Can A Politician Fix The CIA?

IBD Editorials ^ | January 7, 2009

[Kaslin]

National Security: Does it make sense for a political operator such as Leon Panetta to head the CIA? Maybe. The flawed agency has a checkered history, and has had repeated run-ins with presidents of both parties.

---

Obama's choice of Panetta — a former Clinton-era chief of staff, Democratic House Budget Committee chairman and Republican operative in the Nixon administration — is viewed as a strong signal of departure from the national security policies of President Bush.

But when it came to making effective and innovative use of the spy agency, the president has succeeded tremendously.

Terrorist plots were foiled and dozens if not hundreds of lives saved because George W. Bush went the extra mile to protect the homeland.

It was Bush who authorized the National Security Agency to engage in rapid-response surveillance of phone calls and computer communications between known terrorist contacts and individuals within the U.S. in cases when obtaining a warrant would have taken too long.

And it was Bush who allowed foreign locals to be used to apply tough interrogation methods against terrorist detainees, so as to extract information about possible future attacks.

The result of this aggressive and creative approach has been what few thought likely in the immediate aftermath of 9/11: a perfect record in protecting the homeland, which has now stretched to well beyond seven years.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

I strongly suggest the CIA headquarters be abandoned, with everyone fired. Tear down the building and build a sewage treatment plant. It will then provide some valuable use of the land.

[Only1choice____Freedom]

You mean like Jamie Gorelick?

She fixed it all right.

Fixed it, like the cat.

[Red Badger]

Bush’s first pick for CIA, Porter J. Goss, couldn’t no one can.............

[mad_as_he$$]

A politician may be able to fix CIA, Panetta is not the right politician to do it. He was my Congresscritter many years ago and all’s I can say is he is a useless waste of space. Limp and ineffective. Strictly a place holder.

[HawaiianGecko]

  First rule of thumb. If you want an organization to run properly, put a politician in charge!  <choke>

[Jim Noble]

Can a politician fix destroy the CIA?

Fixed it.

[silverleaf]

things got a lot quieter (fewer leaks) when Mike Hatydne took over

He is a wonderful leader, first NSA, then CIA

He will be missed, but has done such a goood job, Bambi’s arrogant handlers will be shunning him

Until after the next attack on America

Godspeed General Hayden- keep your powder dry

[TexasRedeye]

Dick Morris (yeah, I know he isn’t always right) on FOX yesterday said the appointment of Pinhedda was Hussein’s keeping his promise to the looney left to decapitate the CIA. Hussein’s original appointment was not acceptable to these supporters because he had been a part of the WOT effort. That will be the mandate of any appointment he makes even if Pinhedda doesn’t pass the confirmation hearing as some haven’t in the past. Say goodbye to the CIA.

[Carley]

Nothing derived from the One will be fixed. Everything he touches will be destroyed.

Count on it, prepare for it.

[rebapiper]

Take a good look back at how many time Clinton and his administration has sold out this country, the entire staff was corrupt and were not talking about small crimes. Panetta is the right guy if your trying to bring this country to it's knees. The Clinton's are back in the White House no question about. obama is President in name only.
They got him in with massive amount of election fraud the same way Bill Clinton got in and the Republican party refused to go after Clinton, now their paying the price but
we the American people are paying the price.
Were are the American people???????????? and why isn't Pres. Bush exposing the Dems and the corruption.
Pres.Bush needs to sign in and executive order give Dick
Chaney the power to go in and clean out the Senate, now. This Congress has not right to pass any bills or swear anyone into office, THIS IS AN ILEGAL CONGRESS. THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES THAT EACH MEMBER REMOVE THE CORRUPTION FROM OUR GOVERNMENT IF NOT THAN THEY MUST RESIGN. THEY MUST BE REMOVED AND WITHOUT A PENSION. ANYONE NOT CALL FOR THEIR REMOVAL IS ILLEGALLY HOLDING ON TO THEIR SEATS AS WELL AS THE CRIMINALS THAT ARE IN OFFICE. MY OPINION obama CAN'T BE WORE IN AS LONG AS WE HAVE AN ILLEGAL CONGRESS.

[G Larry]

Doesn’t have clue about “National Technical Means”, either space or ground processing systems.
Attempting “management” decisions without this background is a disaster!

[rebapiper]

How long after obama is in the White House will it take him to go to China and than one of his many trips will have to be LosAlamos,New Mexico were things just disappear the minute they walk into the door. Richardson still running interference for any investigation in New Mexico.
Richardson under investigation, what a joke, he should be sitting behind bars for life or a death sentence would have been better. Barney Frank, Dodd,Waters,Reid, Polosi,Rangle,Schumer,Hillary,Emanual,Biden and several other should be serving jail time and all money returned to the tax payers and no pensions. So if all these criminal remain in office and refuse to step down they why, oh why’ would Richardson step down?
New Mexico needs to keep a close eye on obama and richardson, I'd had to see the state of New Mexico on fire again to cover up any secrets that may be given away again.

[70th Division]

“Can A Politician Fix The CIA?” Ya just about as well as they win wars and fix the economy.

[theDentist]

A bit early to be drunk, isn't it? :-)

Just because the CIA's failures are plastered all over the media doesn't mean it hasn't had successes. And often, you don't want your enemy to know that the CIA did something in their baliwick.

[DHC-2]

And it was Bush who allowed foreign locals to be used to apply tough interrogation methods against terrorist detainees, so as to extract information about possible future attacks.

This is close to the point. Right now, the CIA uses the military manual for interrogation guidelines. Holder (AG pick) says this should be illegal and he will prosecute anyone using these guidelines. So if interrogation happens according to the manual, Holder will move on this as an illegal act ... he already has stated he would. The competent people who could have been selected knew this and also knew that to run the CIA, you need interrogation tools. Knowing Holder will prosecute, the good guys ran for cover ... the only one "left" was PinHeada who has stated publicly that interrogation is wrong. Bottom line, the CIA, as an information-gathering organization will be decapitated. Its not about politics, its about Political Correctness and a HUGE LEFT TURN for the safety of the country.

[70th Division]

thanks for the inciteful information. We will be attacked again if we have no intelligence capabilities. i am going to say what liberals hate to hear. THESE PEOPLE ARE JUST UNAMERICAN!

[Old Retired Army Guy]

I thought they were recovering pretty well under General Hayden. So what needs “fixing”?

[gakrak]

“The Clinton's are back in the White House no question about. obama is President in name only.”

With 66+% of Obama’s appointments so far, we have retreads from the Clintoon admins. Hillary highly placed,we have CLINTON III and let the corruption roll. “O” is nothing more than POSTUS in name only. When not “if” we are again attacked how will Pinheada and Obama react. Oh, I remember bomb a pill factory but only at night. Amen.