Posted on 07/09/2006 10:41:27 PM PDT by FairOpinion
A high-ranking Republican congressman has exposed what he sees as a dissident faction within the CIA that he says "intentionally undermined" the policies of US President George W Bush.
Rumours about the existence of such a group have circulated in the US capital for a long time, but the comments by Representative Peter Hoekstra, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, marks the first time they were confirmed by an official with intimate knowledge of the intelligence community.
"In fact, I have been long concerned that a strong and well-positioned group within the agency intentionally undermined the administration and its policies," Mr Hoekstra wrote in a letter to Mr Bush dated May 18, and made public today.
The CIA has refused to comment on the charge.
The document has been obtained by The New York Times and posted on its website in its entirety. Mr Hoekstra confirmed its authenticity in a television interview today, but did not elaborate on his concerns.
The allegations stem from a Central Intelligence Agency leak investigation that centred on former CIA operative Valerie Plame, whose husband, retired ambassador Joseph Wilson, made a 2002 trip to Niger to check on reports that Iraq had secretly tried to purchase uranium ore there.
The Bush administration had used those reports to accuse the government of then-Iraqi president Saddam Hussein of trying to secretly build a nuclear arsenal, charges that were used to justify the March 2003 US-led invasion of the country.
Ms Plame's name was disclosed to the public in July 2003 by conservative columnist Robert Novak after her husband accused the Bush administration in a newspaper article of "exaggerating the Iraqi threat".
Lewis "Scooter" Libby, a former chief of staff for Vice President Richard Cheney, was indicted in connection with the illegal blowing of the cover of the secret agent.
How do you know he hasn't got sting operations in motion?
I've long been of the opinion that a lot more goes on that's kept from us by the usual channels i.e. the media. When the President wants air time for anything, even to speak to the nation they just about make him get on his knees and kiss their feet. Never before has a President been covered by the press and media so little as GWB. They do everything in their power to shove everything he says and does into the background and cover it up with some trivial matter, unless of course they can make a huge scandal against him out of it, then they drag it on forever, spin everything and lie.
Ms Plame's name was disclosed to the public in July 2003 by conservative columnist Robert Novak after her husband accused the Bush administration in a newspaper article of "exaggerating the Iraqi threat".
Novak never published a name, but alluded cryptically to her in mentioning the curious fact Joe Wilson's wife got him appointed to do the field survey. That's all. The MSM filled in all the blanks....and it is THEY who published her name.
Hmm. Makes me wonder about Gen Hayden's plans for CIA reform. I believe Hayden to be a brilliant and ethical man with excellent leadership and managment skills and have to disagree with Hoekstra on his nomination.
But... Why would Hayden embrace a viper (Kappe?) as his deputy? I do not believe General Hayden is naive about the political inner workings at CIA. Keep your friends close but your enemies closer? Kappe is being unfairly portrayed by Hoekstra? Goss's "goslings" may have been as annoyingly prissy and inept as CIA career people perceived them to be?
There is more to this story...
You got that right. The GOP has political reasons for not going for the jugular. They need the Dem threat to keep conservatives unified within their tent.
Meanwhile, the Democrat communist scum is allowed to exert influence in DC while the political game is played out. Even in a time of war- sickening!
Michael Schuer was, at one time, an interesting figure. When he first went public, I was fascinated by what he was saying, but as time went on, it became clear that he had a slimy agenda. Now, he's just another traitor.
You mean "complaints" about non-consultation. After Hastert's hissy-fit over the Jefferson search, it's increasingly difficult to take any congress critter's complaints about Administration national security policies at face value.
Hoekstra complains about politicization of the CIA, and the resultant leaks on one hand, and the WH failure to inform the Congress of some programs on the other. He fails to mention the very strong possibility of some of these leaks originating in Congress (Jay Rockefeller, where are you?) He admits the glaring weakness of the CIA (for which Congress has oversight), but complains that the NID has appropriated too much of the disfunctional CIA's responsibilities.
Is Hoekstra genuine in his concerns, or is the goal to deflect attention from the failings of the good ol' boys club in an election year?
It's become almost impossible to judge where political grandstanding ends and sincere concern for national security begins.
Kappe is being unfairly portrayed by Hoekstra?
Just a thought, Maybe they don't like each other. I know it sounds sophomoric, but sometimes that's what it comes down to
(I reserve my God given right to be wrong)
Let's not forget the Leftist Media!
" [T]he definition of 'national security' is elusive"."
This, of course, is from the same editing board that figured out how to use the Mass. judiciary to write law on gay marriage; they didn't change the words, they just changed what the words mean.
Somebody help me out with the origin of the quote; "Words mean whatever I want them to mean". Is it the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland? Humpty Dumpty?
Humpty Dumpty
Your best guess as to how the NYT's obtained the letter? Hoekstra? An "official" leak by the administration?
Dissident CIA faction 'exposed'
A high-ranking Republican congressman has exposed what he sees as a dissident faction within the CIA that he says "intentionally undermined" the policies of US President George W Bush .... Rumours about the existence of such a group have circulated in the US capital for a long time ... that a strong and well-positioned group within the agency intentionally undermined the administration and its policies," ... The CIA has refused to comment on the charge.
I'm throwing this out for general perusal (tin foil hat firmly in place) .....
Back when JFK got whacked one of the theories was that a "rogue element" within the CIA took him out for 1) screwing up their little Bay of Pigs Op and 2) his subsequent threat to 'dismantle the CIA'.That theory was pooh-poohed as an impossibility, that there simply couldn't be any "rogue element" in the agency and anyone who believed so was nuts.
Well dress me up and call me Shirley but here we have documented evidence that yes in deed, there ARE 'rogue elements' in the CIA and said groups WILL do their darnedest to bring down an Administration they disagree with.
Ergo, if today's CIA 'dissident faction' will pull the stuff they're doing now to bring down and discredit Dubya over policy and staff, what do you think they'd do if he threatened, like JFK did, to dismantle the CIA.
I say they'd do (said 'dissident faction') the same thing they did back on Nov 22, 1963.
We now return you to our regular scheduled programming (tin foil hat removed).
This is news? I think most everyone with half a brain has known this for the last five years. But I am glad that some high ranking Republican has finally realized it. Now if someone would just do something about it!
A multi-million dollar book deal with Simon and Shuster, apparently.
Bureaucrat=Democrat
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