National Security Archive
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(4) Building on @lucatrenta.bsky.social work, Barr argued that CIA could support foreign coup d'états even if the coup likely resulted in the killing of the foreign head of state (Noriega or now Maduro). This Barr memo is still classified, but it is described by Barr himself and a CIA lawyer
January 16, 2026 at 5:01 PM
(4) Building on @lucatrenta.bsky.social work, Barr argued that CIA could support foreign coup d'états even if the coup likely resulted in the killing of the foreign head of state (Noriega or now Maduro). This Barr memo is still classified, but it is described by Barr himself and a CIA lawyer
Reposted by National Security Archive
(3) That Congress' power of the purse had limits and could not prohibit expenditures of the CIA reserve contingencies fund for covert ops nor force the President to notify Congress of covert ops within 48 hours
January 16, 2026 at 5:01 PM
(3) That Congress' power of the purse had limits and could not prohibit expenditures of the CIA reserve contingencies fund for covert ops nor force the President to notify Congress of covert ops within 48 hours
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(2) that the Posse Comitatus Act which restricted the use of the military for law enforcement purposes did not apply to U.S. operations overseas
January 16, 2026 at 5:01 PM
(2) that the Posse Comitatus Act which restricted the use of the military for law enforcement purposes did not apply to U.S. operations overseas
Reposted by National Security Archive
More importantly, it highlights a series of legal opinions that Bill Barr wrote as head of the Office of Legal Counsel that argued (1) that the President could violate international law
January 16, 2026 at 5:01 PM
More importantly, it highlights a series of legal opinions that Bill Barr wrote as head of the Office of Legal Counsel that argued (1) that the President could violate international law
Reposted by National Security Archive
It shows that the CIA was concerned that Noriega might spill the beans on some of the sordid actions that powerful individuals in Washington were involved in.
January 16, 2026 at 5:01 PM
It shows that the CIA was concerned that Noriega might spill the beans on some of the sordid actions that powerful individuals in Washington were involved in.
“There is a supreme irony here—that it is Vladimir Putin who is the defender of international law against the law of force,” said Tom Blanton, director of the National Security Archive. www.spytalk.co/p/time-machi...
Time Machine: When Putin Warned Bush About Dangers of Regime Change
Irony abounds in newly unearthed telephone call on eve of US invasion of Iraq that records Putin warning Bush about violating UN charter and “international law.”
www.spytalk.co
January 8, 2026 at 3:57 PM
“There is a supreme irony here—that it is Vladimir Putin who is the defender of international law against the law of force,” said Tom Blanton, director of the National Security Archive. www.spytalk.co/p/time-machi...