U.S. intelligence failed Ukraine, and we need now to get it right
"The fight is here. I need ammunition, not a ride." Published May 19, 2022
Daniel N. Hoffman
Columns by Daniel N. Hoffman
Taliban-ruled Kabul, once again, a threat U.S. dare not ignore
While the world's attention has been justifiably focused on Russia's barbaric invasion of Ukraine, one big challenge for U.S. intelligence agencies is to not lose sight of the other wickedly complex threats all across the globe. Published May 5, 2022
Putin’s intel failed him; America must do better, for the sake of the world
Russia's barbaric war against Ukraine has been a colossal intelligence failure, which comes with more than a hint of irony since President Vladimir Putin famously served in the KGB. Published April 21, 2022
Putin’s Ukraine invasion ends the post-Cold War era
Russia's brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has for all practical purposes terminated the post-Cold War period. Published April 7, 2022
Journalists soldier on in the face of Putin’s brutal war on truth
Last week, Russian state TV Channel One editor Maria Ovsyannikova bravely protested President Vladimir Putin's barbaric war against Ukraine. Published March 24, 2022
A profile in courage: Zelenskyy is an inspirational hero to democracies everywhere
Throughout my career at CIA, I was regularly struck by the extent to which our policymakers relied on analytical profiles of foreign leaders, especially during times of crisis. Published March 10, 2022
Long live Estonia: America must ensure defense of our most vulnerable NATO members
With Russia having begun an all-out invasion of Ukraine on Wednesday night, the U.S.-led NATO alliance should reflect on the significance of Estonia's independence day, Feb. 24. Published February 24, 2022
Facing Chinese intimidation, Enes Kanter Freedom takes charge
Last week, the Beijing Winter Olympic games officially opened with approximately 3,000 athletes representing 95 nations. Published February 10, 2022
One year in, is America safe under Biden?
It's time to take stock just over one year into the Biden administration of how well U.S. foreign policy is dealing with the array of wickedly complex threats to our national security. Published January 27, 2022
Meeting China’s hypersonic challenge
Chinese President and Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping has declared his country will have the world's strongest military by mid-century. Published January 13, 2022
Democrats and Republicans enduring need to work together in a world transformed
When I moved to Washington in the late 1980s to begin a 30-year career in the U.S. government, it was a different world. Published January 1, 2022
U.S., allies challenged by China and Russia on the march
Dictatorships are on the march, at a level of intensity unprecedented since the Second World War. Published December 16, 2021
The intelligence challenge behind Putin’s Ukraine bullying
The CIA has long been on the hook to decipher the "riddle wrapped inside an enigma" posed by the Kremlin's multifaceted threats to the national security of the U.S. and its allies. Published December 2, 2021
Honoring Mike Spann: New book shines a light on a CIA officer’s heroism
I never met Marine Corps officer and CIA paramilitary Case Officer Mike Spann, the first American killed in combat in Afghanistan. But I was deeply knowledgeable of Mr. Spann's sacred mission. Published November 18, 2021
Celebrating a hero on Veterans Day
Veteran's Day is a sacred opportunity for remembering and honoring our nation's military personnel and their families. Published November 4, 2021
Biden admin. must do better protecting those left behind in Afghanistan
A few years back I was serving in a Middle East war zone when one of our sources, a valuable asset who had penetrated al Qaeda's Baghdad network, came within a hair's breadth of losing his life. Published October 21, 2021
U.S. action needed as Libya’s fate hangs in the balance
Last month, the Libyan parliament passed a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah's transitional government, which risked derailing elections scheduled for late December. Published October 7, 2021
Nothing threatens Putin’s regime more than Ukraine
During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House earlier this month, President Biden "firmly committed" to supporting Ukraine's sovereignty. Published September 22, 2021
In the post 9/11 world, good intelligence has proven more vital than ever
On the morning of September 11, 2001, my then-CIA colleague Rob was in Manhattan on the subway, headed to a 9 a.m. meeting in the World Trade Center. At 8:46 a.m., moments before he exited the subway, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the Center's North Tower. Published September 8, 2021
Why Afghanistan is more dangerous
How ironic that as the 20th anniversary of 9/11 approaches Afghanistan is more of a clear and present danger to our nation than ever before. Published August 24, 2021