We are shifting focus on Russia, China, Iran from anti-terror ops, says CIA Director Gina Haspel

Washington: CIA Director Gina Haspel indicated that the intelligence agency would be stressing on activities against Iran and Russia saying, ‘Our Russia and Iran investment has been strengthened after years of falling behind our justifiably heavy emphasis on counterterrorism in the wake of 9/11. We still have much work to do on that front, but we’re making good progress.’

CIA, focus on adversary nations, Gina Haspel, US Central Intelligence Agency, counter terror activities, US, China US Central Intelligence Agency, CIA Director Haspel, made the statements on national security and the role of the intelligence agency in a program held in Alabama. It involved several subjects like changes in CIA’s objectives, the challenges it faces, and threats posed to the United States security. At this time, the CIA Director indicated that the focus would be shifted on conventional espionage against adversary nations, rather than counter-terror activities.

CIA, focus on adversary nations, Gina Haspel, US Central Intelligence Agency, counter terror activities, US, China In the last few decades of the previous century, the US intelligence agency focused its attention on espionage against Russia and the countries supporting it. After the terror attack on the United States in 2001, the CIA focus shifted to counter terror activities and the Middle Eastern countries. Claims of it leading to the ignorance towards other issues threatening the US security emerged from the US.

The analysts have consistently alleged that it was due to the CIA ignorance that Russia could invade Crimea in 2014, and interfere in the 2016 elections. Taking cognisance into the matters, the US intelligence agency once again indicated focussing on Iran, China and Russia and strictly monitor their activities. In one of the events held last year, saying that China was trying to weaken the US influence in the world, Haspel warned that the Chinese activities were under the CIA scanner.

After stating that the focus is on Russia and Iran, the CIA has indicated that the highest threat to the United States is from the Russia-China-Iran trio. Haspel’s indication that the CIA focus will be on Russia and Iran, just as the report which affirms no Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential campaign, which Donald Trump had won surfaced, becomes significant.

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