The CIA denies it, but they just replaced the interim head of the National Clandestine Service because of her ties to torture and to one of President Bush’s black sites. For some reason, this has become a gender issue. She was the first woman to ever climb so high in the CIA, even if it was only for a three-month interim term. The word is that many women in the CIA are furious that she was demoted. That sentiment probably isn’t improved by the official line that they just found a better man to do the job.
Cognizant of these problems with appearances, the CIA was careful to announce at the same time the promotion of women to positions of authority and responsibility. Meroe Park, a Filipino-American, will be the new Executive Director of the CIA, and Deb Bonk will serve as the director’s chief of staff.
The name of the woman who was demoted and the name of the man who took her place as head of the Clandestine Service are both classified.
I understand that it’s tricky to manage the CIA, but there are a lot of people there that received a mulligan because it was recognized that the rotten orders came from the top. They should be thankful to have a job and some of them truthfully belong in prison. The women who was passed over is one of only two members of the CIA who signed off on the destruction of torture tapes. In ordinary life, that’s called obstruction of justice. It’s obscene that she is held in high regard by anyone, and the people crying over her fate should get some better values. It’s not about gender; it’s about torture.
