NPR

CIA Chief Pushes For More Spies Abroad; Surveillance Makes That Harder

CIA Director Gina Haspel wants more undercover officers overseas. But in age of universal surveillance, instant online searches and social media profiles, staying below the radar is a huge challenge.

CIA Director Gina Haspel spent much of her career overseas and undercover — and she wants more CIA officers doing the same.

In her one public speech since becoming head of the spy agency, Haspel said her goal is to "steadily increase the number of officers stationed overseas. That's where our mission as a foreign intelligence agency lies, and having a larger foreign footprint allows for a more robust posture."

But doing this isn't easy. It's always been a challenge to protect the identity, who used to be the chief of disguise at the CIA.

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