71 Comments

1. Hugh:

Ronnie: Why wasn’t Richard Clark picked? His position on the war conforms to Obama’s ditto the criticism of the lack of attention before 9/11. I agree Panetta is an unusual choice. Could it be that it is just a goof?

Hank

Jan 5, 2009 - 6:15 pm 2. Pajamas Media » Leon Panetta Named to Head CIA: Shock Waves in DC:

[...] Read the entire piece here. [...]

Jan 6, 2009 - 3:07 am 3. Ken Besig:

With the choice of Leon Panetta, Barack Obama is leading America into an awful security mess because his handlers who demanded Panetta have no security background, just like their leader Obama.
I would normally not really care that a inexperienced rooky like Panetta is in charge of American intelligence, since the major losses will be in American lives and property, and the Americans did vote Obama into power.
But since I live outside the continental United States, I have to worry that Obama and Panetta’s incompetence and inexperience will spill over into my neck of the woods, too. Just remember that when America has a recession, the rest of the world has a depression.

Jan 6, 2009 - 4:29 am 4. Another View:

Maybe it’s a great idea to have a CIA director whose loyalties are in the correct place.

That was one of JFK’s downfalls. Panettas appointment shows Obama does not plan to lead the country by proxy. I embrace a more hands on approach. Maybe we will never see that dumbfounded look again. The one G.W. had when he was reading to the class of school kids.

Jan 6, 2009 - 4:47 am 5. Perry:

This shows how Obama considers the terrorist threat to America as fear-mongering by Republicans. Obama displays his naivete by placing a devout liberal in the perhaps the most important government department affecting our national security.

Obama understands political maneuvering. He does NOT understand governing.

Americans will have the worst case of political buyer’s remorse since we bought Jimmy Carter.

4 years? God save us.

Jan 6, 2009 - 4:57 am 6. Ann:

So Dianne Feinstin is concerned because Panetta “is anything but an intelligence professional.”

Where on earth did she get the idea that “being a…..professional” ANYTHING was a factor within the Obama Hubris machine? And I do not express that for purposes of sarcasm. That’s a serious question: where…did…she…get…that…idea?

There is nothing in anything. anywhere, that the roleplaying wannabe POTUS has done that speaks of pursuing appropriate professionalism.

As a matter of fact, where was Dianne’s concern for professionalism when Hilary was appointed SOS? I agree with her assessment, but it’s a silly assertion on her part, considering the political environment and who her political peers and playmates are. Charlie Rangel, Chris Dodd, Barney Frank, Rahm Emanuel, etc. etc. etc. have all demonstrated complete lack of professional intelligence (of all kinds) in the last months. I don’t see that disqualifying them in the San Fran Ma’am’s eyes.

Jan 6, 2009 - 5:14 am 7. Leon Panetta as CIA Director:

[...] Ron Radosh says the appointment “has created not only shock waves in Washington, but an obvious lack of [...]

Jan 6, 2009 - 5:42 am 8. Paul - Indiana:

Re post #4. Not all Americans voted for Obambi. It was 52:48% Two points would have made the difference. Obambi is an empty suit no matter what the press glorifies about him.

Jan 6, 2009 - 5:58 am 9. Kathy L.:

Well, I hope someone finds a way to squelch this rediculous choice. This is our national security we are talking about, and Panetta doesn’t have a clue. We got attacked on 9/11 because Clinton ignored all the warnings, didn’t take threats, and attacks seriously,and our intelligence capabilities were hampered. Pres. Bush came to office and got blamed for the fiasco after being there only 8 months. Hillary Clinton shouldn’t be sec of state either, due to extreme conflicts of interest regarding her husband. People, snap out of your Obama stupor and look around at the things that are going on.

Jan 6, 2009 - 6:00 am 10. fear Obama:

5. Ann:
So Sen. Dianne Feinstin is concerned because Panetta “is anything but an intelligence professional.”

Dumbo wants Panetta because he can cut billions out of the CIA budget and send the money for use in stimulating reelections.

Another Sen Democrat calling his shots:

New York Sen. Charles Schumer said Sunday that Democrat Al Franken is the clear winner in Minnesota’s Senate race and should be seated as soon as possible.

Never mind the 12 different lawsuits being brought against him and his stealing votes.

Remember Sen. Charles Schumer?
He is the liberal Senator from NY that caused all the banking panics and the current recession/depression election of a plethora of democrats.
But never mind that the broke idiots in NY love him.

Jan 6, 2009 - 6:11 am 11. ReConUSMC:

And the {Left } Talking Heads and Media Knocked Sarah Palin wasn’t ””Qualified “”to be Vice President .
This is the ”Obvious ” worse Appointment ever other than Janet Reno especially at a time like now .
We know how that turned out .
We are at War so we need the “A’ Team not some Washington old Political hack .
I personally believe Penetta is a Pacifist .
Obama has ‘’satisfied The Daily KOS , The Hufibgton Post , NBC , The NY Times , ” Move on .org , Code Pink , Pacifist and our Enemies but obviously few on the left and no one or the right or in our Military .
I hope Congress can get LEON P, “cancelled” .
You will notice the media isn’t knocking this beyond moronic appointment .

Jan 6, 2009 - 6:56 am 12. BC:

The CIA has problems and while most of it can be blamed on Bush and Cheney, that still doesn’t change how they — and some other US agencies as well — now need a serious house cleaning and major update. That would not happen with an insider.

And to “fear Obama”: you might want to check into former Bush advisor Phil Gramm’s not so little role in the current financial mess from his days when he was chairman of the Senate Banking Committee.

Jan 6, 2009 - 7:05 am 13. narciso:

I recall when John Brennan was forced out of the running in part by the net roots, someone here, I don’t quite recall who, complained of the tone, even the syntax of the defense of him. Any apologies forthcoming, Can you honestly say you were surprised, with everything we knew before. By the way, why does it take 10 hours, at least, to moderate nearly everything I post. Am I really that controversial

Jan 6, 2009 - 7:05 am 14. ReConUSMC:

4. Another View:
Maybe it’s a great idea to have a CIA director whose loyalties are in the correct place.
———————————
The { Job } of The CIA and Loyalties should be 101 % about Protecting America any way he can and should be well versed in understanding Racial Terrorist …. That is the correct place ….. you Clueless leftist !
_________________________________________________

That was one of JFK’s downfalls. Panettas appointment shows Obama does not plan to lead the country by proxy. I embrace a more hands on approach. Maybe we will never see that dumbfounded look again. The one G.W. had when he was reading to the class of school kids.
_______________________
Another View what is that other approach ? We are not ”dealing ”with Boarders , Nations, Flags or those that honor the Geneva convention . You Moron we are in a Street fight and winner goes home .. the loser is dead .
We are dealing with Men that want destroy Democracy and the free World ..period …… is that Proxy enough ?
Even though you are a obvious leftist …. Bush has kept us safe since 9/11 .. England , France , Spain can’t say that and the War in Iraq is winding down .
I wish you would have had to live under Saddam .Oh that’s right the Left is for Human Rights ? Silly me .
Word’s win no Wars but Lose many ….. Quote The Art of War .

Jan 6, 2009 - 7:19 am 15. Cybergeezer:

Meanwhile, all the sleeper cells in the United States are having wet dreams of the opportunities opening for them; They haven’t had prospects for this much fun since Clinton was screwing around in the Oval Office.

Jan 6, 2009 - 7:21 am 16. Jo:

Pardon me, Obama, but your inexperience is showing.
We will all pay for this kind of laxity regarding our security sooner or later.
But this is what we get when we, as a nation, allow a biased media to influence an election.
Oh, I temporarily forgot, Obama is COOL!!

Jan 6, 2009 - 7:22 am 17. ThinkingPerson:

Yet another blunder from the Obama camp. Are they flipping coins somewhere to see who gets what? Hopefully when Obama’s supporters heard the name Panetta, they truly knew they’d been sold a load of **** with that “hope and change” byline.

Jan 6, 2009 - 7:23 am 18. ReConUSMC:

12. BC:
____________________
The Bush mistake is ………. He keep “Clintons” Slam Dunk clueless CIA director .
Clinton told Bush he was the best .
Of course Clinton has 9 Al Quada attackes and did nothng …….. lefty !
Giving Bush the Problem since he did nothing about it for this 8 years while AL Quada Trippled in size .

Jan 6, 2009 - 7:26 am 19. ThinkingPerson:

Re #4 Another View….Bush’s “dumbfounded” look in front of kids when he was just told America was attacked on AMERICAN soil? Not sure what “look” would have sufficed for you but I’m sure most American’s who had a beating heart had a “dumbfounded” look on their face when they heard about planes being flown into the World Trade Centers. I guess you would have preferred a smirk? A tear? A grimace? Do tell. What would have pleased your little black heart.

Jan 6, 2009 - 7:26 am 20. Another View:

No Paul

it was 57.82%-45.62%. Largest popular vote amount in history. he won by 10 million votes.. don’t believe your own BS.

Recon

Your just another dumb grunt. Read more than the Turner Diaries. Our history shows us it is imperative to have a CIA/FBI director who is on the same page as the president. Panetta is a Manager. The spies are still there jack ass! Kept us safe? he allowed the Bin Laden family to leave the U.S. after the 9/11 incident. They had been doing business 30 years. I do not support U.S. imperialism or Israeli oppression under no circumstances. That’s why we are in a “street fight”. We empowered Sadam we made him brutal because he knew he had 100% U.S. support. Rumsfeld was shaking hands with Sadam while it was dripping blood. At least I know what I stand for instead of being told my opinion or what to think. Step..Step..Step..Step..

An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind.
M.K. Gandhi

Jan 6, 2009 - 7:43 am 21. ReConUSMC:

. BC:
The CIA has problems and while most of it can be blamed on Bush and Cheney, that still doesn’t change how they — and some other US agencies as well — now need a serious house cleaning and major update. That would not happen with an insider.
-_____________________________________
Some how I think you would like Code Pink Running the Defense Dept and The CIA .
____________________
And to “fear Obama”: you might want to check into former Bush advisor Phil Gramm’s not so little role in the current financial mess from his days when he was chairman of the Senate Banking Committee.
______________

BC -
Your on a intelligent web sight not The Daily Kos or Move on ,org .
Facts matter here not emotions and feeling !
I am calling you a out right Lier !
First Johnson , Carter and Clinton established the “”Huge Banking Problem ” .
Clinton in 1998 ” execrated ”Freddy and Fanny sub line loan problems giving loans to those that often did not have real Jobs .Plus the Fed guaranteed those bad loans to Banks and the AIG .
In 2002 Bush tried to real it end before Congress but he was called Racist BY THE ENTIRE LEFT IN CONGRESS …..Need we forget that Chris Dodd , Barney Franks ..who had sub prime loans them selves from Country wide said last JULY ………NO PROBLEM WITH FREDDY AND FANNY …… CLINTON TEAM MADE 180 MILLIONS DOLLARS RUNNING BOTH WHILE THEY BOTH FAILED …….. AS I SAID FACTS MATTER HERE (BC )……. LEFTY !

Jan 6, 2009 - 7:44 am 22. Another View:

sorry
52.87-45.62

Jan 6, 2009 - 7:49 am 23. fred:

This appointment of a non-professional to be in charge of an already run-down CIA just drive a stake into the heart of the intelligence community. Panetta is a lawyer and political operative. He is being put there to put the CIA on a very, very short leash. Anyone with half a brain can see this for what it is. This is sending a signal to America’s enemies: we’ve just dropped our pants and grabbed our ankles. Have at it.

Jan 6, 2009 - 8:13 am 24. ReConUSMC:

16. TOO Another View:
__________
First off A-H or John Kerry sounding…. THE LEFT PUTTING THE MILITARY DOWN GRUNTS AGAIN ? SAME OLD SAME .. NOTHING NEW THERE ..BUT just for the record …I am a much honored Elite Grunt …. ReCon is the USMC’s version of the Navy Seals .In Fact my IQ is higher than Obama’s and yours Obviously since you have to have a 120 IQ to be ReCon and mine is 138 .
I did do two Tours in Nam … I was a Captain in the USMC ….. Graduated from UVA with a Masters Degree in Business 3.87 and have a minor in Economics’ … KA .
I was President of Sealy ”Posturepedia ” of Canada. Furniture Div ,
Quite Wealthy and I own and Estate here in Race Horse Country of VA .
My name is on Sofa’s and Sleepers all over this Country and Canada since I am a well recognized as a top Sofa designer and fabric colorist and I am straight as a arrow ….. match that Jerk off .
And One or One your worst Night Mare ,……. Wait call M.K. Gandhi he cover your Butt …. hee hee !
The other stupid crap you said is not worth answering too . More leftist garbage … nothing new there .
Your a big Pacifist Pus obviouisly with your Gandi comment ..oh yea his enemies murdered him ..his daughter and grand son .
You are a enemy to this country as well who is at war with those that don’t compromise …. it is not in their DNA .
The left can’t find fought with those that was America to be no more since The Left sees America as the Problem .
Your the Problem .

Jan 6, 2009 - 8:18 am 25. Lem:

As chief of staff to the president Panetta allowed a lone intern to see the president 6 times.

Let’s face it, Panetta got Clinton impeached.

Look at the timeline.

After the Lewinski fiasko how on earth is Panetta the best choice to find Bin Laden?

Jan 6, 2009 - 8:29 am 26. ReConUSMC:

Oh yea BC …… (Wahabbist ) Allah , Al Quada , Hamas’ ,HEZBOLLAH The Telibane , The Shinning Path think Gandi is full of S**T .
In other words You DANCE alone but you fight against many You know not .

Jan 6, 2009 - 8:43 am 27. Shef Rogers:

If the CIA was any good, then keeping the current team would make sense. The sad fact is that the Agency is a huge, expensive failure. Read Legacy of Ashes to see just how bad it is.
With a record like this, hiring outside the agency is the obvious move.

Jan 6, 2009 - 8:59 am 28. Another View:

I honor all service personnel and apologize if I offended any of the great men and women.

I in fact do have a genius IQ. missed 1 question on 2 separate test 10 years apart.

You are doing well. I own 3 homes in Jersey. And have a successful business. But I think you got me. Unless my spry age counts which allows me the sweetest pleasures in life.

That’s all irrelevant.

Your funny.. seriously.

I am no softee. But I think or policies do result in blowback. Blowback that is unnecessary if we focus on energy instead of corporate energy interest. I don’t blame America. We need more input as citizens and legit intelligence. The People will support just wars and policies.

We had lies the last 8 years. Lies, war and corporate profiteering.

Jan 6, 2009 - 9:24 am 29. Tom Holsinger:

Leon Panetta’s job as CIA Director will be to keep the CIA from doing to the Obama administration what it did to the Bush administration. Panetta is superbly qualified to do this.

It is error to assume that the CIA is a national intelligence asset. It isn’t. The CIA has passed its shelf life time. It is now a self-serving bureaucracy which eats tax dollars for little benefit, and whose chief accomplishment, besides self-perpetuation, is to keep anyone else from doing the job it is nominally tasked to do.

There are lots and lots of federal government agencies, and whole departments, like this. The State Department is a shining example.

Obama recognizes the CIA for what it is, and that is encouraging. He has chosen Leon Panetta to minimize the harm the CIA can do, which is the most any President can expect from a CIA Director.

Note also that Obama chose an intelligence professional for the real top intelligence position. That is to get effective intelligence from the rest of the intelligence community. Panetta’s secondary mission is to reduce the CIA’s ability to interfere with the performance of the rest of the intelligence community.

Jan 6, 2009 - 9:31 am 30. narciso:

You voted for the candidate who said the only objection to the high oil prices was that they came up too fast. Who promised to bankrupt the coal companies, who has been opposed to any further development of our domestic natural resources. Who said we shouldn’t expect to be able to keep the thermostat at 72degrees and drive big cars. Whose science advisor followed the crazy theories of Paul Ehrlich. The Interior Secretary doesn’t want us mining for shale, What do you expect to heat your three houses with; wind, solar panels, if you have them at all. It’s true he did believe Afghanistan
was an unjust war, it’s better to understand
the terrorist first; rather than any actual
conflict, just like Michael Moore. Everything else is like a bad copy of MoveOn.org script.

Jan 6, 2009 - 9:58 am 31. ReConUSMC:

Thanks ..Another View .
But then you said .
he People will support just wars and policies.
_______________________________
The LEFT in America didn’t see WWI ,WW 2 , Korea as just Wars .
260 Thousand LEFTIST protested the WW 2 War in NY City ….. there were anti War protest rallies in 16 other cities during WW 2 .
Its nice to know you wanted Saddam to stay in power since according to the UN he accounted for 2.2 Millions deaths ….. the most Moslems ever . And OH YEA He started three wars and would not Honor his Treaty with the UN and shot at our Planes in the No Fly Zone and tried to kill a sitting President .
_____________________________
We had lies the last 8 years. Lies, war and corporate profiteering.
_________________
Johnson became worth 68 Million dollars while he was president plus his wife was awarded 31 Radio and TV Stations with Johnson fixing the FTC in Texas Billy Sol Estis …..and his private Security both went to jail …..
31 went to jail with CLINTONS WHITE WATER Fraud ..
Clinton and Al Gore set the record on Corporate Profiteering with $$$ China, Foreign and Moslem money for speeches putting our war down ……. and Gore’s 100 Million plus Global Warming hoax .
The Arctic is the same size it was in 1979 …… no Dead Polar Bears in fact they have increased 27 % in the last 20 years .
Gore’s Lie changes the World ….
America didn’t keep a Drop of Iraqi oil .
My USMC Major Son just got back from Iraq after a Third Tour there …… I would love for Him to tell you about Saddam’s 32 YEARS of living hell in Iraq for Iraqis ……. Just War ? Human Rights ?
Silly me .

Jan 6, 2009 - 10:09 am 32. keithacita:

another great pick. he’s 3 or 4 moves ahead of all of us and can see around corners.
you’ll understand it someday. panchetta was my second pick, sean penn was my first. the dismantling of america continues in earnest by the marxbots.

Jan 6, 2009 - 10:20 am 33. Mike T:

Hayden has been a competent administrator. Obama’s first pick was a good one as well, but Panetta is obviously just being put there to placate the noisemakers like Glenn Greenwald and Andrew Sullivan who whipped up a lot of outrage over nothing with his first candidate.

Jan 6, 2009 - 10:36 am 34. Carolb:

“It was 57.82%-45.62%. Largest popular vote amount in history. he won by 10 million votes.. don’t believe your own BS.”

You do realize your two numbers total more than 100%, don’t you (57.82% plus 45.62% = 103%). I guess the other 3% came from Minnesota.

Plus, everything I’ve seen has it at 53%-46%.

Jan 6, 2009 - 10:44 am 35. Follow me!:

Thank goodness for Diane Feinstein, one adult among the people who see CIA as some relic from the cold war.

On the other hand, there seem to be numerous CIA “professionals” who would be no more fit than Panetta.

Valerie Plame or her supervisor could have been offered to head CIA 8 years ago.

No one would have known that the most qualified person she could find to look for yellow cake abroad was her blowhard husband.

No one at CIA thought to have him sign a confidentiality agreement to prevent him from spouting off in the New York Times.

When he did spout off, she and CIA acted as if no one was capable of suspecting or discovering from that alone that his wife worked at Langley.

If she and her supervisors are representative of CIA’s professionalism or inclination to leak when they feel like it, the digging for someone better than Panetta had best be deep indeed.

Jan 6, 2009 - 10:49 am 36. Bugs:

I have to agree with Tom Holsinger’s take on the appointment. Anyway, I’m hoping he’s correct about Obama’s insight into the CIA’s dysfunctions.

I disagree with those who maintain that the Bush administration is responsible for the CIA’s dysfunctional culture. That’s been a problem since the agency was created. I think most of the supposed “intelligence experts” are part of the problem. Appointing them wouldn’t change anything. Maybe a plain-vanilla management guy is just what the CIA needs.

Jan 6, 2009 - 11:44 am 37. Ann:

10.fearObama (and I do)–your comments noted….

We had better not get tired of explaining, exposing, and attacking the lies…..

Politicizing the CIA is a nightmare coming true.

I’ve told our adult sons that what we are living today is this: the idiots who were in the streets and burning the universities in the ’60’s and ’70’s are now running in office (courtesy of the ignorant 20, 30 and 40 year olds who were sold on the idea of destroying things they hadn’t built).

The 2006 and 2008 elections could have been the last elections in which this was a real danger. There were two elections to go….and we didn’t make it.

We’ve got a real fight on our hands for these United States of America.

Jan 6, 2009 - 11:57 am 38. Ann:

previous post…delete (running) from phrase “running in office” obviously….sorry ’bout that. Wish there was a view/edit function on this site.

Jan 6, 2009 - 11:58 am 39. Tom Holsinger:

Bugs,

Nothing can improve the CIA. This is an iron rule of federal bureaucracies which are past their shelf life. It is necessary to create new agencies to do the jobs the time-expired ones no longer due.

Panetta’s real job is damage control, first to minimize the damage the CIA does to the Obama administration, and second to minimize the damage the CIA does to the intelligence mission performed by the rest of the intelligence community, and note that Obama has nominated a real intelligence professional for the overall intelligence community. Panetta’s nomination shows that the Obama administration is well aware of the problem here.

Panetta is an experienced and capable political operative with a fine record as a hatchetman. Note the screams from Democratic Senators & Congressmen who understand the implications for them. Congress-critters love disfunctional federal bureaucracies which play footsie with them at the expense of the President.

Also note the applause for Panetta from retired intelligence professionals who are critical of the CIA’s inherent failures.

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=Y2EyNmZhM2ZkODFmMjNlNDYyNjRmZjYwMmIxYjY3OTM=

“Angelo Codevilla, author of the new book Advice to War Presidents: A Remedial Course in Statecraft, tells NRO:

Leon Panetta may not know very much about foreign affairs or defense matters. He is wholly unacquainted with the questions and quarrels that have roiled the US intelligence community for a half century. But, as veteran political warrior, he will do what President Obama expects of him: prevent CIA from making war upon him as it made war on George W. Bush. When Bush appointed Porter Goss as CIA director to stop that war, CIA’s old boys somehow convinced Bush to fire him. Panetta’s appointment however tells CIA’s old boys that if they trouble the Obama team, they will be the ones fired.”

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MDQ3ZmRmNTQyY2ZiNzY5NjIxMzk3NjJkZTNhNGMzNTY=

“Panetta a ‘Brave’ Choice, Says Former CIA Agent [Kathryn Jean Lopez]

“Ishmael Jones” is a former deep-cover officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. He is author of The Human Factor: Inside the CIA’s Dysfunctional Intelligence Culture, published last year by Encounter Books. I asked him this morning what he thought of the Panetta pick and what Obama should be thinking about the CIA.

Q: Would Leon Panetta have been your CIA chief choice?

A: He’s an excellent choice because he will be loyal to the president first, not to the CIA. Mr. Obama needs someone who can be trusted, a person who will support him when the going gets tough.

… Former CIA director Porter Goss attempted some minor reform, but without White House support he was quickly expelled by CIA bureaucrats. Obama’s choice of a loyalist shows he understands the threat he faces from a dysfunctional CIA. That the CIA served President Bush poorly doesn’t make it the Democrats’ ally.

… The CIA should be dismantled and its parts assigned to functioning organizations. The clandestine service should be placed under the control of the U.S. military. Because the military is subject to the consequences of its actions, it is an efficient and accountable organization. Domestic CIA activities should be placed under the FBI, and embassy and diplomatic functions should be placed under the State Department.”

Jan 6, 2009 - 12:37 pm 40. ReConUSMC:

36. Bugs:
I have to agree with Tom Holsinger’s take on the appointment. Anyway, I’m hoping he’s correct about Obama’s insight into the CIA’s dysfunctions.

I disagree with those who maintain that the Bush administration is responsible for the CIA’s dysfunctional culture. That’s been a problem since the agency was created. I think most of the supposed “intelligence experts” are part of the problem. Appointing them wouldn’t change anything. Maybe a plain-vanilla management guy is just what the CIA needs.
__________________________________________
Based on that stupid Leftist theory ….. FDR didn’t need a well experienced General Ike ….. Ike didn’t need Patton and Bush didn’t need a Intel Genius like General David Petraeus too turn Iraq around with the Surge the left was against . The Navy didn’t need the Bull in Asia and the Bull didn’t need USMC General Chesty Puller my HERO .

You have me thinking ……. Chris Dodd , Barney Frank could be great Heads of the CIA ….. AFTER ALL THEY ARE GREAT MANAGERS ….. JUST LOOK AT THEIR MANAGING THE SUB PRIME HOAX .
YOU LIBERALS ARE CLUELESS .
BETTER YET HOW ABOUT THE COACH OF THE NY GAINTS SINCE HE IS A GREAT MANAGER .
THE CIA NEEDS A REAL TERRORISM PRO ,,,,,,,NOT SOME LEFT WING POLITICAL PACIFIST HACK !

Jan 6, 2009 - 12:43 pm 41. pickled herring:

Panetta is a party hack who has had a very broad career in government, His major claim to fame (he claims) was to manage Clinton’s budget and produce a budget surplus. He did this by reducing the military, AND, intelligence services.

The end result was 9/11/01.

Jan 6, 2009 - 12:47 pm 42. Robert Hurley:

It is time to bring an independent mind to the CIA. The professionals like Tenet and even Alan Dulles brought much experience but poor judgment. Since a head of an agency does no hands on work, we are better off with an experienced manager who also has good ties to the legislature. One of the best heads of the CIA was John McCone who was a busnessman who had no CIA experience

Jan 6, 2009 - 1:01 pm 43. Kondratieff:

Panetta has ample time to be sufficiently briefed. The big problem with the CIA is not the terrorists nor foreign agents. Its the internal dissension that is a consequence of congressional actions reorganizing intelligence and limiting the specific responsibilities of the CIA. The politicalization, rather than policies for improvement also led to embarrassing media relations. Can Panetta assist here?

It’s fair to ask now why the CIA is not part of the State Department. Clandestine operations could be reorganized and perhaps placed under the military. Think General Petraeus.

Jan 6, 2009 - 1:13 pm 44. ReConUSMC:

Let’s cut the S**t here ……. Robert Hurley .
All Liberals , Socialist , Pacifist ,the Media , Our Enemy , Anti War ,Code Pink ,George Soros , You , Move on.org , The ACLU are against America Spying and Phone tapping terrorist in America or even in Caves .
At best they want a PC Correct CIA . ……..Hence a meaningless CIA … they well know .
I was a 6 Year ReCon USMC and INTEL for two years and President of Sealy and a Top level Furniture Manager and Business man but even with my ego and great success I am not ”QUALIFIED ” to be a CIA Director ….. common sense tells me that .
But based on Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid as Leaders I am sure that 50 MILLION normal Americans could do a far better JOB .

Jan 6, 2009 - 1:35 pm 45. dan:

perhaps panetta was appointed to enable the honeycombed socialists within CIA to do their work without fear of effective management.

i’m sorry - if CIA personnel are good at and doing what it is they are supposed to do, there is no way any manager should be able to control them. the problem with intelligence services is that essentially their real check is their internal patriotic check.

unfortunately we’ve seen what the state of CIA is now and what it actually does - justify the politically correct expectations of it.

unless i am very mistaken, and part of the CIA’s genius is its ability to foster a large public image of its incompetence.

but then, intelligence is a wilderness of mirrors, isn’t it? for example, Tom Clancy says there are 18,000 CIA employees. really? how could he or anyone be certain of that?

anyway - leon panetta? why do we have to have these bureaucratic milquetoasts as head of CIA? can’t we get someone scary and wily looking? this guy looks like my uncle joe.

Jan 6, 2009 - 2:44 pm 46. fred:

You know what, I take back my earlier comment of vituperation about Panetta being chosen to head the CIA. Now that I think about it, given WHAT THAT AGENCY (and State, some in the Pentagon, and Justice)DID TO PRESIDENT BUSH FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, I think I like the payback being given to those backstabbing, traitorous scum over there at Langley.

I hope it is a grand f**k up all around for everyone, and that the CIA and Panetta and the new President all drag each other down into the mire of incompetence.

It’s dysfunctional anyway. Maybe four years of this circus and they will finally burn it down.

Jan 6, 2009 - 2:50 pm 47. Cybergeezer:

I repeat what I posted before; The nightly news is practically saying the same thing.
Obama’s inexperience and incompetence is coming through loud and clear.
There’s a party going on somewhere in the Pakistan/Afghanistan outback.
I’m proud to live in a small town and have a weapons permit.

“Meanwhile, all the sleeper cells in the United States are having wet dreams of the opportunities opening for them; They haven’t had prospects for this much fun since Clinton was screwing around in the Oval Office.”

Jan 6, 2009 - 4:25 pm 48. fred:

Cybergeezer,

I live in rural New Hampshire and I’m armed too.

Know what? If getting whacked by terrorists again is what it will take to wake this nation up to the dangers of the Left and its alliance with Islamic jihad, then so be it. I predict a major case of buyers’ remorse coming our way. The kiddies and the ladies who swooned over the ‘Bamster are going to get body slammed by reality big time.

Honestly, I don’t want people to die. But it’s so shocking that 9/11 seems to have never happened for most Americans now. It amounted to a many weeks’ running soap opera or reality show that now fades into memory, the lessons lost. As if it wasn’t real.

There is something surreal about what this nation has become.

Jan 6, 2009 - 4:55 pm 49. eor:

Does anyone but me fear that our wonderful military will jump ship? I can’t imagine real patriots wanting to work for people like the present bunch who are going to run the country. And what’s with the recycling of the Clintonistas? I, for one, am VERY afraid.

Jan 6, 2009 - 5:13 pm 50. thegr8 1:

This idiot will spend four years trying to find the cafeteria and the bathroom.

Jan 6, 2009 - 5:48 pm 51. Hyphenated American:

I love liberals. They are so modest and smart.

Another View on his intelligence:
I in fact do have a genius IQ. missed 1 question on 2 separate test 10 years apart.

Another View on Obama victory:
it was 57.82%-45.62%. Largest popular vote amount in history. he won by 10 million votes.. don’t believe your own BS.

103.44% - that’s for sure the largest vote amount. And someone claims Obama is not the Messiah?!

Jan 6, 2009 - 6:44 pm 52. thegre8_1:

Panetta does he have those coffeeshops? Oh that’s Panera I would rather have whoever runs Panera run the CIA.

Jan 6, 2009 - 7:00 pm 53. tanarg:

It remains to be seen if Obama is even inaugurated. After all, he hasn’t provided documentary evidence that he meets the constitutional requirements for being president, including being a natural born citizen. Obama has no legal right to be president, or to act as president, even after he’s inaugurated, because he has not produced the evidence that he meets the constitutional requirements. Until he does so, he is not legally president. That’s the truth.

Massive civil disobedience of a *federal law* in the event Obama is illegitimately inaugurated would help bring this matter to the public’s attention.

Jan 7, 2009 - 3:29 am 54. Ann:

Why do I have this thought of Panetta and Clinton sitting on some deck smoking cigars and laughing their heads off, Panetta saying, “Did you EVER imagine THIS? I’m going to be RUNNING the place!”

Jan 7, 2009 - 3:59 am 55. vivo:

Panetta: looks like a good choice. Read Holsinger above. Obama is thinking well. Go for it. He understands government and politics. That’s why he got elected, duh!

Jan 7, 2009 - 4:46 am 56. ReConUSMC:

It’s nice of my fellow Conservatives to easily notice when these Air Head Liberals and Socialist leave Move on ,org and the Daily Kos and come on Conservative web sights …… ‘They only bring their Feeling , Emotions , Lies , Spin , twisted facts or no facts but worse of all they process no Common sense or Love of this Country since it is their only Goal is to find fought with this great land …..Then they Damn Bush and Praise Obama ….. This is a Recording .
Job accomplished ……… B/S !.

Jan 7, 2009 - 6:29 am 57. Mike T:

Tom Holsinger,

You lost all credibility when you seriously suggested that the FBI should be given a chunk of the CIA’s mission and man power. Say what you will about the CIA, but they are much more competent than the FBI whose most high profile “success” in the last decade or so was burning down the Waco compound. The FBI is so structurally messed up, that all of their major contracts to replace core infrastructure have been colossal failures.

If there is any agency that begs, nay, pleads, to be broken up and redistributed, it’s the FBI. If Obama did that, he’d be doing law enforcement a much, much bigger favor than he’d be doing the IC for breaking up the CIA.

Jan 7, 2009 - 6:44 am 58. Mike T:

I’d also like to see how many of the critics and know-it-alls here could even name the major DoD intelligence agencies, and explain how they would redistribute the CIA’s duties to them in a coherent way without resorting to Wikipedia for some cheap information.

Jan 7, 2009 - 6:52 am 59. Robert Hurley:

ReConUSMC - Sorry to disappoint you but I served for three years in military intelligence. It certainly does not qualify me as an expert any more than your experience qualifies you. I have worked in corporations for 38 years and believe you have to have a competant manager to run any big organization. Given the troubles with the CIA, I think it is time to bring on an outsider to run. This thing is done in business all the time. The number two man there will stay on; so I don’t see much of a downside to the appointment. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion.
S

Jan 7, 2009 - 7:48 am 60. Cybergeezer:

One marionette picking another for the party; How do you feel about having Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton pulling the strings?

Jan 7, 2009 - 8:32 am 61. Bugs:

ReConUSMC: Thanks for your service, but stop being such a spaz.

I’m not a liberal. I’m just to understand why Obama & Co. are doing certain things. And no, I don’t think “THEY’RE ALL F***IN’ COMMIES” is a very useful explanation.

For what it’s worth, I do like the idea of putting our main intel organization - whatever it may someday be - under DoD. CIA as an independent agency is too directly involved in DC political game-playing. Maybe placing it deeper within a larger organization would allow its agents and analysts to do their jobs without so much interference from political managers. It would also put them on the same team, as it were, with the main consumers of intel - military commanders.

Jan 7, 2009 - 9:48 am 62. dan:

well, hopefully not all of them; hopefully some are secret.

the intelligence community may or may not be unfairly maligned; it is true that - if they are doing their jobs correctly - we the public would not be in a position to know.

however, it may be that one thing the CIA and related agencies has mismanaged is its own public image. it may also be that they have an outdated sense of whether they ought to disclose their victories. presuming the critics are wrong, it seems to be an inherently unsound strategy to never or almost never provide evidence of effectiveness and competence and indeed victory when it is the case that intelligence failures - or apparent intelligence failures - are reported and often sensationalized.

in fact the more i learn about how covert actions of our enemies would probably be utterly scuttled - certainly some essential part of their intended effects would be utterly scuttled - if some credible senator would just stand up and announce their existence.

in the world as it is, there must be an enormous amount of intelligence and covert and disinformation ops happening all the time. the more i learn, the more i begin to believe that there is something about government secrecy with respect to these things that seem vaguely but genuinely spooky.

after all, it may be possible that the actual picture of the world looks so different from the known or knowable picture of the world that, in trying to preserve its own effectiveness in intelligence, a nation like the United States has rendered itself positively unable to talk about the world as it is.

surely that is the very opposite of the intentions of the founding fathers and the design of the government. seems like *those* are the chickens that are coming to roost. not good.

Jan 7, 2009 - 10:18 am 63. ReConUSMC:

Too 60-Bugs ..

In truth this is scary S**T …… We are seeing America ”Change ” actually going back to the years before WW1 and 10 years before WW 2 .
The new word for our Troops , DOD , DIA , FBI , CIA will be……. ”Freeze ! Your under arrest
And then Read them their Miranda rights ? Sad … Sad S**T !

Just for the record {60 Bugs} It took me 2.2 years after OCS ….. At Q-CO to become a ReCon Marine . That was having to Graduate in the Top 10 % at Q-CO to apply for ReCon .
We had 16 different schools from Q Kill , Scuba ,Sub Training ,Seal School 21 at Little Creek VA Jump , Jungle Warfare , Survival , Blow your ass up , Mountain RePell , WATER BOARDING to name a few ……If you failed one class you were History .You could get too many people killed .
Politicians don’t make NONE SKILLED Warriors or Leaders of Professional MEN at times like now with World Wide Terrorism …… you Fool .
I remember seeing Boot 2nd LT’s in Nam being to Green too lead coming back in Body bags Not shot by VC . The was Fragged .
The last thing this Country needs is a Boot terrorism CIA ”Expert ” .DUH !

Jan 7, 2009 - 10:32 am 64. ReConUSMC:

This is Tooooo Good !

I can see Bill Clinton sitting on his Back Porch in the Hamptons

with Leon Panetta smoking Cigars while Hillary sip’s Wine all Laughing and saying ….. could anybody on Earth Imagine only

One month ago .

Most of My old Staff and half of my old Cabinet “Plus “Hillary as Sec. of State would be running the ‘World’ now under that .. ” what Change fellow “? … what his name again ?

Now there “No Change” I can believe in .

Bubba is right of course sadly .

For those that Voted for “Change “. I feel your Pain .. Not really .

Same old Same … America …. This is a recording .
You will notice the Media won’t mention “”Leon P ” INEXPERIENCE in a World he know not ….. I Guess they used all that energy up on Sarah Palin .

Jan 7, 2009 - 11:12 am 65. Cybergeezer:

When I go out in the back yard and whisper “Obama, Obama”, I see tingles in my drain field that go all the way into the septic tank. Try it yourself. It may fix your sewage problems..

Jan 7, 2009 - 7:09 pm 66. vivo:

63. ReConUSMC:

” We are seeing America ”Change ” actually going back to the years before WW1 and 10 years before WW 2 .”

And you bring it back to age of the dinosaurs.

US intelligence worked for a while but they want to run the game themselves, not for the benefit of the Country. McCain said Country First, remember? It’s time to act like that. I’m surprised Obama was smart enough to see that.

Jan 7, 2009 - 11:47 pm 67. ReConUSMC:

Too Leftist vivo
PAN…. NUT .. A
IS ON RECORD AND IS TOTALLY AGAINST VERY SERIOUS QUESTIONING KNOWN TERRORIST WITH IMPORTANT INFO …..
AND LIKE DUMB ASS .. MC CAIN HE IS AGAINST WATER BOARDING .
JUST FOR THE RECORD vivo ALL RECON MARINES , SEALS , SOME ARMY RANGERS , ALL SPECIAL FORCES ARE ”WATER BOARDED ” SCREAMED AT , GO DAYS WITHOUT FOOD OR SLEEP …. PUSHED TO COMPLETE EXHAUSTION AND DEAL WITH LOTS OF PAIN JUST IN TRAINING .
NO PROBLEM .
EVERYTHING I JUST SAID IS ”AGAINST ” THE GENEVA CONVENTION BUT NO MOSLEM NATION OR TERRORIST GROUP HAS SIGNED ON TO IT YET ISRAEL IS A MEMBER .
I AM SURE IF A RUTHLESS RAPIST HAD ONE OF YOUR LOVES ONES HIDDEN …… YOU WOULD DO WHAT IT TOOK TO GET THE INFO AND SAVE THEM USLESS YOUR A USE-LESS TYPICAL LIBERAL COWARD .
SOMEHOW THAT DOES TRANSLATE TO THE LIBERAL MIND ?
YOU WANT AND ADMIRE OUR ENEMY THAT FIGHTS US WITH NO RULES WHILE YOUR KIND HIDES ,
PUTTING OUR TROOPS IN FAR MORE DANGEROUS POSTITION TO DEFEND AMERICA .
LISTENING TO MANY LIBERALS ABOUT IRAQ IT BECAME MORE THAN OBVIOUS YOU’LL WANTED US TO LOSE THUS ELECTING OBAMA .LIBERALS ARE ABOUT POLITICS (SOCIALISM )FIRST , WORLD OPINIONS NEXT AND AMERICA BEING A WEAK EQUAL TO EUROPE NATION OR LESS .
NO MATTER WHAT AMERICA DOES OR DON’T DO OUR RACIAL MOSLEM ENEMIES WILL DO WHAT EVER IT TAKES TO WIN .

Jan 8, 2009 - 8:09 am 68. vivo:

67. ReConUSMC:

Do you know that writing in CAPS is like SHOUTING?

Boy, you must be exhausted . . .

“PUSHED TO COMPLETE EXHAUSTION AND DEAL WITH LOTS OF PAIN JUST IN TRAINING”

That’s done voluntarily, you know.

“BUT NO MOSLEM NATION OR TERRORIST GROUP HAS SIGNED ON TO IT YET ISRAEL IS A MEMBER .”

The UN should make them sign. How are terrorists going to sign??

“I AM SURE IF A RUTHLESS RAPIST HAD ONE OF YOUR LOVES ONES HIDDEN …… YOU WOULD DO WHAT IT TOOK TO GET THE INFO AND SAVE THEM”

Of course, I’m not stupid or useless. Keep blabbering.

“YOU WANT AND ADMIRE OUR ENEMY THAT FIGHTS US WITH NO RULES WHILE YOUR KIND HIDES ,”

Who said I admire “terrorists”? They can blow you or me any time. They are hidden and kill indiscrimately. The CIA job is to find them. Panetta’s job is to make sure all effective government agencies are on top of it. Not like the jealous agencies in the past that did not communicate. Military people are shortsighted by nature: they follow rules/orders. The rules are totally imperfect. There is LOTS of room for improvement. Give it a chance. Think out of the box.

“PUTTING OUR TROOPS IN FAR MORE DANGEROUS POSTITION TO DEFEND AMERICA ”

Bush put the troops in danger by foolishly going to Iraq, and keeping them there. The Iraqis are not dumb, they are taking advantage of the Americans, who are wasting billions for nothing, and getting killed. That’s the apotheosis for stupidity.

“YOU’LL WANTED US TO LOSE THUS ELECTING OBAMA”

There is NO win in Iraq. We invaded the frikkin country, so it makes sense to get out. They’ve been around for thousands of year and they want to keep it that way (unfortunately).

“AND AMERICA BEING A WEAK EQUAL TO EUROPE”

Peaceful is weak? If you want action, join Blackwater. You’ll be so happy there.

“NO MATTER WHAT AMERICA DOES OR DON’T DO OUR RACIAL MOSLEM ENEMIES WILL DO WHAT EVER IT TAKES TO WIN .”

And so smart Americans.

Jan 8, 2009 - 11:29 pm 69. Paul - Indiana:

RE post 34. Carol, I was laughing too hard to respond, myself. Thanks for the tweek on my data. I guess some people will accept >100% participation to get some clown like Al Franken [or Obambi] elected.

Jan 9, 2009 - 10:01 am 70. The Historian:

CIA MYSTERY: WHERE DOES OBAMA STAND?
Is the departure of Bush good for terrorists? Obama’s choice of Panetta raises questions.

http://greensrealworld.blogspot.com/2009/01/is-bush-departure-good-news-for.html

Jan 9, 2009 - 4:06 pm 71. deguello:

Panetta’s appointment, and that of several other security cretins,can only serve to educate the idiots who voted for the tinplate Messiah,or failing that, to get rid of them. Remember: all the targets will be blue state cities populated by vivo type jerks,whose demise would leave us a smarter,and mentally healthier, nation.I say.confirm Panetta!

Jan 13, 2009 - 9:07 am

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