CIA analyst attacks war on terror. Anonymous author sharply critical of Bush administration

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | June 27, 2004 | Walter Pincus

[FairOpinion]

Washington -- A new book by a senior CIA analyst who headed the agency's task force on Osama bin Laden sharply attacks the Bush administration's approach to Islamic terrorists, sternly criticizes the decision to invade Iraq and chides officials for trying to create a Western-style democracy in Afghanistan.

The author, who writes under the name "Anonymous," argues it is not dislike of freedom, democracy and Western culture that led bin Laden to wage war against America, but rather his disdain for U.S. policies and actions in the Muslim world, particularly the United States' relationship with Israel.

[FairOpinion]

The title should have been "It's all our fault, that the terrorists hate us and want to kill us, and they are justified in their actions"

"The CIA reviewed the book before publication and determined that it did not contain classified information."

Naturally, because it's all fiction and propaganda.

This is another example of how the news media is milking a non-news day after day after day, to give them a reason to keep bashing Bush. The first news of this book was weeks ago, yet the media is still reporting it as news, there is nothing new about it.

[go star go]

The outline of this anonymous guy looke like Richard Clark to me. I don't believe it's a CIA guy at all but a Demonrat operative. They get confused you know... they here themselves called an operative and convince themselves that that means they're former CIA...

[FairOpinion]

It is actually ridiculous that the CIA allowed this book.

""That does not mean we are happy with it," a senior intelligence official said. "We would prefer officers keep their personal views personal, but we are not in position to prevent him from expressing his personal views in writing done on his own time."

There should be a rule, that people agree as condition of employment, to NOT write ANY books, which has anything to do with their work, while employed at the CIA.

Private contractors have agreements about inventions -- even if people invent something on their own time, it belongs to the company. People sign it on their first day of work -- you don't sign, you don't get hired.

This book only helps the enemy.

I don't know who at CIA authorized this book, but both the guy who wrote it and the person who authorized it, should be fired and as I said, new rules put in place, if they don't already have them, and just not enforcing them.

It is unacceptable that someone who is supposed to be a professional intelligence operative, is using his position for political purposes.

[FairOpinion]

This guy claims that he is still CURRENTLY working for the CIA.

I don't know whay the CIA tolerates it.

It is starting to sound to me, that between books like this, between the CIA stopping all "harsh interrogation techniques" of even Al Qaeda leaders, it is becoming totally useless as an intelligence gathering organization.

They need to disband it and start over from scratch. Same with the FBI.

[Just mythoughts]

Newt just said on Timmy's show MTP, that this book says a whole lot more than just what is being lifted; some know darn well that few will actually read the whole book.

[TomGuy]

Listening to him now on ABC.

Basically, he is saying we need more pre-emtive. Steffy argues about backlash and civilians. Anon says you take your chances. {And get skewered like GWB is now by the press for being pre-emptive in Iraq.)

Steffy: That means we need to be ready to fight more brutally than we have so far.

Anon: Yes. ... Catch 22. If you attack, you stand the risk of creating more insurgents later. If you don't, they will definitely attack us.

Anon says this is his second book. Hmmmmm.

Steffy: Are we going to win this war?

Anon: [This guy rambles answers worse than John Kerry.]

[FairOpinion]

Even so, the guy has no business writing such a book, while an active CIA employee.

As I said there should be a prohibition to write any book while employed, and for at least 10 years after they leave, about anything relating to their work.

[Bombard]

With people like this in the CIA is it any wonder why the Agency is in such a mess. His take on the whole War on Terror is so wrong and misguided that I wonder how he got as far up in the CIA as it is claimed. It is time for a total reorganisation of the CIA and all the intel operation.

[Mister Baredog]

If this were a serious book they wouldn't be releasing all the parts they think will hurt the Prez three weeks b4 the book release date.

Just another disgruntled spook with his own agenda.

It seems to me there are far too many federal employees who take it upon themselves to send the press anything they think might be good for their side.

We should all be on the SAME side.

This includes legal opinion memos on torture leaked to the press and then used like a club as if it were the policy, when it's just a memo.

OUR ENEMIES ARE WATCHING

[FairOpinion]

"OUR ENEMIES ARE WATCHING"

Exactly. And people like this guy are helping them.

[DustyMoment]

Anyone who claims to be CIA or an expert anything who won't identify themselves is no authority in my opinion. They are just one more person on the street with an opinion - and we all know what opinions are like.

Sorry, until the author steps forward and reveals his/her true identity, there remains a HUGE credibiltity gap that the media can't fill by referring to him/her as a terrorism analyst for the CIA.

Just doesn't wash.

[MizSterious]

I thought it looked more like Valerie Plame's husband, who wasn't exactly CIA but a sorry excuse for a diplomat.

[Thebaddog]

Dittos.

[Orblivion]

Hey I bet if we nuke israel the arabs would love us. Problem solved!! :)

[FairOpinion]

I am sure you were being sarcastic.

Actually, if we turned against Israel, we would still be infidels in the eyes of the Muslims, and the extremists have already said many times, that they want to have an Islamist Empire in the world, so they would still come after us with the slogan: "convert to Islam or die".

[dalebert]

Another anonymous opinion.

[Just mythoughts]

"Even so, the guy has no business writing such a book, while an active CIA employee.

As I said there should be a prohibition to write any book while employed, and for at least 10 years after they leave, about anything relating to their work."


I do not dispute that "the guy has no business writing such a book", however, since he did, Newt's point was that the book had far more to say than just point to "Bush's fault".

We cannot un-ring the bell of this book, the title, the fact that the people, and I have no doubt there is more than one author, would not use their names, should be instructive as the method of operation by those who seek to regain their power.

Their methods might not literally behead an individual, however their methods and goals will literally behead our system of government. These lying crooked liberals have the same agenda as terrorists and they use the same methods figuratively and literally.

[Just mythoughts]

"With people like this in the CIA is it any wonder why the Agency is in such a mess. His take on the whole War on Terror is so wrong and misguided that I wonder how he got as far up in the CIA as it is claimed. It is time for a total reorganisation of the CIA and all the intel operation."

Just like everything else liberals get their hands upon they pervert for their own self gain.

I agree that "IF" we are to have "intelligence" we will have to start fresh, not reorganize but start over. Leave what actually works in the CIA there and what doesn't send to the heap of garbage to history.

The word counter-terrorism has a new meaning after the leftists get involved.

[McGruff]

He served as chief of the bin Laden station from 1996 to 1999, a time when, he complains, senior leaders "downplayed intelligence" and "ignored repeated warnings" about the dangers approaching from Islamic terrorists...

and this is Bush's fault?

[Orblivion]

You are correct sir!