Seeking Spies ~ ( CIA finding it difficult in putting more spies on the ground in ME)

Yahoo via U.S. News & World Report ^ | Sat Feb 4, 4:25 PM ET | Linda Robinson and Kevin Whitelaw ~ USNWR

[Coop]

Iraq's supposed weapons of mass destruction

I quit reading right there. Third sentence. With lead-off nonsense like that I can't even begin to take this author or article seriously.

[AmericanDave]

Why do we need spies in Maine?

Emily Latella

[Southack]

This "article" is nothing more than the planned, abetted publishing of the grumblings of career left-wing spooks as they air their grievances against President Bush, the War on Terror, and Porter Goss (who is busy tracking down and firing these professional leakers and complainers).

[Southack]

"More important than the number of departing spies is the fact that so many have been its most seasoned veterans, inhabitants of "baron" posts, like those of the regional division chiefs and directors of the counterterrorism and counterproliferation centers. Within the past year, according to current and former case officers and supervisors, virtually the entire top level of the D.O. has turned over. One intelligence official estimates that at least 20 of the most coveted senior spots have been vacated in the 17 months since Goss arrived."

USN&WR is pretending that the above is bad news.

It's not. It's fantastically good news. Those departing regional agents were behind the CIA's failure to predict India's nuclear tests, Pakistan's nuclear tests, 9/11/2001, and a host of other major events (as well as botching the whole "slam dunk" that Iraq had nuclear weapons).

Which is to say: Porter Goss is successfully cleaning house at the CIA. The bad agents are being kicked out.

Good riddance to those career failures.

[GOPJ]

Any , bureaucracy where officials are named 'barons' is ripe for turnovers. And why not recall successful operatives, who are retired, like Bob Barr, who tracked down the Beirut Embassy bombers, while the US government showed no interest in getting them.

Put Barr in charge of the ME --- he has the integrity to do the job. ( And yeah, integrity is the word I was looking for, not just flat-out total bravery- which also helps)

[GOPJ]

The whole organization needs some major fresh blood and it sounds like some of the oldies are getting their panties in a twist over it. Who better to fight this new kind of war than the generation that will be fighting it long into the future?

Good point.

[conservative in nyc]

That and:

The CIA says its attrition rate is returning to historical levels after dipping in the immediate post-9/11 period, but it is concerned about the number departing after just five to 10 years.

Attrition returning to historic levels.

[Coop]

as well as botching the whole "slam dunk" that Iraq had nuclear weapons

The "slam dunk" phrase was Tenet's reference to WMDs in general (specifically chem and bio), not nuclear.

[alwaysconservative]

Exactly.

[Alia]

I agree with you, Southack: This is great! news! The leaks were all sheltered via "shell game" of too many "employees". Dittos, in re the inability to loci focus.

[eureka!]

Re#24 I think you may be right. One thing for sure is that Goss (like Rummy and Bolton) are doers and with the right intentions...