"Anger can be a useful emotion; it's built into our genetic code to help with self preservation. But it can also be destructive, even when it is justified."
Michael HaydenTiny Panda Quotes
Quotes by Michael Hayden
Michael Hayden, born on March 17, 1945, is a distinguished American intelligence officer and retired four-star general in the United States Air Force. As the former Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Hayden played a pivotal role in shaping U.S. intelligence operations post-9/11. His legacy encompasses a commitment to national security and a nuanced understanding of the balance between civil liberties and surveillance. Through his leadership, Hayden has influenced both policy and public discourse on intelligence in the digital age.
10 quotes found
"A writer of fiction lives in fear. Each new day demands new ideas, and he can never be sure whether he is going to come up with them or not."
Michael Hayden
"American political elites feel very empowered to criticize the American intelligence community for not doing enough when they feel in danger, and as soon as we've made them feel safe again, they feel equally empowered to complain that we're doing too much."
Michael Hayden"There is no part of the executive branch that more exists on the outer edge of executive prerogative than the American intelligence community - the intelligence community, CIA, covert action. My literal responsibility as director of CIA with regard to covert action was to inform the Congress - not to seek their approval, to inform."
Michael Hayden
"If we are going to conduct espionage in the future, we are going to have to make some changes in the relationship between the intelligence community and the public it serves."
Michael Hayden
"The intelligence community is governed by the same legal and ethical standards as the rest of American government and society, but an operational imperative is here, too. An intelligence community charged with global responsibilities cannot be successful without diversity of thought, culture and language."
Michael Hayden
"Intelligence is often viewed as a profession that steals secrets and then knits those secrets together for policymakers in order to inform their judgments."
Michael Hayden"My life experience confirms that the U.S. government frequently overclassifies data. But that's a stronger argument for not dumping large volumes of government traffic on an unclassified personal server than it is a justification for retroactively challenging classification decisions."
Michael Hayden
"As director of CIA, I was responsible for everything done in the agency's name, and it didn't matter whether that was done by an agency employee, a government contractor, a liaison service on our behalf, or a source on our behalf."
Michael Hayden
"When asked if I miss being in government, I usually try to lighten the moment by responding that I awake most days, read the paper, and then observe that, 'It's yet another great day to be the former director of the Central Intelligence Agency.'"
Michael Hayden