Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity
Encyclopedia
Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS) is a group of current and former officials of the United States Intelligence Community
, including some from the Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA), the U.S. State Department's Intelligence Bureau, and the Defense Intelligence Agency
(DIA). It was formed in January 2003 as a "coast-to-coast enterprise" to protest the use of faulty intelligence "upon which the US/UK invasion of Iraq was based." The group issued a letter before the 2003 invasion of Iraq
stating that intelligence analysts were not being listened to by policy makers. In August 2010 it issued a memorandum to the White House warning of an imminent Israeli attack on Iran.
, William Christison, Patrick Eddington, and Raymond McGovern.
The memorandum was also signed by the VIPS Steering Group including Ray Close
, Philip Giraldi
, Larry Johnson
, W. Patrick Lang
, Raymond McGovern, Coleen Rowley
, and Ann Wright
.
and William Christison, Santa Fe, NM - Resigned from VIPS in July of 2003, over a memo calling for Cheney’s resignation.
has criticized VIPS as "biased" and the founders as having such extreme positions that anybody "citing them out of context gives them an authority that their own intemperate words undermine."
United States Intelligence Community
The United States Intelligence Community is a cooperative federation of 16 separate United States government agencies that work separately and together to conduct intelligence activities considered necessary for the conduct of foreign relations and the protection of the national security of the...
, including some from the Central Intelligence Agency
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), the U.S. State Department's Intelligence Bureau, and the Defense Intelligence Agency
Defense Intelligence Agency
The Defense Intelligence Agency is a member of the Intelligence Community of the United States, and is the central producer and manager of military intelligence for the United States Department of Defense, employing over 16,500 U.S. military and civilian employees worldwide...
(DIA). It was formed in January 2003 as a "coast-to-coast enterprise" to protest the use of faulty intelligence "upon which the US/UK invasion of Iraq was based." The group issued a letter before the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
stating that intelligence analysts were not being listened to by policy makers. In August 2010 it issued a memorandum to the White House warning of an imminent Israeli attack on Iran.
VIPS Steering Group
- Richard Beske, San Diego, CA
- Patrick G. EddingtonPatrick G. EddingtonPatrick Eddington is a former CIA imagery analyst, a former lobbyist, private researcher, author, and Congressional staffer. Eddington resigned in 1996 after working on a book that exposed the gulf war syndrome....
, Alexandria, VA - David MacMichaelDavid MacMichaelDavid MacMichael is a former Central Intelligence Agency 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...
, Linden, VA - Raymond McGovern, Arlington, VA
- Larry C. JohnsonLarry C. JohnsonLarry C. Johnson is a former analyst at the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, who moved subsequently in 1989 to the U.S. Department of State, where he served four years as the deputy director for transportation security, antiterrorism assistance training, and special operations in the State...
, Washington, DC - Gene Betit, Arlington, VA
- Ray Close
- Greg TheilmannGreg TheilmannGreg Theilmann was the acting director of the Office of Strategic Proliferation and Military Affairs at the U.S. State Department. He was the person responsible for analyzing the Iraqi weapons threat for Colin Powell...
February 2003 Memo
On February 7, 2003, VIPS publicly released a "Memorandum for The President" criticizing Secretary Powell's speech before the United Nations, in part, because VIPS was afraid Saddam Hussein would use his chemical weapons against U.S. troops if the U.S. invaded. It stated "The narrow focus on Resolution 1441 has diverted attention from the wider picture. It is crucial that we not lose sight of that. Intelligence community analysts are finding it hard to make themselves heard above the drumbeat for war." It also noted the various Gulf War-related illnesses which many returning soldiers contracted due to the presence of chemical and biological agents in Desert Storm.The memorandum was signed by the VIPS Steering Group including Richard Beske, Kathleen ChristisonKathleen Christison
Kathleen Christison is an American political analyst and author whose primary area of focus is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict....
, William Christison, Patrick Eddington, and Raymond McGovern.
August 2010 Memo
On August 3, 2010, VIPS publicly released another "MEMORANDUM FOR: The President" warning the administration that their analysis suggests that Israel is likely to unilaterally attack Iran "as early as this month." It cited two reasons for this conclusion:Firstly, Israel fears that western intelligence assessments over Iran's nuclear program will change soon and Israel will lose its "justification" for an attack. U.S. intelligence has been trying for some time to update the National Intelligence Estimate of November 2007 on Iran's nuclear program. It says that Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 and as of mid 2007 has not restarted it. The group says Israel would like to strike soon, preemptively, before the new assessment reaffirms that Iran has not restarted its nuclear weapons program.
Secondly, with the recent announcement by the U.S. that talks will resume with Iran next month regarding Iran's controversial uranium enrichment program, the group tells Obama: "incentives build in Tel-Aviv for the Israelis to attack before any such agreement can be reached."
The memorandum was also signed by the VIPS Steering Group including Ray Close
Ray Close
Ray Close is a former boxer who fought for most of his career in the Super Middleweight division, ending his career in the Light Heavyweight division. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly Mormon...
, Philip Giraldi
Philip Giraldi
Philip Giraldi is a former counter-terrorism specialist and military intelligence officer of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and a columnist and television commentator who is the Executive Director of the Council for the National Interest, a group that advocates for more even handed...
, Larry Johnson
Larry Johnson
Larry Johnson is the name of:* Larry Johnson , American football running back* Larry Johnson , baseball player* Larry Johnson , American basketball player...
, W. Patrick Lang
W. Patrick Lang
Walter Patrick "Pat" Lang, Jr. is a commentator on the Middle East, a retired US Army officer and private intelligence analyst, and an author. After leaving uniformed military service as a colonel, he held high-level posts in military intelligence as a civilian...
, Raymond McGovern, Coleen Rowley
Coleen Rowley
Coleen Rowley is a former FBI agent and whistleblower, and was a Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidate for Congress in Minnesota's 2nd congressional district, one of eight congressional districts in Minnesota in 2006...
, and Ann Wright
Ann Wright
Mary Ann Wright is a former United States Army colonel and retired official of the U.S. State Department, known for her outspoken opposition to the Iraq War. She received the State Department Award for Heroism in 1997, after helping to evacuate several thousand people during the civil war in...
.
Former members
Kathleen ChristisonKathleen Christison
Kathleen Christison is an American political analyst and author whose primary area of focus is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict....
and William Christison, Santa Fe, NM - Resigned from VIPS in July of 2003, over a memo calling for Cheney’s resignation.
Criticism
Max BootMax Boot
Max Boot is an American author, consultant, editorialist, lecturer, and military historian. He has been a prominent advocate for American power. He once described his ideas as "American might to promote American ideals." He self-identifies as a conservative, once joking that "I grew up in the...
has criticized VIPS as "biased" and the founders as having such extreme positions that anybody "citing them out of context gives them an authority that their own intemperate words undermine."
See also
- David Kelly
- Downing Street memoDowning Street memoThe "Downing Street memo" , sometimes described by critics of the Iraq War as the "smoking gun memo", is the note of a secret 23 July 2002, meeting of senior British Labour government, defence and intelligence figures discussing the build-up to the war, which included direct reference to classified...
- Paul R. PillarPaul R. PillarPaul R. Pillar is a 28-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency , a visiting professor at Georgetown University for security studies and a member of the Center for Peace and Security Studies....
- Andrew WilkieAndrew WilkieAndrew Damien Wilkie is an Australian politician and independent federal member for Denison...
- Samuel ProvanceSamuel ProvanceSamuel Provance was a U.S. Army military intelligence sergeant who disobeyed an order from his commanders in the 302nd Military Intelligence Battalion, by explaining what he experienced at the Abu Ghraib Prison, where he was assigned from September 2003 to February 2004, to the media...
External links
- List of Publications of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity After Downing StreetAfter Downing StreetWarIsACrime.org is an organization that describes itself as "a coalition working to expose the lies that launched the war and to hold accountable its architects, including through censure and impeachment"...
- VIPS, "MEMORANDUM FOR: The President", CommonDreams.org, 2003-02-07
- VIPS, "Memorandum for Confused Americans: Cooking Intelligence for War", CounterPunch.org, 2003-03-15
- VIPS, "Intelligence Officers Challenge Bush", CommonDreams.org, 2003-05-01
- Source Watch, Description of VIPS, SourceWatch.org
- "Ex-CIA Accuse Bush of Manipulating Iraq Evidence" FOX News (AP story), 2003-03-17.
- "16 Words and Counting" New York Times, July 15, 2003, Section A, Page 21.
- "Failures of the Sept. 11 Commission" Washington Post, Monday, July 26, 2004; Page A11
- Bush's New War Drums for Iran