All We Ever Do Anymore is Fight

Published Aug 28, 2009

From the magazine issue dated Sep 7, 2009

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CIA Director Leon Panetta, trying to fend off a new Justice Department investigation of agency interrogation practices, got into a shouting match at the White House and was on the verge of quitting—or so went the scuttlebutt in Washington last week. Suggestions that Panetta is leaving are "trash, pure and simple," says Paul Gimigliano, a CIA spokesman. He adds that Panetta, "who's had good jobs in Washington, views his current post as the best of all," and that the CIA chief intends to be at his job "for a good long time." White House spokesman Ben LaBolt says there's "not a shred of truth" to the suggestion Panetta is on the way out.

Still, institutional battles seem to be eroding his ability to defend the agency. Not only did Justice reopen the investigation into alleged post-9/11 CIA interrogation abuses, but the Obama administration made public documents describing in lurid detail how the CIA used "enhanced" techniques to extract information from terror suspects. To be sure, Attorney General Eric Holder's probe is carefully circumscribed to a small range of cases, leading some intel officials to conclude that, if Holder felt compelled to open an inquiry, he wanted to limit its impact. Among the issues the criminal inquiry is expected to focus on: alleged excesses in the use of waterboarding, says a counterterrorism official who asked for anonymity when discussing the investigation.

Yet another test of Panetta's clout is underway. For months the CIA chief and his boss, intel czar Dennis Blair, have been feuding. The beef? Blair issued an order giving himself the power to designate a senior U.S. intel rep in foreign countries—a designation that's historically gone to the chief of the local CIA station. The feud was so intense that it was referred to national-security adviser Jim Jones for resolution, say three intelligence officials who requested anonymity to talk about a sensitive matter. When Jones couldn't settle it, the matter was sent to Vice President Joe Biden. (A National Security Council spokesman had no comment.) The officials say Biden brokered an amicable settlement after meetings with Panetta and Blair, and that the results are expected to be ratified in a meeting in Biden's office this week.

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Posted By: Boringyu @ 09/23/2009 9:27:51 PM

Then stop fighting. If you feel guilty about it then you must be guilty.
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Posted By: NewsWkDickG @ 09/22/2009 1:23:44 PM

It would take a great stretch of imagination to attribute conservative motivation as behind all that Bush-Cheney did; their obvious concentration on benefit for Special Interests and a select few, no matter what the cost to everyone else, was in no way conscience driven conservatism. They were plainly and simply irresponsibly and boldly, even ???in your face??? arrogantly, placating and patronizing those who would take care of them and it cost all of us (95+%) greatly. They actually were using their offices and America???s resources in the pursuit of their private agenda for the benefit of a few, who returned overt and covert support, substantial contributions and promises for after office compensation, all while the majority was given apathy, the costs and an abundance of subterfuge. It isn???t the intent to prosecute their wrongs here but rather to clearly identify their purpose, which was totally, aggressively and stubbornly supported by the Republican Party, and to point out the problems with accepting ???conservatism??? as a deceptive smokescreen for self-serving actions. Now, with the likes of Sarah Palin, Jon Kyl, Michael Steele, John Boehner, Mitch McConnell, John McCain and others, we see the same arrogant, aggressive and belligerent demeanor being used to attack without any real interest in constructive compromise for responsible resolutions. There even seems a personality criterion demanding they be obnoxious, arrogant, dishonest and stubborn without conscience, and just prolific with the BS, closely matching the Bush, Cheney and Rove sociopathic performances. We really can???t withstand any continuation of ???more of the same???. If they can???t honestly and responsibly seek to negotiate constructive benefit, equitably for the majority, their destructive self-serving behavior should be identified and they should quickly be rejected.
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Posted By: NewsWkDickG @ 09/20/2009 2:01:08 PM

Today it seems quite common for dishonesty to be accepted wherever it can be rationalized as serving people's personal interests. The problems with that should be obvious but, like in politics, the rationalizing has just become too easy. George W. Bush's sociopathic personality, including his gross dishonesty, arrogance and lack of any conscience, should have been quickly recognized but instead the subterfuge was accepted and the costly problems then occurred. Now those same people who so strongly backed and aggressively supported Bush are trying to have their way once again. Should they once more be successful in grooming and selling the public the likes of Sarah Palin, Jon Kyl or any other of their 'puppets in waiting', who again have no conscience and are totally motivated by self-interests making them ideal for Special Interests and the select few to control, we may then just be in for 'more of the same'. Even the drastic efforts to be obstructionists, protecting their excessive financial advantages, reek of gross dishonesty aimed to manipulate public opinion. If the people can't be conscientious themselves, putting aside their biases, prejudices and emotional attachments to be honestly objective and rational, and instead once again buy into the deceptive efforts, the scare tactics and the manipulative appeals, then we shouldn't expect anything other than 'more of the same'! BS just stinks and recognizing the bull's presence, before stepping in it, should be fair warning!