Author Topic: The Founding Fathers of American Intelligence  (Read 1717 times)

Flood

  • Achilles bursitis
  • Posts: 217
The Founding Fathers of American Intelligence
« on: July 04, 2013, 09:31:10 AM »
Quote
In 1997 the CIA opened its new Liaison Conference Center, consisting of three newly refurbished meeting rooms for hosting foreign liaison visitors. Agency officials decided to name the rooms after past practitioners of three key elements of the intelligence discipline--collection of foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, and covert action. Historical research resulted in the selection of three Revolutionary War leaders--all of whom are much more famous for their other exploits and achievements during the revolutionary period than for their impressive intelligence accomplishments.

     
  • George Washington was theobvious choice for acquisition of foreign intelligence. The Father of our Country was an adroit spymaster. Over the course of his long military career, he directed numerous agent networks, provided comprehensive guidance in intelligence tradecraft to his agents, and used their intelligence effectively when planning and conducting military operations.
  • John Jay--who later became Chief Justice of the United States--is consideredthe FoundingFather of American counterintelligence. Jay is seldom cited for his achievements in this arena; his historical reputation stems largely from his political and judicial accomplishments. But he clearly deserved to be considered the first national-level American counterintelligence chief.
  • Benjamin Franklin was the American icon after whom the remaining room was named. His efforts in what is known today as covert action were wide-ranging and usually successful. During the Revolutionary War period, Franklin engaged in propaganda operations and agent-of-influence activities and directed paramilitary operations against British property.

https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/the-founding-fathers-of-american-intelligence/art-1.html
FOTpediaAP Mike Day! – I feed you garbage!