Reading notes
Just now, I finished reading today’s must-read article from The New Yorker, titled “He Helped Stop Iran from Getting the Bomb: The Spy Who Told All” by David D. Kirkpatrick. The article was published on March 30, 2026, and it was dated April 6, 2026.
Unsurprisingly, David D. Kirkpatrick’s article portrayed a retired CIA agent Chalker who was embroiled in an embarrassing lawsuit with an investor named Elliott Broidy. Elliott Broidy is a major donor to President Donald J. Trump.
In a comprehensive 53-page article, David Kirkpatrick explores the reasons behind Chalker’s decision to join the CIA. He delves into the lawsuit claiming that Qutar had paid Chalker to orchestrate Elliott Broidy and several others. Despite the loss of Chalker from the lawsuit, Kirkpatrick highlights his exceptional performance as a case officer in defecting Iranian scientists to the United States from Iran.
Kirkpatrick, in a strange turn of events, appeared to be attempting to defend Chalker’s reputation. Perhaps it’s Kirkpatrick’s so-called “Humanizing Narrative,” which employs the asymmetry of perspective to obscure the camouflage of systematic violence. However, I couldn’t muster any empathy for Chalker. Professor Marko Milanovic’s assessment of Chalker’s recent challenges was spot on: “Am I going to cry you a river? No.”