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Obama warned on CIA
Washington Times ^ | 12.04.08 | Bill Gertz

Posted on 12/05/2008 8:28:40 AM PST by Perdogg

A former CIA deep-cover spy says President-elect Barack Obama needs to radically reshape what he terms the "dysfunctional" CIA -- or face more strategic intelligence failures.

Ishmael Jones, the pseudonym for a former Marine and recently retired CIA case officer, said in an interview that despite intelligence reform efforts in the post-Sept. 11 era, "the CIA bureaucracy has mutated into a living creature that serves its own aims."

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: bho2008; bhocia; cia; ciafailures; obama; obamatransitionfile; plamegate; shadowgovernment
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To: LS

>.Clinton holdovers.

What’s the shelf life on this phrase....

Are we going to be seeing Bush Holdovers too?


21 posted on 12/05/2008 10:43:50 AM PST by swarthyguy (*Bush Promised us Osama, instead we're getting Obama*)
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To: K-oneTexas

“He needs to start canning folks. Something President Bush should have done on Day 1!”

IIRC Bush could not get rid of those that Clinton had transferred their status from Presidential Appointment positions to Civil Service positions. A real slick “Slick Willy” move that entrenched many more of the Leftist Clintonista “In Crowd” into lifetime Government Bureaucracy positions.

It was Clinton’s contribution to the disaster that our Government has become. IOW there wasn’t a thing Bush could do about it.


22 posted on 12/05/2008 10:56:54 AM PST by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists, Call 'em what you will, they ALL have Fairies livin' in their Trees.)
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To: Perdogg
["the CIA bureaucracy has mutated into a living creature that serves its own aims."]
"Critics speak scathingly of CIA employees sewing diversity quilts and celebrating Gay Pride Day. Tenet revealed last year that the CIA was actively recruiting homosexuals. A group called the "Agency Network of Gay and Lesbian Employees" exists at the CIA,"
 Nothing to see here... move along.

23 posted on 12/05/2008 11:26:36 AM PST by LomanBill (A bird flies because the right wing opposes the left.)
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To: Perdogg
the CIA bureaucracy has mutated into a living creature that serves its own aims."

What does he mean, "Mutated?". It's always been that way, or at least since the post Korean war timeframe.

Too many libs higher up, not enough former or current military. And they should stick to their knitting (national level intelligence), if force is needed, that's why we have an Army, a Navy, a Marine Corps and an Air Force.

24 posted on 12/05/2008 2:35:54 PM PST by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: FReepaholic

don’t forget the IRS


25 posted on 12/05/2008 2:59:08 PM PST by Ancient Drive (will)
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To: Perdogg
O should have no trouble with the Agency since they are all part of the same ivory tower elitist Leftist clique
26 posted on 12/05/2008 3:04:06 PM PST by MNJohnnie (Obamanomics: we have to destory the US Economy in order to save it!)
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To: swarthyguy
Are we going to be seeing Bush Holdovers too?

They're Clintoon holdovers

27 posted on 12/05/2008 3:11:18 PM PST by AFreeBird
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To: Perdogg

Thanks for the ping.


28 posted on 12/05/2008 3:24:37 PM PST by GOPJ (Perverse incentives have a way of birthing nasty unintended consequences.)
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To: Leisler
General Swartzkoph said after Desert Storm that the CIA support was so vague and general as to be useless.

That's telling.

29 posted on 12/05/2008 3:29:30 PM PST by GOPJ (Perverse incentives have a way of birthing nasty unintended consequences.)
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To: Perdogg
Obama warned on CIA

Uhhhh....is it me or is this title backwards?

30 posted on 12/05/2008 3:31:04 PM PST by IrishPennant (He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.)
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To: Perdogg

bttt


31 posted on 12/05/2008 8:12:07 PM PST by SuperLuminal
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To: LS
I think it is possible to presume that the cultures between the analytical wing and the operational wing of the Agency are different. I think one of the things Hayden always said he wanted to improve was the communication between the 2 Directorates of the Agency. I think you may also want to consider that many analysts at the Agency have academic backgrounds, where a short tour of duty is just another notch on their resume to climbing up the academic ladder. I wouldn't be surprised if these types often move on if they aren't getting good enough retention pay or if they get bored and want more variety of experience in their resume.

I don't know much about the author or about the book. I would take a close look at his background and whether he actually has good points to make, or if he's just another disgruntled ex-employee with an axe to grind. Although I will say that this statement he makes "While the CIA is unable to run effective human source operations, it has a raptorlike efficiency when it comes to defending itself and its growth," sounds like a ridiculous bit of hyperbole to me. And this idea he has: "...transferring foreign intelligence liaison carried out at U.S. embassies to the State Department. The FBI should take charge of the CIA's domestic activities..." also sound like pretty lame ideas.

32 posted on 12/05/2008 8:21:28 PM PST by Valentine_W
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To: Valentine_W
CIA's domestic activities

Maybe I am not up to date but isn't it illegal for the CIA to engage in domestic intelligence?

Send me the memo, please.

:-)


33 posted on 12/06/2008 6:04:18 PM PST by cgbg ("The Second Great Depression, popularly known as 'The Obamanation'....")
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To: Perdogg

There are two books that cover this subject really that I have read.
1. “Legacy of Ashes” by Tim Wright
2. “Shadow Warriors” by Ken Timmerman

Reading these books makes you wonder if we have not already entered a cold civil war period, where the government goes against the policy goals of the elected administration.


34 posted on 12/06/2008 6:18:15 PM PST by LA Conservative (The Fourth Estate is the Fifth Column)
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To: Perdogg

This is funny. The finger-pointing is starting already. IMHO, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if the CIA old-timers are now retiring in droves. They don’t want to be blamed when the crap hits the fan. They are going to be out of there.


35 posted on 12/06/2008 7:06:02 PM PST by pray4liberty (Always vote for life!)
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To: K-oneTexas
"Gen. Hayden is the right man for the job of Director of the CIA. He has the ‘bona fides’ and ‘gravitas’ (to use politicians favorite words) in that field to do it well."

Furthermore, he's a die-hard Pittsburgh Steeler fan ;-)

36 posted on 12/06/2008 7:10:38 PM PST by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: cgbg
I think the terminology you're using is confusing and not specific enough to provide a good answer. Assuming that you're asking a serious question, I am under the assumption that the author, per his direct quotes from the article, was referring to any such activities permissible under FISA.

BTW, this was the last important piece of legislation that Bush signed into law. From what I've read, certain concessions were made in order for the bill to get passed, but I think this shows how smart and prioritized Bush actually is, especially considering his lame duck status.

37 posted on 12/06/2008 10:44:08 PM PST by Valentine_W
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To: Red Badger
"the CIA bureaucracy has mutated into a living creature that serves its own aims."

All bureaucracies do this. It is a law of nature. Look at the State Department as the defining example. NASA for another example.

The fault lies with preceding presidents who had to see this happening and did nothing about it.

38 posted on 12/07/2008 8:45:53 AM PST by hinckley buzzard
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To: Perdogg

Like it has been for years, before 9/11. I guess they were just waiting for the right one to come along and fix it.


39 posted on 12/07/2008 12:24:15 PM PST by fortunecookie (Please pray for Anna, age 7, who waits for a new kidney.)
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