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Former CIA Operative Mike Baker on the state of U.S. intelligence and intelligence-gathering efforts.
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Purity interest -- remarked -- was and Covert operations.
-- and now ordered her now.
The president of of a company co-founder of a company called diligence LLC it's it's a global intelligence and security front.
Sorted mail on the -- -- available.
I -- -- does -- -- elastic or you're well not meet its -- it's it's very straightforward but I don't worry when you say it out loud sometimes people look at you like -- -- and so today Euro overthrowing -- small country.
You you know we do everything from due diligence on people and companies and operating environments to strategic intelligence -- so a company wants to know what their foreign competition is doing.
To the degree that is appropriate you tell them.
Security concerns everything from antipiracy you know taking -- back in the Gulf of Aden.
To a training operations risk assessments and it's it's a lot of of information gathering essentially mr.
-- -- stuff.
Yes not as much as as they used to we got a lot of a sharp young folks who work force that that loved to travel again.
Three kids at home three boys under the age of five so a drastic little closer to home.
Under the age of five and I know -- -- know why not Larry king and Tony -- on how much I don't.
Not I'll.
Analyst Cory sums into -- that are or what you were in Covert operations in the -- -- RES dollars questioned about.
Spent a double muscle mass what did you tell people you do.
Yeah.
You know I've got a wonderful relationship in my old outfit in part because they don't talk a lot -- account was a period of time.
But it's a -- it's what you race is really important because you find yourself living.
A bit of a split life now particularly when you're overseas and you know and and and I think that the good thing about the agency is the way to particularly in the operations side of it.
You learned -- a very quickly.
How to keep your yap shut.
And also how to.
They how to get a reward out of what you do without.
A pat on the back and we have the agencies got some tremendous people and they.
Will never be the formally recognized and that's not why they do the work.
And so it's it's a terrific day again -- sound like -- recruitment.
You know advertisement value kids out there that wanna join the agency.
It's it's a terrific life that some -- fun.
It you know what it's it's incredibly fun it's challenging you get tremendous responsibilities.
Early on in your in your career you work with some terrific people not just at the agency but beyond throughout the military and an all the other organizations in the community.
And done itself here I -- beaten the drum -- is up and other known.
Well you know -- I think it during his time at the agency he did.
A very well.
I wasn't at first I was a little bit concerned I was hoping before they -- -- -- -- the CIA director and a while back that they would go with somebody who.
Came up from the ranks and had -- -- in operations.
I think it was still a little bit too close.
To the transition between the previous administration and Obama administration so they went with someone who was completely outside now is over defense.
I think he's doing a -- -- is a very Smart guy.
There doesn't seem like a likely.
And title either patients -- the -- in order it's not absolutely absolutely and although.
I don't know I think I -- -- -- well prison now don't know how slowly not -- any yet tremendous experience and in management and he also had -- this very important frankly for a for a CIA director which is.
He had a connection to the White House.
And -- when he came and I think this is primary concern was -- come to provide top government be your point of -- at the at the White House -- deflect attention you guys get on with your operations.
And you know -- -- -- this word he did exactly that.
Our written some notes are from bravado and Rihanna -- -- chuck far who wrote the book -- -- What was the call Barney sealed Toronto I'm Laura.
Are claiming that terrorists of -- real story -- what went down.
When they killed -- -- It is said it wasn't a -- -- 45 minutes mr.
Bruce Willis movie that took off the took a matter of seconds.
20 right.
If these things -- -- with amazing speed -- when when the whistle blows and and by the -- a whistle blowing is always the wrong way to start to attack.
But -- you know when it when it starts unfolded happens incredibly quickly.
But however I mean I would are so -- I wouldn't go back to the fact that this thing wasn't just a few minutes or 45 minutes.
It was eight or nine years in the making -- and now but I'm part about -- Atlanta when they rocked up on target it it it moves very very quickly.
And that's where all the training kicks in the muscle memory you don't necessary not time to think necessarily now why they they'd they'd do the work to date them in this.
That it added that that's the seals in constant -- as a former -- ultimately -- -- -- Well not I mean it's it's I think that's.
-- don't know where to go without one put.
But I think there yeah yeah appointments are no ordered tell well yeah I did come in this -- I'm not gonna call like crazy.
But he.
You know he made -- point I think he he was he was looking at -- from -- from a tactical point of -- and saying look this is how tactics unfold this is the way it's going to work not was all that default crap of course once you know once you get started.
And you've got to -- -- hope.
That you can go to plan B plan C and at it again you can do all the operational planning you want ahead of whatever it might be that -- about to do.
And you just gotta be able to improvised.
So it did someone in Lester did our Asian notices and Connell -- was that all about when he got up from where your city.
I walked out he kind of turn around and I was saying something about that -- by a bunch of people.
Would be -- sell to these callable -- -- -- Any turnaround elect to receive c'mon or some something like to have a lower burden on or whatever which I thought was well.
-- -- -- -- -- -- Well and I think also there also doesn't discourage it but well -- does a lot to be said for.
Even if you've got you know particular insight.
And and he certainly does from -- is time in but even if you've got to get an insight.
Again just court the pie hole I mean at the thing that I don't understand and -- -- shuttle problem right exactly -- -- you -- you -- the New York Times nowadays you could have an entire front page -- made -- of nothing but anonymous sources.
Of high level officials speaking.
You know anonymously because they're not supposed to talk -- I don't don't talk about -- terrible we're gonna do it.
We're gonna have your own wealth and an actual come -- let the next few months.
To find out -- -- really -- Expect a Mike maker and -- somewhere burn up.
-- -- still in our.
