In an unprecedented turn of events, the Pentagon sent a letter to Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director, Gina Haspel, to say that they are considering cutting most of their logistical support for the agency. Considering this is what the CIA uses for their counterterrorism missions, it comes as a complete surprise to the agency considering they rely highly on the U.S. military to give them personnel, transportation, and logistical support.
The CIA is said to use the sector within the agency known as the Special Activities Center (SAC) in order to successfully carry out their global covert operations. In this particular sector, the CIA even has its own paramilitary force that is tasked to carry out these operations. Despite being an independent force, the CIA still depends heavily on the military. In fact, there are times when military personnel even end up being detailed precisely to support these counterterrorism operations.
According to Defense One, it is still unknown as to how this drastic decision is going to impact the CIA. However, they will be used ‘for missions related to competition with Russia and China.’
Department of Defense (DOD) spokesperson explained, “As a responsible actor, the department has taken a look to better align its allocation of resources with the 2018 National Defense Strategy’s shift to great power competition.”
He added, “Much has changed in the first two decades of this century, and DOD simply is working with CIA to ensure that both DOD and CIA are able to jointly confront the national security challenges facing the United States consistent with the NDS. DOD also believes that discussions with our partners should proceed quickly.”
Meanwhile, CIA spokesperson Nicole de Haay, shared “There is no stronger relationship nor better partnership than that between CIA and DOD. That partnership has led to accomplishments that significantly advanced U.S. national security, and we are confident that DOD and CIA will continue this close collaboration for years to come.”
Defense One also reported that a former official claimed that the Pentagon was ‘basically pulling the rug from out under the CIA,’ while asking them to carry out their counterterrorism missions despite the possibility of death. And moreover, if deaths do occur because of it, then there will be a huge scandal.
The former official explained, “It’s basically going to ask the CIA to carry the burden for two-and-a-half months and pull the rug out from under them at the same time. If they start dying in Afghanistan, this is going to be a big deal.”
He added, “Much has changed in the first two decades of this century, and DOD simply is working with CIA to ensure that both DOD and CIA are able to jointly confront the national security challenges facing the United States consistent with the NDS. DOD also believes that discussions with our partners should proceed quickly.”
A former Navy Seal and ABC News contributor, Eric Oehlerich, also shared, “Pulling DOD detailees from the CIA can only be motivated for political reasons,” mainly because the relationship between the pentagon and CIA has grown exponentially over the last twenty years.
Oehlerich iterates, “The relationships on the ground and within the ranks is on solid grounds. Pulling this support is akin to cutting off your nose to spite your face.”
Meanwhile, a former deputy director of the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center, Darrell Blocker, said, “The pushback or slow rolling of this initiative by the Defense Department and the CIA likely renders this moot, but the damage from this shot across the bow has been done.”
What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!
True Activist / Report a typo
