Carolyn McGiffert Ekedahl was an Assistant inspector general for Inspections at the Central Intelligence Agency from 2001 until 2005.
[2] In 1981 she was handed the assignment to gather analysis on the Soviet Union’s alleged support and direction of international terrorism.
Her assessment was that the Soviets considered international terrorist activities counterproductive and advised groups they supported not to use such tactics.
Her co-author on her latest book, Melvin A. Goodman, was also a senior analyst as well as division chief and at the CIA's Office of Soviet Affairs from 1976 to 1986.
[citation needed] In the 2024 United States presidential election, Ekedahl endorsed Kamala Harris.