The No Fly Zone with Greg Maybury
Interview w/ Coleen Rowley, former FBI agent, whistleblower, now activist, April 29, 2023.
The No Fly Zone, presenter/host Greg Maybury
Interview w/ Coleen Rowley, former FBI agent and whistleblower, April 29, 2023.
Hello Friends and Subscribers, In this episode of the No Fly Zone on TNT RADIO, I had the privilege and honour of finally speaking with someone who I’ve admired from afar for some time: Ms Coleen Rowley.
Guest Bio/Background: Coleen Rowley is a retired FBI special agent and former legal counsel of the Minneapolis Division of the FBI. Beginning in May 2002, Rowley testified to the 9-11 Joint Intelligence Committee Inquiry, the Senate Judiciary and to the Inspector General of the Department of Justice about the FBI's pre 9-11 intelligence lapses.
The investigations confirmed that the 9-11 attacks could have been prevented or minimized if information had been properly shared within and between intelligence agencies, and most importantly with the American public. Coleen was chosen along with two other female corporate fraud whistleblowers as Time Magazine’s 2002 Persons of the Year.
Coleen retired in 2004 and speaks publicly on ethical decision-making to various groups. She is a writer and blogger in addition to being a member of the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS) and Sam Adams Associates for Integrity.
Presenter/Host Editorial Intro: A recent image (👀👇) doing the rounds of social media showed the world’s most famous whistleblower/leaker and political prisoner Julian Assange in what can only be described as a pitiful, tragic state. This image (👀👇real or fake; there’s some contention as to its authenticity, which to my mind is neither here nor there), depicts not just Assange’s personal ordeal. It vividly portrays the unconscionable, vindictive criminal political persecution which presides over it, and represents the complete antithesis of all the ideals and values that America has purported to stand for.
The key message here?: Assange’s no-end-in-sight plight stands out as perhaps the defining symbol of everything by which one might measure America’s decline and fall, now—sans some divine intervention—all but as inevitable as it’s irreversible. Given the large menu of metrics now on offer whereby we might calculate then predict such an outcome, this is one helluva big call indeed.
Along with being a whistleblower herself, Coleen Rowley has some firm views on the grave risks such folks as Assange face, and the treatment meted out to them by their respective governments. These include people like John Kiriakou, Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning, and sadly, far too many others.
Whilst she may agree/disagree (in part or in whole) with the overall sentiments of my introduction regarding her country’s present malaise and possible future, I know she like many of her compatriots is gravely concerned about the direction in which it is heading, both domestically and internationally. As are of course many of those of us who are citizens of America’s most loyal (to a fault?) allies, such as here Down Under. Coleen was very articulate and forthright in expressing her views. For me it was an enlightening discussion, one which I’m sure listeners will also find much to contemplate.
In this episode, we cover a range of topics:
— Her experience as an FBI whistleblower, and her views on how leakers/WBs are treated;
— the increasing politicisation of the security, intelligence, and law enforcement spheres,
— The role played by the establishment media towards WBs/leakers and their failure to hold the powers that be to account;
— the influence of Israel on US and Western foreign policy and how that plays out geopolitically; and
— her general views on the current domestic geopolitical situation and where things are likely to lead.
Very exciting to hear this. Thank you, Greg, for all you do.