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Loose Canons
Petraeus and Panetta: Foiled at the Start
Both men have superb reputations — but look who they’re working for.
President Obama may think he played it smart by choosing CIA Director Leon Panetta to replace Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Afghanistan commander Gen. David Petraeus to take Panetta’s job at CIA. Both men have superb reputations and each is a shoo-in for confirmation.
What comes after won’t be so easy. Both Panetta and Petraeus are being air-dropped into unfamiliar roles at a time when the agencies they’re taking over are under enormous stress both politically and substantively.
Gen. Petraeus has, for the past decade, been one of our nation’s principal intelligence consumers. He has had to make decisions in Iraq and Afghanistan on the basis of a dearth of actionable intelligence. By now he knows in detail the major weaknesses of our intelligence community, and especially the CIA, in penetrating adversary nations and non-state actors such as al Qaeda and Hezbollah.
Now he’s going to have to look through the other end of the telescope, and what he’ll see isn’t pretty.
As Petraeus will discover quickly, the CIA has more fractious tribes than Iraq, each with its own political agenda and media/congressional constituency. It is encumbered with a supervisory bureaucracy that adds no value (the Director of National Intelligence) and has suffered so many attacks from congressional Democrats that Petraeus’ predecessor, Panetta, was forced to spend so much of his time defending the agency that the mission of the CIA — to gather intelligence — was further eroded.
Because it was unable to gather essential intelligence, under Panetta the CIA turned to its “lethal authorities,” the employment of paramilitary operatives and its own fleet of Predator (and other) unmanned aircraft. These assets have been engaged in a global game of “whack-a-mole.” Though they have managed to kill a great many terrorists and some minor terrorist leaders, they have not succeeded in crippling — for example — the three major terror networks in Afghanistan, al Qaeda, the Taliban, and the Haqqani network in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Before he can get to those issues, Petraeus will face the first challenge encountered by every retiring military officer (or senior industry executive) taking a high-ranking civilian position in government. When a general or a CEO gives an order, his subordinates — if they don’t want to get fired — move out smartly to accomplish it. In the civilian side of government, when the boss issues an order, it’s the start of a debate, not the end of one.
(I e-mailed a friend of mine who works for General Petraeus asking if he’d be coming to Langley with the boss. His answer was, “DC is too much of a war zone for me. MUCH safer here in Afghanistan.”)
When the general enters his new office, he will discover proofs of what he suspects. We are unable to obtain reliable current information about the sources of the greatest threats our nation faces. Iran is a “denied area” in which we have almost no ability to gather intelligence. China is embarked on the most penetrating espionage effort against us since the Soviet era and terrorists are still able to hide, obtain financing and weapons, and mount attacks against the U.S. and its troops abroad with too great a frequency. The attempts by the Christmas Day airline bomber and the Times Square car bomber failed only because of their ineptness, not our measures to interdict them.
Petraeus undoubtedly has a lot of ideas on how to improve the CIA’s gathering and analysis of intelligence. And he will try to implement them, only to have the CIA’s tribal culture and its congressional/media supporters thwart him. He won’t get the active presidential support necessary to reform the intelligence community because Obama has himself been at war with the CIA, alleging in his 2008 campaign that it tortured terrorist detainees. Obama backed Eric Holder’s 2009 appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate torture allegations. That special prosecutor’s work continues to this day, a doomsday cloud still hanging over the agency.
Whether Obama is re-elected or not Petraeus will, like James Woolsey before him, probably leave in frustration after a short term at CIA.
Petraeus will be frustrated at CIA. But what is politically worse for Obama, Panetta’s term as defense secretary will be disputatious and rocky from the start.
Panetta — former House Budget Committee chairman, White House Budget Director and Clinton Chief of Staff before coming to CIA — has been picked because his political credentials seem to make him a good candidate to wield Obama’s machete in slashing the defense budget. But during his term at CIA, his relationship with many senior House Democrats was poisoned by their unremitting attacks on the CIA over the issue of terrorist interrogations.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s war on our spies never ended. As ranking Dem on the House Intelligence Committee, Pelosi was briefed on September 4, 2002 on the fact that al Qaeda detainee Abu Zubayda had been waterboarded, but denied it repeatedly. When the Director of National Intelligence released an unclassified summary of the briefings (a story I broke on May 7, 2009), Pelosi accused the CIA of lying.
Panetta, to his credit, stuck up for the agency he headed, releasing a statement on May 15, 2009 that the CIA’s policy was to not mislead Congress. Eleven days later, Pelosi and six other House Dems sent him a letter demanding that he recant that statement.
About the Author
Jed Babbin served as a Deputy Undersecretary of Defense under George H.W. Bush. He is the author of several bestselling books including Inside the Asylum and In the Words of Our Enemies. You can follow him on Twitter @jedbabbin.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (81) | Leave a comment
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Michael Tomlinson| 4.29.11 @ 6:39AM
The reality is Obama is still an incompetent boob with an abysmal domestic and foreign policy and it is irrelevant who serves in his oligarchy. As long as he is squatting in the White House the US is in trouble.
Alan Brooks| 4.29.11 @ 9:51AM
"the CIA has more fractious tribes than Iraq"
The blind leading the blind. It began under JFK, and began to get really out of hand with Nixon. It shows how astute Reagan was that he could what he did.
But his generation is dead or dying now-- today boomers are in charge. And America is so fragmented, so Romanesque, Byzantine ("the CIA has more fractious tribes than Iraq") we can't heal other nations much.
Doesn't look good no matter who is president or which party is in power.
vtwin| 4.29.11 @ 7:58PM
Reagan’s legacy; the it’s all about ME culture.
Negro X| 5.1.11 @ 6:30PM
VTROLL,
Thank you for the pointless post.
Alan Brooks| 5.1.11 @ 8:21PM
"Reagan’s legacy; the it’s all about ME culture."
It began with LBJ's hideous botching of the Vietnam War-- he tried to micromanage the war, colonels were afraid to tell generals what was going on; and to top it off LBJ was an egomaniac who only got to be president because JFK was assassinated.
Reagan helped end a war.
SpiralArchitect| 4.29.11 @ 12:41PM
Believe what you will, obviously, but consider the following.
B.O. knows exactly what he is doing & his plan is going quite well ('as planned' one might say) from his perspective.
It is not something that just anyone can do, the destruction of America (from within mind you) - this takes patience and planning to say the least.
Alan Brooks| 4.29.11 @ 1:12PM
America can destroy itself without any help from Obama.
When Obama leaves office in 2013 or 2017, we will still be making shortsighted decisions. Foresight was water in the desert 50 years ago, and will be 50 years from now.
Occam's Tool| 4.29.11 @ 6:59PM
Incompetent, or treasonous, Michael?
RCV| 4.29.11 @ 8:19PM
Were you just being blustery, Ocaam, or did you mean that comment to be serious? Because if you did, it is far below your usual standard of intellectual acuity.
Michael Tomlinson| 4.30.11 @ 6:20AM
Count me as one who believes Obama is intellectually challenged, but even a moron can be a traitor.
Zbigniew Mazurak | 4.30.11 @ 11:02AM
Exactly! And therefore, it doesn't matter whom Obama would nominate to be SECDEF - he'd nominate an anti-defense leftist like Panetta anyway. The only solution is to win the 2012 presidential election.
JP| 4.29.11 @ 7:23AM
Under Obama, the coveted positions are at HHS, and other entitlement agencies, not the DOD or CIA. In that respect, we are becoming more like the UK.
Intelligent Design| 4.29.11 @ 8:07AM
In the infantry the platoon leader says "Follow Me". If the so-called CIC Obama said "Follow Me" I would laugh and say, "You've got to be kidding."
Alan Brooks| 4.29.11 @ 2:58PM
If you're all so patriotic, why have you wasted so much as one second on Obama's birth certificate?; it was the Right that wanted that dead-end, not the left.
So just one question: what are America's unfunded liabilities? how many trillions? if the answer is dozens of trillions, then the birthers are terrible time-easters.
Alan Brooks| 4.29.11 @ 3:05PM
... typo, it is time-EATERS
(nothing wrong with Easter!)
trinacria| 4.29.11 @ 3:05PM
Actually, what he says is, "Follow me, men...I'll be back here leading from behind>"
Pecos Pete| 4.29.11 @ 8:39AM
The EPA, HHS, NLRB, and etc. are wrecking the USA's economy. Panetta and Petraeus are not going to change the O's domestic policies.
Ken (Old Texican)| 4.29.11 @ 9:01AM
Jed,
well written.
Your article did provoke one thought, however. I'm grateful for good men and women who are willing to serve... America.
...from the lowest buck Private to the officers of whatever rank...while the Commander in Chief is AWOL.
That is the theme of my new novel.
I hope you will take a peek at the web-page I set up for the book.
There is an introductory chapter there, and some reviews as well.
www.americaalonesaidno.com
DanH in Alaska| 4.29.11 @ 9:30AM
Ken,
Looking @ your order form page, does this include both e-books or just the new one?
Ken (Old Texican)| 4.29.11 @ 1:12PM
Dan, I have wrapped both books into one. If you bought "Texas Said NO" you should have had part TWO "America Alone Said NO" e-mailed to you by now.
Yes. both books/parts are included in the buy page.
If you did indeed buy Texas said NO! then simply write for the part TWO at:
sales@texassaidno.com and request part TWO be sent to you...no charge.
Alan Brooks| 4.29.11 @ 9:54AM
"I'm grateful for good men and women who are willing to serve... America."
Yeah because you have much more than they have and risk much less. That is why a defense tax is needed so you can pay for the hidden cost, and someday you will do so-- you can BANK on it.
Ken (Old Texican)| 4.29.11 @ 1:14PM
Alan, you are so stupid you just make me want to puke.
Nevertheless, thank you for being our on-going joke here.
Alan Brooks| 4.29.11 @ 1:24PM
Tell us about your military record, Tex; all the locations you were stationed, dates of transfer, combat record, decorations, injuries received, hospitals treated at, cathouses you patronized overseas.
Ken (Old Texican)| 4.29.11 @ 2:34PM
Alan, most everyone here knows I was merely a CB. (Civilian Builder)
My companies filled sand-bags for our soldiers and Marines....and proud to do so.
We also got shot up a lot......joke.
Alan Brooks| 4.29.11 @ 3:02PM
Most here don't keep up on the careers of others. Do we know what Clint does? is he a triple agent for America, Iran, and Syria?
Hilarity to ensue.
Clint| 4.29.11 @ 5:37PM
Brooks is The Chairman of The Bores.
I'm The Chief Investigator Of Bores Watch.
Negro X| 5.1.11 @ 6:34PM
brooks, You served in Canada right or was it on a commune. Tell us about your heroics with PETA.
Alan Brooks| 5.1.11 @ 8:27PM
You are both right, I was chairman of the bored for PETA- fell asleep at every meeting.
Canada? I dodged the draft there, helping Dudley Do Right rescue Nell from train tracks..
Occam's Tool| 4.29.11 @ 7:00PM
Or, we can simply rip the money we're owed out of the hides of the Middle east oligarchies we protect.
ABNCP| 4.29.11 @ 11:43AM
The most destructive era in the CIA's history other than what is going on now, was the Jimma Carter/Stansfield Turner episode.
However, in the last 50 plus years just pick any Democrat President, all of those administrations have damaged what should be one of this nations first lines of defense.
Alan Brooks| 5.1.11 @ 8:30PM
"The most destructive era in the CIA's history other than what is going on now, was the Jimma Carter/Stansfield Turner episode."
No, it was LBJ and his handling of the Vietnam War '66 to '69 in 'Nam, eventually (3 years) leading to Watergate. The Pentagon Papers triggered the Plumbers.
Alan Brooks| 5.1.11 @ 8:36PM
... that is, it was a delayed reaction that didn't affect America that much until the '70s.
Which decade did Jimmuh get elected in? less than 2 1/2 years after Nixon resigned Jimmuh was In-hog-urated.
Dai Alanye | 4.29.11 @ 11:58AM
Why should Old Tex be the only one to peddle books on this site?
Here's one of my literary efforts. Less thrilling, perhaps, but a whole bunch cheaper.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/26844
Ken (Old Texican)| 4.29.11 @ 2:27PM
Dai,
Your stupid site won't work. Conversely my web-site www.americaalonesaidno.com does.
That is the difference between a number one bestseller like me...and a person like you.
My work is worth paying for...and cheap at the price of $10.
Occam's Tool| 4.29.11 @ 7:01PM
Absolutely correct, Ken. Great stuff.
Noni Mausse| 4.29.11 @ 12:02PM
After speaking with several ex-NSA employees one big place to cut abysmally wasteful spending is the National Security Agency, run by the unimpressive dullard, Air Force General Keith Alexander, who is reliant upon people ill-advised to even have clearances, much less be advising him. You see, NSA has been waging a secret war against its own employees for more than a decade since the gross negligence of the NSA leadership was showcased by the entirely preventable 9/11 tragedy, despite years of NSA analysts warning of the specific danger. Writers such as Madsen, Gossett, and Whistle blower advocate and critic of the totalitarian regime-style psychological abuse being routinely waged on those NSA employees futily attempting to hold NSA to the Constitution and letter of the law, Don Soeken, have been gathering stories about how NSA Security has created a Security force of Feds as well as contractors (to hide the real numbers and enrich the Security managers with kick-backs) far and beyond what is legitimately needed to protect NSA itself and run background checks. Under the present psychopath chosen by the also less than stellar previous (Air Force) DIRNSA, General Michael Hayden, from the mid-ranks to head NSA Security (to secure "personal loyalty"), the psychopath missed by incompetent and corrupted NSA Psych Services, has turned NSA Security into a vicious thug organization, selling his (their) services (money, favors, unprecedented power etc.) to trump-up false accusations as well as fabricated evidence of "leaking intelligence" (a felony) against any NSA employee whom a manager wishes to "target" as a pretense to justify (to DIRNSA and the bubble-brained, self-serving executive corps being led around by the nose), covert and illegal actions to severely slander, libel, harass, stalk, and illegally wiretap the person as a "security risk we can't afford to employ" even though no evidence worthy of even attempting to turn over to real legal authorities such as the FBI exists or ever did. (Specious accusations rein, while proof of innocence is ignored and even actively covered-up). In order to further malign the person against whom no real evidence exists, the targeted person is also then accused by Security Psych Services as becoming "suddenly mentally ill" (almost always with no medical history, past or present, contrary to independent evaluations not controlled by NSA, or even any NSA psychological tests through the years of employment supporting such specious accusations). The person is snatched out of the general population implying guilt of something to gullible co-workers, placed in a menial, demeaning job, then fired even with a world of evidence indicating the unprofessional and baseless accusation of mental illness ("paranoid and delusional" being NSA's one trick pony to mask real crimes by NSA managers) is pure baloney. The real "offenses" some of these targeted individuals "committed" were such things as: reporting contract fraud, dating the wrong person's son, asking the NSA Inspector General to investigate a managerial sex-for promotion ring, and lastly, reporting that another NSA employee had improper contact with foreign agents (Communist Chinese), a very big no-no and red flag - anywhere else in the intelligence community (we hope). Apparently at NSA manager selling out our country is OK, but reporting someone for it is a betrayal of country over NSA, and that simply is not tolerated.
Mr. Panetta, make the next NSA Director a Marine general and polygraph, clean house, and prosecute the treasonous perversions the extended Air Force "leadership" has institutionalized at NSA by a corrupt Security, corrupt Inspector General Office, corrupt EEO, and corrupt Counsel General's office, and select executives and managers, at an incalculable cost to the whole country's security and safety as well as to those lives immorally and illegally devastated for trying to faithfully serve their country and being illegally and viciously harassed, maligned, fired, and blackballed from all Federal service for it. (And now Intelligence Authorization bill, S. 719, 403 is attempting to give these very same crooks behind NSA's corruption, the ability to further destroy patriots by revoking their Federal pensions). Make a difference Mr. Panetta, so we can tell you from the previous several Bobo doll place-holders. And clear those wrongfully persecuted to cover up treason and crimes against the U.S. and restore what they have lost.
Dai Alanye | 4.29.11 @ 12:21PM
If this screed used paragraphs I just might read it. As it is--no.
SpiralArchitect| 4.29.11 @ 12:44PM
Is this a style of writting showcased at the NSA as well? Unreadable after jsut a few lines, too bad.
Ken (Old Texican)| 4.29.11 @ 2:30PM
Noni,
please drink more coffee!
That way you can break for paragraphs at each pee break...dumbbunny.
Occam's Tool| 4.29.11 @ 7:11PM
Dear Noni, your missive seemed interesting. Here it is, reasonably edited. (By the way, Brevity IS the soul of wit.)
"After speaking with several ex-NSA employees one big place to cut abysmally wasteful spending is the National Security Agency, run by the unimpressive dullard, Air Force General Keith Alexander (who is reliant upon people ill-advised to even have clearances, much less be advising him.).
You see, NSA has been waging a secret war against its own employees for more than a decade since the gross negligence of the NSA leadership was showcased by the entirely preventable 9/11 tragedy, despite years of NSA analysts warning of the specific danger. Writers such as Madsen, Gossett, and Whistle blower advocate and critic of the totalitarian regime-style psychological abuse being routinely waged on those NSA employees futily attempting to hold NSA to the Constitution and letter of the law.
Don Soeken has been gathering stories about how NSA Security has created a Security force of Feds as well as contractors (to hide the real numbers and enrich the Security managers with kick-backs) far and beyond what is legitimately needed to protect NSA itself and run background checks.
For example, under the present psychopath chosen by the also less than stellar previous (Air Force) DIRNSA, General Michael Hayden, from the mid-ranks to head NSA Security (to secure "personal loyalty"), the psychopath missed by incompetent and corrupted NSA Psych Services, has turned NSA Security into a vicious thug organization, selling his (their) services (money, favors, unprecedented power etc.) to trump-up false accusations as well as fabricated evidence of "leaking intelligence" (a felony) against any NSA employee whom a manager wishes to "target" as a pretense to justify to DIRNSA (and the bubble-brained, self-serving executive corps being led around by the nose), covert and illegal actions.
These actions result in the targeted individual suffering severe slander, libel, harass, stalk, and illegal wiretapping; thus, the person is transformed into as a "security risk we can't afford to employ" even though no evidence worthy of even attempting to turn over to real legal authorities such as the FBI exists or ever did. Specious accusations rein, while proof of innocence is ignored and even actively covered-up.
In order to further malign the person against whom no real evidence exists, the targeted person is also then accused by Security Psych Services as becoming "suddenly mentally ill" (almost always with no medical history, past or present, contrary to independent evaluations not controlled by NSA, or even any NSA psychological tests through the years of employment supporting such specious accusations). The person is snatched out of the general population implying guilt of something to gullible co-workers, placed in a menial, demeaning job, then fired even with a world of evidence indicating the unprofessional and baseless accusation of mental illness ("paranoid and delusional" being NSA's one trick pony to mask real crimes by NSA managers) is pure baloney.
The real "offenses" some of these targeted individuals "committed" were such things as: reporting contract fraud, dating the wrong person's son, asking the NSA Inspector General to investigate a managerial sex-for promotion ring, and lastly, reporting that another NSA employee had improper contact with foreign agents (Communist Chinese), a very big no-no and red flag - anywhere else in the intelligence community (we hope).
Apparently at NSA a manager selling out our country is OK, but reporting someone for it is a betrayal of country over NSA, and that simply is not tolerated.
Mr. Panetta, make the next NSA Director a Marine general and polygraph, clean house, and prosecute the treasonous perversions the extended Air Force "leadership" has institutionalized at NSA by a corrupt Security, corrupt Inspector General Office, corrupt EEO, and corrupt Counsel General's office.
Instead, select good executives and managers, because not to do so is to risk an incalculable cost to the whole country's security and safety as well as to those lives immorally and illegally devastated for trying to faithfully serve their country and being illegally and viciously harassed, maligned, fired, and blackballed from all Federal service for it. (Incidentally, Intelligence Authorization bill, S. 719, 403 is attempting to give these very same crooks behind NSA's corruption, the ability to further destroy patriots by revoking their Federal pensions.).
Make a difference Mr. Panetta, so we can tell you apart from the previous several Bobo doll place-holders. And clear those wrongfully persecuted to cover up treason and crimes against the U.S. and restore what they have lost."
I find that reading my stuff aloud helps. I'm not a natural writer like Ken.
Occam's Tool| 4.29.11 @ 7:12PM
I'm sorry---advocate and "critique" I think.
trinacria| 4.29.11 @ 3:14PM
Jesus, Noni; take a breath (and leave some space on the internet for the rest of us...)
Zbigniew Mazurak | 4.30.11 @ 1:43PM
There's one problem with your post: Keith Alexander is an Army General, not an Air Force General. You need to tackle your anti-AF bias.
loulou| 4.29.11 @ 12:34PM
These are both substandard appointees.
Panetta is simply a Democrat politcal hack.
Petraeus is a new breed of General--a social worker who wants to win hearts and minds.
Why Babbin says they have superb reputations, I have no idea. Superb reputations for what??
This fits the cliche about rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic perfectly.
Wayne | 4.29.11 @ 12:37PM
Petraeus has demonstrated that he is part of ObamaNation and as such is certainly no hero. He probably is in line for the 2016 Democratic nomination.
Doug| 4.29.11 @ 2:58PM
Correct
Doug| 4.29.11 @ 2:58PM
It shouldn't matter who they are working for. If they are in fact superb men with outstanding character, they would not compromise their character to stoop to political meandering required to serve Obama the king.
Anommynous| 4.29.11 @ 3:46PM
Obama is the Commander-in-Chief and outranks General Petraeus. I don't see how his respect of the chain of command amounts to compromising of character.
Doug| 4.29.11 @ 2:58PM
Correct
loulou| 4.29.11 @ 3:09PM
Correct
Tina B| 4.29.11 @ 5:02PM
Isn't the Peter Principle, "Everyone rises to the level of their own mediocrity" ?
Sounds like Obama's deceitfulness is once again successful. If I didn't know better I'd think he was a servant of the evil one. >:^|
bobmontgomery| 4.29.11 @ 7:49PM
1.. Why is it we don't know who the rebels in Libya are?
2. Why does Petraeus still have a job after standing in Afghanistan, which he is responsible for, and blaming a pastor in Florida for people getting killed in Afghanistan?
Ken (Old Texican)| 4.29.11 @ 8:07PM
Aw people...shut up!
General Petraeus carries the death of every single soldier on his soul.
This is a splendid man!
This is a splendid man with an impossible task!
I shall pray for him daily.
RCV| 4.29.11 @ 8:23PM
As do I. Thanks for coming to his defense, Ken. He is a fine and honorable man.
Ken (Old Texican)| 4.29.11 @ 8:57PM
RCV,
One of these days we must have lunch...running through dinner.
Obviously you are a bright guy...a very bright guy.
Please contact me at sales@texassaidno.com
I had to hang up my spurs. I failed my flight-physical and am no longer a pilot. I sold my Bellanca Viking.....but after literally a million miles criss-crossing the country.........I have memory tapes of all the purple mountains and the golden prairies.
I'm content.
We need to talk.
My cell# is 713-569-3896
All American American| 4.30.11 @ 1:54PM
Yes Ken, he does carry the death of every American in Afghanistan on his soul--b/c he and his nonsensical "COIN" strategy are responsible.
Funny how he had something to say when a pastor in FL burned a koran, but nothing to say when yet another jihadist in Afghan military clothing blows away nine--NINE--Americans. Total this year: 31. You go Gen Al-Petraeus.
John II| 4.29.11 @ 9:15PM
"But the dangers our nation faces will not -- cannot -- be solved by these men. The problems they face aren't made insoluble by the terrorist groups and nations that mean us harm. The obstacle to solving them is the president they serve."
Panetta as Defense Secretary makes a certain gruesome sense; he'll serve the whims of the Professor, period, and then hit the lecture circuit when he has to hit the road early in 2013.
But General Petraeus? Why would a man of such talent and integrity want to be a part of this administration? Perhaps he just loves his country. These are deep waters.
And now back to "The Longest Day" (1962) and "Patton" (1970), in which Ike and Marshall and Bradley and old Blood-and-guts himself do what is honorable, each in his distinctive way. They loved their country.
RCV| 4.29.11 @ 10:46PM
General Petraeus, like most honorable career military in this country, don't see themselves as part of any administration. They see themselves as patriots serving their country, as you note. We Americans are so very, very fortunate that our military tradition has developed in this way. God bless them, every one.
John II| 4.29.11 @ 11:55PM
Ah Roberto. How agreeable to be agreed.
Yes, I got my first up-close sense of the mystique, so to speak, of military honor when I was a Vietnam-era draftee snatched unceremoniously out of graduate school. I will never forget our elderly (about 40) drill sergeant explaining protocol to us lowly and clueless recruits:
"When you pass an officer, you salute. And always remember that you're saluting the uniform, not the dumb bastard wearing the uniform!"
Ore Gone| 4.30.11 @ 9:58PM
Now that made me laugh! I see you were in the same style military as I. The new military lacks the dry humor that could be found everywhere.
PattyMor| 4.29.11 @ 9:31PM
Well the Dollars spent for National Security ballooned under Bush. Then he created the Homeland Security boondoggle. They recently bought a fire truck for my little town. Its all this dollar chasing that is bankrupting the nation. If you need a new fire truck, the community should buy it; not the federal gov'ment. Multiply this by the myriads of cities and towns all looking for their piece of the pork; along with welfare and entitlements that are sinking the nation.
So we are now fighting three wars, we have a bloated, lumbering security apparatus and we leave the souther border wide open. Its a sychophrenic gov'ment policy. And will continue until a lot of people get killed.
Nite| 4.29.11 @ 10:11PM
These men are working for a radical who hates the Military and the CIA and who has no clue how these two entities function. I do not envy them. I just pray that Obama is tossed out on his arse at the next election before he totally destroys this country.
Dee See| 4.29.11 @ 11:08PM
---STOP foisting the 'dutiful operative' types
as being significant of anything beyond
---complacency.
Robert| 4.30.11 @ 9:14AM
Brilliant move BO! You have in one fell swoop muzzled Petraeus in a minefield of bureaucracy and put 'Little Bread' (Panetta) in his perfect box - Secretary of Defense. With all the expertise gained defending the tribalism of the CIA, Panetta can now 'defend' the Department of Defense!
chris haynes| 4.30.11 @ 9:56AM
Petraeus: 60 more years in Afghanistan.
That's what he called for.
He should be committted, not promoted.
Now we've got 5 wars. Humanitarian wars, to protect civilians with robot drones.
But not our own civilians. Our brave military is protecting our freedom to murder them, by the millions, in abortion clinics.
Richard Baker| 4.30.11 @ 10:26AM
Brooks is an intellectual joke. Hey sport, would the bonafides of W have you so disinterested? It matters because either the Constitutional (you do remember the Constitution, don't you?) requirements matter or they don't. If, ultimately, his bonafides are genuine then game over. But, the Presidency is not an inconsequential office, no? For a country which demands certification for cosmetology to ignore the Presidency requires a certain willingness to ignore reality. Brooks, looks as if you possess that willingness.
Glein| 4.30.11 @ 11:37AM
Hope Panetta leaves Patreus his cable TV. He'll need it to find out what is going on in the world from CNN and MSNBC. The CIA will not be able to tell him.
chris haynes| 4.30.11 @ 11:54AM
Petraeus...honorable man?
An honorable commander would resign rather than wage an illegal war based on lies. Assuming he wasnt an idiot.
Libya: Humanitarian war to protect civilians. Lie. Without congressional approval. Illegal
Did Petraeus resign? Any of the other generals? No.
You ex-military people, any insights..... our military leaders, are they cowards or dopes?
All American American| 4.30.11 @ 1:56PM
Neither--they're politicians positioning themselves for their post-military careers in gubmint. Gen Al-Petraeus is another "fine" example.
Negro X| 5.1.11 @ 6:39PM
AAA,
You are correct, I know many of these people personally or have worked for them, there are no more Pattons or Bradleys, just hacks looking out for number 1.
RCV| 4.30.11 @ 3:24PM
Neither, Mr. Haynes. But based on your posts, the call on you is easier.
John II| 4.30.11 @ 9:32PM
Well, to refine it a bit, collectively they are doubtless both and neither. But the ones who are neither, even if in a minority, make up for the ones who are both. Good has a way of overwhelming evil.
I can't help thinking of academia in this regard--which is to say, I can't help thinking of, say, Nazi Germany, which never recruited more than a hundred thousand or so members of the Nazi Party--but which had untold millions of busy and fairly efficient bureaucrats prepared to respond to the orders of whoever was on top. Ditto with the Soviet Union, the Communist Party of which, at its peak, boasted a membership of about 150,000.
General Petraeus may or may not be a member of the universe's morally indifferent enablers--but I am bound by hope to give him the benefit of the doubt. He could, of course, be both: a man of integrity and, somewhat, an enabler. This is a fallen world.
And now back to "Green Pastures" (1938), in which Rex Ingram in the role of God puzzles over the human condition.
carnot| 5.1.11 @ 9:23PM
ummm...most are missing the point. to rise to the top in today's military....more so than ever before...requires riding the political currents...and not war fighting expertise or....God knows...real leadership skills.
Jeff Perren | 4.30.11 @ 3:25PM
All this praise for Panetta by conservative sites (AmSpec, NRO, others) is mystifying.
Never worked in the private sector. The man was a Democratic representative from California for decades before becoming the OMB Director then Chief of Staff for Clinton.
True, there are worse in D.C. but this guy is not one of the good guys by a long shot.
chris haynes| 4.30.11 @ 5:17PM
The Amercian Soldier: Killing for Buncombe.
The war Petraeus is fighting in Libya is legal, even without congressional authorization? Anyone belive that?
And its justified, to prevent the massacre of civilans in a city the size of Charlotte. Hundreds of thoussands about to be killed. President Obama says so? Anyone believe that?
Why do our military men kill people for this baloney? Who taught them that human life is that cheap?
Clint| 5.1.11 @ 9:06AM
Military men know far more than most, that life is not cheap.
What's cheap, are your cheap " back shots" at our military men.
carnot| 5.1.11 @ 9:25PM
are you sure? a lot of the lethality is now high tech driven by operators hundreds to thousands of miles from the battle's edge.
Thom| 5.1.11 @ 6:53PM
My view on this matter is a little different than most see it I think.
Moving Petraeus to the CIA just before we start withdrawing troops from Afghanistan relieves him of the stigma of losing AF when it starts to unwind next year and beyond. It also puts Petraeus in the crosshairs of those Democrats in Congress who hate the CIA and will free them to do as they will now that Panetta is gone.
Putting Panetta in place of Gates who recommended him will just accelerate the decline of the US military.
Where people go off the rails with Petraeus is assuming he is one of us. A man of honor no less will have some limits to how far he will let hypocrisy go before he draws a line in the sand. Stanley McChrystal no less a Democrat pulled a MacArthur to get out of what was a no win situation. He made the mistake that winning AF was actually an objective of King Obama’s and decided he didn’t want to be the fall guy…. for the farce. Petraeus no less won’t have to bail as his Commander and Chief has given him a way out…. Which man, the Democrat McChrystal or the unknown Petraeous who doesn’t see problems with burning Christian bibles but does with the Quran have more honor? Tough question perhaps but at least McChrystal drew a line in the sand to how far hypocrisy would be allowed to overrun his honor.
I don’t know that Petraeous has any limits to that and once he puts on that civilian uniform at the CIA it won’t really matter any longer either. Some other go along to get along General will get the job of losing AF….
Never mistake military bearing for agreement with the Founding principles of this Republic. The greatest African-American General of all times, General Colin Powell fooled millions into thinking he was a Republican for several decades…… he isn’t in case anyone is still fool enough to think so.
RCV| 5.2.11 @ 1:22AM
Congrats to the Navy seals, the US armed forces and the Obama administration for justice meted out to Osama Bin Laden. A job well done!
St. Thor| 5.2.11 @ 7:55AM
General Petraeus has already, clearly on the orders of Obama, violated the UCMJ by his blast at American citizens exercising free speech on American soil. It's basically a misdemeanor, but misdemeanors lead to felonies. Nixon, here we come. As a recent ideological defense of Democrat Presidents on the History Channel pointed out, as did Nixon, "It's not a crime if the President does it."
Creative Recreation | 8.10.11 @ 9:37PM
is good