Perle Calls On Intelligence Chiefs To Quit

San Diego Union-Tribune ^ | February 18, 2004 | Eric Rosenberg

[Scenic Sounds]

"I think, of course, heads should roll," he said. "When you discover that you have an organization that doesn't get it right time after time, you change the organization, including the people.

"I'd start with the head head," Perle said when asked which heads should roll at the CIA.

Perle said the DIA "is in at least as bad shape as CIA (and) needs new management."

Rolling heads.

[The G Man]

Hear hear!

[Brilliant]

There was obviously a monumental screw up, but I'm not really sure it's the top guys' fault. Maybe it's just inherent in the process of gathering intelligence, given the limited resources Congress allocates, and the restrictive rules it lays down.

[Coop]

I find this to be a rather childish reaction from Mr. Perle.

[westerfield]

Not only should heads roll, but Perle's head should be one of them.

[sarasota]

No kidding. He needs to up his meds and take a deep breath.

[J. L. Chamberlain]

Oh, this is rich!

J

[hchutch]

Tenet probably should go. It's a little harsh, and he wasn't that far off, IMHO (he missed on the stockpiles, not the intentions or the programs), but we need a new DCI.

For me, the war is valid. Saddma was definitely trying to maintain the infrastructure and expertise to produce WMD. Reason enough to nail the creep there.

[CHUCKfromCAL]

Why do different standards apply to the public and private sector. If the CIA and the rest of the "intelligence" industry were private corporations that put out flawed products they would probably be out of business - or at the very least the Board of Directors would have replaced the senior management.

It seams to me that the taxpayers deserve to have someone held accountable for the failures of these organizations.

[Scenic Sounds]

What might be the downside risk of firing the heads of important intelligence agencies?

[OldFriend]

I am unwilling to assume that SH did NOT have weapons of mass murder. It is ludicrous to assume they did not exist.

That said, there is more to the story that meets the eye and I believe there is negotiating going on with Syria and Iran that is not in the public domain.

[MamaLucci]

It looks like Tenet's CIA may have exaggerated Iraq's WMD program
to give Clinton cover for his Impeachment Eve military strike.
Had Gore won, the UN would have just continued it's
corrupt charade of "containment" while being paid off by Saddam.
If the truth about the Clinton administration is ever revealed,
goodbye democrat party.

Military Strike Necessary to Stunt Weapons Program - Bill Clinton, Dec. 16, 1998

[scarface367]

Tenet and other top CIA chiefs really do need to be replaced. Regardless of the Iraq WMD (which I believe exist), Tenet has shown time and time again that he is not capable of the job. His ignoring for years of Israeli intelligence on Arafat and the Palestinians is one reason that comes to mind.

[lelio]

Perle, the former chairman ? and current member ? of the Defense Policy Board, a senior level advisory panel to Rumsfeld, was an advocate for Hussein's ouster, asserting in the months leading up to the war that the Iraqi dictator's weapons stockpiles posed a grave threat to the United States.

Why is Perle angry? He got what he wanted out of the CIA. Oh is it because he's embarassed now?

[Scenic Sounds]

Why is Perle angry? He got what he wanted out of the CIA. Oh is it because he's embarassed now?

I agree and I think it's a mistake for him to try to make that kind of fight public right now.

[tcuoohjohn]

Perle has engaged is an awesome level of hypocrisy here. It was perle who was in charge of the " Chalabi Intelligence Network", for which ,we paid Chalabi and the INC 92 Million dollars. They fed bogus intelligence to Perle, The Pentagon and CIA. Now that we are in Iraq we can't even find the alledged agent network Chalabi ran. Chalabi's explanation?.." They are in hiding"...What a crock. It was a classic case of " Intelligence for sale" where every conartist and huckster came out of the woodwork to cash in. Perle was the author of it.

[Liz]

Man, you just gotta love these Perlisms. There's so few impeccably witty policy wonks in Washington nowadays.

[Romulus]

Oh is it because he's embarassed now?

You must be joking.

[cynicom]

The lot of the "neocons" are as about conservative as Ted Kennedy. They are there to control, manage, influence, persuade or whatever,the policies of George Bush.