Michael Morell
Michael Joseph Morell (/məˈrɛl/; born September 4, 1958) is an American former career intelligence analyst. He served as the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 2010 to 2013 and twice as its acting director, first in 2011 and then from 2012 to 2013. He also serves as a professor at the George Mason University - Schar School of Policy and Government.
Michael Morell | |
|---|---|
| Director of the Central Intelligence Agency | |
Acting | |
| In office November 9, 2012 – March 8, 2013 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | David Petraeus |
| Succeeded by | John O. Brennan |
| In office July 1, 2011 – September 6, 2011 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Leon Panetta |
| Succeeded by | David Petraeus |
| 3rd Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency | |
| In office May 6, 2010 – August 9, 2013 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Stephen Kappes |
| Succeeded by | Avril Haines |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael Joseph Morell September 4, 1958 Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, U.S. |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | Mary Beth Manion |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Akron (BA) Georgetown University (MA) |
As a CIA analyst he served as presidential daily briefer to George W. Bush, including on the morning of September 11, 2001. In his book, The Great War of Our Time, Morell defends the use of drones by both the Bush and Obama administrations against suspected terrorists and he explains the CIA's use of enhanced interrogation techniques (what many call torture) by the Bush administration. He is now senior counselor and the global chairman of the Geo-Political Risk Practice at Beacon Global Strategies LLC, a consulting firm in Washington, D.C.