Posted on 05/20/2010 3:31:37 PM PDT by Neoavatara
Could have been - from Wikipedia, well foot-noted:
His last job in the military was as Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command, the highest-ranking officer over most of the U.S. forces in the Asia-Pacific region. Previously, he was Director of the Joint Staff in the Office of the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, and served in budget and policy positions on several major Navy staffs and the National Security Council staff. He was also the first Associate Director of Central Intelligence for Military Support. He retired from the Navy in 2002.
He was also rather notorious for his attempt to water-ski behind his destroyer (USS Cochrane, DDG-21) when he was its skipper.
Check his bio, Dave. He was a buddy of Gen. Wealsely Clark.
I haven't had the opportunity to read the whole thread, so this may have already been mentioned, but Blair also criticized the FBI's decision to Mirandize the Fruit-of-the-Loom bomber. I'm sure that didn't make the White House very happy, especially considering the crap-storm that (rightfully) followed and the number of times Blair's criticism was quoted in the media.
He apparently was recommend by Clark and Berger for his current position.
The half life of a retired admiral called out of retirement to be the Directer of National Intelligence has to be really short.
He has retired and still active CIA spooks ready to take him down.
Cheney has been all over him to get docs declassified to hurt 0haha even more re his non intel approach to intel.
Last but not least, Blair probably has 6-10, 2 and 3 star Admirals still on active duty and craving a promotion yielding some long and sharp knives behind his back.
I’m currently reading a book by Steve Berry, “The Charlemagne Pursuit”. There is an Admiral Ramsey in the book who apparently has no problem ordering hits on anyone in his past, present and future that gets in his way.
So Blair was blessed by Berger and Wealsely. He apparently clashed with Panneta and poed the guys/gals who control the agency.
Thanks.
I ran some searches on him and you can see my replies above this one.
He had the backings of guys who were elite liberals and had a hard time with Admirals still on active duty and the spooks at the farm.
I remember the water skiing incident.
Yep.
When our hard copy of the paper arrived it was missing the phrase and I emailed Bill Gertz. He responded, "Appears to have been deleted without permission."
The column was reprinted the next edition with the phrase reinstated and a note it had been inadvertantly omitted.
The remark appears on pages 185-6 of Bill Gertz' The China Threat to give the lie to Blair's assertion he'd be tough on China.
Ten years ago I didn't like Blair. His exit now is curious.
Surely Obama's reliance on Gates indicates shared intent to neuter defense, just as Obama's use of Brennan does vis-a-vis counterintelligence.
It is certain Obama will install as intelligence chief someone who will view with sang froid the invasion of Taiwan, the attack on South Korea, and the destruction of Israel with the triumphant announcement that "the system worked."
I know the National Security Advisor Gen. James Jones USMC (Ret) personally; he is a former C.O. (24th MEU-SOC) of mine and I still correspond with him. I can only imagine the nightmarish existence he endures having to work for Dear Leader, but a general serves at the pleasure of the president, whether in uniform or out. He is highly intelligent and a superior leader, and he refuses to compromise his principles; three factors that could cause him to go ashore as well as the regime founders on a reef of shame, dereliction of duty and deceit. General Jones has no doubt warned the regime of that reef, but Obama tends not to listen to mere flag-grade officers.
—Gunny Bob, somewhere in Iraq aboard a FOB
Don't recall the details but fairly early on in the BO administration they were leaking derogatory information on Jones to their allies in the media. Along the line that Jones seemed disconnected & seemingly not up to the task as National Security Adviser. Evidently they backed away from that stance ...
Now that’s a frighteningly true statement. Something is about to happen and Barry is doing nothing to stop it.
Or Barry is about to do something and he does want to be part of it -— cf the huge naval build up in the Gulf and Med.
Blair was a factually based intelligence analyst. He didn't redefine reality accordong to political correctness.Now Obama will politicize the office and endanger the nation further by turning a blind eye to immigrant threats and the threat of Islamofascism ( they are just criminals).
Obama himself is extending his executive power by selectinng only the targets he wants...most of them fill his vendetta needs against capitalism ,white folks and jews.Now Oil commpany executives and other "capitalists" are about to be placed on our "intel threat lists"!
Obama is one sick puppy.
I want to see him take his medicine.
I want Blair to go public.
“The question is, will he man up and speak up once he’s out ?”
If the proper procedures are followed for his exit interview, no. He has a Top Secret clearance at the very least. At his exit interview he will be presented with a list of things that he has dealt with in the course of his job. It will be explained to him that these things are state secrets and that he can not now, or ever, discuss them with people who are not cleared to know them. He will then sign a copy of the official secrets act which takes away many of your rights as a citizen. You can be arrested for discussing any of these secrets. I don’t remember the details, but it is comprehensive. Even if he were brought to trial, the judge would likely not allow any evidence presented against him to become public. Mr. Blair must sit with folded hands for the next several years and watch the administration ignore whatever warning he gave them and say nothing to anybody. The penalties if he does otherwise are stiff.
Now, that’s assuming the proper procedures are followed. My impression of this administration is that they don’t have a clue what they are doing. However, the instrumentality they inherited pretty much runs itself. Somebody low down who has had the job for a long time knows what to do and will do it regardless of orders.
BTW, Jimmy Carter blathered secrets almost every time he opened his mouth. For example, he recently told the world the CIA’s estimate of how many nukes Israel has. I guess if you’re high enough up none of the laws apply.
There’s a growing pool of former intel folks out of government service. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that “things” are having an eye kept on them independently of the feds.
Colonel, USAFR
yep.
LOL
Larry Sinclair....well he is male but obambi won’t hold it against him, or well yeah he already did so....
Never let it be forgotten that David Koresh frequented local bars, and could easily have been picked up at one, EVEN AFTER THE ORIGINAL ASSAULT if the feds had just BACKED OFF! Their siege lasted longer than it took to take Bagdhad.
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