Paul Pillar

Paul Pillar is a former senior intelligence officer with the CIA and a prominent commentator on national security issues. He served as the national intelligence officer for the Near East and South Asia in the National Intelligence Council during the lead-up to the Iraq War. Pillar has been critical of the way intelligence was manipulated to justify the invasion, arguing that Dick Cheney played a key role in corrupting the intelligence-policy relationship to promote the war. His insights into the challenges faced by intelligence agencies in the post-9/11 era have made him a respected voice in discussions about U.S. foreign policy and intelligence practices.