Bush versus the CIA
POSTED BY: SignyM
UPDATED: Friday, August 26, 2005 19:21
VIEWED: 1735
PAGE 2 of 2
Some people have their heads so far up that it would require a major transplant to correct. Even with the best pre-surgical preparation the patient might die from the shock of sudden brain activity. Hospital committees have already turned down the procedure, but in I am kindly volunteeering my surgical services for humanitarian purposes. The fact that I have no formal training just indicates how deeply I feel that people should not be forced to live with such horrible defects. But I promise to take out a really really well-funded umbrella liability policy just in case. 
Sorry folks. It was either that or spew all over the inet.
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When I originally posted this, I didn't have time to follow up with more info. I realized how deeply this touched CIA when I heard one anonymous officer on-air. He was voice-shakingly angry and upset and he knew EXACTLY who was responsible. "Let's just say that it's someone in the Old Executive Building". I didn't expect to hear that from someone who's spent a whole career cooly thinking the unthinkable. And I REALLY didn't expect to hear it on-air from someone who's spent a whole career staying in the shadows. I'd known for a while that things weren't going well between the CIA and the WH, but I didn't realize the emotional impact this had in the agency. But because of that one interview, I wondered if at least SOME people in the CIA would want do what they normally do with unfriendly governments....
To add evidence on this very serious turf struggle: When Bush was fixing Iraq intelligence around the policy, he made a POINT of bypassing the CIA by forming the Office of Special Plans. This group was specifically designed to avoid normal CIA intelligence- vetting procedure which would likely have eliminated many of Bush's rationalizations for going to war. The CIA had already discredited Chalabi, and most of the so-called intelligence on Iraq came from that group. To then get publically blamed for "bad intelligence" must have steamed many CIA officers.
Meanwhile, back in Iraq... Chalabi- who had been appointed to the Iraq Governing Council (IGC) by the White House was summarily raided by USA officials and accused of spying for Iran. www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,120535,00.html Most importantly "White House officials said President Bush did not order the action.". The raid resulted in replacing neo-con friendly IGC with CIA-friendly Allawi. Sounds ike a "soft coup".
Tenet resigned his position as director of the CIA. Altho appointed by Clinton, Tenet carried a lot of water for the Bush admin in the buildup to the Iraq war, and w/o knowing the full story of exactly why he resigned I believe it was to protect him from fallout. (He was the one in the background of Bush's speeches looking like a black-eyed dyspeptic.) He was subsequently replaced by Porter Goss, whose abrasive and unprofessional insistance that the CIA stay "on message" with the WH caused several resignations of high-ranking, effective, experienced officers from the CIA.
And finally, the head of the CIA is no longer the chief intelligence person in the USA. Up until the creation of the "Director of National Intelligence" www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/02/17/intelligence.chief/
the CIA Director has done double-duty as both CIA head AND as head of all intelligence agencies including the DIA, FBI, Secret Service, and NSA. They CIA Director gave the President the daily intelligence briefing. THAT function in now performed by Honduran death-squad promoter Negroponte, who has been loyal to the Bush family through decades.
The funny thing is, Bush hasn't got the memo yet. He refers to Negroponte as "that CIA guy".
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You all may be asking "Where this thread is going?" Well... nowhere, really. I'm not a great fan of the CIA which certainly has it's share of dirty tricks in it history. Just adding to the pile with the hope that it may help someone else clarify what's going on. When that happens, I hope they'll post back.
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So, speaking of the devil....
Quote:
CIA review urges disciplinary proceedings for top officials
Friday, August 26, 2005; Posted: 9:56 a.m. EDT (13:56 GMT)
CIA Director Porter Goss must decide whether to heed the recommendation of his top watchdog to hold disciplinary reviews for current and former officials who were involved in faulty intelligence efforts before the September 11 attacks. The proceedings, formally called an accountability board, were recommended by the CIA inspector general, John Helgerson... Among those singled out for criticism are former CIA Director George Tenet former clandestine service chief Jim Pavitt and former counterterrorism center head Cofer Black.
www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/08/26/cia.report.ap/index.html
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On an amusing (at least to myself) and almost unrelated sidenote to this thread, I have a great picture I took of a sign that sits on a highway leading into Washington D.C. It's for the George Bush Center for Intelligence, and while it is in relation to the prior GB and the CIA, in regards to this admin it struck me as exceptionally hi-larious. I laughed every day I passed it, and finally had to stop and take a picture.
Okay, end threadjack, carry on.
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He looked bigger when I couldn't see him.
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Quote:
Originally posted by perfessergee:
OK, I'm in complete agreement that Bob Novak should be in jail. Hypocrite scumbags deserve their own Special Hell. But, when apologists for those who are in power are involved, I'm not gonna hold my breath for even an instant (there's this little trivial issue of "who is going to prosecute"? Uh, those in power? Yeah, right).
Excellent point. Watching from a professional standpoint, however, it seems the Prosecutor is doing a pretty good job. If these reporters would stop protecting their sources then we'd know. Unlike most prosecutors I believe in Reporter-Source confidentiality. But I think the protection should be limited and must NEVER apply to cases of national security which this is.
My view is that while Rove was not the primary source, he likely did serve the function of secondary source, ie the person you call to comment on the accuracy of the primary source. Otherwise, why is this lady in jail protecting someone who gave permission to the reporters to divulge his name and who everyone already "knows" is the source? The answer is that, in fact, he is NOT her source. An answer confirmed by Novak who revealed that his source was not a person, but rather a number of people and publications including Ambassador Wilson and his wife. Her continued detention suggests a singular source for her, not Novak's general source and one who is NOT Carl Rove. I suggest someone at the CIA or DNC who was looking to discredit Rove and the White House, but I have no proof.
Quote:
But now I'm going to have to shout, Hero: WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU THAT YOU THINK THAT THE VICTIM SHOULD BE PUNISHED?
No need to shout, its a legitimate question.
If she broke the law by breaking her own cover, then she is both the victim and the criminal actor. Thus, she should be punished accordingly. In this case her punishment was to be removed from Covert status and assigned a "desk" position at Langley. Given the circumstances I find that sufficient.
Has she been further victimized by the articles mentioning her? Perhaps. But ultimately the responsibility lies with her bad choices. As distastful as it is, the reporters and whoever may have supplied them with the information, most likely did not break the law and thus it is unlikely they will be punished except in the court of public opinion. Novak has lost his job and his cool, and the other reporters have lost credibility and one is sitting in jail. It is unlikely to go much further then that. Unless Carl Rove specifically took an action that causes him to lose the trust of the President, then its unlikely any punishment will or should come to him.
Quote:
Is this how the prosecuting attorneys work in your district?
Why yes, yes it is. (Evil laugh) It often works out that the victim must face some form of punishment. For example, a man hits his live-in girlfriend who calls the police and has him arrested. On the day of trial she tearfully admits to lying in order to get her boyfriend out of jail because she loves him SO MUCH. We charge her with lying to police because she either lied the night they came (unlikely given her busted lip) or she is lying the day of trial. Either way her lies will result in a jail sentence and a record.
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If this is how you view the victim, then damn I'm glad that none of my family or friends live there.
I am glad you don't live here as well. I'm sure you and your family are much happier in Fantasyland.
I've been a prosecutor long enough to know that victims are not always innocent. I feel bad for them, I treat them as gently and with as much respect as possible, by my responsibilty is to the ONLY innocent victim that is ever present in the Courtroom and that is the State. The State plays no role in driving drunk, beating wives, robbing mini-marts, or any other offense you can think of. Yet the State is harmed in some small way by every crime be it speeding to murder.
That's re
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This article seems to be pretty insightful. It acknowledges the longstanding WH/ DOD animosity towards the CIA and traces some of the reasons. (There are at least two issues here: 9-11 and Iraq... and no matter how much some people might like to link them, there is no link at all. The CIA bungled one and nailed the other.)
www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-na-leak25aug25,1,2643475.story
One of the things that caught my eye was an indication of the source of WHERE the info came from about Plame's real identity. Rove said he heard it from reporters. But it originally came from....
Quote:In terms of its impact, the article says
After a June 12 Washington Post story made reference to the Niger uranium inquiry, Armitage asked intelligence officers in the State Department for more information. He was forwarded a copy of a memo classified "Secret" that included a description of Wilson's trip for the CIA, his findings, a brief description of the origin of the trip and a reference to "Wilson's wife."
The memo was kept in a safe at the State Department along with notes from an analyst who attended the CIA meeting at which Wilson was suggested for the Niger assignment....
The next day, July 7, this memo and the notes were removed from the safe and forwarded to Powell via a secure fax line to Air Force One. ... Powell told prosecutors that he circulated the memo among those traveling with him in the front section of Air Force One.
Quote:According to other articles, some CIA officers say that at least one star (dedicted to the death of each CIA officer) was due to Plame's outing.
Plame suppressed her anger by compiling a list of the things she had to do to protect information and two decades' worth of contacts overseas. An entire career, she told her husband, had gone down the tubes.
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Quote:I've lived long enough to know that NOBODY is always innocent. But nonetheless Valerie did not "out" herself and she broke no laws in this matter.
I've been a prosecutor long enough to know that victims are not always innocent.
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