity

The Nord Stream Explosions: New Revelations About Motive, Means, and Opportunity The Nord Stream Explosions: New Revelations About Motive, Means, and Opportunity

As new details emerge about the pipeline blasts, they also prompt questions: What did US intelligence know about the biggest whodunit of the century, when did they know it, and how...

May 5, 2023 / James Bamford

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