In Defense of the Panetta Pick

HughHewitt ^ | January 06, 2009 | Hugh Hewitt

[PurpleMan]

Panetta's a patriot, an experienced Washington hand, and close to the president-elect. As with many of the other early appointments on the incoming national security team, conservatives should be asking themselves if they ought not to be thanking their stars that the new team appears very realistic about the world they are being called on to lead and the enemies they will be facing.

[PurpleMan]

“I don’t deny for a minute that there are a lot well meaning, patriotic Americans serving the CIA in the field.”

And obviously none in leadership or in the Intel/Anaylsis or Sci/Tech Directorates? Just in Clandestine Service?

Been reading too many Vince Flynn novels? Why not try Gates’ “From the Shadows” Could balance the perspective.

[Welcome2thejungle]

The book I am currently reading is NOT a novel. Are you familiar with it? It is the real deal. I rarely read fiction. There is a lot of info on folks like Valery Plame and Joe Wilson and other liberal activists who have permanent jobs in our government.

[CharlesWayneCT]

If Obama is against torture, he wasn’t going to allow the CIA to do it in any case, and if Panneta is really against torture and is picked for the CIA it’s because that’s what Obama wants.

I’m more worried about whether Panetta has the ability to do the job than I am about his personal views. I presume everybody will be made to toe the Obama line, and we will suffer because of it.

I can only hope that we’ve tortured enough people already that we have the information we need, or that enough people distrust the USA that they will assume Obama and Panetta are lying and will be afraid of being tortured.

[PurpleMan]

No, no, no!

Since Vince Flynn depicts the OPS guys as pure true-blue patriots and the rest as hacks, I was maiking a funny. Obviously, a bad delivery.

Sure PLane and Wilson are who they are, but the CIA employs between 10k-20k people. How many are Plane/Wilson’s? Hundreds? Thousands? more than half? Less than?

[Welcome2thejungle]

I don’t really know. I just started wading into the book. I will try to get back to you with more info. The book focuses on the Washington political culture and how they manipulate intelligence to suit their own (usually partisan) purposes.

[Welcome2thejungle]

Who has the CIA actually “tortured” and by what methods?

[PurpleMan]

“the Washington political culture and how they manipulate intelligence to suit their own”

Or a Stewart entitled it: “Blood Sport”

http://www.amazon.com/BLOOD-SPORT-President-His-Adversaries/dp/0684831392

[Antoninus]

Hugh is a shill. After his pathetic and ongoing bout of Romneymania, I trust him not one iota on anything.

With Leon Panetta in charge of CIA, I'm fairly certain that institution will become more politicized. And that is a very, very bad thing indeed.

[indthkr]

"Some Freepers have intense moral certitude in their opinions (whether informed on a particular issue or not). They attack anyone who fails their litmus tests. They hawk 3rd party candidates and obscure congressmen for POTUS because no one else meets their standards."

Unfortunately, a number of Freepers seem to believe that political parties are "clubs" for righteous ideology, not organizations that function to win elections.

[bronxboy]

I worry that we need an experienced hand in the CIA, but Obama was elected he gets to pick who he wants.

[bronxboy]

Really? Since I still think Hillary wants to be president someday. Obama would be an idiot to put a Clintonista in this position...that being said, I would have been happier with a CIA guy.

[bronxboy]

You are absolutely correct...not much of a party in all ways, if you lose regularly.

[PurpleMan]

But with Blair as DNI, maybe, just maybe the subtle yet obvious message is being sent to make no doubt about it (is that subtle?) that DNI is the top dog and everyone else (NSA, NRO, NGO, DIA, INR, FBI, Cia, DHS, DoD, etc) is.. well ... not.

[RNO1]

/Really, Well it appears he is and going to....Not only that but he took one of Gores friends Carrol Browner in a low level position with little fan fare plus a few other leftist that did not get the roll out that others have....To simply appease the left...Thank God I live in a state that has allot of respect for the 2nd Amendment....Including many Dems who vote with the Republicans who support our right to carry....Hillery is out as far as getting elected to Pres....After four years of this nonsense it is hoped that the American people come to their senses and we as conservatives learn to work together and not be just single item voters........Although I will not compromise my gun rights,,,

[WOSG]

Et tu, Hugh???

I remember Leon Panetta back in 1995, accussing the Republicans of being ‘terrorists’ because they were going to shut down the Government if Clinton didnt compromise on the budget.

Well, well, well. A partisan Clintonite guy who calls Republicans terrorists is now in charge of the spooks who are going after the real terrorists.

I am NOT impressed.

[WOSG]

“I worry that we need an experienced hand in the CIA, but Obama was elected he gets to pick who he wants.”

... and its our job to shout loudly whenever Obama screws up, for the sake of the nation.

This is one of MANY BAD OBAMA APPOINTMENTS. So far, obama’s appointment record has been mediocre to awful. Mostly a bunch of political hack picks, at DoJ, environment/interior, and now CIA. The only good news was his leaving DoD alone, for now. Panetta is the wrong man for this job, and is truly awful and I hope the Republican Senators make some noise about Obama’s bad decisions.

[WOSG]

“Sure PLane and Wilson are who they are, but the CIA employs between 10k-20k people. How many are Plane/Wilson’s? Hundreds? Thousands? more than half? Less than?”

I’d wager that, given the waters that NoVa govt workers swim in, more than half of Langley’s employees voted for Obama.
So, yes, a significant fraction are leftie hacks who are punching their paycheck at CIA instead of State.

[Bean Counter]

Actually, we prefer Turkey sandwiches and Spanish Coffee at Huber’s...

[bronxboy]

How many times did I read on this forum about how Democrats don’t have right to stand in Pres. Bush’s way when he picked people they disliked...if the person is constitutionally qualified congress should not interfere...or when power is achieved by them, they have no right to squawk. Obama won...if the GOP is seen as truly obstructionist in these times, they will lose in 2010 not to mention 2012.

[bronxboy]

I’m not sure what you are referring to...however, SCOTUS has ruled in the matter of the second amendment. I don’t believe there will be a gun grab...Dems may want to, but they want to win elections more.