Directorate of Science and Technology: Technology so Advanced, it's Classified

A Message from Director Panetta

Message from the Director: Inspector General’s Retirement

Statement to Employees by Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Leon E. Panetta on the Retirement of CIA Inspector General John L. Helgerson

February 18, 2009

The Agency’s Inspector General, John Helgerson, told me this morning that he plans to retire next month. John has had a long and very distinguished career, serving CIA, the Intelligence Community, and the country with skill and great dedication.

Like John, I strongly believe in a vigorous, independent Inspector General. That is absolutely essential to our health as an organization. It is also crucial to the relationship of trust that CIA must have with the Congress and—through its oversight—with the American people.

Beyond his seven years as Inspector General, John held a variety of other senior leadership posts. He was Chairman of the National Intelligence Council, Deputy Director of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency, and Deputy Director for Intelligence here at CIA. He literally wrote the book on briefing Presidential candidates, and our Community drew on his work during the recent transition.

I appreciate John’s many contributions, and wish him and his family the best for the future.

Leon E. Panetta

Announcement by CIA Inspector General John L. Helgerson

February 18, 2009

I have informed Director Panetta today that I plan to retire from Federal service, and therefore am resigning my position as Inspector General of the Central Intelligence Agency, effective in 30 days.

I am fortunate to have served in the US Intelligence Community for more than 37 years, under seven Presidents and 13 Agency Directors. Had the opportunity come at an earlier time, I would have been most eager and proud to continue my work as IG during the Administration of President Obama, under the leadership of our new Director. However, after a full career, including seven years in my current position, it is time for a change.

CIA and its Office of Inspector General deal with a number of challenging and unique issues. I believe the country’s interests will be well served if a new Inspector General begins his or her term at the same time other key officials are beginning their service in the Agency and Administration.

Our country’s first Inspector General, appointed by General George Washington, observed that he served as the “eyes, ears, and conscience of the commander.” I have been honored to do this for the Central Intelligence Agency. During my time as IG I have received invaluable encouragement and support from the men and women of the CIA, associates throughout the Executive Branch, and the Congressional Intelligence Oversight Committees. Thank you.

Transcript of Remarks at Swearing-in Ceremony for Director Leon E. Panetta

Transcript of Remarks at Swearing-in Ceremony for Leon E. Panetta as Director of Central Intelligence Agency

February 19, 2009

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentleman, please welcome the Vice President of the United States, Mr. Blair, Director Panetta and Mrs. Panetta and Deputy Director Kappes.

(Music, applause.)

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, will you please remain standing for the presentation of the colors and the playing of the National Anthem.

(Music, applause.)

CIA DEPUTY DIRECTOR STEPHEN KAPPES: Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. (Laughter.) Unless you work for the CIA. (Laughter, cheers, applause.) Good afternoon, everyone, and please, accept our welcome to the Central Intelligence Agency. My name is Stephen Kappes, and I’m the Deputy Director of the CIA. It’s our great pleasure today to welcome everyone to the swearing in of Leon Panetta as 19^th director of the Central Intelligence Agency. (Applause.)

We’re especially honored to have with us today the Vice President of the United States. (Cheers, applause.) And we would like to offer a warm welcome to Mrs. Sylvia Panetta – (applause) – her sons, Carmelo and James, and their grandson Michael. (Applause.) And a special thanks to everybody else who has come, particularly so many leaders, past and present, of the Intelligence Community. We’re very delighted you could make time to be here with us today.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is now my distinct honor and my great privilege to present to all of you the Vice President of the United States.

(Cheers, applause.)

VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: (Cheers, applause.) Thank you. Thank you very much.

Director Kappes – (applause) – I was a Senator for 36 years before this job, and I knew the CIA always stands. (Laughter.) They always stand. And I appreciate it. (Cheers, applause.)

Well, thank you, Steve, for your introduction. And Director Panetta, or soon-to-be-officially-Director Panetta, Admiral Blair, distinguished guests, my name is Joe Biden, and I’m proud to be one of your leading customers. (Laughter, applause.)

Folks, many years ago, before – looking at the faces over there, before many of you came to work in the Agency – (laughter) – I served as one of the original members – it was then called the Select Committee on Intelligence – and I had the privilege of serving on that committee for 10 years. And I’m deeply familiar with the workings of this Agency, and I continue to admire, as I did then, the dedication and commitment for – from – for all of you, every one of you here, who continue to serve this country.

It’s an honor to be here in the George Bush Center for Intelligence, named for a former Director of this Agency and, I believe, one of the great public servants of our time.

And I’m proud to swear in another exceptional public servant, a man I’ve known a long time, Leon Panetta, a close friend, a former colleague in the Congress, a man who also served as Chief of Staff to President Clinton.

And the most important thing for this job, in my view, is Leon knows that the job of Chief of Staff, like the intelligence chief, is to give the President of the United States the unvarnished truth, not what he thinks the President may want to hear.

Leon, the President has absolute confidence that you have the experience, the independence and the judgment to lead this Agency – together with Steve Kappes, who I am literally so thankful and appreciative that he’s willing to stay as Deputy Director. With you both and the man about to talk about in a second, as – we have a first-rate team.

Although the Intelligence Community is now a broad constellation of 16 agencies, this Agency remains America’s premier national security agency, and we deeply appreciate the risks and the sacrifices that so many in the past and in the present continue to take for this country. The 89 stars on the wall behind me are a testament to the ultimate sacrifice made by truly courageous, patriotic CIA officers, many of whom are still anonymous.

After 9/11, thousands – thousands of young men and women stepped forward to serve their country, inspired many of you to join this Agency. We were talking upstairs in the Director’s office about how many of you after 9/11, with a sense of purpose, idealism and patriotism joined this great Agency. You were inspired to join and serve, the same kind of inspiration that existed six decades ago, six decades ago, when this Agency was formed.

Leon, it’s going to be your challenge but great opportunity to harness the energy and idealism and capacity of a whole new generation of intelligence professionals. This new generation comes in the Intelligence Community that has experienced considerable change in the last few years. A law enacted in 2004 established the Office of National Director of – Director of National Intelligence and requires greater cooperation among all intelligence agencies.

We all know that bureaucratic conflicts, when they occur, distract us from the core mission that we have as a nation or as an Agency.

And I’m confident – I’m confident that Director Panetta and Admiral Blair will make this work, because in those – these two men, you have men of exceptional capacity and exceptional capability and who are on, as I was saying upstairs, the same page.

Ladies and gentlemen, I believe this cooperation that’s about to take place with these two newly appointed members of – the Director of our Intelligence Community and the Director of the CIA – I hope is going to set a standard of cooperation within the Intelligence Community that all of the agencies in our government will observe.

Ladies and gentlemen, the next four years will be a time of great challenge. I need not tell any of you this. Al-Qaeda continues to pose a serious threat to the United States and to our friends. We remain at war in two far away countries. The global economic situation, as the Agency has pointed out, could make the world considerably more unstable. The proliferation of dangerous weapons and technologies threatens our security. New challenges to the established order such as climate change and other not yet known to us challenges will emerge.

In his first few weeks in office, the President has begun to meet these challenges head-on. He ordered the deployment of additional troops to Afghanistan. He ordered a review of the down – the drawdown options in Iraq. Our strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan is also under review. And our strategy for a cybersecurity network – a cybersecurity capacity, all three of which have been recently ordered. He named a special envoy to the Middle East, a special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan and an envoy for climate change.

He issued an executive order to reverse the policies that in my view and the view of many in this Agency caused America to fall short of its founding principles and which gave al-Qaeda a powerful recruiting tool. As a result of these orders, we will close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. We will have a single standard across the government for interrogation of – in armed conflict. And we’ll ensure the Red Cross access to all those who are detained in armed conflict.

The President has made it clear that he wants to hit the reset button on our relations with Russia and will seek diplomatic engagement with Iran.

This administration – this administration’s national security strategy will use all the elements of our national power: our military, which is absolutely essential, but not sufficient, our economic, our political and our cultural and diplomatic tools that exist in the toolbox of any president. We will use force if necessary, but we will engage in aggressive and active diplomacy. And we’ll be true to our own values, because America’s more secure when the example of our power is matched by the power of our example.

This strategy cannot succeed, though, without timely, credible and accurate intelligence.

It’s the foundation of all we’re about to do.

It will remain your paramount duty, in my view, to provide such intelligence to the President, the Congress and the military, to protect our fighting men and women and our fellow citizens, who to inform – who are able to make then informed choices about the decisions that we make.

That’s why in my view this Agency was established in 1947. And that’s why it remains the premier intelligence agency for our government, for that matter, I believe, the premier intelligence agency in the entire world.

We’re going to ask a lot of you. And it’s only fair to tell you what we expect of you, because we’re going to ask a lot. We expect you to be able to look around corners occasionally, to imagine the unexpected.

We expect you to provide independent analysis and not engage in groupthink. And we expect you to tell us the facts as you know them, wherever they may lead, not what you think we want to hear. And we expect you to give us your best judgment. We will ask no more but we will ask no less.

On the wall facing me, there is a quotation from the New Testament, put there at the request of Director Allen Dulles, when this building was constructed. It has become your motto. It reads, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

For the President and me, the truth is this. Your mission is more important than any time in all of our history. The country needs you more than we ever, ever have. And we’re profoundly, profoundly grateful for your service.

Director Panetta, are you ready to have me take a crack at administering this oath? (Laughter.) Are you ready? (Applause.) Ladies and gentlemen, if you’ll step forward, we’ll administer the oath.

Please repeat after me and raise your right hand.

(The Vice President administers the oath.)

(Applause.)

CIA DIRECTOR LEON E. PANETTA: Thank you very much. Mr. Vice President, thank you for coming out here to CIA at Langley. We are truly honored by your presence and by your words. And I am particularly grateful for your friendship.

We have spent, I think, over 20 years working together, in the Congress and when I was Chief of Staff. We always had a close working relationship, and I’ve always admired and respected Joe’s ability to help guide and direct this country where it needed to go.

And so I’m very grateful for your being here, Joe, and I really appreciate the fact that you’ve come here to perform this task.

I also want to thank Admiral Blair for coming. As the Director of National Intelligence, he is truly a dedicated public servant. I’ve had the opportunity to work with him, to know him. We’ve talked a great deal about the challenges that face the Intelligence Community. And I truly do look forward to the opportunity – working very closely with him to ensure that our intelligence mission is fulfilled in a way that protects this country.

Admiral Blair, thank you very much.

(Applause.)

I also want to thank Steve Kappes for continuing as deputy. I – as I’ve – so I’ve told a number of people I’ve got the A-team here at the CIA. All of the professional staff are, I think, the best people that I’ve ever known in a working capacity in which I feel very confident about not only their professionalism but their dedication to the mission that they’re involved with. So I truly thank them for the support that they’re providing.

And I also want to thank all of the staff and members of the CIA. I look forward to working with you. I appreciate your being here. And I can’t tell you how – what – how much pleasure it gives me to be able to say I have – I am truly part of a team that is committed to protecting this country.

And lastly, I want to thank my family; my wife, Sylvia, who is – been my partner for 46 years. We met 50 years ago at – (applause) – we met 50 years ago at a mixer.

And I don’t know if anybody knows what the hell a mixer is anymore. (Laughter.) But we had that opportunity to meet and we’ve had a long life together and she has been my partner in every challenge that I’ve had to confront. And I depend a great deal on her support and her love.

My sons – Chris, who’s not able to be with us, Carmelo and Jim – Jimmy just – is the one I’ve talked about who just returned from service in Afghanistan and who had the opportunity to see the work of the CIA up close in the battlefield and had a tremendous amount of admiration for the work that they did. My grandson, Michael, is here. We have five grandchildren. All of our daughter-in-laws – I really do appreciate their support and their family help in everything we do.

And I also want to thank all of the guests here, past Directors and all of you who serve in a capacity and have provided tremendous service to this country. And I thank you for that service and I thank you for being here.

I learn from all of you and I will continue to learn from all of you the important lessons that are essential to being able to face this challenge. I also want to acknowledge past members of the staff that worked with me throughout my career in Washington.

Rahm Emanuel, thank you for being here. I taught him everything he knows. (Laughter.) So on the other hand, if he screws up, it’s not my fault. (Laughter.)

I also want to thank members of my staff that were – are here from my congressional career and OMB. It’s really great to see all of you. And I thank you for coming.

I’m honored to be sworn in as Director of the CIA. And I thank the President for the confidence that he’s shown in giving me this very important appointment. And I thank the Senate for confirming my nomination.

As many of you know, throughout my 40 years of public service and public life, I’ve had the privilege of serving in a number of key positions in government. And throughout that, I have not forgotten that I am still the son of Italian immigrants and that in many ways I have lived the American dream.

For me, there are a number of special places that mark my journey through my public service career. I was elected to Congress from the central coast of California, representing my home town of Monterey. And I have to tell you that my heart is still moved by the sight of the Capitol at night, during the day. It is a very special place, and it is truly the symbol of our representative democracy.

When I served in the White House as Chief of Staff, the opportunity to work in the executive mansion that represents the executive branch of our government, and to be in the Oval Office – I’m sure Joe and Rahm have had this opportunity as well – to spend a few moments in the Oval Office and to look around and tell yourself: my God, I am – I’m here in the Oval Office, the center of power in the – not only for this country, but in the world. It is truly the symbol of leadership, important leadership, for this country and for the world.

And today, as I take on this responsibility as Director of the CIA, there is another symbol that stands behind me, which is that wall of stars that represent the sacrifice of those who gave their lives for this country, many of whom – whose names we’ll never know, but whose sacrifice we will know because it helped protect what this country is all about.

All of these special places have been very important to me, particularly as the son of immigrants. And all of this, in many ways, relates to the symbol that my parents saw when they came into New York harbor in the early 1930s, our Statue of Liberty, because that statue truly represents the freedom and the opportunity that gave me the chance to succeed.

I used to ask my parents: Why would you travel all that distance to come to this country? No skills, no language abilities, no money in their pocket. Why would you do that?

And my father said: The reason we did it is because we truly believed that we could give our children a better life.

And I think that’s the American dream. That’s what my parents wanted for my brother and I, and it’s what Sylvia and I want for our three sons, and I think it’s what all of us want for our children – the ability to give them a better life. That is the American dream. It’s what this President and this Vice President are struggling to make sure we restore for every young person – the opportunity to have that better life.

And in many ways it’s the mission of the CIA, which is to ensure people in this country have a better life, a secure life, one in which their national security is protected.

As a student, and as now a teacher at the Panetta Institute, what Sylvia and I established in Monterey, I used to always say that in our democracy we govern either by leadership or by crisis. If leadership is there, then hopefully we can avoid crisis. But if leadership is not there, then make no mistake about it; we govern by crisis.

And I think too often in this country, we have governed largely by crisis. Today, we have the responsibility to exercise leadership and to take the risks associated with leadership, to guide this country in the right direction.

And so I take this oath with the commitment that I will seek to provide that leadership, as Director of the CIA, that I will provide the very best intelligence, independent judgments, not influenced by the politics of the situation but truly real, objective information that can be presented to the President and the policymakers of this country, so that they can protect the American people.

I want to have, here at the CIA, the best-trained: people who are proficient in languages, a diverse population of individuals, to represent the face of the world that we have to deal with. I want to bring together that kind of team, to make sure that we truly are presenting the best intelligence.

I want to perform our job with integrity and with respect for the laws and for the Constitution that we are all pledged to uphold. I want to serve as part of a team, to work with the DNI, to work with the Intelligence Community, to make sure that we are sharing and bringing important information together and that we are not competing with one another but working as a team, to present the best intelligence to the President and others.

And I want to re-establish a relationship with the Hill. I’m a creature of the Hill. I believe deeply in the role of the Congress in the challenges that I face. But I want to have a relationship of trust with the Hill. They have to be partners in confronting the challenges that we face.

And lastly I think we have to be honest. We have to be honest with the President. We have to be honest with each other. And most importantly we have to be honest with the people that we serve.

The challenges are great, the Vice President said. I don’t underestimate the threats that we face in today’s world. But I have ultimate confidence that this country can confront these challenges, can confront these crises, and that we will be stronger for it. We are a nation born in crisis. We have become stronger because of it and because of the leadership that we have always had.

So the oath that I just took is, in many ways, the oath that we all take as citizens of this country; that we will fulfill the promise of liberty, that we will give our sons and daughters the opportunity to truly succeed and the opportunity to serve this nation and that we will protect America from those who threaten to destroy the very promise of freedom and liberty that is so important to our heritage as a nation, and that we will make the American dream real again.

So because my story is the story of America, I pledge to all of you that I will do everything in my power to fulfill the oath that I have just taken.

Thank you very much.

(Applause.)

(END)

A Look Back … The Cold War: Strangers On a Bridge

On February 10, 1962, two men stepped on to opposite ends of the Glienicke Bridge in Berlin. Francis Gary Powers—a prisoner of the Russians since 1960— faced westward. Rudolf Abel—captured by the FBI in 1957—faced eastward. Both men had been captured while performing daring intelligence missions. When the signal was given, Powers and Abel began to cross the bridge. They passed in the middle of the bridge, with barely a nod. They were headed home.

Spy Exchange

The exchange of Powers and Abel was the first of many East-West prisoner exchanges to take place over the next 27 years. It also marked a change in Cold War intelligence. The Soviets had long excelled at espionage, but lost Abel to one of America's early counterintelligence coups in 1957. For their part, the Americans did well at technical collection, and were pioneering the use of overhead reconnaissance from the edge of space and beyond when Powers' U-2 spy plane was shot down.

Francis Gary Powers: U-2 Pilot

Powers had flown for the U.S. Air Force before shifting to the Central Intelligence Agency to become one of the first U-2 pilots in 1956. He flew 27 successful missions in U-2s (not all of them over the Soviet Union) before a surface-to-air missile downed his ship near Sverdlovsk on May 1, 1960.

Francis Gary Powers with a U-2 model.

The Soviets captured him immediately, but took their time telling the news. This made the Eisenhower Administration very uncomfortable because it initially denied that the lost and presumably dead pilot had any intelligence connection. In August 1960, Powers was tried and convicted of espionage against the Soviet Union. He was sentenced to ten years in prison. Powers was cleared by the U.S. government of all allegations of misconduct after his repatriation.

Powers worked for Lockheed as a test pilot from 1963 to 1970. He co-wrote a book about his experience title “Operation Overflight: A Memoir of the U-2 Incident” in 1970. Powers then became a helicopter pilot for a Los Angeles television station. He died in 1977 when his helicopter crashed on his return from covering a news story.

The Man with Many Names

We know far less about the other man on the bridge that February day. "Rudolf Abel" was the name he gave his FBI captors on June 21, 1957. However, he had arrived in the United States in 1948 under the name of “Andrew Kayotis,” and lived in a Brooklyn artists' colony during the late 1940s under yet a third, "Emil Goldfus."

American authorities had no inkling of Abel’s espionage before his deputy defected in May 1957 at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. After Abel’s death in 1971, we learned his real identity: he was William Fisher, an Englishman who had moved to Russia with his family when he was a child.

Abel was fluent in English, German, Yiddish and Polish. He served in the Red Army communications unit, and then worked as a language teacher until 1927. Abel joined the OGPU—the forerunner of the KGB—the same year. During World War II, he served as an intelligence officer on the German front. He was known for his operational tradecraft and survived a lengthy career as a spy before his arrest because he always covered his trail.

We still do not know what he accomplished as a senior KGB "illegal" officer, although he was treated well on his return to Moscow. He was posthumously hailed along with other famous operatives in a commemorative volume published by the Russian foreign intelligence service in 1995.

Related Stories and Links:

• A Look Back … OXCART: The Bird Should Leave Its Nest

• The Oxcart Story

• A Stone for Willy Fisher
• Strangers on a Bridge
• The CIA and the U-2 Program
• Archangel: CIA’s Supersonic A-12 Reconnaissance Aircraft

Get an Inside Look at the CIA with Sites to See

Have you ever wondered what’s hidden within the walls of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)? If you’ve imagined it as another ordinary office building, you’d be wrong. At CIA you can find exhibits, museum galleries, statues, and a memorial wall and garden dedicated to the remarkable men and women who have given their lives while advancing the Agency’s mission.

Would you like to get an inside peek at the CIA and learn about some of the treasures housed within its walls? You can find all of this and more in CIA’s Sites to See publication. The Office of Public Affairs (OPA) produces publications like Sites to See to inform the public about the Agency and its mission.

Sites to See will take you on a tour of the CIA Original and New Headquarters buildings, as well as the surrounding campus. Readers can “stroll” through the different CIA Museum galleries and exhibits on display in our corridors. In this publication, you will discover the mission and rich history of the Agency.

Sites to See is divided into the different sections of the CIA campus. Pictures accompany a detailed description of all the Agency’s exhibits and important features. A printable version of Sites to See is also available on the Web site so you can share it with friends. To request that a printed copy be mailed to you free of charge, contact OPA.

Related Links:

• Sites to See
• CIA At-A-Glance
• Headquarters Virtual Tour

Fitness Specialist

The Central Intelligence Agency's Office of Medical Services is seeking a qualified Fitness Specialist to support Agency employees and contractors. The individual selected will work a part time schedule of 32 hours per week. 

*Posted salary reflects the annual full time salary.

Minimum requirements include a bachelor's degree in exercise science or exercise physiology, as well as 3 years experience as a Fitness Specialist. Candidates must be certified by ACSM, NSCA, NSPA, or NASM. CPR/First Aid certification is also required.

All applicants must successfully complete a thorough medical and psychological exam, a polygraph interview and an extensive background investigation. US citizenship is required.

To be considered suitable for Agency employment, applicants must generally not have used illegal drugs within the last twelve months. The issue of illegal drug use prior to twelve months ago is carefully evaluated during the medical and security processing.

Important Notice: Friends, family, individuals, or organizations may be interested to learn that you are an applicant for or an employee of the CIA. Their interest, however, may not be benign or in your best interest. You cannot control whom they would tell. We therefore ask you to exercise discretion and good judgment in disclosing your interest in a position with the Agency. You will receive further guidance on this topic as you proceed through your CIA employment processing.

To Apply:

An equal opportunity employer and a drug-free work force.

CIA.gov Kids' Page Provides a Unique Look Inside the Agency

Have you ever wanted to decipher a secret message or analyze imagery? Do you have a soft spot for dogs? Perhaps you just want to learn more about the Central Intelligence Agency’s history and mission. Maybe you want to pursue career possibilities at the CIA. All this—and much more—can be found on the Kids’ Page of the CIA Web site. 

Ava Shoephone welcomes visitors to the CIA Kids' Page.

The Kids’ Page is divided into three different fun-filled sections geared toward children (of any age), including:

• K-5^th Grade – In this section, kids (and all visitors) will learn about the CIA seal, the CIA K-9 Corps and the history of the Agency. For example, did you know that pigeons were used to take secret pictures? They took pictures to help gather intelligence.
•  6-12^th Grade – Here, we provide a detailed look at the Agency’s history, our mission, the intelligence cycle, and how to get a job working at the CIA. Visit the CIA Hall of Fame in our Operation History section to learn about some of the historical heroes who played a role in early American intelligence, such as Benjamin Franklin. He was not only one of the founding fathers of the United States of America, but also a spy during the Revolutionary War. Franklin recruited and trained spies to gather intelligence about the British military.
• Games – This page offers many games at a variety of skills levels, including puzzles, a word find, codes, and aerial and photo analysis challenges. See how quickly you can assemble the CIA seal. Find the secret words hidden within the safe. Break the code and discover a special fact about the CIA.

 
We provide informational resources for parents and teachers, too. Resources include:

• Internet Safety – Tips for keeping your children safe on the Internet.
• Teacher Resources – Suggested lesson plans using the CIA Web site.
• Help Kids Say No to Drugs – Learn how to help your children avoid drug abuse.

 
Whether you’re 9 or 90, there’s something fun, educational and interactive awaiting you on the Kids’ Page.

 
Related Links:

• CIA K-9 Corps: A Special Breed.

Message from the Director: Senate Review of CIA Interrogation Program

Statement to Employees by Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Leon E. Panetta on the Senate Review of CIA's Interrogation Program

March 5, 2009

On a strong bipartisan basis, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence announced today that it will conduct a thorough review of CIA’s terrorist interrogation program. I have discussed this with the Chairman of the committee, Senator Dianne Feinstein, and the Vice Chairman, Senator Kit Bond. They assure me that this review is a way for the committee to assess lessons learned from the program while our government devises a new interrogation policy.

CIA will, as always, cooperate with Congress in its exercise of legitimate oversight. I understand that the intelligence committees have been briefed over the years on terrorist detention and interrogation. The requirement now is to pull that historical information together, as well as information that may not have been provided. As I have said publicly, what I will not support is an inquiry designed to punish those who acted in accord with guidance from the Department of Justice. Senators Feinstein and Bond have made it clear to me that this is not the goal of this review.

CIA is a highly professional, mission-driven organization. Our engagement with the Senate intelligence committee is important. Our work on counter-terrorism is decisive. We will keep our focus right where it belongs—on protecting the American people. The work you do is far too critical to accept anything less. I believe Congress, and the country at large, would agree.

Under this Administration, the guidelines for detention and interrogation have been made clear by the President’s Executive Order: we will adhere to the Army Field Manual for interrogation, close the detention facilities, and abide by the law as it stands. I am confident that, under these guidelines, this great Agency can do its job of defending the strength and safety of the nation. That responsibility is what brings all of us to CIA.

Leon E. Panetta

The People of the CIA ... Ames Mole Hunt Team

Message from the Director: New Review Group on Rendition, Detention, and Interrogation

Statement to Employees by Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Leon E. Panetta on the New Review Group on Rendition, Detention, and Interrogation

March 16, 2009

By Executive Order, President Obama established in January an inter-agency process to examine US Government policy options for detaining, questioning, and transferring suspected terrorists. As Director, I am part of that effort, which will, as we move forward, help fashion our country’s approach to these critical issues.

Earlier this month, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence announced a major review of CIA’s past practices in terrorist detention and interrogation. As I told you then, the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Committee have assured me that their goal is to draw lessons for future policy decisions, not to punish those who followed guidance from the Department of Justice. That is only fair.

Because these different efforts will require large volumes of old information—much of it overlapping—I am creating a Director’s Review Group for Rendition, Detention, and Interrogation. Peter Clement, a senior leader from our Directorate of Intelligence, will head this new unit, which will have a small number of officers from across the Agency, including the National Clandestine Service.

I have also asked former Senator Warren Rudman to serve as my Special Adviser on the Senate inquiry. He knows intelligence and counter-terrorism, and he has a strong, bipartisan reputation.

CIA’s input will be crucial to these important projects in the Executive and Legislative Branches. In each case, the Agency’s voice must be heard. The Review Group will assemble data and formulate coordinated positions on the complex, often controversial, questions that define rendition, detention, and interrogation. Although it will need the cooperation of many here at CIA, one aim of the Review Group is to minimize the burdens imposed on our counter-terrorism cadre, who must remain focused on their mission.

Ultimately, we are now being asked to do what our Agency has done for years—to help our country adapt its strategy and refine its tactics, even as operations continue against al-Qa’ida and its allies. Let me be clear: CIA is fully engaged in the business of collecting intelligence on terrorist plots, including through debriefings. We do so under the laws and policies now in place. We remain on the offensive against al-Qa’ida and other terrorist groups. This will not let up.

The safety of the American people depends on our ability to learn lessons from the past while staying focused on the threats of today and tomorrow. I know that the men and women of CIA are equal to that task.

Leon E. Panetta

Remembering CIA's Heroes: Chiyoki Ikeda

This is a part of our series about CIA employees who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Here we will look at the lives of the men and women who have died while serving their country.

Currently, there are 89 stars carved into the marble of the CIA Memorial Wall. The wall stands as a silent, simple memorial to those employees “who gave their lives in the service of their country.” The CIA has released the names of 54 employees; the names of the remaining 35 officers must remain secret, even in death.

Chiyoki Ikeda

During his six years working for the Central Intelligence Agency, Chiyoki “Chick” Ikeda was known for his talent with languages. He was also known as a true patriot.

On March 17, 1960, Ikeda died in a plane crash near Tell City, Indiana, while on a temporary duty assignment.

From Star Student to True Patriot

Ikeda was born in 1920 in Honolulu after his parents emigrated from Japan. At McKinley High School, Ikeda served as an active member of the student body in the National Honor Society. He graduated in 1938.

In 1941, Ikeda went to the University of Hawaii to study engineering, where he excelled in both his studies and in athletics. He played intramural football, basketball and baseball; he also enjoyed volleyball, tennis and golf, and was a two-year letterman in college track.

With the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entry into World War II, Ikeda’s world changed completely. In March 1943, he joined the U.S. Army as an officer at the rank of second lieutenant. During the next several months, Ikeda completed military training.

World War II through the Cold War

In January 1944, the Army assigned Ikeda to serve in the Office of Strategic Services (the forerunner of today’s CIA). In addition to his military training, Ikeda was fluent in Japanese and English, and he had a basic proficiency in French and Chinese, which made him an attractive recruit for the OSS.

He received training in radio communications, weapons use and agent handling, and took a refresher course in Japanese. After completing his training requirements, Ikeda was assigned to the OSS unit in India, and later transferred to the unit in China. In the spring of 1945, Ikeda was promoted to captain and served as chief of an OSS field unit in China. He was awarded a Bronze Star for his service there.

After the war, Ikeda enrolled in an agent operations course at the Army’s Counterintelligence Corps Training School in Tokyo. During the next two years, he served as an Army intelligence officer, recruiting and handling agents.

Ikeda also helped screen returning Japanese POWs who had been held by the Soviets in Siberian camps since the end of the war. Ikeda managed the screening process that identified POWs who were trained by the Soviets to act as spies.

He trained and supervised the interrogators and organized teams to review the results of the screenings. Because of the program Ikeda managed, many Soviet agents were identified, helping thwart Moscow’s efforts to conduct espionage against U.S. interests in postwar Japan.

Joining the Agency

With the end of World War II in 1945, President Harry Truman disbanded the OSS. Two years later, President Truman signed the National Security of Act of 1947, which established the CIA. The fledgling Agency began to seek out talented individuals who were dedicated to protecting the nation.

Ikeda’s experience from the war and superb language skills made him an ideal candidate for a job with the CIA. In 1950, the CIA tried to have Ikeda released from the military or detailed to the Agency. But, the start of the Korean War further delayed Ikeda’s release.

After the end of that war, Ikeda was discharged from the Army. The Agency immediately offered him a position as an operations officer in the Directorate of Plans (now the National Clandestine Service) in the Far East Division. In October 1954, Ikeda officially joined the CIA. During the next six years, Ikeda became a key player in his division and made many contributions to important operations.

The Ultimate Sacrifice

On March 17, 1960, Ikeda was on a temporary duty assignment in the United States. That day, he was a passenger on Northwest Airlines Flight 710, which was leaving Chicago. The plane, carrying 63 passengers, crashed near Tell City, Indiana. Everyone aboard the plane was killed.

Ikeda received a star on the Agency’s Memorial Wall on March 14, 1997. Then DCI George Tenet paid tribute to his accomplishments and sacrifices.

“Chick Ikeda knew the price of patriotism,” Tenet said. “He paid it willingly and dearly.”

Ikeda is survived by his wife Maggie, two sons, and two grandchildren.

Related Stories and Links:

• Nisei Linguists: Japanese Americans in the Military Intelligence Service During World War II
• John Gregory Anthony Celli, III
• James J. McGrath
• Rachel A. Dean
• James A. Rawlings
• Agency Pilots in the U-2 Program
• Norman Schwartz & Robert Snoddy

A Look Back ... Allen Dulles Becomes DCI

President Dwight Eisenhower called on Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence (DDCI) Allen Dulles to lead the United States’ intelligence effort during the darkest times of the Cold War. At the time, it seemed impossible to outsmart the Soviet Union. The Soviets caught our spies and were very careful about protecting their secrets. The Iron Curtain seemed impenetrable. During DCI Dulles’ tenure, intelligence advancements were made that helped draw back the curtain.

 

From Spymaster Hero to DCI

During World War II, Dulles joined the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and served as the OSS chief in Bern, Switzerland. From that key neutral outpost, Dulles collected important intelligence from German sources and negotiated an early surrender of German forces in Italy. OSS Director William Donovan made sure these accomplishments made it into the American press, and Dulles became famous in America as a spymaster and wartime cloak-and-dagger hero.

After the war ended in 1945, Dulles returned to his law practice but was consulted about the creation of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). In 1948, Dulles was asked to chair an early reform study of the organization. DCI Walter Bedell Smith brought Dulles in to oversee operations in 1951 and then made him his deputy director a few months later. When the newly inaugurated Eisenhower made Dulles DCI on February 26, 1953, it seemed to fulfill his destiny.

 

Rollercoaster Tenure

Dulles served longer than any DCI, from February 1953 to November 1961. His tenure is often said to be a “golden age” for CIA.

It was a time of derring-do, when the public viewed the CIA as a patriotic organization of people fighting our Cold War enemies. It was an era of innovation in technical collection.

Above all, it is remembered as the hey-day of successful espionage against the Communist Bloc. Dulles presided over the Agency during one of its most active and interesting periods.

Because President Eisenhower sought to manage the Cold War and to contain the USSR without massive spending on U.S. conventional forces or risking nuclear war, he authorized Dulles and CIA to confront communist expansion and influence throughout the world. Dulles accomplished this and more by:

• Conducting vigorous “hearts and minds” campaigns for people under communist domination;
• Creating and funding Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, which were broadcast to the Soviet bloc and were hugely successful programs; and
• Supporting a network of anti-Soviet social, labor, cultural, and student groups in Europe and elsewhere, as well as scholars, publications, and research institutions.

Technical collection successes accomplished under Dulles include:

• the Berlin Tunnel operation;
• the development of the U-2 reconnaissance aircraft and initial work on its successor, the A-12; and
• the beginnings of the CORONA satellite imagery program.

All of these accomplishments helped keep the Cold War cold. They gave President Eisenhower—and his successors—intelligence about Soviet strategic capabilities and provided timely information about developing crises and hot spots.

 

Leaving Behind a Legacy

Dulles’ most lasting legacy is perhaps the Agency’s Headquarters campus itself. For most of his tenure as DCI, Dulles worked hard with congressmen and contractors to achieve his dream of a collegial, campus-like headquarters for his beloved CIA. So it is fitting that the memorial of Dulles in the Original Headquarters Building lobby has the inscription, “His Monument is Around You.”

Related Stories and Links:

• Fifteen DCIs’ First 100 Days
• The Office of Strategic Services: America’s First Intelligence Agency
• Directors of Intelligence
  
• Directors of Central Intelligence as Leaders of the U.S. Intelligence Community
• A Look Back … John Alex McCone Becomes DCI
• A Look Back … Walter Bedell Smith Becomes DCI
• A Look Back … Directors of Central Intelligence
• A Look Back … Truman Appoints First DCI, 1946
• The People of the CIA … First Community DCI: Walter B. Smith

The People of the CIA ... Women in Leadership: Stephanie O'Sullivan

This is the first article in a two-part series about women in leadership at the CIA. It focuses on the experiences of Director of Science and Technology Stephanie O’Sullivan. Our second article will feature Chief of Human Resources Cindy Bower.

*    *    *    *

Throughout her career at the CIA, Stephanie O’Sullivan’s eagerness to learn has taken her from one exciting engineering job to the next. And in 2005, that drive and dedication took her to her current position as the Director of Science and Technology. After O’Sullivan joined the Agency in 1995 as a system engineer, she kept getting asked to apply for jobs at different management levels.

“I would pick jobs because I wanted to learn something new or I wanted to work for someone that I could learn something from,” she said. “I was mostly just trying to learn new and different things, and get up every day feeling like it made a difference that I came into work.”

 

Making Something Out of Nothing

From a young age, O’Sullivan wanted to make a difference in the world. She chose engineering as her way to make an impact.

“I wanted to become an engineer because I liked to build things,” she said. “I loved the idea of creating something that didn’t exist before.”

In a management position, O’Sullivan may not be as hands on as she was before, but she still draws enjoyment from witnessing the work of those she manages.

“When I see a team go out and build something new, take it out to the field and operate it, I get the same charge out of their success that I used to get when [as an engineer] I would go home at night and think, ‘Wow, look what I did today,’” she said.

 

Woman at Work

As a woman in a predominantly male profession, O’Sullivan has experienced the ups and downs that come with being in the minority.

At an engineering conference in the early 1980s, O’Sullivan was the only female in an audience of 500.

“The problem with this was that it was a pretty boring conference,” O’Sullivan said. “A lot of the men were getting up and sneaking out. And I’m sitting there thinking, ‘I can’t do that! I’m the only woman. Everyone would notice if the woman snuck out.’”

The flip side of being one of the few women in engineering is that when O’Sullivan speaks, people listen.

“If I was in a meeting with 20 men and I spoke, people would listen,” she said. “Who knows what they expected to come out of my mouth, but at least I got a chance. If I were one of those 20 men in the room would I have had the same chance?”

 

Molding the Minds of the Future

During her time at the Agency, O’Sullivan has been both a mentor and a mentee. One important thing she discovered from her mentors is that the CIA is filled with people who are passionate about their work.

“They want to teach you. They want to tell you about what they did and how they did it,” she said. “And so, the thing is that you have to have the courage to ask.”

Since O’Sullivan has become a mentor, she’s been able to learn even more from her protégés.

“I’ve learned more from the employees I’m mentoring than I think they did from talking to me,” she said.

O’Sullivan advises her mentees to take advantage of as many opportunities at CIA as they can.

“The DS&T has to be one of the most unique places to work in the world,” she said. “There’s absolutely no excuse for ever being bored. If you get to a place where you aren’t learning or you don’t think there’s anything more you can contribute, there’s something else you can go do. And there aren’t many work places in the country that are like that.”

One piece of advice O’Sullivan always imparts to her protégés, especially young women, is to find a balance.

“The mission at the Agency can consume you,” she said. “We invest a lot of money and time into the people we hire. We don’t want them to burn out. We want them to be in it for the long run.”

O’Sullivan’s way of finding balance was making sure to have the weekends off to spend with her husband, who used to work on the West coast during the weeks.

 

Looking to the Future

In addition to mentoring young employees at the Agency, O’Sullivan would like to find a way to reach young women in engineering. This is of the utmost importance, especially since the number of women in engineering is down.

“We don’t make the right pitch about engineering to young women,” she said. “We need to show how engineering can change the world and contribute to society.”

At a recent Society of Women Engineers conference at Cornell, O’Sullivan noticed that there were more women interested in biomedical and biomechanical engineering than standard engineering.

“You could see that they were attracted to those kinds of jobs because they could seek the clear link about how what they did everyday could make an impact on society,” she said. “You can have the same impact on society in an engineering job with the CIA. This is a way for you to work to serve the greater good. In our case, it’s working to protect the country.”

Message from the Director: Interrogation Policy and Contracts

Statement to Employees by Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Leon E. Panetta on the CIA's Interrogation Policy and Contracts

April 9, 2009

As you know, there is continuing media and congressional interest in reviewing past rendition, detention, and interrogation activities that took place dating back to 2002. I have also been asked about contract interrogators and detention facilities. Today, I sent a letter to our Congressional oversight committees outlining the Agency’s current policy regarding interrogation of captured terrorists, including the policy on the use of contractors in the process.

• CIA’s aggressive global pursuit of al-Qaida and its affiliates continues undiminished. Agency officers are working tirelessly—and successfully—to disrupt operations in strict accord with the President’s Executive Order of January 22, 2009, concerning detention and interrogation.
• CIA officers, whose knowledge of terrorist organizations is second to none, will continue to conduct debriefings using a dialog style of questioning that is fully consistent with the interrogation approaches authorized and listed in the Army Field Manual. CIA officers do not tolerate, and will continue to promptly report, any inappropriate behavior or allegations of abuse. That holds true whether a suspect is in the custody of an American partner or a foreign liaison service.
• Under the Executive Order, the CIA does not employ any of the enhanced interrogation techniques that were authorized by the Department of Justice from 2002 to 2009.
• No CIA contractors will conduct interrogations.
• CIA no longer operates detention facilities or black sites and has proposed a plan to decommission the remaining sites. I have directed our Agency personnel to take charge of the decommissioning process and have further directed that the contracts for site security be promptly terminated. It is estimated that our taking over site security will result in savings of up to $4 million.
• CIA retains the authority to detain individuals on a short-term transitory basis. None have occurred since I have become Director. We anticipate that we would quickly turn over any person in our custody to U.S. military authorities or to their country of jurisdiction, depending on the situation.

CIA’s focus will remain where the American people expect it to be—on the mission of protecting the country today and into the future. We will do that even as we cooperate with Congressional reviews of past interrogation practices. Officers who act on guidance from the Department of Justice—or acted on such guidance previously—should not be investigated, let alone punished. This is what fairness and wisdom require.

CIA will continue to honor the law as we defend the United States as we have done since the beginning of this program. That is what the men and women of this Agency demand. Together, we can, and will, do no less. Thank you for your service and dedication to protecting this nation.

Finally, let me take this opportunity to wish you and your families a Happy Easter and Passover.

Leon E. Panetta

Equal Employment Opportunity at the CIA

The People of the CIA ... Women in Leadership: Cindy Bower

This is the second article in a two-part series about women in leadership at the CIA. It features Chief of Human Resources Cindy Bower. To learn more about women in leadership at the CIA, read the first article in our series about Director of Science and Technology Stephanie O’Sullivan.

*    *    *    *

During her 31-year career at the CIA, Chief of Human Resources Cindy Bower has experienced a wide variety of jobs across the Agency. In fact, she has worked in every directorate with the exception of one—the National Clandestine Service. Bower was able to take advantage of numerous opportunities because she had a supportive mentor and an extensive network.

 

Down a Winding (Career) Path

Bower started out at the Agency in 1978 as a document analyst in the Directorate of Intelligence (DI). After moving to another job within the DI, in late 1985, her former office director and mentor called and asked her to take a plans officer position on the DI management staff. At first, Bower wasn’t thrilled with the idea because it involved budget management and she wasn’t particularly fond of math, but she soon realized that it was the perfect way to broaden her horizons.

“This job really opened up a lot of doors for me,” she said. “It provided me with the skills I needed to be competitive for a variety of senior positions later in my career.”

In 1988, Bower got another call from her mentor. This time, he was working as the office director at the National Photographic Interpretation Center (NPIC). He wanted Bower to take a job at NPIC. During the next four years, Bower immersed herself in different job opportunities at NPIC—two staff jobs and two management jobs.

Bower thanks her mentor—and the contacts she made through her mentor—for providing her with unique opportunities at which she could excel. She recognizes and values the guidance her mentor gave her throughout the years.

“At the end of the day, he showed me a whole new perspective of the organization, which allowed me to see the decision-making process at the highest level,” she said. “His guidance provided me with new skills that allowed me to move more easily across the Agency.”

 

Giving Back

Not only is Bower a product of a successful mentoring relationship, but she also strives to inspire young Agency employees by serving as a mentor. Bower has participated in a few different mentoring programs at the Agency.

One program, sponsored by the Office of Diversity Plans and Programs, provided Agency employees with the opportunity to engage with senior leaders. Bower’s group consisted of several new employees who were interested in gaining insights into the Agency’s culture and getting some useful career advice.

In addition, Bower participated in an office-level mentoring program that was focused on employees who are trying to figure out their next career move.

“We spent a lot of time exploring their opportunities,” she said. “This may mean that they need to go back to school or they need to explore an entirely different career field.”

Bower also regularly participates in individual mentoring. For example, Bower mentored a summer employee who has gone far in her career. Bower encouraged her to apply to the Agency. After she joined the Agency, Bower continued to give her career advice and watched her thrive.

“We talked a lot about the right moves for her to make in her career,” Bower said. “Some of those decisions resulted in her not getting promoted as quickly, but ultimately put her on the career path she wanted to pursue.”

 

Advice for the Next Generation

For people who are interested in working at the Agency, Bower offers several keys to success.

First, work hard and become known for something.

“It sounds very basic, but really it’s the ticket to moving ahead,” she said. “This can be anything from having a good academic record to receiving awards for public speaking or athletics. These kinds of accomplishments show dedication and commitment.”

The second thing Bower tells people is to learn to be an effective communicator.

“A lot of what happens at the Agency is accomplished because of effective communication,” she said. “It’s very important to be able to write effectively, make a good presentation, negotiate, or argue your case effectively if you’re trying to convince others of the value of your ideas.”

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen an application that says, ‘I’m a perfectionist,’ but when you read the resume, it has several typos.”

Third, Bower emphasizes maturity.

“Maturity can be demonstrated by holding a job, serving in the military, or paying the bills on time,” she said.

Bower also says that overseas experience and foreign language skills are a plus for any applicant.

“I was a Russian language major and it’s what got me through the door—even though I never used it,” she said.

Having some fun is the next on Bower’s list.

“There are too many exciting and interesting opportunities here to ever be bored,” she said. “At the end of the day, you have to be able to enjoy what you are doing, laugh at your mistakes, and learn from them.”

 

Related Stories and Links:

• The People of the CIA … Women in Leadership: Stephanie O’Sullivan

Message from the Director: Release of Department of Justice Opinions

Statement to Employees by Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Leon E. Panetta on the Release of Department of Justice Opinions

April 16, 2009

This afternoon, the Department of Justice is releasing a series of opinions that its Office of Legal Counsel provided CIA between 2002 and 2005. They guided CIA’s detention and interrogation program, which ended this past January. Over the life of that initiative, CIA repeatedly sought and repeatedly received written assurances from the Department of Justice that its practices were fully consistent with the laws and legal obligations of the United States. Those operations were also approved by the President and the National Security Council principals, and were briefed to the Congressional leadership.

As this information is revealed, it is important to understand the context in which these operations occurred. In the wake of September 11th, the President turned to CIA—as Presidents have done so often in our history—and entrusted our officers with the most critical of tasks: to disrupt the terrorist network that struck our country and prevent further attacks. CIA responded, as duty requires.

Although this Administration has now put into place new policies that CIA is implementing, the fact remains that CIA’s detention and interrogation effort was authorized and approved by our government. For that reason, as I have continued to make clear, I will strongly oppose any effort to investigate or punish those who followed the guidance of the Department of Justice.

The President and the Attorney General have also made clear that there will be no investigation or prosecution of CIA personnel who operated within the legal system. In addition, the Department will provide legal representation to CIA personnel subject to investigations relating to these operations.

This is not the end of the road on these issues. More requests will come—from the public, from Congress, and the Courts—and more information is sure to be released. We cannot control the debate about the past. But we can and must remain focused on our mission today and in the future. The President and the rest of our citizens are counting on all of us to help disrupt, destroy, and dismantle al Qa’ida—and to learn the plans of our other adversaries. We have an obligation to this nation and to each other to do all we can to protect America.

This is an exceptional organization of talented men and women, dedicated to our national security. It is an extraordinarily capable organization that quietly defends our country while following its laws and upholding its values. For that reason, I am proud to stand beside you as your Director. And for that reason, this President—and future Presidents—will continue to ask us to undertake the hard missions that only we can. This is an opportunity for CIA to begin a new and great chapter in our history of service to the nation.

You need to be fully confident that as you defend the nation, I will defend you.

Leon E. Panetta

The President has sent a letter to the officers of CIA, which I share with you now:

April 16, 2009

To the Men and Women of CIA:

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the work you are doing for the country. Your work has informed every President dating back to President Truman and it protects our people. I have come to rely on your service and I believe strongly that it is vital to the security of our country. Given the threats, challenges, and opportunities facing America, the CIA remains as critical today as it has ever been to our Nation’s security. While necessity requires that the country may not know all of your names or the work that you do, all of us enjoy the freedom that you have helped secure.

I also wanted to share with you a decision that I made last night. Later today, the Department of Justice will release certain memos issued by the Office of Legal Counsel between 2002 and 2005. I did not make this decision lightly. As you may know, the release is part of an ongoing court case. I have fought for the principle that the United States must carry out covert activities and hold information that is classified for the purposes of national security and will do so again in the future. But the release of these memos is required by our commitment to the rule of law.

Much of the information contained in the memos has been in the public domain, and the previous Administration has acknowledged portions of the program – and some of the practices – associated with them. My judgment on this is a matter of record. I have prohibited the use of these interrogation techniques, and I reject the false choice between our security and our ideals.

In releasing these memos, the men and women of the CIA have assurances from both myself, and from Attorney General Holder, that we will protect all who acted reasonably and relied upon legal advice from the Department of Justice that their actions were lawful. The Attorney General has assured me that these individuals will not be prosecuted and that the Government will stand by them.

The men and women of our intelligence community serve courageously on the front lines of a dangerous world. Their accomplishments are unsung and their names unknown, but because of their sacrifices, every single American is safer. They need to be fully confident that as they defend the Nation, I will defend them. We will protect their identities as vigilantly as they protect our security.

This is a time for reflection, not retribution. We have been through a dark and painful chapter in our history. But at a time of great challenges and disturbing disunity, nothing will be gained by spending our time and energy laying blame for the past. The national greatness that you so courageously and capably uphold is embedded in America’s ability to right its course in concert with our core values, and to move forward with confidence.

It is a core American value that we are a Nation of laws, and the CIA protects and upholds that principle under extraordinarily difficult circumstances every day. My Administration will always act in accordance with the law, and with an unshakeable commitment to our ideals. That is why we have released these memos, and that is why we have taken steps to ensure that the actions described within them never take place again.

Thank you for your service, and God bless the work that you do.

Sincerely,
Barack Obama

Transcript of President Barack Obama's Remarks at CIA Headquarters

CIA Goes Green: Directorate of Support Leads Environmental Efforts