Monday, May 08, 2006
CIA - Chapter 11
I think that we are now seeing the public sector version of bankruptcy with the CIA. Porter Goss's replacement by General Hayden, in my opinion, is the precursor to a consolidation which Negroponte is spearheading, with Rumsfeld cheerleading, which will overwhelm the old CIA. It cannot make sense to have the CIA, the DHS, the NSA and DOD all vying for intelligence budget and strategy dominance. This is a sign that the CIA has lost. When the CIA is leaking secrets in a time of war, then her time has clearly passed. She is fighting the wrong enemy, and lost her bearings.
Chapter 11 (reorganization) can be followed by Chapter 7 (liquidation) as well.
3 Comments:
By 
TigerHawk, at
Mon May 08, 10:55:00 PM:
I think that's a very perceptive analogy.
By Unknown, at
Tue May 09, 06:29:00 PM:
I agree with this assessment and it's what I've been thinking for some time. I keep hoping that the equivalent of a liquidation specialist will be appointed but that hasn't been the case so far.
By Dawnfire82, at
Tue May 09, 07:28:00 PM:
The problem with the CIA (I think) is that it has become a corporate culture. All the old war dogs of the OSS are retired or dead. The young dirty dealers of the pre-neutering Cold War (60's, early 70's) have retired or been forced out. I don't think many are left who know what it's like to fight, bleed, struggle, and *win* in a real fight. It's become a risk averse, careerist corporate culture where it's all about covering your ass and playing it safe. Field agents are more likely to get in serious trouble for shooting an enemy operative than for failing to detect something in their neck of the woods. Style over substance. Not a way to defend a nation.
We need new blood. Military veterans from Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, the Phillipines, and all the other dark places of the world in which we've been fighting. People who understand the need for OPSEC, who know how to keep a secret because failure could kill you, who have been shot at, who have shaken their heads at the abject stupidity filtering down from Washington, and who don't get queasy at the thought of telling a lie or killing someone. We need an overhaul.
