What really happens when a government insider decides to speak out?

In this episode of History Told Forward, former CIA officer John Kiriakou shares the story that reshaped his life and ignited a global debate. After spending 15 years inside the Central Intelligence Agency as a Middle East analyst and counterterrorism operative, Kiriakou became the first U.S. official to publicly confirm the CIA’s use of waterboarding and other “enhanced interrogation techniques.”

The consequences were severe.

Kiriakou discusses the post-9/11 transformation of the CIA, the realities of intelligence work, the ethics and legality of torture, and the personal cost of becoming a whistleblower. From counterterrorism operations in Pakistan to a federal prison sentence under the Espionage Act, this conversation explores the collision between national security, law, and conscience.

This episode examines:

• The CIA’s role after 9/11

• The origins of the torture program

• Why torture produces unreliable intelligence

• The hidden risks faced by whistleblowers

• Life inside federal prison

• Government accountability and power

Whether you’re interested in intelligence agencies, modern American history, ethics in warfare, or the human impact of state secrets, this is a rare firsthand account from the center of one of the most controversial chapters of the War on Terror.