Arturo Munoz (intelligence)
Encyclopedia
Arturo Munoz is a former Chief of Operations in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) National Clandestine Service and a Senior Political Scientist at the RAND Corporation.
Munoz has over 29 years’ hands-on operational and analytical experience in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), both in the Directorate of Intelligence (DI) and in the Directorate of Operations (DO). He is recognized in the CIA as a highly acclaimed Case-Officer, Intelligence Operative, and covert-action expert with countless successful counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency, and counter-narcotics operations worldwide. Many experts throughout the U.S. intelligence community found Munoz's approach inspiring in scope and originality; specifically his groundbreaking intelligence assessments on insurgent movements in Latin America, which pioneered the application of anthropology to intelligence.
Munoz lead numerous effective CIA covert operations
, meticulously oversaw the collection of human intelligence on international terrorist-cells, controlled internal divisions at the CIA National Clandestine Service (NCS) Headquarters
in various high-ranking positions, and conducted multifaceted international campaigns with verifiable impacts in Latin America, Southwest Asia, the Balkans, the Middle-East, and North-Africa.
, and U.S. foreign policy
. He holds B.A in History and Spanish Literature, Loyola University; M.A. in Anthropology and Ph.D. in Latin American History, Stanford University; ABD in Anthropology, UCLA. As a young graduate student, Munoz did field work with the Embera Indians in Panama’s Darien Province, and the Yanomamo in Venezuela’s Upper Orinoco. He lobbied for the Sierra Club as a volunteer in Washington D.C. against US funding for the Pan-American Highway in the Darien Gap, arguing that completion of this road would have a devastating impact on the tropical forest environment, as well as the Indians living in that region. His comments were published in the 1976 US Department of Transportation Final Environmental Impact Statement: Pan American Highway Darien Gap, Tocumen, Panama to Rio Leon, Colombia, and were summarized in the article, “Decision at Darien Gap” in the May 1976 Sierra Club Bulletin.
In 1980, Arturo Munoz joined the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). During his lifetime achievement at the CIA, he worked both in the Directorate of Intelligence (DI) and the Directorate of Operations (DO)
– now known as the National Clandestine Service (NCS). Throughout his career at the Agency, Munoz has been highly acknowledged in the CIA and much respected among the Intelligence Community (IC) for his unique visions his well-versed intelligence assessment. Munoz's most notable Intelligence analytics and CLASSIFIED reports produced during his tenure with the CIA have been published specifically for the CIA community and archived exclusively in the CIA Headquarters main library.
Munoz published his first unclassified book through the Tribal Analysis Center, Amazigh: the Berbers of Morocco, from Tribalism to Ethnic Nationalism. Previously, he had published an article on his field work, “Handling Hungry Spirits: Shamanic Healing Rituals of the Embera” and “Issue of Shaman’s Drum” in the fall of 1996.
In addition to numerous performance awards and meritorious citations, Munoz received the CIA Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal and Career Achievement Medal for his outstanding lifetime services. This prestigious medal is presented by the CIA for achievement of a distinctly exceptional nature in a duty or responsibility, the results of which constitute a major contribution to the mission of the Central Intelligence Agency.
In 2009 Arturo Munoz retired overtly from the CIA Counter-Terrorism Center (CTC) and later joined the RAND Corporation as a Senior Political Scientist. Working out of his Washington Office, he specializes in counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism issues, focusing on Afghanistan. Munoz had traveled numerous times to Afghanistan and Pakistan, successfully gained trust with the local pillars of community, meeting with a wide range of civilian and military officials, as well as Pashtun tribal leaders, tribal militia commanders, and former key-leaders and loyal members of the Taliban.
At RAND, Arturo Munoz is widely respected for his innovative vision in pursuing a Civil Defense approach among the locals in Afghanistan. Due to this initiative, he was highly recognized by the RAND Prize Award only several weeks after he started his post-CIA career. Munoz believes that effectively leveraging local Afghan communities will significantly improve counterinsurgency prospects and can facilitate mobilization of the population against insurgents. Munoz’s analysis documents lessons about the viability of establishing local security in Afghanistan and addresses concerns about the wisdom of such policies. Munoz attracted considerable attention for his historical analysis of Afghanistan and Pakistan in his book published by RAND: Afghanistan's Local War: Building Local Defense Forces
Arturo Munoz's analysis/commentaries have been aired on international media, cable stations, television, streamed over the internet, and cited on newspapers/magazines, such as: C-SPAN, CNN Newsroom, Reuters, PBS, Asia Times, The American Interest, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, CBS NEWS, PBS NEWSHOUR, Financial Times, Voice of America, International Herald Tribune, The Washington Post, Newsweek, and countless others.
Munoz has over 29 years’ hands-on operational and analytical experience in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), both in the Directorate of Intelligence (DI) and in the Directorate of Operations (DO). He is recognized in the CIA as a highly acclaimed Case-Officer, Intelligence Operative, and covert-action expert with countless successful counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency, and counter-narcotics operations worldwide. Many experts throughout the U.S. intelligence community found Munoz's approach inspiring in scope and originality; specifically his groundbreaking intelligence assessments on insurgent movements in Latin America, which pioneered the application of anthropology to intelligence.
Munoz lead numerous effective CIA covert operations
Covert operation
A covert operation is a military, intelligence or law enforcement operation that is carried clandestinely and, often, outside of official channels. Covert operations aim to fulfill their mission objectives without any parties knowing who sponsored or carried out the operation...
, meticulously oversaw the collection of human intelligence on international terrorist-cells, controlled internal divisions at the CIA National Clandestine Service (NCS) Headquarters
National Clandestine Service
The National Clandestine Service is one of the four main components of the Central Intelligence Agency...
in various high-ranking positions, and conducted multifaceted international campaigns with verifiable impacts in Latin America, Southwest Asia, the Balkans, the Middle-East, and North-Africa.
Biography
Munoz is a well-known expert on counter-terrorism, AfghanistanAfghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, and U.S. foreign policy
Foreign relations of the United States
The United States has formal diplomatic relations with most nations. The United States federal statutes relating to foreign relations can be found in Title 22 of the United States Code.-Pacific:-Americas:-Caribbean:...
. He holds B.A in History and Spanish Literature, Loyola University; M.A. in Anthropology and Ph.D. in Latin American History, Stanford University; ABD in Anthropology, UCLA. As a young graduate student, Munoz did field work with the Embera Indians in Panama’s Darien Province, and the Yanomamo in Venezuela’s Upper Orinoco. He lobbied for the Sierra Club as a volunteer in Washington D.C. against US funding for the Pan-American Highway in the Darien Gap, arguing that completion of this road would have a devastating impact on the tropical forest environment, as well as the Indians living in that region. His comments were published in the 1976 US Department of Transportation Final Environmental Impact Statement: Pan American Highway Darien Gap, Tocumen, Panama to Rio Leon, Colombia, and were summarized in the article, “Decision at Darien Gap” in the May 1976 Sierra Club Bulletin.
In 1980, Arturo Munoz joined the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). During his lifetime achievement at the CIA, he worked both in the Directorate of Intelligence (DI) and the Directorate of Operations (DO)
National Clandestine Service
The National Clandestine Service is one of the four main components of the Central Intelligence Agency...
– now known as the National Clandestine Service (NCS). Throughout his career at the Agency, Munoz has been highly acknowledged in the CIA and much respected among the Intelligence Community (IC) for his unique visions his well-versed intelligence assessment. Munoz's most notable Intelligence analytics and CLASSIFIED reports produced during his tenure with the CIA have been published specifically for the CIA community and archived exclusively in the CIA Headquarters main library.
Munoz published his first unclassified book through the Tribal Analysis Center, Amazigh: the Berbers of Morocco, from Tribalism to Ethnic Nationalism. Previously, he had published an article on his field work, “Handling Hungry Spirits: Shamanic Healing Rituals of the Embera” and “Issue of Shaman’s Drum” in the fall of 1996.
In addition to numerous performance awards and meritorious citations, Munoz received the CIA Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal and Career Achievement Medal for his outstanding lifetime services. This prestigious medal is presented by the CIA for achievement of a distinctly exceptional nature in a duty or responsibility, the results of which constitute a major contribution to the mission of the Central Intelligence Agency.
In 2009 Arturo Munoz retired overtly from the CIA Counter-Terrorism Center (CTC) and later joined the RAND Corporation as a Senior Political Scientist. Working out of his Washington Office, he specializes in counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism issues, focusing on Afghanistan. Munoz had traveled numerous times to Afghanistan and Pakistan, successfully gained trust with the local pillars of community, meeting with a wide range of civilian and military officials, as well as Pashtun tribal leaders, tribal militia commanders, and former key-leaders and loyal members of the Taliban.
At RAND, Arturo Munoz is widely respected for his innovative vision in pursuing a Civil Defense approach among the locals in Afghanistan. Due to this initiative, he was highly recognized by the RAND Prize Award only several weeks after he started his post-CIA career. Munoz believes that effectively leveraging local Afghan communities will significantly improve counterinsurgency prospects and can facilitate mobilization of the population against insurgents. Munoz’s analysis documents lessons about the viability of establishing local security in Afghanistan and addresses concerns about the wisdom of such policies. Munoz attracted considerable attention for his historical analysis of Afghanistan and Pakistan in his book published by RAND: Afghanistan's Local War: Building Local Defense Forces
Arturo Munoz's analysis/commentaries have been aired on international media, cable stations, television, streamed over the internet, and cited on newspapers/magazines, such as: C-SPAN, CNN Newsroom, Reuters, PBS, Asia Times, The American Interest, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, CBS NEWS, PBS NEWSHOUR, Financial Times, Voice of America, International Herald Tribune, The Washington Post, Newsweek, and countless others.
Primary focus
Afghanistan; Pakistan; Civil Defense Forces; counterterrorism; counterintelligence; covert operation, counterinsurgency; Arms Proliferation and Control; Civil Military Relations; Propaganda and Psychological Operations; Defense Cooperation; Global Security Environment; International Affairs; Nation Building; National Security; Peacekeeping and Stability Operations.Publications and on-going projects
- Afghanistan's Local War: Building Local Defense Forces
- Counter-Insurgency in Helmand Province.
- Civil defense forces feasibility in Afghanistan.
- USMIL information operations in Afghanistan.
- Taliban propaganda and psychological operations.
- Taliban shadow government.
- Taliban strategy and tactics.