Spying: Analysis Matters with Michael Morell

The Adrenaline Zone

In this episode of The Adrenaline Zone, Sandra and Sandy sit down with former Acting/Deputy Director of the CIA and host of the Intelligence Matters podcast, Michael Morell - a man with a wealth of experience on the analytical side of the CIA, advising presidents and other senior leaders during crises and critical national security decisions. Together, our hosts seek to uncover the risks involved in the intelligence business as Michael shares his story of how he entered the field and his experiences working in this high-stakes environment. His experiences as a valued advisor, a review of the CIA's capabilities, and the role of the intelligence community in protecting national security are all discussed here today. Morell also highlights the importance of ethical decision-making in the intelligence business, as well as the risks and challenges facing the community today.

Our esteemed guest goes on to provide a first-hand account of what it's like to be a Presidential Daily Briefing contributor and the immense responsibility that comes with the job. He recounts an anecdote where what he presented to the President resulted in a change in US policy, and he also shares his experience of being with President Bush on the day of the 9/11 attacks, highlighting the surreal and intense nature of the day. As both a witness to and participant in unfolding moments of historical importance, Michael Morell offers listeners here today a rare glimpse into the life of an intelligence analyst. His powerful insights and thought-provoking anecdotes as shared with Sandy and Sandra in this truly spellbinding episode, provide a deeper understanding not only of the intelligence community, but also its crucial role in safeguarding national security.

The Finer Details of this Episode:

• Michael’s journey into the intelligence business
• The more subtle elements of risk in the intelligence community on the analytical side
• His experiences directly advising presidents and other senior leaders
• Ethical decision-making in the intelligence business
• Challenges facing the intelligence community today
• The CIA's capabilities
• Insights into the people and culture of the CIA
• Impacting US policy
• Being a PDB briefer
• Michael’s experience with President Bush on the day of the 9/11 attacks
• The significance and levels of intelligence relationships
• The importance and use of open-source information
• The changing analytical craft
• The need for transparency in the use of algorithms

Quotes:

"The intelligence community's role is to provide objective, accurate, timely information to policymakers to help them make decisions to protect our national security."

"The most important thing we can do is to tell the truth to the policymakers and be objective about it."

"One of the things we learn as analysts is to be comfortable with ambiguity."

"It's a tough business, and the risks are significant, but I felt like I was part of a family that really cared about me."

"We want to do everything we can to protect our national security, but we also want to protect the privacy and the civil liberties of Americans."

"The world is an incredibly complicated place. One nation alone can't solve the problems, one military alone can't solve the problems, and one intelligence service alone can't solve the problems. So it's a team sport."

"There needs to be an openness to using that data, gathering that data, buying that data, and then there needs to be a greater openness to the use of tools that can sit on top of all of your data and help you identify information that you might not have found on your own."

"Intelligence relationships tend to be bilateral because they're based on trust."

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Intelligence Matters