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| Under Panetta, Morale Up At CIA | |
| 2010-11-18 | |
| CIA Director Leon E. Panetta, after nearly two years in office, has emerged as a fierce protector of the agency's people and its role in capturing or killing terrorists under an administration that shuns the words "war" and "Islamic terrorist." Mr. Panetta, 72, a bookish Northern California liberal known for crunching budget numbers as a congressman, arrived at CIA headquarters in Langley, Va., as a Democratic Party man loyal to President Obama and with a bit of a mystery on the subject of waging war. He has remained true to the president, but he has not shied away from publicly butting heads with prominent Democrats to side instead with his 25,000 officers and analysts. On the counterterrorism front, he has pushed for more CIA involvement in al Qaeda-infested Pakistan and Yemen, while not avoiding the phrase "We are a nation at war." All of this has made him popular at CIA stations around the world, observers say.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, made the serious charge that the CIA was lying when it said she was briefed privately on the interrogation methods. That prompted Mr. Panetta, a fellow Northern Californian and former colleague, to take the unusual step of issuing a public statement rebutting the speaker. "Let me be clear: It is not our policy or practice to mislead Congress," he said. "That is against our laws and our values. As the agency indicated previously in response to congressional inquiries, our contemporaneous records from September 2002 indicate that CIA officers briefed truthfully on the interrogation of [al Qaeda terrorist] Abu Zubaydah, describing the enhanced techniques that had been employed." "This is the guy who has stood up to the president, has stood up to Eric Holder," Mr. Hoekstra said of the CIA director. "He hasn't gotten the job done yet. He's got to get Eric Holder and the president to come out and say, 'Hey, we're not going to prosecute these guys in the CIA. But at least he's stopped them dead in their tracks so far." A scorecard since Mr. Panetta arrived at Langley: It is said that more than 1,000 al Qaeda members and other terrorists have been killed or captured in Pakistan, where Osama bin Laden is said to be hiding. The CIA is waging a secret war in the tribal areas, using officers on the ground and missile strikes from remotely operated Predator aircraft. The director stays in touch by sending internal messages to headquarters and the stations at the rate of one per week, keeping the staff up to date about what he is doing. He has flown more than 150,000 miles to visit 40 CIA stations and bases in 30 countries. "Considering the administration he has to work with, he's doing a pretty good job," said Bart Bechtel, a former CIA operations officer. "He's trying to protect his folks, and he's standing up to people like Pelosi. I think by and large his heart is in the right place. I think he understands the importance of the agency where the rest of the administration doesn't." Mr. Bechtel said Mr. Panetta's willingness to put out statements rebutting powerful critics "is important to all the employees, the stations and everybody because they need to know they've got a director who is looking out for them." "They feel like they may not have anybody else looking out for them," he said. In September, Mr. Panetta visited the outpost [Khost, where 7 CAI were killed] and dedicated a plaque to the seven. The plaque includes a verse from Isaiah: "And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me." | |
| Posted by:Sherry |
| #1 All of this has made him popular at CIA stations around the world, observers say. Bullshi* flag down! Unnamed "observers" indeed. "Popularity" with CIA Chiefs of Station worldwide can be more accurately credited to the appointment of Administration friendly Chiefs of Mission. Visiting FOB Chapman and reciting catchy, operator bible verses and mottos is..... too little, too late. Someone will eventually set the record straight with regard to the admin wanna-be CIA site lead who was responsible for that disaster. Paying for a phuechup with your life is one thing, taking 6 other with you is another. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-11-18 16:00 |