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Robert BaerFormer CIA agent who worked for a long time in the Middle East
Date of Birth: 01.07.1952
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Robert Baer: Former CIA Agent and Middle East Expert
- Education and Service with the CIA
- Iraq Mission and Attempted Assassination
- Retirement from the CIA and "See No Evil"
- Post-CIA Career
- Controversial Statements and Collaborations
- Documentary Work and Activism
Robert Baer: Former CIA Agent and Middle East Expert
Early Life and Military AcademyRobert Baer was born in Los Angeles and raised in Aspen, Colorado, where he aspired to become a professional skier. After academic struggles in the 9th grade, he was sent to Culver Military Academy in Indiana.
Education and Service with the CIA
In 1976, Baer graduated from Georgetown University's prestigious School of Foreign Service and entered the University of California, Berkeley. However, he decided to join the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) Directorate of Operations. After a year of training, Baer embarked on a distinguished career serving in Madras and New Delhi, India; Beirut, Lebanon; Dushanbe, Tajikistan; Morocco; and Salahuddin in northern Iraq.
Iraq Mission and Attempted Assassination
In the mid-1990s, Baer was sent to Iraq to organize opposition to Saddam Hussein's regime. However, he was soon recalled and investigated by the FBI for alleged attempts to assassinate Hussein. He also unsuccessfully lobbied the Clinton administration to support an internal coup in Iraq led by Ahmed Chalabi and Jalal Talabani in March 1995.
Retirement from the CIA and "See No Evil"
Baer retired from the CIA in 1997 and was awarded the Intelligence Medal of Merit in 1998. Upon leaving, he penned the book "See No Evil" about his experiences in the agency. Seymour Hersh praised Baer as "the best Middle East operative we have" in his review.
Post-CIA Career
Baer has since become a highly respected commentator on Middle Eastern affairs from an operational officer's perspective. His political views are not rigidly aligned with conservative or liberal ideals, and his expertise on the region includes the Arab world and former Soviet republics. Fluent in Arabic, he has consistently advocated for expanding the CIA's capabilities in undercover operations and recruitment.
Controversial Statements and Collaborations
Baer's autobiography "See No Evil" (2002) sparked controversy with claims that he had a joking exchange with Charles "Tiny" McKee six months before the Lockerbie bombing, warning him to beware of terrorists. However, the incident occurred in Beirut in August 1988, only four months before Lockerbie.
In an interview with the New Statesman (2004), Baer remarked on the CIA's interrogation practices, stating, "If you need hard interrogation, send them to Syria. If you need someone to disappear, Egypt." In another interview (2008), he referred to himself as the CIA's "former director of blowups."
Baer has also expressed skepticism about the official narrative surrounding the 9/11 attacks, suggesting that the involvement of U.S. government agencies was "within the realm of possibility." However, he has clarified that he does not believe that World Trade Center or the Pentagon were destroyed by U.S. explosives.
Baer's books and experiences inspired the 2005 Oscar-winning film "Syriana." His character, Bob Barnes, was portrayed by George Clooney, who gained weight to resemble Baer. In response, Baer decided to improve his own physical fitness.
Documentary Work and Activism
Since 2006, Baer has collaborated with director Kevin Toolis and Many Rivers Films on the acclaimed documentary series "Cult of the Suicide Bomber." He has also released a film titled "Car Bomber" (2008) and participated in documentaries such as "Uncovered: The War on Iraq" and "Return to Lockerbie."
In 2009, Baer critiqued Western media coverage of Iran's disputed elections, arguing that it only portrayed the views of a narrow segment of the population. He questioned whether such perspectives accurately reflected the broader realities of Iranian society.
