Goss the Friendly Spook
Boo-hoo-hoo, for that sad little casper, Porter Goss.
CIA officer, Congressman, CIA Director, unemployed.
Why is Goss gone?
On CNN today, Ronald Kessler gave his pitch. Now, I am an admirer of R.K.'s books on "intelligence" matters, several of which I own. I'm willing to think that his explanation for The Boot fo Goss is politic: i.e., not mentioning the real politics.
R.K. notes that Goss had an abrasive, high-handed management style, and, as a result, a number of talented, high-ranking CIA goons and stooges retired. Now, according to R.K., President and Mrs. Bush put a high premium on treating people (like butlers, maids, Secret Service: you know, The Little People --- servants) respectfully, and so Bush gave Goss The Boot over Emily Post/Miss Manner issues.
As Jack Benny famously said, "Well."
This would be the same W Bush (The Butcher of Crawford), who can't seem to treat the people of Iraq with no respect, or the Constitution, or the USE people ... (And Mrs. Butcher of Crawford, ditto.)
Official MoB reality check.
The CIA is directly responsible to the president. However, there has always been a great divide and tension within The Company between those who will tell the president any damn thing he wants to hear, and those who demand telling the president what they honestly believe the evidence and analysis mean.
For example, back in the 1980s the CIA produced an NIE (National Intelligence Estimate) about USSR military strength and capabilities. (An NIE is a periodically-revised analysis of the data regarding a particular country or threat, and represents (theoretically) the finest consensus of the "intelligence" community.)
That NIE wasn't threatening enough for the Reagan Junta, so go to Plan B. Set up an alternate group (I believe Bush Daddy headed it) to massage the data, and produce the proper threat level. (Scare the suckers, spend foolish billions on war products.)
Turned out the CIA was closer to truth all along. (Quoth Gomer Pyle: "Surprise, surprise, surprise!")
So. A large CIA faction would not roll over and play dead in fabricating "evidence" for the Iraq Conquest. As a result, Rumsfeld established, within the Pentagon, an alternate "intelligence" analysis cell, and for sure was fed the slop on which he wanted to gorge, which the mainstream USE media swallowed like a duck on a junebug.
Porter Goss was sent to ramrod the CIA for the express purpose of breaking it to WWW's will, by any means necessary. Abrasive, high-handed management style? Just reflecting His Satanic Majesty's Request.
Problem was, King George's policies didn't work. Many CIA stars left rather than kiss his feet.
What a Junta leader to do? Don't change policies or blame The Divine WWWWWWW: blame the guy who was just following orders.
NOTE: This is post 1 of 2 for 6 May 2006.
CIA officer, Congressman, CIA Director, unemployed.
Why is Goss gone?
On CNN today, Ronald Kessler gave his pitch. Now, I am an admirer of R.K.'s books on "intelligence" matters, several of which I own. I'm willing to think that his explanation for The Boot fo Goss is politic: i.e., not mentioning the real politics.
R.K. notes that Goss had an abrasive, high-handed management style, and, as a result, a number of talented, high-ranking CIA goons and stooges retired. Now, according to R.K., President and Mrs. Bush put a high premium on treating people (like butlers, maids, Secret Service: you know, The Little People --- servants) respectfully, and so Bush gave Goss The Boot over Emily Post/Miss Manner issues.
As Jack Benny famously said, "Well."
This would be the same W Bush (The Butcher of Crawford), who can't seem to treat the people of Iraq with no respect, or the Constitution, or the USE people ... (And Mrs. Butcher of Crawford, ditto.)
Official MoB reality check.
The CIA is directly responsible to the president. However, there has always been a great divide and tension within The Company between those who will tell the president any damn thing he wants to hear, and those who demand telling the president what they honestly believe the evidence and analysis mean.
For example, back in the 1980s the CIA produced an NIE (National Intelligence Estimate) about USSR military strength and capabilities. (An NIE is a periodically-revised analysis of the data regarding a particular country or threat, and represents (theoretically) the finest consensus of the "intelligence" community.)
That NIE wasn't threatening enough for the Reagan Junta, so go to Plan B. Set up an alternate group (I believe Bush Daddy headed it) to massage the data, and produce the proper threat level. (Scare the suckers, spend foolish billions on war products.)
Turned out the CIA was closer to truth all along. (Quoth Gomer Pyle: "Surprise, surprise, surprise!")
So. A large CIA faction would not roll over and play dead in fabricating "evidence" for the Iraq Conquest. As a result, Rumsfeld established, within the Pentagon, an alternate "intelligence" analysis cell, and for sure was fed the slop on which he wanted to gorge, which the mainstream USE media swallowed like a duck on a junebug.
Porter Goss was sent to ramrod the CIA for the express purpose of breaking it to WWW's will, by any means necessary. Abrasive, high-handed management style? Just reflecting His Satanic Majesty's Request.
Problem was, King George's policies didn't work. Many CIA stars left rather than kiss his feet.
What a Junta leader to do? Don't change policies or blame The Divine WWWWWWW: blame the guy who was just following orders.
NOTE: This is post 1 of 2 for 6 May 2006.
posted by HH at 6:19 PM
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