The Codevilla Tapes

Tablet ^ | October 24, 2019 | David Samuels

[Robert DeLong]

This is an interview by a liberal who is interviewing Angelo Codevilla .

The historian of American statecraft and spycraft and conservative political philosopher Angelo Codevilla talks about the ruling elite, Jonathan Pollard, and the rise of the techno-surveillance state—and the consequent demise of the American Empire

[a fool in paradise]

Bump for later

[Publius]

Great article.

[Interesting Times]

Ping.

[Dr. Sivana]

The first several paragraphs consists of the interviewing spewing his opinion of America as if it were fact. VERY annoying.

[bigbob]

Anyting Codevilla says is worth reading.

[Dr. Sivana]

Clearly, they were not as bright as me and my friends were

Many people on Free Republic are bright than the interviewer and his editor.

[PapaBear3625]

I recommend it

[Robert DeLong]

true, but once you get beyond that is where it gets interesting.

[arthurus]

I took the time. It was well worth it. More education per page than almost any;thing else one might read on the Internet.

[arthurus]

Get past it. That is a device. Your time will be well spent.

[arthurus]

You should have read the whole thing. Of course even some FR types are totally mystified by irony and satire.

[Publius]

Ping. Anti-Federalist writer Brutus warned about this.

[Billthedrill]

Thanks for the ping. Great interview. A couple of minor compaints: Codevilla is speaking of the second and third Iraq Wars, not the first and second. The real first one was inextricably linked with world intelligence sources through the offices of one GHW Bush, former director of the CIA. It set up Saddam Hussein as the bad guy because (1) he really was (cf Halabja), and an idiot as well, for (2) crossing the oil interests of multiple Arab states including both Sunni and Shi'ite, cementing a very strange and powerful alliance against him. It is that, and not any dabbling in WMD, for which he was finally nailed by Bush II. The WMD controversy was nearly silent until it became a political weapon against Bush himself a little later.

The American intelligence business has been heavily blue-blooded from its very inception and especially so since the OSS days. It did not create a quasi elite ruling class, rather it is the product of one that started with power and has amassed a truly frightening level of it since.

If the behavior of what we have come to call Deep State with regard to the attempt to unseat Trump does result in a few bodies behind bars it will be because it revealed this cozy arrangement and in doing so threatens it. If the likes of Comey, Brennan, and Clapper go down it won't be because of the wrath of We The People, it will be because they blew the cover of their own machine. To come out into the light in the intelligence business is to squander power no matter who you're working for.

Lots more to chew over in this extensive piece. Thanks again for the ping!

[Robert DeLong]

For those interested:

Anti-Federalists and Brutus No. 1

Brutus 1 in its entirety

[greeneyes]

Thanks for the ping.

[marktwain]

It is interesting.

I have witnessed some of what Codrea speaks.

I think he undervalues the role of the Mediacracy, and overvalues the role of the government.

Still, much useful input for thought.

He also disparages President Trump without any considerations of the limits of President Trump’s power, early in his Presidency.

[marktwain]

Thanks for the ping. Great interview. A couple of minor compaints: Codevilla is speaking of the second and third Iraq Wars, not the first and second. The real first one was inextricably linked with world intelligence sources through the offices of one GHW Bush, former director of the CIA. It set up Saddam Hussein as the bad guy because (1) he really was (cf Halabja), and an idiot as well, for (2) crossing the oil interests of multiple Arab states including both Sunni and Shi'ite, cementing a very strange and powerful alliance against him. It is that, and not any dabbling in WMD, for which he was finally nailed by Bush II. The WMD controversy was nearly silent until it became a political weapon against Bush himself a little later.

Yes, I caught that too.

The American intelligence business has been heavily blue-blooded from its very inception and especially so since the OSS days. It did not create a quasi elite ruling class, rather it is the product of one that started with power and has amassed a truly frightening level of it since.

Yes, the CIA was definitely leftist Progressive, and the FBI a sort of Republican Progressive.

But the FBI was transformed to much more leftist since Hoover.

[TBP]

FISA should be repealed.

[TBP]

FISA should be repealed.