Annie Jacobsen

I think he was also at MIT for a bit. He came up with that term, and you might even say for the CIA.

I think he was also at MIT for a bit. He came up with that term, and you might even say for the CIA.

I think he was also at MIT for a bit. He came up with that term, and you might even say for the CIA.

You mean the placebo concept?

You mean the placebo concept?

You mean the placebo concept?

Listen, I have such mixed feelings about the CIA, as one should. I think you should have mixed feelings about anything that you cover as a reporter or as a human, and maybe change that from mixed to conflicting, right? Because there are really positive elements of every organization within the federal government.

Listen, I have such mixed feelings about the CIA, as one should. I think you should have mixed feelings about anything that you cover as a reporter or as a human, and maybe change that from mixed to conflicting, right? Because there are really positive elements of every organization within the federal government.

Listen, I have such mixed feelings about the CIA, as one should. I think you should have mixed feelings about anything that you cover as a reporter or as a human, and maybe change that from mixed to conflicting, right? Because there are really positive elements of every organization within the federal government.

I mean, my first learning about the CIA came from the work I did on the Area 51 book about their aerial reconnaissance programs, which were set up, again, to prevent World War III, right? Nuclear World War III. It was this idea that information was king. The U-2 spy plane was developed out at Area 51. And I interviewed Hervey Stockman.

I mean, my first learning about the CIA came from the work I did on the Area 51 book about their aerial reconnaissance programs, which were set up, again, to prevent World War III, right? Nuclear World War III. It was this idea that information was king. The U-2 spy plane was developed out at Area 51. And I interviewed Hervey Stockman.

I mean, my first learning about the CIA came from the work I did on the Area 51 book about their aerial reconnaissance programs, which were set up, again, to prevent World War III, right? Nuclear World War III. It was this idea that information was king. The U-2 spy plane was developed out at Area 51. And I interviewed Hervey Stockman.

the first man to fly over the Soviet Union in a U-2, gathered all this intelligence, prevented wars. Later, I wrote a book about the CIA's paramilitary, surprise, kill, vanish. So like, just when I was thinking, wow, the CIA is doing all this amazing, you know, non-kinetic activity with aerial reconnaissance, then you learn about their kill programs, and that's a whole different set of issues.

the first man to fly over the Soviet Union in a U-2, gathered all this intelligence, prevented wars. Later, I wrote a book about the CIA's paramilitary, surprise, kill, vanish. So like, just when I was thinking, wow, the CIA is doing all this amazing, you know, non-kinetic activity with aerial reconnaissance, then you learn about their kill programs, and that's a whole different set of issues.

the first man to fly over the Soviet Union in a U-2, gathered all this intelligence, prevented wars. Later, I wrote a book about the CIA's paramilitary, surprise, kill, vanish. So like, just when I was thinking, wow, the CIA is doing all this amazing, you know, non-kinetic activity with aerial reconnaissance, then you learn about their kill programs, and that's a whole different set of issues.

I mean, I work with sources to report my books. And so put yourself in my shoes, right? I... interview for dozens or hundreds of hours, my primary sources. In the case of the Surprise Kill Vanish book, I traveled with Billy Waugh, the longest-serving CIA operator, back to the scene of the crime, you know, back to the battle. We went to Hanoi. We went to Havana. And you really get to know someone.

I mean, I work with sources to report my books. And so put yourself in my shoes, right? I... interview for dozens or hundreds of hours, my primary sources. In the case of the Surprise Kill Vanish book, I traveled with Billy Waugh, the longest-serving CIA operator, back to the scene of the crime, you know, back to the battle. We went to Hanoi. We went to Havana. And you really get to know someone.

I mean, I work with sources to report my books. And so put yourself in my shoes, right? I... interview for dozens or hundreds of hours, my primary sources. In the case of the Surprise Kill Vanish book, I traveled with Billy Waugh, the longest-serving CIA operator, back to the scene of the crime, you know, back to the battle. We went to Hanoi. We went to Havana. And you really get to know someone.

And that's when I say conflicting. You know, I work with sources on a real trust basis, right? And sometimes people will tell me things. They'll say, Annie, this is off the record. This is for you to know about me. On deep background because I want you to know who I am. And that's powerful. And a lot of times it's personal, right? It's personal. It's about their personal life.

And that's when I say conflicting. You know, I work with sources on a real trust basis, right? And sometimes people will tell me things. They'll say, Annie, this is off the record. This is for you to know about me. On deep background because I want you to know who I am. And that's powerful. And a lot of times it's personal, right? It's personal. It's about their personal life.