Signal or Noise?

Panetta to CIA

Must spymaster be a master spy?

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What do you think?

Member Comments

  • Posted By: riunrandolph @ 01/07/2009 12:08:55 PM

    Noise: this subject matter should not take priority to other pressing issues
    Signal: this subject matter should take top priority to other pressing issues.

  • Posted By: Thevail @ 01/07/2009 3:38:36 AM

    to cntkaneeryah.. Jeez unlock the caps button.

    I'm not sure that I can agree about the head of the CIA needing the "nitty gritty" part..I mean..they pretty much spend most of their time editing reports for the white house, state dept.,pentagon, etc.

    I don't think they spend any time at all inthe "field". It isn't as if the head of the CIA is out waterboarding people personally.

    I think they need a lot of skills..like spotting a BS artist, and stopping inter departmental back stabbing and pettiness. I think the head of the CIA needs to be able to instill a sense of fairness in the dept. where people who do the right thing and do quality intelligence gathering and analysis know they won't be penalized (Shinseki), outted (Valerie Plame), or just out right ignored as "inconvenient".

    And then get blamed for "faulty intelligence" when what they worked so hard to produxce is ignored.
    Oh Yeah...the Iraq WMD thingy..

    Panetta is a good man, and a really, honestly COMPETENT people manager..he really is exactly what the CIA, and the intelligence community at large needs.

    • Posted By: Bill Smith @ 01/07/2009 10:11:02 AM

      Honest? It is impossible to be honest and be a politician at the same time.

  • Posted By: cart6719 @ 01/07/2009 5:05:00 AM

    I agree with pochero......it is the most confusing thing I ever saw......Why must Newsweek try to be cute? Just ask the question. I cannot figure out what noise or signal stands for. Ridiculous. Fire the one who thought up this one.

  • Posted By: pochero @ 01/07/2009 3:40:54 AM

    The graphic on this feature may be confusing to some (at least to me). If the divide is right of middle, does this mean that the issue is more of a signal? Or, in the same case where the divide is right of the middle, there is more gray on the bar than red, does this mean that the issue is more of a noise?

  • Posted By: burbank @ 01/07/2009 3:38:09 AM

    While it is true that managerial skill is necessary in bringing a diverse group of people together so they can work toward a common goal, experience is also necessary in building trust and respect within that group in order to bring about the sucessful compleation of the mission whatever that may be. If the manager has no work related experience, then how can he relate effectively and more importantly understand the nuances of the job to those under his command? While this seems to be the norm in business and in industry, the results of this shortsighted policy can have disasterous consequences when it comes to the field of inteligence. One must remember that these men and women are warriors and take their job of protecting this country very seriously. They do not suffer fools at all. To lead this group, one must have the credentials that will garner the respect and trust of the intelligence community in order to effectively prosecute the war on terror. With due respect to Mr. Panetta, he does not have the credentials to do the job . In theory this looks good and might work. But in the real world, it is practice lthat makes perfect. What is needed is an experienced warrior at the helm of the CIA. Mr. Panetta may be nice, but he is no warrior.

  • Posted By: burbank @ 01/07/2009 3:38:06 AM

    While it is true that managerial skill is necessary in bringing a diverse group of people together so they can work toward a common goal, experience is also necessary in building trust and respect within that group in order to bring about the sucessful compleation of the mission whatever that may be. If the manager has no work related experience, then how can he relate effectively and more importantly understand the nuances of the job to those under his command? While this seems to be the norm in business and in industry, the results of this shortsighted policy can have disasterous consequences when it comes to the field of inteligence. One must remember that these men and women are warriors and take their job of protecting this country very seriously. They do not suffer fools at all. To lead this group, one must have the credentials that will garner the respect and trust of the intelligence community in order to effectively prosecute the war on terror. With due respect to Mr. Panetta, he does not have the credentials to do the job . In theory this looks good and might work. But in the real world, it is practice lthat makes perfect. What is needed is an experienced warrior at the helm of the CIA. Mr. Panetta may be nice, but he is no warrior.

  • Posted By: christopherkidwell1 @ 01/06/2009 9:04:59 PM

    While I agree with Thevail a little, I am also a pragmatist. The person who leads the CIA MUST have some experience in spying and know the 'nitty-gritty, down and dirty' of it, while not being beheld to the intelligence community.

  • Posted By: cntkaneeryah @ 01/06/2009 8:13:30 PM

    THE INCOMING REGIME IS ALREADY STEEPED IN CORRUPTION HOW CAN ANY RIGHT MINDED PERSON EXPECT ANYTHING OTHER THAN MORE CORRUPTION. THEY WILL HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. OH YES CHANGE HAS COME TO AMERICA BUCKLE YOUR SEATBELTS THE RIDE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN.

  • Posted By: Thevail @ 01/06/2009 4:54:01 PM

    I think after the abuses of both POWs and the trust of the American people (yes, they are STILL tapping your phone) that America needs someone like Pannetta who has a clean slate so that he can sort it all out. Anyone in the intelligence community is going to have a bias towards cover up and ignore tactics.

  • Posted By: cbaker31222 @ 01/06/2009 3:25:09 PM

    I think it is crucial that a set of fresh eyes from outside the intelligence beaurocracy be appointed, and Panetta is perfect as such a person, because he is intelligent, experienced and engaged. Let's not forget the CIA missed at least 4 huges intelligence matters: the fall of the USSR, Pakistan's rise as a nuclear weapon power, Iraq's failure to have WMD's and THE BIGGEST, September 11th.

    There is something clearly wrong with the way this agency is running, and so an outsider like Panetta would really shake things up and make some changes that are badly needed.

  • Posted By: Healed @ 01/06/2009 1:35:21 PM

    We need someone that will help us to mend our wounded international appeal as well as a good leader that has good supporters to HELP him with security. That???s it, we NEED another Obama and that is Panetta to lead the CIA. PE Obama was given security information that we cannot receive so Obama selected Panetta who fits the security information that was attained. We may not understand it but let time tell whether his decision was right or wrong. After all, we gave George W. Bush EIGHT YEARS.

  • Posted By: Bill Smith @ 01/06/2009 12:30:49 PM

    Like almost all federal agencies, the CIA is unconstitutional and needs to be abolished, just like the rest of the alphabet agencies.

  • Posted By: jeromejg2 @ 01/06/2009 12:09:04 PM

    Bluntly, no! The "spooks" are already in place. What is needed is good solid administrative skills to ensure proper running of the CIA. Panneta has them, so what's this beef about?

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