Posted on 08/30/2009 10:30:24 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Poor Leon Panetta. It's hard not to feel bad for the guy. If the Obama administration is like one big, elaborate stage production of "Chicago," Panetta is playing invisible Amos Hart - "Mr. Cellophane" - to sheer, translucent, forgettable perfection.
In less than a year, Panetta's CIA has been reduced to irrelevance and Panetta himself has either been ignored or emasculated by the very folks who were supposed to be his biggest supporters. For taking on a thankless job that typically only gets attention when there's a massive failure, this is the thanks he gets?
When he was asked by Obama to head up the agency in January, you can just imagine his excitement. Here he had a chance to watch over the greatest intelligence operation in the world. Bush's CIA had mud all over it, and Panetta would be the one to drive it through the car wash.
The car has been stuck in neutral, if that. First came Nancy Pelosi's outrageous allegations that the CIA's pants were, from time to time, on fire during the Bush administration. When she insisted she wasn't adequately briefed on the use of enhanced interrogation techniques, the director of national intelligence released a report refuting her charges.
Didn't matter. Pelosi's knight in shining armor, House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, wrote a pointed letter - addressed to "Leon," instead of the more respectful "Director Panetta" - demanding that he change CIA records to show that Pelosi had in fact been briefed.
What did President Obama say in defense of the intelligence community or Panetta? Not a word - instead he lavished some uncomfortably affectionate praise on Pelosi for, you know, "cracking the whip."
Then came word that the White House was transferring authority over the interrogation of high-value detainees from the CIA, where it belongs, to an independent office answerable directly to Obama, run by the FBI. With one swift move, CIA policies no longer apply to high-value subjects, and Panetta - running the agency thought to be the nation's frontline defense against terrorism - is relegated to relative obscurity. It's like a scene out of "Office Space." "Uh ... yeahhhh. I'm going to need you to go ahead and move your desk again, Leon."
But the final blow came last week, when Attorney General Eric Holder appointed a prosecutor to mount a criminal investigation of CIA officials who may or may not have broken interrogation rules. Why? Because they may have threatened a suicide-bomber's mother.
After the President stated in no uncertain terms that he wanted to look forward, not back, Obama's now allowing Holder to perform an invasive search of the CIA interrogation program. And Panetta is reportedly not happy about it.
On TV the other night, ABC News investigative reporter Brian Ross discussed Panetta's unenviable job: "He has positioned himself, I think correctly, as a defender of the CIA. He feels it's very important that the people of the CIA be defended so that officers at the CIA who are doing their job continue to do their job."
But why would they? The intelligence community has been slammed for eight years by liberals, in recent months by Democrats and now by the Obama administration itself, which is prepared to punish the good guys for roughing up the bad guys.
All the while, Panetta's clearly been knee-capped. Who could blame him if, as rumors suggest, he resigns in protest? No one wants to be publicly emasculated by the President of the United States.
Back in January I was asked about the Panetta appointment on a cable news show, and I wondered aloud about the qualifications of a public policy professor, marine sanctuary founder and Hunger Prevention Act author to head up our national intelligence office.
Little did I know what was in store for him. It turns out Panetta is more than qualified to do this ever-diminishing job, because all it really requires is maintaining the stiffness of a punching bag.
zer0bama knows that "the enemey of my friend is my enemey"
I hope the CIA survives the next 4 years.
Panetta was appointed to the post as a Democrat liberal hack thinking he’d be a yes man in the CIA to Obama and the rest of the Libs. Obama and the DNC didn’t think he’d push back when they started going after the CIA.
Obama doesn’t realize Panetta is helping him. If there is just one terrorist attack in the U.S. Obama is going to look very bad, and a lot of people will have different feelings about Bush.
I agree. I hope the CIA releases all info on Obama that they have archived, as well as all the Czars. They should also refuse all requests. Ask for the peoples help with this. Even if the government backs down, release all information on this administration.
The joke is that the CIA has been in pretty poor shape ever since the Church Commission tore into it, if not before. And it is mostly biased to the left. But I guess now Obama wants to destroy what little is left of it.
This bogus Administration knows full well that they're going to be completely negated by a majority Republican House and Senate next year, so they're trying to do as much damage as they can in the short time they have left in power. But it's backfiring on them big time. Obama rose to power through a media created popularity not through a record of proven leadership, that means his fall from grace can happen anytime, overnight. And it won't be long.
This POTUS did it to his Secretary of State (Panetta's former boss' wife, in fact) and she's still there.
(Though judging from her onstage meltdown in the Congo, not for long.)
Actually, since the OSS was scrapped and replaced with the CIA.
That's what happens when you get down in the dirt to PROTECT THIS COUNTRY, you idiot! They aren't dealing with your ivory tower, wussy, elitists drinking buddies at the local bar.
One wonders, what were the enemies of Bush in the CIA thinking when they released all those secrets to the Slimes? They were going to take over and have a better CIA instead of no CIA.
Just a thought...
If ANY All Bama Corp. (you do know they have that putz that worked for Billy boy, right?) reporter describes Panetta’s job as to be a defender, I would question his motives. I will never be sure why Panetta chose to accept, other than personal hubris.
I am more in alignment with thinking that Panetta’s job was to dismantle the CIA (he thought slowly and systematically).
I do believe that Panetta has been handed more than his light-hearted socialist agenda can handle.
I pray that there are still spooks (no slur intended) who believe that the Constitution MAY mean something.
You can call me stupid (Flame Away!), but I believe that there are some older school demonrats who truy believe a US form of Socialism is Better for some odd reason. (GOP is full of them as well)
It should be noted that this idea stems from the fact that these people feel THEY were elected. This means that THEIR IDEAS are elected as well. As you can see, somewhere they lost the concept of Representative Government. They feel they should put THEIR IDEAS (not the people’s) forward.
sorry for the rant.
Panetta has never been anything more than a spineless, incompetent, leftard wimp.
Holder's setting some interesting precedents - when we get back in power - we might need to investigate Holder - and the other men who kept the country from being protected against harm...
drinking buddies at the local bar? I don’t think they serve Evian water there.
“I hope the CIA survives the next 4 years.”
They are already done. If they are not actually staffed by a bunch of Jack Bauers (and I’m pretty sure they are not), they are all going to twiddle their thumbs until they can get out. Who wouldn’t.
This is by far the most damaging thing Obama has done, and what’s repugnant is that he is attempting to “vote present” on it.
He’s sent a big fat signal to our enemies, most particularly the Islamofacists, but all of them really, that there’s a democrat back in the white house, and no FDR or Harry Truman or even JFK or LBJ either. The radical left has won. The war on terror is over. The US will no longer defend itself or its allies.
I reckon it will be out of the closet gays in the military next and then we can just about hang it up.
The poster has it right: OBAMA: One Big Assed Mistake America
It's not even 4 years - just a little more than 3 years.
“...when we get back in power - we might need to investigate Holder...”
When we get back in power we better play scorched earth politics for keeps. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY like Bush or anyone else.
I want the Republicans to start HATING the Democrats like the dems hate them. And ACTING on it.
Exactly!
57% of Americans want to CLEAN OUT THE ENTIRE CONGRESS!
“57% Would Like to Replace Entire Congress”
If they could vote to keep or replace the entire Congress, just 25% of voters nationwide would keep the current batch of legislators.
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