CIA chiefs were thrown out of Iraq Neverland
Much has been written about the Bush administration's Tinkerbell strategy in Iraq, that if we all just clap loud enough and really believe, that Al Maliki will live and Iraq will become a functioning and stable nation state.
But, even in that context, this from Ken Silverstein at Harpers scares the hell out of me. Is it any wonder we're in the mess we're in?
The quest of the Bush administration for adherence to doctrine over competence has once again reared it's head, and people are dying because of it.
(By the way, what sort of comfortable, confident and capable leader will only tolerate people around him who agree? In that I see fear and weakness, not loyalty or strength of character.)
But, even in that context, this from Ken Silverstein at Harpers scares the hell out of me. Is it any wonder we're in the mess we're in?
A number of current and former intelligence officials have told me that the administration's war on internal dissent has crippled the CIA's ability to provide realistic assessments from Iraq. “The system of reporting is shut down,” said one person familiar with the situation. “You can't write anything honest, only fairy tales.”Even if you were to assume that Rumsfeld, senior military planners, and other involved administration officials were exceedingly capable, how could any good decisions come from bad information? And intentionally coerced bad information at that!!!!
The quest of the Bush administration for adherence to doctrine over competence has once again reared it's head, and people are dying because of it.
(By the way, what sort of comfortable, confident and capable leader will only tolerate people around him who agree? In that I see fear and weakness, not loyalty or strength of character.)
posted by mikevotes at
3:07 PM
5 Comments:
THe Administration have been at pains to prove: "truth is the first casualty of war".
The problem is, as the great American hero Winston Churchill - I know, but no one adores him as much as Americans - most war leaders believe their own lies.
Intellegence never was a treasured asset of conservative politicians.
By
Cartledge, at 8:43 PM
You also need to point out that Negroponte is the big force here too. He ran things in central America as over 300,000 people were tortured and killed during the reagan years.
By
Yukkione, at 8:56 PM
"truth is the first casualty of war."
Very true, but think of the other cases where field personnel were encouraged to file false reports to protect the feelings of the king. Vietnam body counts, the Nazis. All were losing efforts.
Certainly Churchill lied,as did Roosevelt, but neither stuck their fingers in their ears in front of their top advisors so they could avoid hearing the truth.
Mike
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 8:58 PM
I could not help but chuckle at your characterization of Bush’s ‘Tinkerbell’ Iraq strategy. It was a ‘laughing in the face of impending disaster’ type reaction. Historians will lament this period as a time when seemingly intelligent people allowed ideological fantasy to overwhelm reason.
A passage in the article you cited sums it up concisely, “The CIA's ability to speak honestly is gone,” concluded the [former CIA] official, “which is extraordinarily dangerous to our country.”
General Hayden testified today that the administration has learned from their past intelligence mistakes. Thanks to the tenure of Porter Goss, is there any degree of confidence that critical analysis is even possible from this now purged and cowered CIA?
Now the CIA has turned its attention to Iran. Sleep well tonight friends, your government is protecting you.
By
Anonymous, at 9:16 PM
You make a very good point that it is not just the controlled reporting, but the purges.
Intel was the problem with 9-11. Intel is why we haven't captured bin laden. Intel was the problem in iraq both before and during.
Stop it. you're scaring me.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 7:09 AM
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