CIA Launches First Podcast, 'The Langley Files' (variety.com) 50
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is launching a podcast called "The Langley Files." As the agency explains, "The mission of 'The Langley Files: A CIA Podcast' is to educate and connect with the general public, sharing insight into the Agency's core mission, capabilities and agility as an intelligence leader... and to share some interesting stories along the way!" Variety reports: The podcast features suspenseful intro music and a narrator explaining that CIA will be "sharing what we can" with stories that go "beyond those of Hollywood scripts and shadowed whispers." CIA Director Bill Burns is the featured guest on Episode 1 of "The Langley Files." "We do usually operate in the shadows, out of sight and out of mind," Burns said in the premiere. However, he continued, "in our democracy, where trust in institutions is in such short supply... it's important to try to explain ourselves the best we can and to demystify a little bit of what we do."
According to Burns, one of the biggest misconceptions people have about the CIA stems from Hollywood's depictions of intelligence field agents. Many people think CIA is a "glamorous world" of "heroic individuals who drive fast cars and defuse bombs and solve world crises all on their own" -- a la Jason Bourne, James Bond and Jack Ryan. (Bond is a British spy, but you get the drift.) On the podcast, Burns shared that he drives a 2013 Subaru Outback "at posted speed limits." [...] The CIA says each episode of the podcast will be about 15-30 minutes long and will "feature our hosts leading conversations with a range of special guests." The series is distributed on major audio platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music and Player.fm. "From all of us here at CIA -- we'll be seeing you," said one of the hosts before signing off the inaugural episode.
According to Burns, one of the biggest misconceptions people have about the CIA stems from Hollywood's depictions of intelligence field agents. Many people think CIA is a "glamorous world" of "heroic individuals who drive fast cars and defuse bombs and solve world crises all on their own" -- a la Jason Bourne, James Bond and Jack Ryan. (Bond is a British spy, but you get the drift.) On the podcast, Burns shared that he drives a 2013 Subaru Outback "at posted speed limits." [...] The CIA says each episode of the podcast will be about 15-30 minutes long and will "feature our hosts leading conversations with a range of special guests." The series is distributed on major audio platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music and Player.fm. "From all of us here at CIA -- we'll be seeing you," said one of the hosts before signing off the inaugural episode.
Re: I'm sure they won't be lying about anything (Score:1)
Which would you rather be paying for with your taxes: a covert intelligence collection agency that lies through its teeth in public or a covert intelligence agency that tells all its secrets in public?
For my money I'd rather have one that keeps its fool mouth shut in public but if I had to choose I'd probably choose the former.
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The world would undoubtedly be a better place if CIA just gave up, published their entire dirty records and closed shop. Maybe, MAYBE, it would be worthwhile to start a new one which would do a few of the things the old one did (idk what though, maybe promote jazz in Cuba or something), but we need to take step 1 first to get there.
Re: I'm sure they won't be lying about anything (Score:1)
What a lovely world you live in where no one keeps secrets and telegraphs their objectives, motivations, strengths, and weaknesses to all, thereby obviating the need for diplomats and militaries to do anything other than promoting jazz.
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What a lovely world you live in where no one keeps secrets and telegraphs their objectives, motivations, strengths, and weaknesses to all, thereby obviating the need for diplomats and militaries to do anything other than promoting jazz.
If the CIA spent less effort destabilizing foreign democracies for oil and MIC profits, people would have a higher opinion of them. I mean, fucking Iran man, to pick a currently relevant example.
Re: I'm sure they won't be lying about anything (Score:2)
Okay here's a question for historians to debate: did foreign meddling destabilize $regime, or do fundamentally unstable regimes attract foreign meddling?
Iran was one case of *unsuccessful* meddling where the place went against American interests despite intervention.
Iraq was a clear cut case of American intervention with the unambiguous outcome of regime change.
Afghanistan is right back where it was before we stuck out noses in.
Italy didn't seem to change much despite some well-publicized meddling on our pa
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Okay here's a question for historians to debate: did foreign meddling destabilize $regime, or do fundamentally unstable regimes attract foreign meddling?
They were asking for it, they had a short constitution?
Re: I'm sure they won't be lying about anything (Score:1)
You know how in the wild, just about any social vertebrates you can think of (lions, wolves, apes) have territory they defend and neighboring bands/prides/packs that young males might take a stab at making their own?
What makes you think the human animal is beyond that?
And where do you think the idea comes from that going out and about with a short "constitution" (a short history when it comes to states, but whatever) is rolling the dice?
I'll give you the spoiler: it comes from the recognition that while our
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What makes you think the human animal is beyond that?
Nothing. What makes you think making excuses for it furthers any worthy goal?
Re: I'm sure they won't be lying about anything (Score:1)
If locking my door when I'm out counts as making excuses for criminality then that's a bit too far for my tastes.
I hope I was being somewhat clear in making the point that it's silly to assume American intervention is the driver, or even a dominant driver, or political instability abroad when there are plenty of reasons to believe that instability is the state of nature and stability is the rare flame that must be tended lest it go out.
Re: I'm sure they won't be lying about anything (Score:4, Interesting)
You failed to mention the most (in)famous example, Vietnam.
I think it's important to distinguish between covert intervention (supposedly Iran and quite a few Latin American countries) and overt intervention (Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq). The CIA does only covert operations. While the military also does covert operations, their focus is on larger scale overt operations. Besides requiring more hardware and manpower, military intervention requires at least the tacit support of the public. This is what made the Vietnam and Iraq operations expensive, in comparison to the undercover operations undertaken by the CIA to prop up the Shah. Presidents can't simply pull out of a war without some pretext or ritual (e.g. a peace treaty). The CIA can just call it quits, as soon as it evacuates its personnel.
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What a lovely fantasy world you live in where the CIA is on your side, and wants to help you with those things.
News flash, they don't. Not even if you're a "right wing nut job".
You want to keep secrets? You want to find out what other countries want? Sure. But you shouldn't use the CIA to do it, for much the same reason Germany shouldn't use the Stasi to do it. The sane thing would be to close it down, do a thorough post-mortem, and make sure none of the people involved in it get any power in the new organi
Well be seeing you (Score:1)
Will Stan or Roger present the podcast? (Score:2)
I wonder...
Propaganda (Score:1)
Are they going to admit to daily violations of the law, their mandate and the Constitution?
What's that you say? No?
So this is just in your face propaganda and lies to put lipstick on the CIA pig?
I am shocked! Say it isn't so!
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Frankly, I'd be shocked if they admitted it.
Because then, we'd have arrived at the point of no shame, i.e. where they can simply tell you they're raping you because they know they'll get away with it.
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> Many people think CIA is a "glamorous world" of "heroic individuals who drive fast cars and defuse bombs and solve world crises all on their own"
Who are these people? I'm certainly not one of them.
The CIA are our criminals, literally. (Score:1)
They are not a police force. They have no police authority in the USA. They cannot legally detain you, or arrest you. They have no business operating in the USA.
What they do have a is a license to do anything outside the USA, to further our aims. They spy. They cheat. They steal. They kill. They are the army that isn't an army.
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They also helped to create the crack epidemic [justice.gov]. DARE to keep the CIA and FBI from importing cocaine.
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Here's even more disturbing: they're already seeing you.
Waiting for the NSA podcast (Score:1)
Where "be seeing you" has a whole different meaning...
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Also where "he's on the phone" has a different meaning.
As in "Clue":
Cop: And why are you receiving phone calls from J. Edgar Hoover?
Wadsworth: J. Edgar Hoover?
Cop: That's right. The head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Colonel Mustard: Why is J. Edgar Hoover on your phone?
Wadsworth: I don't know. He's on everyone else's, why shouldn't he be on mine?
Nobody said they paid well (Score:2)
If he worked in the private sector, he could probably do a lot better... He could afford both a better car, and speeding tickets
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lol respect.... irl trolling hard. People with a lot of time on their hands does that kind of stuff. Probably have 4x the number of employees they need so they can all do 1/4 the work. ;p
Something something lizard people (Score:1)
Oh no! I saw a 2013 subaru going down my street. The cia is after me!
The truly scary line (Score:4, Funny)
"On the podcast, Burns shared that he drives a 2013 Subaru Outback "at posted speed limits." "
I'm always a bit suspect of people who do that. Now I know I was right to be.
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Help the CIA is after us for minor traffic violations!
I'm not sure that's how it works...
The Langly Files? (Score:1)
As in Richard "Ringo" Langly from the Lone Gunmen and X-Files?
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The X-Files : The Truth Is Out There!
The Langley Files : The Truth is Boring.
psyops (Score:2)
Polished conspiracy theory to entertain, distract, and confuse.
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Polished conspiracy theory to entertain, distract, and confuse.
Here, let me help you out with that word you're looking for.
(Me) "I'm sorry, what exactly do you do here again?"
(Influencer) "Uhhh..."
Be Seeing You... (Score:2)
"From all of us here at CIA -- we'll be seeing you," said one of the hosts before signing off the inaugural episode.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
https://c.tenor.com/n5NsNP3aDa... [tenor.com]
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
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LOL WUT? (Score:2)
Re: LOL WUT? (Score:2)
It might be to inform the public a little more about what they actually do.
There might be something else there as well but sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
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Yeah, I listened to it a bit. They said they are looking for people who speak Mandarin.
Certainly not Glarmorous (Score:1)