Private initiative
January 22, 2011 6:14 PM Subscribe
Former Spy With Agenda Operates a Private C.I.A. 'Duane R. Clarridge parted company with the Central Intelligence Agency more than two decades ago, but from poolside at his home near San Diego, he still runs a network of spies. Over the past two years, he has fielded operatives in the mountains of Pakistan and the desert badlands of Afghanistan. Since the United States military cut off his funding in May, he has relied on like-minded private donors to pay his agents to continue gathering information about militant fighters, Taliban leaders and the secrets of Kabul’s ruling class.'
'Mr. Clarridge, 78, who was indicted on charges of lying to Congress in the Iran-contra scandal and later pardoned, is described by those who have worked with him as driven by the conviction that Washington is bloated with bureaucrats and lawyers who impede American troops in fighting adversaries and that leaders are overly reliant on mercurial allies.
His dispatches — an amalgam of fact, rumor, analysis and uncorroborated reports — have been sent to military officials who, until last spring at least, found some credible enough to be used in planning strikes against militants in Afghanistan. They are also fed to conservative commentators, including Oliver L. North, a compatriot from the Iran-contra days and now a Fox News analyst, and Brad Thor, an author of military thrillers and a frequent guest of Glenn Beck.
For all of the can-you-top-this qualities to Mr. Clarridge’s operation, it is a startling demonstration of how private citizens can exploit the chaos of combat zones and rivalries inside the American government to carry out their own agenda.
It also shows how the outsourcing of military and intelligence operations has spawned legally murky clandestine operations that can be at cross-purposes with America’s foreign policy goals.'
'Mr. Clarridge, 78, who was indicted on charges of lying to Congress in the Iran-contra scandal and later pardoned, is described by those who have worked with him as driven by the conviction that Washington is bloated with bureaucrats and lawyers who impede American troops in fighting adversaries and that leaders are overly reliant on mercurial allies.
His dispatches — an amalgam of fact, rumor, analysis and uncorroborated reports — have been sent to military officials who, until last spring at least, found some credible enough to be used in planning strikes against militants in Afghanistan. They are also fed to conservative commentators, including Oliver L. North, a compatriot from the Iran-contra days and now a Fox News analyst, and Brad Thor, an author of military thrillers and a frequent guest of Glenn Beck.
For all of the can-you-top-this qualities to Mr. Clarridge’s operation, it is a startling demonstration of how private citizens can exploit the chaos of combat zones and rivalries inside the American government to carry out their own agenda.
It also shows how the outsourcing of military and intelligence operations has spawned legally murky clandestine operations that can be at cross-purposes with America’s foreign policy goals.'
"Mister ustication to the banquet hall, to the banquet hall please"
posted by clavdivs at 6:39 PM on January 22, 2011
posted by clavdivs at 6:39 PM on January 22, 2011
How is this legal? Do we not have laws about this kind of thing? What a weird planet we live on.
What's next? Setting up a private government in a foreign country?
posted by artof.mulata at 6:46 PM on January 22, 2011
What's next? Setting up a private government in a foreign country?
posted by artof.mulata at 6:46 PM on January 22, 2011
How is this legal? Do we not have laws about this kind of thing?
PfffftttttAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA. Laws?
posted by TrialByMedia at 6:49 PM on January 22, 2011 [11 favorites]
PfffftttttAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA. Laws?
posted by TrialByMedia at 6:49 PM on January 22, 2011 [11 favorites]
How is this legal? Do we not have laws about this kind of thing? What a weird planet we live on.Why have laws against spying on Pakistan? It's probably illegal in Pakistan.
posted by planet at 6:52 PM on January 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
"As for Mr. Clarridge, American law prohibits private citizens from actively undermining a foreign government, but prosecutions under the so-called Neutrality Act have historically been limited to people raising private armies against foreign powers. Legal experts said Mr. Clarridge’s plans against the Afghan president fell in a gray area, but would probably not violate the law."
So I can spy, but I can't overthrow. Goddamn, what a stupid planet.
posted by artof.mulata at 6:53 PM on January 22, 2011 [2 favorites]
So I can spy, but I can't overthrow. Goddamn, what a stupid planet.
posted by artof.mulata at 6:53 PM on January 22, 2011 [2 favorites]
This sounds like the Garland character in "Body of Lies."
posted by phaedon at 6:55 PM on January 22, 2011
posted by phaedon at 6:55 PM on January 22, 2011
What is the real, functional difference between a private intelligence organization and a "national intelligence organization"?
posted by graftole at 6:58 PM on January 22, 2011
posted by graftole at 6:58 PM on January 22, 2011
(yes, I know the benefits of having nation-state backing. I also am aware of the drawbacks)
posted by graftole at 7:03 PM on January 22, 2011
posted by graftole at 7:03 PM on January 22, 2011
What is the real, functional difference between a private intelligence organization and a "national intelligence organization"?
One intimidates, threatens, and carries out violence in sovereign states to further the interests of a small group of people, and the other is a private intelligence organization.
posted by notion at 7:03 PM on January 22, 2011 [14 favorites]
One intimidates, threatens, and carries out violence in sovereign states to further the interests of a small group of people, and the other is a private intelligence organization.
posted by notion at 7:03 PM on January 22, 2011 [14 favorites]
How is this legal? Do we not have laws about this kind of thing?
What kind of thing in particular should we have laws against? It sounds like the majority of what he does is pay people to go, investigate, and report back. If his aims were different that'd be called "journalism". Reading between the lines, I'm sure he also takes a more active role in events— but that (as the NYT and artof.mulata note) is covered by laws.
posted by hattifattener at 7:05 PM on January 22, 2011 [4 favorites]
What kind of thing in particular should we have laws against? It sounds like the majority of what he does is pay people to go, investigate, and report back. If his aims were different that'd be called "journalism". Reading between the lines, I'm sure he also takes a more active role in events— but that (as the NYT and artof.mulata note) is covered by laws.
posted by hattifattener at 7:05 PM on January 22, 2011 [4 favorites]
Well, if it's good enough for Ollie North, America's Number One Convicted Patriot, then it is good enough for ... uh ... Fox news?
One intimidates, threatens, and carries out violence in sovereign states to further the interests of a small group of people, and the other is a private intelligence organization.
That isn't intelligence gathering. News reporters are private intelligence organizations. Just because the CIA has intelligence in its name doesn't mean that everything it does is in that field.
posted by gjc at 7:08 PM on January 22, 2011 [2 favorites]
One intimidates, threatens, and carries out violence in sovereign states to further the interests of a small group of people, and the other is a private intelligence organization.
That isn't intelligence gathering. News reporters are private intelligence organizations. Just because the CIA has intelligence in its name doesn't mean that everything it does is in that field.
posted by gjc at 7:08 PM on January 22, 2011 [2 favorites]
Sounds like a Charles McCarry book come to life.
posted by Ideefixe at 7:13 PM on January 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Ideefixe at 7:13 PM on January 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
Sec. 923. False statements influencing foreign government — Whoever, in relation to any dispute or controversy between a foreign government and the United States, knowingly makes any untrue statement, either orally or in writing, under oath before any person authorized and empowered to administer oaths, which the affiant has knowledge or reason to believe will, or may be used to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government, or of any officer or agent of any foreign government, to the injury of the United States, or with a view or intent to influence any measure of or action by the United States or any department or agency thereof, to the injury of the United States, shall be imprisoned not more than ten years.
"What have here is a failure to communicate"
posted by clavdivs at 7:17 PM on January 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
"What have here is a failure to communicate"
posted by clavdivs at 7:17 PM on January 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
Well, that sort of illustrates why in the United States we have a DI and a DO.
In modern thinking, the "intelligence" field has both a collection and operational aspect. People usually focus on the over-the-top portion of Operations, and not the part that is a feedback partner to collections.
Let's say you are someone working in Syria. It's friendly enough. If you are digging into the business of The Wrong People, it doesn't really matter if you're getting a paycheck from the CIA, State, Iowa Chamber of Commerce or GraftoleCo...national origin is the same.
This is just another source of intel with different backers than Stratfor has.
posted by graftole at 7:19 PM on January 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
In modern thinking, the "intelligence" field has both a collection and operational aspect. People usually focus on the over-the-top portion of Operations, and not the part that is a feedback partner to collections.
Let's say you are someone working in Syria. It's friendly enough. If you are digging into the business of The Wrong People, it doesn't really matter if you're getting a paycheck from the CIA, State, Iowa Chamber of Commerce or GraftoleCo...national origin is the same.
This is just another source of intel with different backers than Stratfor has.
posted by graftole at 7:19 PM on January 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
The dictionary on spying:
1. a person employed by a government to obtain secret information or intelligence about another, usually hostile, country, esp. with reference to military or naval affairs.
2. a person who keeps close and secret watch on the actions and words of another or others.
3. a person who seeks to obtain confidential information about the activities, plans, methods, etc., of an organization or person, esp. one who is employed for this purpose by a competitor: an industrial spy.
That sounds a bit like Fox or the CIA owned and operated New York Times, but most newspapers seem to fall right away from that.
posted by artof.mulata at 7:26 PM on January 22, 2011
1. a person employed by a government to obtain secret information or intelligence about another, usually hostile, country, esp. with reference to military or naval affairs.
2. a person who keeps close and secret watch on the actions and words of another or others.
3. a person who seeks to obtain confidential information about the activities, plans, methods, etc., of an organization or person, esp. one who is employed for this purpose by a competitor: an industrial spy.
That sounds a bit like Fox or the CIA owned and operated New York Times, but most newspapers seem to fall right away from that.
posted by artof.mulata at 7:26 PM on January 22, 2011
Be interesting for someone to mine the Wikileaks dump and make connections - if there are any.
posted by Xoebe at 7:28 PM on January 22, 2011
posted by Xoebe at 7:28 PM on January 22, 2011
Well, this guy hasn't cornered the market in murky clandestine anything compared with the CIA's own murky insanity, like their multi-billion dollar heroin biz out of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
This lucrative trade in narcotics produces profits which are “laundered in the numerous offshore banking havens in Switzerland, Luxembourg, the British Channel Islands, the Cayman Islands and some 50 other locations around the globe.” These offshore havens “are controlled by major Western banks and financial institutions” which “have a vested interest in maintaining and sustaining the drug trade.”
Yup, the recent Wikileaks on this topic of the secret money stashes in the Cayman Islands will be very interesting.
The murkiness factor when it comes to funding war and mass death, especially by corporations that fraudulently appear to be so righteously Christian, so in favor of ethical behavior, so against terrorism etc makes the transparency of Wikileaks essential and significant.
posted by nickyskye at 8:08 PM on January 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
This lucrative trade in narcotics produces profits which are “laundered in the numerous offshore banking havens in Switzerland, Luxembourg, the British Channel Islands, the Cayman Islands and some 50 other locations around the globe.” These offshore havens “are controlled by major Western banks and financial institutions” which “have a vested interest in maintaining and sustaining the drug trade.”
Yup, the recent Wikileaks on this topic of the secret money stashes in the Cayman Islands will be very interesting.
The murkiness factor when it comes to funding war and mass death, especially by corporations that fraudulently appear to be so righteously Christian, so in favor of ethical behavior, so against terrorism etc makes the transparency of Wikileaks essential and significant.
posted by nickyskye at 8:08 PM on January 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
Who knew Leo Laporte had the time to run both TWIT and a private spy ring.
posted by gyc at 9:27 PM on January 22, 2011
posted by gyc at 9:27 PM on January 22, 2011
Is this real life?
demonstration of how private citizens can exploit the chaos of combat zones
See also the strange case of Jonathan Idema.
If you're wondering what he's up to after he was let out of prison in Afghanistan:
Now local media on the Caribbean coast of Mexico is reporting that Idema is barricaded in a turreted house - which he has dubbed Casa Blanca - because police want to question him about allegations that he held a woman against her will and assaulted her, among other accusations.
Headlines in Mexico refer to Idema as Rambo, and one story notes that he now refers to himself as "Black Jack."
In other words, he's living the plot to the next Oliver North novel set in Mexico.
posted by SouthCNorthNY at 10:08 PM on January 22, 2011
demonstration of how private citizens can exploit the chaos of combat zones
See also the strange case of Jonathan Idema.
If you're wondering what he's up to after he was let out of prison in Afghanistan:
Now local media on the Caribbean coast of Mexico is reporting that Idema is barricaded in a turreted house - which he has dubbed Casa Blanca - because police want to question him about allegations that he held a woman against her will and assaulted her, among other accusations.
Headlines in Mexico refer to Idema as Rambo, and one story notes that he now refers to himself as "Black Jack."
In other words, he's living the plot to the next Oliver North novel set in Mexico.
posted by SouthCNorthNY at 10:08 PM on January 22, 2011
Looks like business as usual to me.
posted by captainsohler at 11:58 PM on January 22, 2011
posted by captainsohler at 11:58 PM on January 22, 2011
For all the cynicism comment makers can bring to this spot, note that private groups operating is this manner and feeding info to the military has no oversight in place, so that acts (water boarding, sleep deprivation etc) that we might bitch about if done by our govt agencies would not be prevented, investigated, stopped by the govt. It is bad enough to have govt agencies doing what they sometimes do but in theory we have a way to keep a check on them. With rogue operations--do they sell info? how often is it reliable? do they make up stuff etc--it is a private op with no congressional check on them.
posted by Postroad at 1:26 AM on January 23, 2011
posted by Postroad at 1:26 AM on January 23, 2011
I have seen the future: it is murder.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:34 AM on January 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:34 AM on January 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
His password protected site isn't even using SSL and runs WordPress. That's a wikileak waiting to happen.
posted by humanfont at 5:23 AM on January 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by humanfont at 5:23 AM on January 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
The important part of this story isn't that some privateer is off doing his own clandestine things in Pakistan. It's that the US government, specifically the military, listens to his reports. And hires him. Even the freakin' NY Times hired him to try to rescue one of their kidnapped reporters. This guy isn't some rogue outsider that needs to be contained. He's a useful, slightly irregular tool that the government takes from the bench when they need something bent.
posted by Nelson at 7:20 AM on January 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Nelson at 7:20 AM on January 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
Clarridge or Idema - who is the real live Michael Westen?
posted by entropone at 7:59 AM on January 23, 2011
posted by entropone at 7:59 AM on January 23, 2011
Where is Special Circumstances when you need them?
posted by digitalprimate at 6:27 PM on January 23, 2011
posted by digitalprimate at 6:27 PM on January 23, 2011
When U.S. Said No, Private Spy Ring Fed Bloggers Instead
posted by homunculus at 9:22 AM on January 24, 2011
posted by homunculus at 9:22 AM on January 24, 2011
I'm way late on getting into this thread, but in that 1991 picture, that guy looks damn near exactly like Leo Laporte.
posted by menschlich at 8:57 AM on February 18, 2011
posted by menschlich at 8:57 AM on February 18, 2011
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posted by Pope Guilty at 6:34 PM on January 22, 2011 [10 favorites]