Hayden nomination as long planned Bush counter offensive?(Bush picked the time, the ground)

JWR ^ | May 10, 2006 | Jack Kelly

[IrishMike]

By selecting Air Force General Michael Hayden to replace Porter Goss as CIA director, the president has made many in Congress unhappy.

"I think putting a general in charge, regardless of how good Mike is...is going to send the wrong signal," said Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. "You can't have the military control major aspects of intelligence," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Cal), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Mr. Hoekstra and Ms. Feinstein were being disingenuous. They both know that eight of the 16 agencies that comprise the "Intelligence Community" are in the Department of Defense, which consumes 80 percent of the overall intelligence budget. And they both know, or ought to, that of the 19 CIA directors, seven have been generals or admirals.

Rep. Hoekstra probably is miffed at the apparently brusque treatment given his friend Porter Goss, who was his predecessor as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

[IrishMike]

Continues............

Currently Negroponte's deputy, Gen. Hayden was for five years head of the National Security Agency, where he established the NSA intercept program. The leak hunt will continue.

And Gen. Hayden likely will transfer to the Defense department responsibility for paramilitary operations, where it has always belonged. In short, the CIA under Gen. Hayden will shrink to the size warranted by its current performance, not its past pretensions.

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.

[Non-Sequitur]

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

And he'll decide exactly when and how he caves in.

[Peach]

Despite Democrats saying months ago they didn't want to end the terrorist surveillance program, they've filed suit in federal court to stop the program.

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

[Peach]

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

[LibLieSlayer]

These snipes are wearing a bit thin. When something good happens, you guys just can't stand it. You should give credit where credit is due, just as you have the right to complain when you don't like the way things are handled. It would add credibility to arguments in the future.

LLS

[Egon]

"You can't have the military control major aspects of intelligence," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Cal), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Huh?? Why not?

[P-40]

they've filed suit in federal court to stop the program.

They should attempt to defund the program first...but they might succeed at that...which could be problemtatic.

[P-40]

The key thing to remember is that this is a fight President Bush picked.

It could be a fun fight. Surely enough time has passed that some concrete examples of the program's success can be presented at the hearings.

[Republican Red]

Drudge currently has the headline:

POLL: 66% NOT BOTHERED IF NSA COLLECTS PHONE RECORDS

hahahahahah. Dems can't win

[IrishMike]

Nice response.

[Coldwater Creek]

A little taste of what will happen to the security of this country should the Dems somehow get in charge.

[Coldwater Creek]

99% of CIA Director's have been military or former military.

They do intel and counterinel best.

[stylin19a]

You can't have the military control major aspects of intelligence, when a Republican is President" said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Cal)

There...fixed !

[Egon]

99% of CIA Director's have been military or former military. They do intel and counterinel best.

That was my thinking as well. People like Diane who think they know everything are a constant annoyance to those of us that actually do.

[Non-Sequitur]

You know I've heard stories about counter offensives and new agendas and how the President is finally going to stick to his guns and veto something and none of it ever comes true. So I will be happy to give credit when and if credit is due.

[LibLieSlayer]

I am glad to hear that! That is all that I ask.

LLS