Jon Voight Bites Back at Criticism of CIA and National Security

Jon Voight says he has great admiration for those involved in U.S. intelligence. (AP)

Our nation’s security and intelligence system has been under intense scrutiny in the past few weeks, with the Washington Post recently reporting that in a post -9/11 world, the government has created a system so complex that it seems impossible to know whether it is fulfilling the purpose of keeping citizens safe.

But one person who does not agree with any condemnation of the CIA is Hollywood actor and political activist Jon Voight.

“I have great admiration for all the people involved in intelligence, they do keep us safe and we get very good crops of people all the time,” Voight told Pop Tarts at the ‘Salt’ premiere last week.

He also pointed out that the very crucial role intelligence agents have in protecting the U.S. is often under-appreciated by the majority of Americans.

“Whenever we have been critical of them as we have been, we don’t take into consideration what they are sacrificing and what they do to keep us safe every day,” Voight added. “I have great admiration for those people in that area of work that we take for granted every day.”

Voight’s daughter, Angelina Jolie, also tells us she learned first-hand the personal sacrifices made by national security officials. While preparing to play an agent later accused of being a Russian spy in the new action film “Salt”, the Oscar-winning actress worked closely with former CIA agent Melissa Mahle.

“We had long talks about the inability to talk to anybody in your family about what your daily life was and what your job was and how isolating that was and how lonely that was, and only when you're retired are you able to really discuss your life, and what a huge relief that is,” Jolie said.

“The idea that it would take you 20 years until you're able to have a real conversation with your husband over dinner, and not lie, and not hide something, is an extraordinary sacrifice that all these people make. And it makes for a very specific type of personality.”