Comments on: Panetta and The Experience Question

By: Joe

Joe — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 09:58:53 +0000

%27va Information Security Officer Self-assessment%27…

Maybe, but I’m not sure it’for everyone….

By: Erasmus

Erasmus — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:37:06 +0000

Considering how the Bush White House used the CIA as a tool for their phony baloney war in Iraq, the appointment of Panetta might actually bring some morale and purpose back to the agency.

By: You Know It Had To Have Hurt | Comments from Left Field

You Know It Had To Have Hurt | Comments from Left Field — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:11:55 +0000

[...] positive approach to the seemingly unconventional pick. Who provides this clear-eyed insight? None other than Larry Johnson. I know, I kind of crept that up on ya, didn’t I? I apologize for any heart attacks I may [...]

By: Ok Gang, we are a Comrade target : NO QUARTER

Ok Gang, we are a Comrade target : NO QUARTER — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:11:25 +0000

[...] “toe the line” for Obamabots. They don’t notice that we’ve posted stories praising some of Obama’s appointments (see also “Inspired Choices for DNI and CIA?” by Larry [...]

By: Never Yet Melted » That Panetta Appointment

Never Yet Melted » That Panetta Appointment — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:20:47 +0000

[...] But Valerie Plame’s pal, retired CIA officer Larry Johnson pooh poohs the Intelligence experience requirement, and argues that the CIA director just needs to [...]

By: DAB

DAB — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:56:58 +0000

I agree. If the existing No. 2 stays on as anticipated and Panetta confers with him often, I’m pretty confident that he’ll do well. He always seemed like a fair, straight shooter to me and those in the Agency shouldn’t prejudge him. I don’t think that he’ll make the same mistakes that Porter Goss made — heard that his people sort of took over in an arrogant way, which proved disastrous for all.

By: DAB

DAB — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:51:26 +0000

I would like to see Feinstein replace Harry Reid as Senate Majority Leader. Believe that many in that august body are a bit miffed with their fearless leader right now because of some recent missteps regarding his “tourists smell” remark, waffling on Lieberman and now the Burris debacle.

Looks like it’s time for old Harry to pack it in!

By: Northwest rain

Northwest rain — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:06:25 +0000

And you are supposed to be “rational”??

By: beebop

beebop — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:15:59 +0000

He’s already apologized to Feinstein so I’m guessing he made a miscalculation. How soon will Gupta have that cute little uniform redesigned? Anyone?

By: Mort

Mort — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 09:13:48 +0000

It’s a shame you ran with the Whitey Tape story and the Birth Certificate nonsense story. You’ve attracted a readership that isn’t rational. Wear them like a burning tire around your neck. You asked for them.

By: Queenie

Queenie — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:10:11 +0000

Zeke…you hit the nail on the head and what i meant about having a Maverick..we need someone who will push the damn door open and make oz listen ..no matter what..who will kick damn doors open ..and who will stop any damn threat..no matter what the gutless leaders say or worry about their political careers..Wild Bill Donovan, John O’Neil..Valerie Plame..Joe Wilson..all who put their country first..above their own careers..above their own ego..those people gave me a lifetime of security when I went to work each day..that all ended with Tenet who cared more about the boys club..and Porter Goss who was up to his eyeballs in corruptness..Woolsey..what a bunch of crap..we have A COUNTRY OF BRILLANT INTELLIGENCE PEOPLE.. and what do we get?? retreads..over an over again…

Are there no good people available???? where are all our brains?? Do we honestly think that the recycle of failures will keep us safe now???????

Will Panetta keep planes in the sky where they belong while he learns on the job?

I have zero faith in this nomination…in fact less than zero faith.

By: Zeke

Zeke — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:40:13 +0000

I want a guy who knows the pointy end from the dull end. I want a guy who instills an esprit that’s been missing since the good ol’ days when Congress didn’t stick its nose into real people’s business.
I want Wild Bill Donovan. (look him up)
I want a CIA that will very quietly go kill some sonofabitch because he helped some other sonofabitch hurt people.
Barring that, how much to rent Mossad?
They don’t have half the Yale Glee Club to go through when they want something done.
But I forget myself. This is all on Obama so nothing good will come from it. Get used to that one… if its from Obama, its shit.
Or you could Hope things Change…

By: jjran

jjran — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:55:53 +0000

So now we need a CIA director with
“intelligence” and “experience”. We should have started with a president elected that has “intelligence” and “experience”. NOT the fraud we have now.

By: Tyrone

Tyrone — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:31:45 +0000

We are fighting a war against extremist your telling me that this guy can afford to learn on the job. Panetta must be you buddy or something Larry. This don’t make any sense whatsoever.

By: Mort

Mort — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:03:38 +0000

I would think you’re looking for a specific skill set, correct?

And perhaps Panetta has that skill set.

By: Queenie

Queenie — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:48:24 +0000

CALI: what worries me is that Panetta will ignore mavericks ..in the CIA ..like John O’Neil was ignored by the FBI..he was one of the top anti terrorists experts and he was ignored by this administration and the powers that were..to the point he left the FBI and with him left a great maverick who was willing to do what was nessesary to protect this nation and her people…I believe it is the mavericks that save lives.People willing to put their lives on the line and fight for truth and what is right..but there are always those above these people willing to compromise and to negate the people in the position to know where danger exists..and those above only care about their own ego, or position..

I have great worries about Panetta.. why can’t we get someone new?? Why do we keep getting the same people recycled? Why can’t we have fresh eyes , non military..and someone with integrity without conditions or ties to the people who have failed us already????????
I don’t like anyone that has sat so close to those liars who were part of the 9/11 commission..and led us into war..the wrong war for the wrong reasons!

None of these same old same old bastards keeps us safe..they have done nothing but made us disliked everywhere in the world.

Tenet was a danger because he wanted to be liked by the Bush cabal..he was more nterested in being “one of the good ole boys”,.and the consequences was my co-workers died on 9/11 and passengers on my airline were killed, and people on the ground died because of incompetance.
No REAL INVESTIGATION has ever taken place.
And yet we keep recyling the same failures over and over again, and when they fail , there are no consequences to them..only to innocent people..and innocent peoples lives.
Panetta proved himself to bwe the same crap recycled when he stayed silent about torture, and the lies of this damn war.

Obama is not going to bring change..and I never thought he would…not for one city second..its just more of the same old shit…wash, rinse, spin…recycle…wash, rinse, spin..

If you believe otherwise..you only fool yourself.

By: Winston

Winston — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:13:48 +0000

“I am a tad amused by the insistence that we need a CIA director with “intelligence” experience. Really?”

Gee I am a amused that tad thinks experience doesn’t matter anymore. No suppose tad needed to have brain surgery. Now tad, I ask you–would you go to a guy with no experience? It is a post 911 world. We need the best. Pinata is not the guy for the job.

By: Northwest rain

Northwest rain — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:03:46 +0000

Bottom line — I do NOT trust Obama’s judgment nor HIS rational for making this selection.

By: Zeke

Zeke — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:18:52 +0000

Buzz,
Get thee out of my cabeza!

By: Zeke

Zeke — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:16:23 +0000

Cali,
Thanks, I really learned something. (For old dogs, an achievement)
I agree that our nation took its biggest nosedive when someone, somewhere said, “Fuck it, let’s torture the sonofabitch.” I truly believe it to be a major turning point in our nation’s history. Prior to our accepting the “need” to torture to get info, we always carried on with the ideal that we were better than that and it was what separated us from the bad guys.
The day we stepped outside the “Lone Ranger’s Code” we went down like the Hindenberg.
A new definition of the American Way started growing when my generation took over. It went from “Do the Right Thing because it is right” to “If it feels good, do it!” so quickly that it has taken since the seventies to realize that there is a consequence to our actions and that it has come due.
If you are in your fifties or sixties, you get to share in the responsibility. It was us who felt it necessary to abandon ALL that was our parents’ when we should have been a great deal more selective. Now that the horse has so gleefully left the barn, we sit here wondering what the hell happened to us.
Well, it comes down to this: Somehow those who do the right thing because it is right have historically won out over those who saw it the other way. Ask yourself why…
The answer you get inside your heart is probably telling the truth.