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The President, the Pentagon and the leak

2025/6/26
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World in 10

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Jim Townsend
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Jim Townsend: 作为前五角大楼官员,我认为本届政府的泄密事件频发,且政府迅速动用FBI追查泄密者,这在过去较为罕见。国防部长似乎非常重视泄密问题,这可能与他过去曾因此受到损害有关。国防情报局(DIA)的评估是初步的,在冲突期间,初步的炸弹或战斗损伤评估通常是不准确的。因此,我认为特朗普总统不应该公开初步评估结果。解读情报时,需要全面阅读,因为情报人员的写作方式包含许多限定条件,要理解他们的真正意图需要深入挖掘。美国情报机构的报告有时确实会相互矛盾,但这种情况通常发生在私下,各机构会尝试达成联合评估,避免公开展示裂痕。情报机构会向总统提供联合评估,并说明各机构的初始观点,以便总统了解幕后情况。我认为特朗普政府的情报工作带有政治色彩,这不利于情报部门保持客观和基于事实的评估。由于情报机构身处政治漩涡中,像中央情报局局长这样的忠诚者会站出来支持白宫,外界只能等待局势明朗。白宫和中情局局长之所以引用以色列的初步评估,是因为该评估更有利于他们的立场,而且以色列情报界享有盛誉,但以色列的评估可能也受到了政治影响,以支持特朗普政府。政治因素会影响我们所看到的一切,需要等待政治影响消退才能获得清晰的认识,尤其是在评估地下设施的影响时,这需要很长时间。评估伊朗核项目的影响需要时间才能获得真实的画面。白宫和情报界之间的关系是可以修复的,但这取决于双方的意愿。特朗普政府并非唯一对情报界抱有偏见的政府,乔治·W·布什政府也曾对情报界低估萨达姆·侯赛因在伊拉克的情况感到不满。这种关系可能不会完全修复,但随着时间的推移,双方会学会合作,建立信任,情报界也会反思如何更好地与总统合作。如果政府不善于利用情报或对其抱有怀疑,那么情报部门投入的大量资源和努力就会被浪费。媒体在政府和民主中扮演着重要角色,总统攻击媒体会损害民主。本届政府的政治立场和世界观与其他政府不同,他们正在攻击美国民主和治理的根本基础。一个不断内斗的政府难以有所作为,只会分裂国家,引发不满。

Deep Dive

Chapters
A leaked Pentagon assessment contradicts Trump's claim about the impact of bombings on Iran's nuclear program. The FBI investigates the leak, highlighting disagreements between the White House, US intelligence, and the Pentagon. The situation reveals the politicization of intelligence and the challenges of initial damage assessments.
  • Leaked Pentagon assessment contradicts Trump's claims on Iran's nuclear program
  • FBI investigates the leak, highlighting disagreements between the White House, US intelligence, and the Pentagon
  • Initial damage assessments are often inaccurate
  • Politicization of intelligence is a significant concern

Shownotes Transcript

A Pentagon intelligence leak has sparked a war of words over Iran’s nuclear programme, with conflicting assessments from US intelligence agencies and the White House fuelling heated debate. Former Pentagon official Jim Townsend joins us to unpack the challenges of intelligence and examine the fraught relationship between the White House and the intelligence community.

The World in 10 is the Times' daily podcast dedicated to global security. Expert analysis of war, diplomatic relations and cyber security from The Times' foreign correspondents and military specialists. 

Watch more: www.youtube.com/@ListenToTimesRadio 

Read more: www.thetimes.com 

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