The CIA Memorial Wall in the main lobby of the agency’s headquarters in Langley, Va., pays tribute to operatives who “gave their lives in the service of their country.” By Ian Shapira Ian Shapira Enterprise reporter covering the Washington region and beyond Email Bio Follow May 19 at 6:30 PM She had spent the year in Afghanistan targeting senior al-Qaeda and Taliban members from one of the CIA’s most important bases.
Nicholas Dujmovic, a longtime CIA historian who retired in 2016, said that Abdelsayed’s inclusion violates the agency’s own criteria — and that her star “must absolutely come off the wall.” In an interview, John Brennan, who approved Abdelsayed’s star when he was CIA director, defended his decision. He said that Abdelsayed had volunteered for one of the agency’s most dangerous assignments and that “under those circumstances, there are a lot of stresses as well as daily challenges associated with that work.”
“Ranya was tremendously committed to the agency’s mission. Her death, I felt, was a direct result of her work and her dedication in a very difficult overseas environment,” he said. “It may not have been unanimous that Ranya was deserving [of a star], but I let it be known that . . . Ranya’s death was something the agency needed to recognize as being one of those unfortunate consequences of the global challenges the CIA addresses.
Shannon Spann, wife of slain CIA officer Johnny Micheal Spann, holds their 6-month old son Jake during her husband’s funeral at Arlington National Cemetery in December 2001. He was killed in a prison uprising in Afghanistan. But Dujmovic, the retired historian, said that only about half the people awarded stars died because of hostile action or terrorism.
When the wall went up in 1974, they were excluded because they were considered not technically part of the CIA. But, as Dujmovic wrote in an article on the CIA website, there was hardly any difference between the two groups, save for their initials. Steve Ririe, a Nevadan who spearheaded the effort to build a memorial at the site of the crash, wondered why those killed in the accident have been denied stars when someone who died by suicide received one.
An undated photo of Ranya Abdelsayed. She was very private, said a linguist on contract with the agency who also spoke on the condition of anonymity. The two, she said, were close friends, working long hours together and riding bikes to relax. Abdelsayed used dark humor to describe the job’s intensity. “Oh, it’s a clusterf--- today,” she was fond of saying.
Stay retired sunshine. You’re not needed.
This article is tacky AF. There are plenty of legit reasons to trash John Brennan. His decision to award a star to a CIA agent who killed herself is not one of them.
CIA FBI good suicide awareness for you guys a memorial wall but unlike all of us civilians we wern't just handed out the suicide pills
The Agency does stuff Americans want to know nothing about in dark places, isolated, alone for long periods of time. Do not judge others for the burden they carry. Reach out to those suffering and in need. All the signs are there just ask are you ok? And don't accept yeah.. stay.
This is sad. When Deep State Programs try to influence the minds of people harmed by those very programs to hurt themselves through threats and intimidation. neveragain takeresponsibility TheDeadDoSpeak
That sacred star needs to MOST CERTAINLY be given without hesitation and with deep respect for the awesome sacrfice! We will be watching as to how this is resolved.
It’s a life that served, it belongs on the wall.
The largest Memorial our country would ever build would contain the names of all those who took their own lives as a result of their military service. Maybe we should be pointing this out individually to show the fallen heroes who continued to suffer from their service! PTSD
Still running drugs and guns and stealing ideas some people can't handle the truth 😂
I agree with Brennan, she belongs on the wall.
Why not...aids
They've lost all credibility since the poorly planned failed coup attempt by JohnBrennan
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