Look, I’ll save you the headache.
Kiriakou was known for two things *before* he unmasked an undercover CIA officer, went to prison for doing so, got out, and then went to work for the Russians.
When he was stationed in Greece, he illegally parked his car at the port in Piraeus next to the ferry boarding area. The police told him to move it. Kiriakou locked himself inside and refused to get out of his car and said he didn’t have to, he was from the U.S. Embassy. Caused an unnecessary diplomatic stink over a fucking parking violation, which became notorious in the building — although not nearly as notorious as what else happened to him in Greece.
His wife had an affair. When Kiriakou found out about it, he behaved in a manner unbefitting of any officer of any clandestine service, except maybe Russia’s, which is why he’s a good fit for them now. As he’ll be the first to tell you, he’s got bills to pay.
Big on the IRGC-aligned podcast bro circuit but knows nothing, is aggressive in his ignorance, and generally held to be a laughingstock at his former organization. I believe the kiddos call this being a “whistleblower,” which is even more hilarious.
Thank you for attending my TED Talk.
John Kiriakou is the perfect hire for Russian state media (or any nation with a vested interest in demoralizing the United States through targeted internal propaganda).
Here’s why:
1. He has the credential of “former CIA officer” under his belt. That means something to American viewers. Military or government service, in general, goes a long way toward establishing legitimacy and trust.
2. He clearly has a long-standing grudge against the United States. He was charged with leaking the identity of a covert operative and was imprisoned for several years. He also lost his standing within the American political establishment as a result. The story he tells about the case is one in which he is, of course, the Snowden-adjacent hero. Again, this strikes at the heart of disgruntled Americans who have firsthand experience with government corruption.
3. He lacks principle. He’s willing to accuse the U.S. government of corruption (hey, fair enough) while, ironically, happily accepting paychecks from the Russian government, one of the most corrupt governments in modern history and a sworn adversary of the United States. He rails against the U.S. and its alleged covert torture program (and he may be right about that, for argument’s sake), yet aligns himself with a regime that has openly and brutally tortured innocent people for generations.
His excuse? They let him “say whatever he wants.”
Either John is an idiot (he’s not), or he’s in on the operation.
There’s only one reason the Russian government would hire him: to convince Americans to hate America. And what better salesman for that cause than a disgruntled former government agent with no sense of honor?
This is precisely why Russian state media has also cozied up to figures like Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson. Whether these influencers are selling out for clicks, money, ideology, or something in between, the end result is the same: convincing millions of Americans that the only solution left is to abandon America and burn it to the ground.
Who, I wonder, might benefit from such an outcome?