Summing up their history of the statutory Inspector General at the CIA, the authors conclude that “The ‘independent watchdog’ of a statutory IG did not expose major shortcomings that otherwise would have gone unnoticed. Nor did the watchdog play a major role in deterring institutional sloth and excess. In certain cases, however, the IG asserted independence that might not have been possible without Section 403q. Again, the results for the statutory IG may charitably be described as ‘mixed.'”
One Lantern in the Darkest Night: The CIA’s Inspector General
By Afsheen John Radsan
Afsheen John Radsan, a former federal prosecutor and a former CIA lawyer, teaches at William Mitchell College of Law in Saint Paul, Minn., where he is the director of the National Security Forum. Besides his work as a corporate lawyer and as a consultant, Professor Radsan served for over eight years in the federal government. He is an expert on legal issues related to national security. His combination of law enforcement experience, intelligence community experience, and Middle Eastern origins makes him unique within the legal academy. He is often quoted by the local and national media.
View all of Afsheen John Radsan's posts.By Ryan M. Check
Ryan M. Check is Associate General Counsel, Virtual Radiologic Corporation.
View all of Ryan M. Check's posts.