In an interview with T. Sassersson, founder and editor of the independent Swedish news outlet NewsVoice, former CIA officer and whistleblower John Kiriakou shared sharp critiques of U.S. foreign policy, the influence of the ”deep state,” and the path toward potential great-power confrontation.
John Kiriakou, who was in Stockholm to deliver a lecture on preventing a third world war, emphasized diplomacy, open communication, and public pressure on elected officials. The visit to Sweden was arranged by the Dissident Pod (club), Stockholm.
John Kiriakou – CIA veteran
Kiriakou, a veteran of the CIA with seven and a half years as an analyst and another seven and a half in counterterrorism operations, later served as chief investigator for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He gained international attention as the first U.S. official to publicly confirm the CIA’s use of waterboarding and other enhanced interrogation techniques.
For disclosing classified information related to the agency’s torture program, he served nearly two years in federal prison. Today, he advocates for human rights, government transparency, and against what he sees as unnecessary provocations that risk broader conflict.
“I’ve been very blessed with a large and broad following”.
He noted that, as of the interview week, he ranks as the best-known person among males aged 15 to 30 globally, a reach he uses to highlight critical issues for younger generations.
Collaboration with Anti-War Voices and Focus on Diplomacy
Kiriakou collaborates with figures such as retired U.S. Army Colonel Douglas MacGregor, former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter, and former CIA analyst Ray McGovern, alongside organizations like Code Pink.
Their shared goals, he said, center on human rights, diplomacy, transparency, and honesty in government.
Addressing the context of his Stockholm visit, amid heightened tensions involving Sweden, Finland, and the Baltic states, Kiriakou stressed the difficulty of swaying hawkish politicians but urged outreach to legislative “workhorses” who draft laws and wield substantive influence, rather than media-seeking “show horses.”
“The most important thing we have to think about right now is allowing the diplomats to do what they’re being paid to do,” he said.
He challenged the prevailing narrative in the U.S. that Russia poses the greatest threat to world peace, instead pointing to actions by the United States and Israel, including recent bombings and Israel’s strikes on multiple countries in the past year.
“We should be thankful that the Chinese, for example, are as patient as they are,” he added.
On the “Deep State” and Corporate Ties
When asked about the “deep state,” Kiriakou defined it as the unelected leadership within U.S. intelligence and defense agencies, officials at the CIA, Pentagon, State Department, NSA, and DIA, who serve for decades across presidential administrations and effectively run operations with minimal oversight.
He included major corporations as integral partners, particularly defense contractors.
“Companies like Palantir and pretty much everything that Elon Musk runs, these are companies we should be worried about,” he warned.
Specifically addressing Swedish interests, he cautioned politicians:
“Be very, very careful of Palantir. Palantir was quite literally created by the CIA. The CIA was the first investor in Palantir, and the CIA owns a plurality of Palantir shares. So if you’re engaging Palantir, you’re engaging the CIA to have the most sensitive data in your government.”
Practical Steps to Avoid War with Russia
Kiriakou highlighted a breakdown in basic diplomacy, noting the absence of a Russian ambassador to the United States. His recommendation to Swedish leaders: maintain open channels of communication with Russia to enable diplomats to resolve problems.
“It’s up to every man, woman, and child to demand of our elected officials that they keep us out of war,” he said. “They forget… that they work for us, and if they will not do what we say, we will vote them out.”
He expressed openness to advising governments and currently consults with several, including the Greek government and one in the Middle East. Kiriakou is also an author, podcaster, journalist, and professor of intelligence studies. His 10th book was slated for release around the time of the interview
He praised the government of Jordan, under King Abdullah, as particularly trustworthy due to its wise leadership in a challenging region despite limited resources and a large refugee population.
Kiriakou can be followed on his website Johnkiriakou.com, Substack, and various social media platforms, where he plans to expand news analysis to counter what he views as mainstream media propaganda. His new podcast, John Kiriakou’s Briefing Room, was set to launch shortly after the interview.
Text and interview: T. Sassersson, NewsVoice.se
Related
- John Kiriakou on Substack
- Johnkiriakou.com
- Dissidetn Pod on Substack
