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2006-02-10 Home Front: Politix

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Posted by Dan Darling 2006-02-10 00:21|| || Front Page|| [11132 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 "It has become clear that official intelligence was not relied on in making even the most significant national security decisions, that intelligence was misused publicly to justify decisions already made, that damaging ill will developed between [Bush] policymakers and intelligence officers, and that the intelligence community's own work was politicized," Pillar wrote.

Pillar's critique is one of the most severe indictments of White House actions by a former Bush official

LOL! Talk about spin. Pillar is scrambling like a dog on linoleum to get ready for the revelations that there were WMD's in Iraq, so he's singing a new tune. Yet MSNBC tries to spin this as an indictment against Bush. Um, no, this is the most severe indictment of our intelligence services to date.

Good try though.

Posted by 2b 2006-02-10 00:36|| 2006-02-10 00:36|| Front Page Top

#2 28 years? That puts him into the Carter years for a starting point...Amazing how certain people can retire a career. Pillar of stupidity.

Posted by Inspector Clueso 2006-02-10 00:44|| 2006-02-10 00:44|| Front Page Top

#3 It's convient for him to speak now. He can be someone to blame. A new pu8nching bag has arrived. This guys maiddel name has to be Failure. 9 will get you ten he is a dhimmi as well.

Posted by Sock Puppet O´ Doom 2006-02-10 00:53|| 2006-02-10 00:53|| Front Page Top

#4 Pillar of fools? Maybe pillar of book deals?

Posted by Inspector Clueso 2006-02-10 01:05|| 2006-02-10 01:05|| Front Page Top

#5 Just so you all know, this guy is the mastermind behind a lot of the CIA leaks against the administration and he wants more independence for the intelligence agency he worked to politicize as his reward.

Let's suppose, just for a moment, that all or even half of the shit that he's saying is true. He decided to launch his own campaign, outside of and apparently in active contempt of official channels and civilian oversight like the SSIC so that he could bring down an administration whose policies he didn't agree with. You'd think that the left, which is all up in arms over the NSA program going on without the FISA stamp, would appreciate the danger of what this POS represents.

Posted by Dan Darling">Dan Darling 2006-02-10 01:37|| http://www.regnumcrucis.blogspot.com]">[http://www.regnumcrucis.blogspot.com] 2006-02-10 01:37|| Front Page Top

#6 This guy is issuing a mea culpa. He admits that the intelligence information "was politicized". He's trying to worm his way out of responsibility by saying that, "Iraqi weapons programs was flawed, but even with its flaws, it was not what led to the war".

He further says that, the administration "went to war without requesting -- and evidently without being influenced by -- any strategic-level intelligence assessments on any aspect of Iraq."

It's a weak argument but considering the fact that it's about to become crystal clear that Saddam indeed had WMD's, he's attempting to making the impossible argument that the Bush Administration didn't pay attention to their admitted politicized and faulty information, so it didn't matter anyway.

Good luck with that argument, loser.

Posted by 2b 2006-02-10 03:15|| 2006-02-10 03:15|| Front Page Top

#7 Sheesh. The spin is dizzying. Glad he was finally "retired" from his career working for our enemies. Now, if possible, throw his ass in prison for any classified data that can be tracked back to his sorry ass. It'll be even sorrier.

I favor Hunter / Killer Teams, myself.

Posted by .com 2006-02-10 03:24|| 2006-02-10 03:24|| Front Page Top

#8 Common Sense must not be up yet. Of course we "Republicans" are just trying to slime the messenger.

Posted by SR-71">SR-71 2006-02-10 05:00|| 2006-02-10 05:00|| Front Page Top

#9 the country could easily fall into violence and chaos after an invasion to overthrow Saddam Hussein.

And that's bad because?

Posted by gromgoru 2006-02-10 05:31|| 2006-02-10 05:31|| Front Page Top

#10 Dan, Just so you all know, this guy is the mastermind behind a lot of the CIA leaks against the administration and he wants more independence for the intelligence agency he worked to politicize as his reward.

The Perp [looks like Mr. peepers]

Posted by RD 2006-02-10 06:52|| 2006-02-10 06:52|| Front Page Top

#11 Barney Fife w/o the uniform. And just as effective.

Posted by Crineting Crusing1151 2006-02-10 08:07|| 2006-02-10 08:07|| Front Page Top

#12 Question - were Jimmah and this man separated at birth?

Posted by Raj 2006-02-10 08:50|| 2006-02-10 08:50|| Front Page Top

#13 Georgetown University is certainly where he belongs. He'll get lots of support for his Whitehouse bashing from his colleagues over there. Comfortably pensioned, he can do his bashing ("worthwhile work" as he refers to it) fully in the open and take full credit vs slinking around behind the "green door" as a worthless pipe smoking, PhD, Pentagon hating, gov'ment bureaucrat. Non-disclosure is a sad joke. Phuechs like Pillar and Sandy Berger and others who are entrusted with national security and betray those trusts should be flogged until dood.

Posted by Besoeker 2006-02-10 09:19|| 2006-02-10 09:19|| Front Page Top

#14 Barney Fife w/o the uniform
lol!!

Posted by 2b 2006-02-10 10:33|| 2006-02-10 10:33|| Front Page Top

#15 Just another d**kless desk jockey back in Langley who NEVER listened to the ops people - another one of those CYA types that came to the forefront under Bush-I and Clinton.

Thats why he is "former" - his type are being shown as the incompetent boobs that they are. THEY are the ones that got us into this mess on 9/11, with their old-boy insider ways. And the only way the agencies can reform is to get dead weight like this out of the way.

Goss is doing a so-so job from what I hear on tossing senior weenies like this cheesedick over the side so agressive and effective people can take their place.

Yes - peopel like this piss me off. Not only are they being disloyal, they are skating close to the edge in talking about classified matters, and on top of that, they are slanting the hell out of what they say. Whats worse is this particular jerk knows there's no way to easily and conscisely refute him without revealing compromising important information - so he will get away with his slanted and disingenuous statements

Posted by OldSpook 2006-02-10 10:39|| 2006-02-10 10:39|| Front Page Top

#16 Paul R. Pillar in a treasonous anti-american traitor who along with democrats, liberals and those in the anti-war movement are aiding and abetting the enemy. People like him are a threat to the security of the U.S.

President Bush is fighting the noble GWOT and all his critics from the left do is whine while they offer no solutions of their own.

Wimps like Pillar and those on the left who oppose President Bush should all be hung for treason.

Posted by I.M Right 2006-02-10 12:02|| 2006-02-10 12:02|| Front Page Top

#17 How long until his first Saudi-funded speaking engagement?

Posted by Robert Crawford">Robert Crawford 2006-02-10 12:33|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2006-02-10 12:33|| Front Page Top

#18 "He decided to launch his own campaign, outside of and apparently in active contempt of official channels and civilian oversight like the SSIC so that he could bring down an administration whose policies he didn't agree with. You'd think that the left, which is all up in arms over the NSA program going on without the FISA stamp, would appreciate the danger of what this POS represents"

Dan, in fairness, a rogue operator and leaker, even a treasonous one (which is arguable I suppose - i really havent followd this closely) is not the same kind of danger to liberty that an executive branch determined to act with no legal constraint is - NOTE WELL: Im not saying that the NSA program IS the exec branch acting without legal constraing - AFAICT its a pretty complex issue, worth investigation as Sen Spector will do, without prejudgement - but for the left that (unfortunately IMO) HAS rushed to judgment, the judgement theyve rushed to is a pretty serious thing.

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-02-10 13:54|| 2006-02-10 13:54|| Front Page Top

#19

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Posted by Sock Puppet O´ Doom 2006-02-10 14:59|| 2006-02-10 14:59|| Front Page Top

#20 liberalhawk:

If you take all the comments above on Mr.Paul R. Pillar, there is nothing nothing uncommon about them.

To those on the right, anyone and any organization
that opposes or criticizes President Bush on the GWOT/Iraq War, is a treasonous Anti-American traitor who is aiding and abetting the enemy.

To them President Bush is above the law and criticism because he is leading the fight against the enemy and his intent is to "win" no matter what it takes, To them the means justify the end result.

Yesterday, I had some of these folks on the right have the audacity and unmitgated gall to suggest that the Democratic Party is "endangering" the security of the U.S.. They then went on state that democrats will never regain power in this country because they will NOT defend it.
Statements such as that i consider to be utterly ridiculous and the people who say stuff like that really need to check themselves.
I think they are unhinged and unstable.

Posted by Common Sense 2006-02-10 15:54|| 2006-02-10 15:54|| Front Page Top

#21 You think so, do you?

"Upon the cunning loom of thought We weave our fancies, so and so." -- Thomas Bailey Aldrich

Posted by Darrell 2006-02-10 16:05|| 2006-02-10 16:05|| Front Page Top

#22 Darell:

If I'm not mistaken youre on of the people that stated that you believe that democrats are "endangering" the security of the U.S. nor do you think that they will "defend" the U.S. against its enemies.

That is a hell of a statement that to me borders on slander and is highly insulting.

Please explain your rational

Posted by Common Sense 2006-02-10 16:12|| 2006-02-10 16:12|| Front Page Top

#23 Not biting, No Sense. Have a nice day. Try not to mix your straw men with your red herrings.

Posted by Darrell 2006-02-10 16:23|| 2006-02-10 16:23|| Front Page Top

#24 a rogue operator and leaker... is not the same kind of danger to liberty that an executive branch determined to act with no legal constraint is

Explain that to the people who die as a result of the leaker.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-02-10 16:35|| 2006-02-10 16:35|| Front Page Top

#25 Please don't feed the troll.

Posted by SR-71">SR-71 2006-02-10 16:53|| 2006-02-10 16:53|| Front Page Top

#26 Darrell:

RNC brainwashing is a terrible thing. It turns people into mindless robots..

YOU have a good day..

Posted by Common Sense 2006-02-10 16:54|| 2006-02-10 16:54|| Front Page Top

#27 Cute. A new troll. They all say the same thing.

Posted by DragonFly 2006-02-10 17:17|| 2006-02-10 17:17|| Front Page Top

#28 liberalhawk:

To a certain extent, yes, as far as the liberties of the average citizens are concerned but the campaign that Pillar and his fellows have led over the last couple of years is basically one where you have senior officials in an intelligence agency becoming actively involved in domestic politics while continuing to serve in their positions in government. Their rationale for this is that the administration is too bad for them to sit back and do nothing, but the reality is that they have ignored all of the legal options available to them in favor of a sub-rosa campaign against a sitting government. If senior serving officials of the military (not civilian appointees) did the same thing, wouldn't that raise issues as far as civilian control of the military is concerned? I think it's fair to say so. Similarly, the willingness to embrace Pillar and Co. in certain quarters while simultaneously being concerned about illegal actions on the part of the NSA strikes me as rather hypocritical and tribal given that their paradigm is that when my guys go illegal on intel it's okay, when your guys do it's an outrage. Then there is also the point that the NSA program according to Risen is aimed at al-Qaeda, whereas Pillar and Co. are aimed at the administration.

Posted by Dan Darling">Dan Darling 2006-02-10 17:52|| http://www.regnumcrucis.blogspot.com]">[http://www.regnumcrucis.blogspot.com] 2006-02-10 17:52|| Front Page Top

#29 I agree. CIA officials taking political positions compromise their position and does the country a huge disservice.

For example, if a CIA official wants to second-guess those in Congress or the Executive branches who have responsibility for making such decisions (and are held accountable in general election by "the people") then they should be like any other citizen and pull the voting lever to express their views.

This should be the case irrespective of which party holds power.

Posted by Captain America 2006-02-10 18:33|| 2006-02-10 18:33|| Front Page Top

#30 Darrell

9.7 extra points for Red Herring & Strawmen in the same short sentence.

Posted by 6 2006-02-10 18:33|| 2006-02-10 18:33|| Front Page Top

#31 Here's the synopsis from Pillar's written work:

Pillar has a preference for negotiations as the way to solve conflicts. From his earliest work, the guy focused on situations where the outcome was not victory. Time and again, he has said that military solutions are not solutions. With regard to Iraq, whether it goes well or poorly, it goes poorly if terrorism is the question. Clearly Mr. Pillar was never on board with George Bushs fundamental premises in the Global War on Terror, so it should be no surprise that he is having secret meetings around the country criticizing US policy.

Why did this guy have a job at the CIA?

Posted by Captain America 2006-02-10 19:43|| 2006-02-10 19:43|| Front Page Top

#32 Dan's post is well-spoken as well as knowledgeable. The same can be said for State.

This isn't mere whistle-blowing, it is sedition.

He is far too kind, IMHO, to the seditionists.

I prefer Hunter / Killer Teams.

Posted by .com 2006-02-10 19:52|| 2006-02-10 19:52|| Front Page Top

#33 Off-topic or abusive comments deleted]

Posted by Sock Puppet O´ Doom 2006-02-10 14:59|| 2006-02-10 14:59|| Front Page Top

14:59 Sock Puppet O´ Doom
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