Bernard Hudson considers the 2003 Iraq invasion a major intelligence failure because the flawed intelligence that led to the decision deeply damaged the credibility of the American intelligence community and U.S. foreign policy. The invasion resulted in the deaths of a million people and significantly altered the geopolitical landscape, yet no individuals were held accountable for the mistakes.
The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) was created post-9/11 to oversee and coordinate the activities of the 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. The DNI is responsible for ensuring a single accountable person delivers intelligence assessments to the president, manages intelligence collection across agencies, and oversees budgets. It was also a response to the intelligence failures leading up to the Iraq War.
Bernard Hudson supports Tulsi Gabbard for the DNI role because of her willingness to challenge the foreign policy consensus, her skepticism of intelligence assessments, and her military background. He believes her independent thinking and willingness to ask hard questions would benefit the intelligence community, especially in an era where trust in intelligence agencies is low.
The unchecked power of U.S. intelligence agencies raises concerns about their ability to operate without sufficient oversight, potentially spying on U.S. citizens, including members of Congress. There is also fear that these agencies could act outside the bounds of the Constitution, with little accountability or transparency, leading to a loss of public trust.
Bernard Hudson believes the U.S. is vulnerable to drone attacks because the country lacks a comprehensive defense system against small, inexpensive drones. Current air defense systems, like the Patriot missile, are designed to counter larger threats like manned aircraft or missiles, not swarms of cheap drones, which can overwhelm defenses at a low cost.
Bernard Hudson criticizes the government's response to the drone sightings over the U.S., describing it as fumbled and lacking urgency. He believes the government could have easily identified the drones and calmed public fears with a clear, unified plan, but instead, contradictory and unclear statements fueled public anxiety and mistrust.
Permanent Washington is trying to prevent Tulsi Gabbard from becoming Director of National Intelligence. Bernard Hudson ran counterterrorism at CIA, and says the country needs her.
(00:00) Life in the CIA
(07:00) The Invasion of Iraq Was a Complete Disaster
(20:00) Why the Establishment Fears Tulsi Gabbard
(35:44) The Unchecked Power of Our Intel Agencies
(44:20) Are the Most Powerful People in DC Being Blackmailed?
(58:16) Why Won’t the Intel Community Declassify the JFK and 9/11 Files?
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