Senate Republicans Weigh Dismantling CIA (view all)

[nodehopper]

Holy Crap! This is HUGE! They want to eliminate ALL "dissenting" (i.e. fact-based) institutions...I never thought I'd find myself concerned over the fate of CIA, but holy shi*t. All information aggregated through a neocon monosource.


WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Intelligence Committee Republicans proposed removing the nation's largest intelligence gathering operations from the CIA and the Pentagon and putting them directly under a new national intelligence director.

Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., the committee chairman, unveiled on Sunday the most sweeping intelligence reorganization proposal offered by anyone since the Sept. ll commission called for major changes. In an appearance on CBS' ``Face the Nation,'' Roberts acknowledged that full details had yet to be shared with either the White House or with Senate Democrats.

``We didn't pay attention to turf or agencies or boxes'' but rather to ``what are the national security threats that face this country today,'' Roberts said of the bill endorsed by eight GOP members of the intelligence committee. ``I'm trying to build a consensus around something that's very different and very bold.''

But he immediately ran into some resistance from a Democrat on his own committee. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., said that before appearing with Roberts on the CBS show neither he nor the committee's ranking Democrat, Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, had seen the full proposal.

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[H2O Man]

1. This is a serious issue.....

It was discussed on a couple of the early "Plame threads" on GD. This administration wants to concentrate power under DoD. The legislative branch needs to take a firm stance against this. Again: the most important thing right now is getting Bush out of office. If Kerry wins, we can deal with these issues. If Bush "wins," we will not recognize this country in another four years.

[nodehopper]

4. couldn't have said it better myself

" If Kerry wins, we can deal with these issues. If Bush "wins," we will not recognize this country in another four years."

[MetaTrope]

11. Oh, we WILL recognize this country

All that will be missing are the lightning-bolt shoulder patches.

[nodehopper]

12. touche. eom.

[iconoclastic cat]

6. Wouldn't the CIA try to prevent its own demise?

I thought the Agency was very insular--wouldn't they retaliate against the Repubs?

BTW: Good to see you, H20 Man!

[nodehopper]

9. they have been!

in the New World Order squabbles, the standoff is between the State Dept/CIA vs. PNAC and DoD. Hence, CIA must go away.

[H2O Man]

13. I think that there are major divisions

even within CI. There is a large segment with connections to the "old days" .... and these folks have on-going relationships with Bush1. There are also younger people with an extreme conservative bend.

On the other side, there are decent people from the older generation. Some are near retirement age. Think of Ray McGovern, the analyst who is in "Uncovered: the war on Iraq," the movie with 22 retired experts who expose the administration as liars. Or even Bob Baer, also in the film, who is of a slightly younger generation. Then think Valerie Plame, who would be active if not for Dick Cheney. These are people who are patriotic, dedicated to their job, and intent on keeping CI as an import intelligence agency separate from the Department of Defense.

I guess what is really making me feel like puking is the pathetic group of shit that are in the House and the Senate. I obviously do not support the "old days" of killing foreign leaders and being used in illegal operations inside this country.(All done by the first group discussed above!) But America needs an intelligence agency not directly under the White House. And the senate is supposed to insure that this is a reality .... for the safety of our country! Look what happens when you have extreme pressure from the VP's office to "mold" intel analysis to "fit" a desired outcome! "There's a growing threat posed by WMDs in Iraq!!!! Yellow Cake!!!"

[Voltaire99]

15. "We will not recognize this country in another four years"

How long have you been watching? I haven't recognized it since 9/11.

It's true Bush is awful. And yes, let's vote him out.

But don't be melodramatic. It's a way to avoid reality. The Congress--including Democrats--is directly responsible for our problems, too. Bush was only able to be as bad as he is (Patriot Act, Iraq, tax cuts, homeland "security") because Democrats rubber-stamped his deeds.

[Radius]

2. 9/11 Report

Was this recommended by the 9/11 report?

The CIA, while flawed, serves a purpose and massive changes to bureaucracies usually cripples them.

Weakening our ability to gather and act on intelligence is a bad idea.

The CIA is self protecting and powerful. I would guess these guys are just making the motions.

[aquart]

3. Aww, Rumsfeld wants to be king. They're floating this NOW?

Wow. Nothing like telegraphing a punch. And CIA lifers who know where so many strange and interesting bodies are buried won't mind a bit, won't be driven to any kind of malicious action?

I'll say it again: Republican mothers had martinis in crucial stages of pregnancy. This epidemic lack of foresight and universal Republican inability to see natural consequences HAS to be fetal brain damage.

[nodehopper]

7. martinis? wasn't LSD discovered as early as 1926

"patterns...I see patterns everywhere...patterns of GLOBAL DOMINATION!"

[iconoclastic cat]

10. Dr. Strangelove...Paging Dr. Strangelove....

[NEOBuckeye]

5. The Republican Party must have a Death Wish

Seriously. Wasn't Jack Kennedy the last public official to suggest dismantling the CIA? We all know what became of him.

[nodehopper]

8. well, their agenda is a wee bit different.

CIA plays a different role under the PNAC dictatoriship.

[sallyseven]

14. They will not give up their turf. You

watch carefully. They will get bush. They are not stupid. Rummy relied on his own intelligence and look what the hell happened.

[Moderator]

16. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=768907