As a diplomat in the Middle East and Russia, and as a senior official and administrations of both parties, I developed enormous respect for my CIA colleagues.

I served alongside them in hard places around the world.

It was their skill at collection and analysis that often gave me an edge as a negotiator.

Their partnership that helped make me an effective ambassador, and their insights that helped me make thoughtful choices are the most difficult policy issues.

I learned that good intelligence delivered with honesty and integrity is America's first line of defense.

I learned that intelligence professionals have to tell policy makers what they need to hear, even if they don't want to hear it.

And I learned that politics must stop where intelligence work begins.

That is exactly what President Biden expects of CIA.

It was the first thing he told me when he asked me to take on this role.