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| Deputy CIA chief resigns |
| 2004-11-13 |
| And the purge goes on ... The deputy director of the CIA resigned yesterday after a series of confrontations over the past week between senior operations officials and CIA Director Porter J. Goss's new chief of staff that have left the agency in turmoil, according to several current and former CIA officials. The former soon to be joining the latter ... John E. McLaughlin, a 32-year CIA veteran who was acting director for two months this summer until Goss took over, resigned after warning Goss that his top aide, former Capitol Hill staff member Patrick Murray, was treating senior officials disrespectfully and risked widespread resignations, the officials said. Yesterday, the agency official who oversees foreign operations, Deputy Director of Operations Stephen R. Kappes, tendered his resignation after a confrontation with Murray. Goss and the White House pleaded with Kappes to reconsider and he agreed to delay his decision until Monday, the officials said. Several other senior clandestine service officers are threatening to leave, current and former agency officials said. "It's the worst roiling I've ever heard of," said one former senior official with knowledge of the events. "There's confusion throughout the ranks and an extraordinary loss of morale and incentive." Current and retired senior managers have criticized Goss, former chairman of the House intelligence committee, for not interacting with senior managers and for giving Murray too much authority over day-to-day operations. Murray was Goss's chief of staff on the intelligence committee. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #13 "...competence will go down" Suprised by Soviet collapse. Was completely wrong on Soviet economy. Couldn't identify a Chinese Embassy. Still can't be sure if plant in Sudan was bio/chem weapons lab. Claimed couldn't infiltrate Al-Q when British jaibirds and US teens had no problem getting recruited. Completely missed Oil for food scandal. Missed how Oil for food money was buying off French and Russians. Had no idea of status of Saddam's weapons programs. Can't tell us if N.Korea has nukes or not. Didn't know how far Libya had progressed on nukes. Didn't know about the Pakistani nuke-knowledge pipeline. Had no clue as to Saddam's plan to fight guerilla war after defeat. Couldn't find Saddam. Can't find Osama. Can't find Zarawi. 9/11. |
| Posted by: Stephen 2004-11-13 10:20:59 PM |
| #12 "It’s the worst roiling I’ve ever heard of," said one former senior official with knowledge of the events. "There’s confusion throughout the ranks and an extraordinary loss of morale and incentive." And that's just because they couldn't keep Bush from being re-elected! (Hmmm... interesting rumor to plant: Moore is an agent of a rogue, anti-democracy element in the CIA. His role has been to create and popularize propaganda intended to damage confidence in the Constitutional system.) |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2004-11-13 4:59:41 PM |
| #11 I believe Old Spook, Fred, and I all have similar experiences, and quite a bit of it dealing with the CIA. My personal experience is that the mid-ranks and lower ranks were filled with sharp, dedicated people. I still turn down a yearly request to join one of my former bosses in Washington. I hate the town, and won't go back. If they moved the CIA to Colorado Springs, I'd join Chuck in a heartbeat, but I won't hold my breath for that to happen. The biggest problem with the CIA is that it's in (or near) Washington, and politics plays a major role in EVERYTHING in that city. Politics interferes heavily in the operation of a spook outfit, regardless of who's in charge. Until they can eliminate (or at least reduce) the politics in our intelligence agencies (it's there everywhere), we won't have the kind of intelligence we really need in war. Putting Goss in charge of the CIA was a necessary first step. Now the President needs to show he's really the boss, and start cleaning house elsewhere. ALL the Clinton appointees need to be purged, from every office, at every level of government. Their entire job was to politicize the office they held, and make sure it supported the Democratic Party line, regardless of the needs of our nation. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2004-11-13 4:59:06 PM |
| #10 Hosuecleaning? Hell, this agency should have been shut down years ago. Botched the fall of the Soviet Empire, botched 9/11, no real assets in the middle east.... Best to start over with new blood. Or at least purge the top ranks. |
| Posted by: lex 2004-11-13 4:56:34 PM |
| #9 Seems I remember that after 9/11, the numbers of new recruits/trainees were up. With these removal, plenty of places for new folks, with new thoughts, and open to different/new techniques. And they have the memory of 9/11 as a reason for serving. These are the same generation as those Marines, soldiers, airmen and seamen now serving. Bet they will be great! Let's hope they are allowed to do their jobs. |
| Posted by: Sherry 2004-11-13 1:45:37 PM |
| #8 Seems to me that the people that are leaving the agency are those that think that they are the ones that should make policy. They have become so self-centered that they can not accept any direction from above. I have always said that my loyality is to the man that signs my paycheck. That does not mean that I won't argue with him on technical grounds that are within my area of expertise. I will accept his direction as to the scope of work and not feel that I am belittled by it. These people can't be divas who walk off the stage in a snit because they were furnished with Evian instead of Perrier. So goodbye and don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out. |
| Posted by: Old Fogey 2004-11-13 10:12:47 AM |
#7 Michael V. Kostiw, who was Goss’s first choice for executive director — the agency’s third-ranking official — withdrew his name after The Washington Post reported that he had left the agency 20 years ago after having been arrested for stealing a package of bacon. What the fuck? What is this, the Caine Mutiny? |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2004-11-13 9:50:44 AM |
| #6 many of those being treated disrespectfully should've tendered their resignations already and are just getting the message less diplomatically. Deadwood makes terrific tinder |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-11-13 9:43:49 AM |
| #5 If the way you purge the CIA is "treating senior officials disrespectfully" those senior officials probably don't belong at the CIA. They should peddle their fragile f'n egos to KBR. Almost makes one respect the KGB. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2004-11-13 8:12:37 AM |
| #4 We need cold-blooded people up to the task of a war. Hmmm, maybe I should apply. |
| Posted by: AzCat 2004-11-13 3:29:33 AM |
| #3 If McLaughlin was a happy Tenet guy, then he should be gone. Same for the rest who've been voyeurs and hand-wringers. I'd go through the files of those who resigned during the Clinton era, were disciplined by Tenet, fired by Tenet, resigned and request exit interviews to clear their consciences, etc. There will be some jewels in that lot... hard chargers and hard-ballers that we need. Recover all the experienced people we can who did not fit or were passed over during the feel good era. We need cold-blooded people up to the task of a war. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-11-13 3:25:07 AM |
| #2 A housecleaning is long overdue -- as long as the right people are being cleaned out. |
| Posted by: someone 2004-11-13 2:39:21 AM |
| #1 When a dynfunctional bureaucracy squeals like a proverbial stuck pig, the right people are probably in charge. Faster please. |
| Posted by: AzCat 2004-11-13 1:56:26 AM |