Here’s some breaking news:
CIA director Leon Panetta will be named to succeed Robert Gates as secretary of defense and Gen. David Petraeus will be nominated to replace him as CIA director, The Associated Press reports, quoting unidentified sources.
I don’t know how well Panetta has run the CIA but I do know that he has succeeded in a couple of areas. First, he’s kept the CIA out of the news. Second, and it’s related, we haven’t heard a lot of leaks and anonymous griping from the ranks. To me, those are real accomplishments. I think Panetta is the first DCI in my lifetime that I didn’t think was a ruthless thug, so I mark that in his favor, too. I’m surprised that he’s been chosen to run the Pentagon, but he should be easily confirmed and I’ll be happy to have an actual Democrat in charge for the first time since 1997.
As for General Petraeus, the Obama administration has conclusively avoided having to run against him for reelection. I don’t particularly like having a military man in charge of the CIA, regardless of the individual in question. Yet, he’s qualified and he’ll be easily confirmed. The CIA isn’t what it used to be anyway. The Director of National Intelligence has the responsibility of reporting to the president. I guess I just hope that the CIA doesn’t become a little fiefdom that winds up sniping against the national security team. If Petraeus continues Panetta’s success in keeping the organization quiet, then I’ll be happy.
Boo:
It’s OT, but why, why? Ugh!!!! Donald Trump rules our world now?
He’s a clever bastard, isn’t he?
And judging from the Twitter machine .. it sounds like it’s not good enough for The Hairpiece .. which will give MSNBC an excuse to further tarnish their name
Thank you so much for commenting on Trump.
I’ve always known Trump was a fraud and a carnival act. His casinos went bankrupt a time or two, before bondholders took them away, even though they still bear his name. Trump is a lot like W. in that everything he has in life is really due to their respective fathers.
Could this signify a meaningful refocusing on cutting the military budget to counteract the GOP focus on entitlement programs? Hope that we’re not going to see a tit-for-tat debate in the future.
I think it just signifies that Gates wants to leave.
Only if they listen to their own department.
“First, he’s kept the CIA out of the news.”
Except for that whole CIA operative kills two Pakastanis and the U.S. has to pay ransom to keep him from prosecution and a possible death sentence thing.
Well, yes.
However, that can hardly be blamed in the DCI.
Confrimation should go better than with people from the outside.
Panetta will be able to cut the military spending.
Petraeus isn’t involved with any CIA nonsense and will have credibility.
Big question will remain, Afghanistan. Hopefully, this is a big signal that Obama is going to bust anyone’s chops who wants to reassign a General there to continue the operation. Time to let Biden’s plan of closing things down come into play.
I don’t think the CIA will like it much either.