Buy Today, Kill Tomorrow
December 2, 2015 | Suspected terrorists can buy guns legally in the United States — and that's how the NRA wants it.
About John Kiriakou
John Kiriakou is a former CIA officer who spent two years in a federal prison for blowing the whistle on the agency’s use of torture. He wrote OtherWords columns for a year, starting in May 2015. He writes and speaks about national security, whistleblowing, the prison-industrial complex, and foreign policy. JohnKiriakou.com
Articles by John Kiriakou
How the Government Made Me a Dissident
November 18, 2015 | Nothing helps you appreciate our constitutional rights like being robbed of them.
Paying for Patriotism
November 11, 2015 | The Pentagon shells out millions for sports leagues to "support the troops" with cheap stunts.
The CIA Is an Ethics-Free Zone
November 4, 2015 | Members of America's spy agency don't even learn the rules.
Instead of Pardoning a Turkey, Obama Should Free This Man
October 28, 2015 | This year, the president should extend some Thanksgiving clemency to human beings — starting with Leonard Peltier.
What Clinton Got Wrong About Snowden
October 21, 2015 | The former secretary of state attacked the NSA whistleblower without bothering to get her facts straight.
The Sad Fate of America’s Whistleblowers
October 14, 2015 | History may smile on these guardians of the public trust, but during their lifetimes they remain outcasts.
Pope Francis and the Pain of Prisoners
September 30, 2015 | The pontiff had compassionate words for the incarcerated, but I wish he’d said something to their guards, too.
A Racist Wake-Up Call
September 23, 2015 | After Ahmed Mohamed’s ordeal, there’s no denying that Americans still harbor misguided feelings about Muslims.
Mitch McConnell’s War on Iran — and Boeing?
September 16, 2015 | The only people who get hurt if Congress slaps new trade sanctions on Iran are U.S. aviation companies.
My Brush with Elon Musk
September 9, 2015 | When I accidentally asked the Thomas Edison of our time what he did for a living, he lit up like a Christmas tree.
Greece’s Crisis Is More Twisted Than Ever
September 2, 2015 | While their embattled prime minister fights for his political life, the Greek people lose.
When Travel Means Putting Your Life on the Line
August 19, 2015 | Americans should be able to count on help from Washington if they run into trouble overseas.
Let’s Talk About Torture
August 12, 2015 | Former CIA leaders are writing a book that will whitewash their crimes against humanity.
The Sentence They Don’t Tell You About
August 5, 2015 | The government’s petty harassment didn’t end after I served time for being a whistleblower.