David MacMichael
Encyclopedia
David MacMichael is a former Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA) analyst. A ten-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, he was a counter-insurgency expert in South-East Asia for four years. He also served as an analyst for the National Intelligence Council
from 1981-1983. MacMichael graduated with an MA
and Ph.D.
in History from the University of Oregon
.
MacMichael resigned from the CIA in July 1983 because he felt the Agency was misrepresenting intelligence for political reasons. His public resignation from the Agency gave credence and notability to his vocal indictment of the Reagan Administration
's policy toward Central America
. He was considered the "key witness" in Nicaragua v. United States. The case was heard in 1986 before the International Court of Justice
, which ruled that the United States had violated international law by supporting the Contras
in their war against the Nicaraguan government and by mining Nicaragua's harbors. MacMichael also testified in front of Congress on this matter.
A former investigator for the Christic Institute
, he was an outspoken critic of the Institute's reliance on conspiracy theory
, arguing that the Institute "was eager, perhaps overeager, to demonstrate that this enterprise [a "secret team" of conservatives] was responsible for everything since Cain slaying Abel." In July 2005, he testified at a special joint hearing of Congressional and Senate Democrats about the consequences of the Plame affair
.
MacMichael is a member of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity
(VIPS
), founding member of Association of National Security Alumni and the Association for Responsible Dissent, and an outspoken critic of the Iraq War and the Bush Administration. He has participated in six documentary film
s from 1988-2003.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0533984/ Journalist John Pilger
has described him as a "CIA renegade."
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
(CIA) analyst. A ten-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, he was a counter-insurgency expert in South-East Asia for four years. He also served as an analyst for the National Intelligence Council
National Intelligence Council
The National Intelligence Council is the center for midterm and long-term strategic thinking within the United States Intelligence Community . It was formed in 1979...
from 1981-1983. MacMichael graduated with an MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
and Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in History from the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
.
MacMichael resigned from the CIA in July 1983 because he felt the Agency was misrepresenting intelligence for political reasons. His public resignation from the Agency gave credence and notability to his vocal indictment of the Reagan Administration
Reagan Administration
The United States presidency of Ronald Reagan, also known as the Reagan administration, was a Republican administration headed by Ronald Reagan from January 20, 1981, to January 20, 1989....
's policy toward Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
. He was considered the "key witness" in Nicaragua v. United States. The case was heard in 1986 before the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
, which ruled that the United States had violated international law by supporting the Contras
Contras
The contras is a label given to the various rebel groups opposing Nicaragua's FSLN Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction government following the July 1979 overthrow of Anastasio Somoza Debayle's dictatorship...
in their war against the Nicaraguan government and by mining Nicaragua's harbors. MacMichael also testified in front of Congress on this matter.
A former investigator for the Christic Institute
Christic Institute
The Christic Institute was a public interest law firm founded in 1980 by Daniel Sheehan, his wife, Sara Nelson and their partner, William J. Davis, who was a Jesuit priest. Its headquarters were based in Washington, D.C. with several offices in other major United States cities, such as San...
, he was an outspoken critic of the Institute's reliance on conspiracy theory
Conspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.-Usage:The term "conspiracy...
, arguing that the Institute "was eager, perhaps overeager, to demonstrate that this enterprise [a "secret team" of conservatives] was responsible for everything since Cain slaying Abel." In July 2005, he testified at a special joint hearing of Congressional and Senate Democrats about the consequences of the Plame affair
Plame affair
The Plame Affair involved the identification of Valerie Plame Wilson as a covert Central Intelligence Agency officer. Mrs. Wilson's relationship with the CIA was formerly classified information...
.
MacMichael is a member of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity
Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity
Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity is a group of current and former officials of the United States Intelligence Community, including some from the Central Intelligence Agency , the U.S. State Department's Intelligence Bureau, and the Defense Intelligence Agency...
(VIPS
VIPS
VIPS may stand for:* Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, a group of current and former officials of the United States Intelligence Community* Volunteers in Police Service, a volunteer program that provides volunteer assistance to local police...
), founding member of Association of National Security Alumni and the Association for Responsible Dissent, and an outspoken critic of the Iraq War and the Bush Administration. He has participated in six documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
s from 1988-2003.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0533984/ Journalist John Pilger
John Pilger
John Richard Pilger is an Australian journalist and documentary maker, based in London. He has twice won Britain's Journalist of the Year Award, and his documentaries have received academy awards in Britain and the US....
has described him as a "CIA renegade."
See also
- Nicaragua vs. United States Details MacMichael testimony at the trial.