Former CIA director and now Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has long accused WikiLeaks of being a “non-state hostile intelligence agency”, usually manipulated by Russia. Since Pompeo first made this claim as CIA Director in April 2017, countless major US news sources from NPR to CNN to the Washington Post have uncritically repeated the line, smearing Julian Assange and WikiLeaks as “Russian agents,” and more broadly using the narrative to stifle independent journalism and government whistleblowers.
But whether Pompeo or any other current or former CIA director makes such a bombastic claim without offering evidence — such as more recently asserting that China and Russia have “helped destroy” Venezuela through faltering investments, should anyone ever believe a high CIA official? Certainly the mainstream media routinely takes intelligence officials simply at their word, but Pompeo himself recently admitted the CIA is in the business of lying, cheating, and stealing.
Last week Mike Pompeo spoke at Texas A&M University, itself long known for being a favored recruiting ground of the CIA, considering too that one of the university’s last presidents, Robert Gates, was CIA chief and later served as Bush and Obama’s Secretary of Defense.
During the Q&A session, Pompeo boasted that in the CIA both the training and culture are geared toward the following:
“We lied, we cheated, we stole.”
Interestingly, a Christian religious news broadcaster was the only media that seemed to pick up on Pompeo’s words last week, and described it as follows: “that’s not the resume of the Secretary of State… that’s the resume of Satan.”
"I was the CIA Director; we lied, we cheated we stole. We had entire training courses."
-@SecPompeo pic.twitter.com/tehirq1cyX
— Jonathan Lalonde (@JonathanLalon12) April 19, 2019
The former CIA chief and now Secretary of State said the following:
“What’s the cadet motto at West Point? You will not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do. I was the CIA director. We lied, we cheated, we stole. It’s — it was like — we had entire training courses. It reminds you of the glory of the American experiment.” — Texas A&M University (April 15, 2019)
Though some level of deception might be expected of spies placed in foreign settings to commit espionage, it’s interesting that Pompeo framed it in terms “the glory of the American experiment” — as if the CIA and government officials treat lying as a great American past time.
Certainly Pompeo’s frank admission is something to remember the next time intelligence officials weigh in on anything in front of the US domestic population.
Another interesting and worrisome remark concerned Pompeo’s vision of diplomacy as Secretary of State: “Diplomacy and military strike go hand in hand,” Pompeo said. “They are indeed intimately related; each relies on the other.”
Here are Pompeo’s full Q&A remarks at Texas A&M last week:
via zerohedge
DUH, WHAT ELSE IS NEW?
This should worry every American about what the FBI and CIA really do.
Grover, I’m sorry you didn’t know that’s what the CIA does. They are in the business of Lying, Cheating, Stealing and trading weapons for drugs. Maybe you are very young and don’t know about Col. Oliver North. Maybe you should research him and the CIA. The CIA, FBI, DOJ and many other Government Officials, Kim Fox for example, are in the business of lying to the American people.
Add assassinations to that list.
Like I’ve been saying for 2 years or more, we need to completely dissolve these alphabet agencies and reform or rebuild them from scratch.
I attended a military academy and we had the honor code (don’t lie, steal, or cheat, nor tolerate those who do). In my military service and now civilian life those commitments are my moral bedrock, and it worked and works for me. And of interest, I first learned that at home from my parents.
However, in war you must do what you have to do to win. I have lived and worked in countries (Germany and Taiwan) and losing a war is worse than horrible. And we are at war-RIGHT?
Our Nation is Constantly at War.
We already knew that! How else would Intelligencia operate but through deception and deceit which is actually lying and cheating! Look at the FBI, Comey, McKabe, Strzok and others at the top are first rate Liars and they are out there denying denying and denying. We can’t believe any of them, especially not Clapper and Brennan! Anybody who does not know this has been living under a rock!
Truth!
Helga, you nailed it…..dead center!
And you gave a nice example of Intelligencia at work. It can not be otherwise, if it were why even bother? They are much needed Institutions, and lying, cheating, stealing is supposedly directed at others, not our own Nation, at the same time that is exactly what has happen due to ideology that has been political party directed since the inception of these Agencies…..and is at it’s very worse today.
It has absolutely nothing to do with Religion or personal beliefs, it’s a job!
It was said the other day that a number of people in CIA and FBI were Liberals which could explain why they went after Trump.
Having worked with the CIA, I have to say Glenn has it right and the bottom line is there are many dedicated people working in both agencies who aren’t involved in the dirty business of spying but a part of the intelligence gathering and many other responsibilities. The truth is all countries spy. The United Nations Representatives here from other nations are mostly spies and you know who has the responsibility to keep them in check.
If I had to compare both of these agencies to our Congress, my preference would not be our Congress regarding lies, cheating and making extra money through illegal means.
The CIA MUST lie. The FBI MUST tell the truth. The State Department BEFORE Pompeo got there should have been abandoned in the ocean.
I believe that is merely paraphrasing Gen. von Clausewitz.
Having been in the intelligence community for almost 40 years, it was undersood we would lie, cheat and steal to protect the US from foreign enemies, but undercarefully controlled and supervised operations. Until Obama (and Brennan) came along, using the instruments of intelligence against domestic political opposition was something no one I know would have even considered. I don’t think Pompeo was saying the CIA lied, cheated or stole on his watch except in pursuit of the security of the US.
Back in the 50’s they were sabatoging the military……..The story is on google…….
As a retiree from the CIA, I believe the Colorado Cowboy hits the nail on the head. During my career it was often necessary to lie when the occasion was to enhance the official mission. Normally this was directed to foreign individuals. Sometimes, however, this also meant lying to other CIA individuals who had no “need to know”. Jokingly, this was expressed as “If I tell you, I have to kill you”.
Faith in US institutions is not restored by this story!!!!
red the comments of ex-CIA operatives.
What needs to be questioned is Clapper and Bremmer… of the Obumo ADM… One an avowed Communist and the other a member of the Muslim Brotherhood….. Both deep into running our Intel.. Hillary and others using unsecured communication. .. Millions of $$$$$$$$$$$$ going into the Clinton “Foundation”.. to buy influence the USA … THe joke of The Russian Trump “collusion” is why would they try to buy Trump…………… They already owned the Clintons and Barry was just waiting for his 2nd term to give Putin everything he wanted.
We are living in a time of such hate and differences of opinions it’s frightening. And the media is brainwashing anyone that listens to them.. They are all anti-American’s… No one is safe from these sick Socialist, Progressive, so-called Democrat’s.. We must stand up for our president.. This man loves this country and cares about all of us, red, yellow, black and white. Why can’t these idiots take off their rose colored glasses and see this? We can not allow such to continue. Call you Congressional leaders and scream STOP THIS HARASSING OUR PRESIDENT!!!…..
An old friend was a CIA operative in the 1970’s. He said his job included putting African governments in and out of business. He never elaborated, though he was a solid conservative in civilian life.
Not too surprising considering the Nations we are forced to deal with Like Iran, and others to save lives it happens. Sad but true…is it acceptable no but the entire Government needs a good washing out. Glad we have a President willing to do just that shake it up.
Pompeo: “I was the CIA director. We lied, we cheated, we stole. It’s — it was like — we had entire training courses. It reminds you of the glory of the American experiment.” — Texas A&M University (April 15, 2019)
Though some level of deception might be expected of spies placed in foreign settings to commit espionage, it’s interesting that Pompeo framed it in terms “the glory of the American experiment”
Just because HE,Pompeo, “lied, cheated & stole” does not mean we should discount what the US Intel says. By listening to Pompeo, I feel like I am seeing Putin smile. “Yes, Comrades, what our Comrade tRump has failed to do (undermining US Intel), his Sec. of State will now pick up the torch & proceed to do.”
tanya cummins, still can not get over President Trump beating your evil Hillary Clinton? I agree, this was a poor way of trying to show humor by Pompeo. Maybe he should stick to being a serious politician. But the bottom line is, the Mueller Report cleared the president. Now we have to have an investigation of how and why the Special Counsel came into being. Who signed off on the fake FISA reports and why?
I listened to all 32 min of Secretary Pompeo’s Q&A. His throwaway line about CIA lying, cheating and stealing was just that, humor. Any sane American (not a Democrat, Progressive or Deep-State criminal) knows the CIA is both an intelligence gatherer and a user of it in the field.
IF one wishes to criticize PAST CIA activities, one MUST understand the context of the situation AT THAT TIME. Sorry to have to tell you, sometimes it’s necessary for our government to lie to us to protect our people in the field…just not every day and every way.
Its now wonder that he fits into the Trump Administration. How about we bring back truth justice and the American way and get rid of these Liars and Cheats starting with the POTUS
That is exactly what has been discovered that the Obama’s administration of Justice was doing. This clears up a lot. Except it is suppose to be done to other countries not America.
My brother-in-law was a CIA operative from the time the agency was not called the CIA. He used to laugh when he would be telling stories about the exploits of the agency. One of his favorite sayings was if you want a war anywhere in the world just tell the CIA to see that happen and give them the cash to conduct their dirty little business and they could have you a full blown war in 30 days or less.