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The Hayden Maneuver (the trial--I mean, confirmation hearing--will be loud and ugly)
chronwatch ^ | Friday, May 12, 2006 | Joe Mariani

Posted on 05/12/2006 5:07:41 AM PDT by IrishMike

It’s time for another grueling confirmation battle in Washington, and during an election year you can be sure that no stone will be left unturned into a soapbox. Whether politicians come out for or against General Michael Hayden as new head of the CIA, the only thing we can be sure of is that the trial--I mean, confirmation hearing--will be loud and ugly.

The resignation of Porter Goss seemed like a surprise to many at the time, but not in hindsight. He was appointed to head the CIA in the wake of three spectacular foreign intelligence failures. The CIA failed to anticipate 9/11, failed to notice that Saddam was moving his weapons of mass destruction out of Iraq, and failed to warn us that al-Qaeda, Iraqi criminals and Saddam adherents would work together to create a serious threat to the emerging democratic Iraqi government. After these three strikes, Clinton-appointee George Tenet resigned, and Porter Goss was put in place to change the entrenched reactionary bureaucracy that permeated our premiere spy agency. Unfortunately, his power to do so was soon sapped.

The 9/11 commission demanded a new layer of bureaucracy in the form of an “intelligence czar,” for which post Bush nominated John Negroponte. This move effectively made Negroponte the boss of Goss, reducing the latter’s authority. For years, the CIA bureaucracy has been lashing out at Bush by leaking damaging information to the media like a broken sieve, and the leaks only increased. Goss responded by removing some of the entrenched bureaucrats, creating an even more hostile environment in the agency. The last year has seen a lot of tension between Negroponte and Goss as well, finally culminating in the resignation of Goss and the appointment of Hayden.

(Excerpt) Read more at chronwatch.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bush; cia; congress; democrats; election; elections; generalhayden; hayden; michaelhayden; nsa; poll; polls; republicans; spying; terrorism; waronterror; wot
Continues:.... President Bush’s choice of Air Force General Hayden to head the CIA is an inspired one, on several levels. Hayden knows more about intelligence-gathering--from both sides of the Iron Curtain, and both sides of the desk--than most Washington denizens can even imagine. There is no way for opponents to challenge his credentials for the job. Hayden will also have no problem working with Negroponte, having already served as his deputy. In fact, the Director of Central Intelligence will become just that--a deputy to the Director of National Intelligence. Hayden is under no illusions about the scope or power of his new position. The job of bringing the CIA, which has almost become a rogue agency operating on its own agenda, under Negroponte’s control will be an important part of Hayden’s new job.

Additionally:...........

The main attack on Hayden will concern the warrantless surveillance on terrorists, which Hayden spearheaded during his time in the NSA. Democrats seem not to have gotten the message that the public generally supports eavesdropping on terrorists, no matter who they’re talking to. Attacking Hayden over monitoring terrorists’ conversations without a warrant will seem like protecting terrorists from spying. Hayden and Bush seem almost eager for a chance to defend the NSA terrorist surveillance program in a public forum, which would serve as a warning if Democrats weren’t so smugly certain they’ll win the House and Senate this November.

1 posted on 05/12/2006 5:07:45 AM PDT by IrishMike
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To: IrishMike

Let's get back to activism and make sure that our Congresscritters who will be sitting on the trial (LOL) of General Hayden know the following:

Democrats were okay with Eschelon and Carnivore which captured every phone call, every e-mail, every baby monitor (!), every ATM transaction and more, and that program is okay, pre war on terror, but this program isn't okay.

Eschelon and Carnivore information:

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1543118/posts?page=1#1

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1542838/posts

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1543318/posts

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=21387

Oops - Clinton's NSA spying program accidentally (ahem) captured a Republican's phone calls.
http://freerepublic.com/focus/news/1553101/posts?page=1

And just for kicks, the Commies insisted on FISA:
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=21453

Flashback: Gore planned to bug America:
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1559386/posts

NYT called domestic surveillance a necessity when Clinton was president:
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1556815/posts

This is the December 2005 NYT article which says what today's USA Today article says regarding NSA collecting phone numbers.

Clearly, Democrats (and some RINOs) have manufactured their outrage over this already reported on program. LOL

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/24/politics/24spy.html?ei=5090&en=016edb46b79bde83&ex=1293080400&pagewanted=print


2 posted on 05/12/2006 5:12:51 AM PDT by Peach
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To: Peach

Despite the Democrats saying publicly they don't wish to shut down the terrorist surveillance program, 71 of them have filed suit in federal court to do just that:

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/5/12/02558.shtml?s=ic


3 posted on 05/12/2006 5:14:57 AM PDT by Peach
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To: Peach

Hayden nomination as long planned Bush counter-offensive?

http://jewishworldreview.com/0506/jkelly051006.php3


Democrats say they plan to make an issue of the NSA wiretap program during his confirmation hearings. The president and Gen. Hayden seem to welcome that fight. The last time Democrats criticized the program, their poll numbers plummeted.


The key thing to remember is that this is a fight President Bush picked. He chose the time. He chose the ground.


Since the spring of 2003, President Bush has been playing defense against the political fallout generated by intelligence leaks. The Hayden nomination may be the start of a long planned counter-offensive.


4 posted on 05/12/2006 5:23:50 AM PDT by IrishMike (Dry Powder is a plus)
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To: IrishMike

They could put God in charge and there would still be intelligence failures.


5 posted on 05/12/2006 5:41:25 AM PDT by metesky ("Brethren, leave us go amongst them." Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton - Ward Bond- The Searchers)
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To: metesky

How true, Judas is an example.


6 posted on 05/12/2006 5:50:39 AM PDT by IrishMike (Dry Powder is a plus)
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To: IrishMike

I can't wait for the lefties to demand that the terrorists in our midst deserve the proctection of the ACLU.


7 posted on 05/12/2006 5:56:33 AM PDT by OldFriend (I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag.....and My Heart to the Soldier Who Protects It.)
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To: OldFriend

Havee you forgotten John Mc RinoCain's al-Qaeda's 'bill of Rights' ????


8 posted on 05/12/2006 6:11:58 AM PDT by IrishMike (Dry Powder is a plus)
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To: IrishMike
Hayden is a very hard sell even for many GOP senators.

CIA is a civilian agency, intended to provide information to the president and Congress independently of the much larger military intel agencies.

I think Hayden will barely squeak in if he makes it.
9 posted on 05/12/2006 6:18:59 AM PDT by George W. Bush
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To: IrishMike
Mike, the very idea that intelligence operations can be "perfected" in some way is absurd on it's face.

Sure FDR knew that the Nips Japanese were going to attack Pearl Harbor, but not on December 7th at 7:00 Am.

Sure the Bush administration recieved warnings that the Al-Qaeda nutsos were going to spring terrorist attacks on mainland America, but they didn't know the time, place or method of attack.

As an interesting aside, did you know that the Japs stole the defense plans for Corregidor in 1911 when Arthur MacArthur was Governor General of the Phillipenes and Black Jack Pershing was his military commander? Thirty years before the attack! That's long range planning. (I read this years ago in a Pershing biography.)

10 posted on 05/12/2006 6:25:57 AM PDT by metesky ("Brethren, leave us go amongst them." Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton - Ward Bond- The Searchers)
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To: George W. Bush
I think Hayden will barely squeak in if he makes it.

So why the heck did you nominate him, eh?
;O)

11 posted on 05/12/2006 6:28:47 AM PDT by metesky ("Brethren, leave us go amongst them." Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton - Ward Bond- The Searchers)
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To: IrishMike
The main attack on Hayden will concern the warrantless surveillance on terrorists, which Hayden spearheaded during his time in the NSA.

I don't think they'll take that tack at all. I think we'll see a lot of questions about the Arabic messages on September 10 which said that 'tomorrow is the day'. Hayden's NSA didn't translate the messages until September 12.

Messages intercepted by U.S. on Sept. 10 revealed
12 posted on 05/12/2006 6:31:12 AM PDT by George W. Bush
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To: metesky
So why the heck did you nominate him, eh?

Harriet and Brownie made me do it.
13 posted on 05/12/2006 6:35:52 AM PDT by George W. Bush
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To: George W. Bush

That's mind boggling.


14 posted on 05/12/2006 6:39:33 AM PDT by IrishMike (Dry Powder is a plus)
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To: IrishMike

Hayden is a most impressive man. He will OWN his inquisitors.

Popcorn anyone?


15 posted on 05/12/2006 7:01:15 AM PDT by silverleaf (Fasten your seat belts- it's going to be a BUMPY ride.)
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To: IrishMike
Isn't it though? Of course, whether it was really humanly possible for Hayden's NSA to deliver translated intel in less than 24 hours or 12 hours or whatever time frame you decide is acceptable doesn't even matter. This will merely be the pretext upon which they try to reject him. It's not really going to be about facts.

It's about politics and the Senate's notions about their oversight prerogatives and whether they want a particular nominee. I don't think Hayden is very popular. And, historically, the Senate enjoys demonstrating independence with a lame-duck president.
16 posted on 05/12/2006 7:08:58 AM PDT by George W. Bush
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To: IrishMike; potlatch; dixiechick2000; PhilDragoo; ntnychik; La Enchiladita; JustPiper; STARWISE; ...



CIA10FX.gifCIA10FX.gif



17 posted on 05/12/2006 5:44:23 PM PDT by devolve (<-grfx)
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To: devolve

Looks fantastic! You are getting too fancy for the rest of us, lol!


18 posted on 05/12/2006 5:47:53 PM PDT by potlatch (Does a clean house indicate that there is a broken computer in it?)
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