"Homeland" star Mandy Patinkin in awe of the real CIA directors | Forensic Files

[Music] only 12 men alive today have made the life and death decisions that come with
running the world's most powerful intelligence agency why did you want to get involved
with the Spy Masters getting all of the living uh 12 people from the CIA to discuss endless variety of matters and
hear differences of opinions and see where that went uh was very intriguing to me somebody has to stand up and be
willing to say this is not what our country is about I did not expect that um they would share too much I don't
believe these directors are talking about this stuff I'm not talking about because they're pros at the at keeping
everything inside their pockets I I can't talk about signature strikes if they are even taken I don't know what
they are but my belief is that there's a lot in between the words to learn from watching people and listening to how
they listen or how they don't listen I'm touched by the patriotism of Brennan who I met who I went into his
office I'm forced to make decisions every day why did he bring me in his office what did he want me to see why
would he bring you in his office why would he allow his cameras in his office and I believe he wants you to see his
Humanity I wish the world were simpler I wish we didn't have these complex challenges that we Face where there is
not a right and wrong answer where it's not black and white I think that's the singular most important thing to him and
going to church as Leon Panetta allows you to do with him that's a private business I was raised a Catholic I
believe in my faith and uh I Rely a great deal on my faith you know throughout my life I've always carried a
rosary and always set a hell hell of a lot of Hail Marys and so I think he's trying to show
you that he is a religious human being too that it's a complicated matter and suddenly you know I I found that I was
making decisions on life and death uh as director and you as a documentarian are
trying to put the mirror right in Nature's face and so as the audience we have the freedom to look at their face
let me bear my soul just a little bit more and listen to them and listen to the questions you ask and how they
respond you know for them to have the willingness to go in front of your cameras in a highly secretive system
it's interesting to me why why they want to do that so to watch Spy Masters and see the possibility of turmoil and
question it was sort of the the last straw and and and and the Yiddish word suas inside their souls for what they're
asked to do shows that they're troubled by it killing people people no matter how bad they are it's not not something
that should ever rest easily in anybody's Soul or in anybody's brain they're not comfortable by it and those
that are comfortable would they please leave the room in my opinion and those that question it are in great turmoil
those are the ones that I want to remain at the table do we protect our people or
do we not protect them because these presidents come and go and because the world is in such
turmoil I think they want their story told

As an actor playing a CIA director, Mandy Patinkin, narrator for the documentary, "The Spymasters: CIA in the Crosshairs," reflects on the real-life CIA spymasters. For more, watch Saturday, May 21, at 9-11 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

Brief Summary

Former CIA directors discuss moral dilemmas and personal struggles in national security decisions.

Key points

The Weight of Decisions. Only 12 men today make life and death decisions for the CIA. It's a heavy burden.
Humanity in Intelligence. The directors of the CIA reveal their humanity amidst the weight of their decisions.
The Complexity of Choices. Life and death decisions are rarely black and white, revealing the complexity of leadership.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

I wish the world were simpler.

1:21WatchMay 17, 2016

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