The People of the CIA … Richard Bissell: An Agency Leader

19 January 2012

January 19, 2012 - The history of the Central Intelligence Agency is rich with stories of men and women who dared to be leaders and innovators. If it weren’t for these brave Agency officers, our country might be a very different place today. One such leader and innovator was Richard Bissell. He became a CIA legend because he dared to take risks during one of the nation’s darkest periods, the Cold War. Under Bissell’s leadership, the Agency developed the U-2—a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft—which debunked the myth that the Soviet Union was way ahead of America in producing missiles and weapons.

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The CIA Museum … Artifacts: Letter from Richard Helms to His Son

05 January 2012

January 5, 2012 - The CIA Museum is home to many interesting artifacts associated with the Central Intelligence Agency, its predecessor the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), and foreign intelligence organizations. This, the seventh article in a series that explores the Agency’s unique history through its artifacts, examines a letter sent from former Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) Richard Helms to his son during World War II.

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CIA Museum Unveils Newly Renovated OSS Gallery

29 December 2011

December 29, 2011 - The CIA Museum recently opened a completely redesigned gallery featuring the Agency’s forerunner, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). To celebrate the opening, former members of the OSS, their families, and invited guests received a private tour of the new OSS Gallery. The sights and sounds of the new displays brought back many fond memories as some 130 attendees reminisced about OSS and their World War II experiences.

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CIA Releases Documents on Reagan, Intelligence, and the End of the Cold War

15 December 2011

December 15, 2011 - In early November, the Central Intelligence Agency’s Information Management Services (IMS) declassified and released more than 200 documents highlighting intelligence the CIA provided to the Reagan Administration on key Soviet issues.

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The CIA and Congress: Creation of the SSCI

08 December 2011

December 8, 2011 - The establishment of the Central Intelligence Group (CIG) in 1946—one of CIA’s predecessors—marked the beginning of a new relationship between intelligence organizations and Congress. During the next 30 years, Congress gradually acquired more oversight, although the formalization of its authorities did not occur until the mid-1970s, a tumultuous time for the Intelligence Community. Since then, Congress and the Community have collaborated to ensure that our nation’s intelligence operations are conducted in strict accordance with America’s laws. Two congressional committees were created to monitor intelligence activities — The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI). This article focuses on the SSCI.

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The People of the CIA … Art Lundahl: Father of Imagery Analysis

01 December 2011

December 1, 2011 - Ever since Thaddeus Lowe flew a balloon over Confederate troops during the Civil War, photo reconnaissance has been an important part of intelligence gathering. Over the years, many important policy decisions have been made with the help of photo imagery, including President John F. Kennedy’s decision to press the Soviets to remove missiles from Cuba. An Agency employee, Art Lundahl, led the way in showing U.S. policymakers how vital photo imagery can be to their decisionmaking. As a result, he became known as the father of imagery analysis.

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The World Factbook Is Changing

18 November 2011

November 18, 2011 - With unrest sweeping the Middle East and economic problems in Europe, The World Factbook is trying to help readers identify the factors that may underlie these social, political, and economic changes. Accordingly, the Factbook is adding new categories of societal data, which—along with other demographic and economic entries—offer additional insight into a country’s economic strength, internal stability, and impact on the environment. After a comprehensive search for datasets that are current and regularly updated, nine new fields have been added, with the World Health Organization and the World Bank providing most of the information.

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A Look Back … Intelligence and the Committee of Secret Correspondence

27 October 2011

October 27, 2011 - With the start of the American Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress recognized the need for foreign alliances and intelligence gathering. To meet this need, the Congress created a panel called the Committee of Secret Correspondence on November 29, 1775, “for the sole purpose of corresponding with our friends in Great Britain and other parts of the world.” In addition to its stated objective of gauging European sympathy toward the American Revolution, the committee’s purpose also included intelligence work. Members of the Congress realized that forging alliances with foreign countries—secretly if necessary—would provide critical support to the American cause.

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Agency K-9 Facility Offers Community Training

21 October 2011

October 21, 2011 - In a flurry of furry precision, Central Intelligence Agency K-9s made the rounds at their explosives training course at the Meridian Center for the first time that morning. Labs, German shepherds and golden retrievers sniffed around the room, hoping to find one of the 19,000 explosive scents they were trained to identify. Every few paces, almost as if choreographed, the dogs sat at attention and stared eagerly at their handler to signal their discovery. And after a pat on the head, a brief word of praise and a handful of food, their noses were back in action.

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9.11 – Marking the Tenth Anniversary

13 October 2011

September 14, 2011 - In the decade since the devastating events of September 11th, 2001, the American people have shown great strength, courage, and resilience. They have rebuilt--and they have remembered. Through those years, the men and women of CIA have worked tirelessly to prevent new attacks. A new CIA publication, 9.11 Marking the Tenth Anniversary, describes how the Agency has responded to the challenges of the fight against al-Qa'ida and its affiliates

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