Washington Extra – Changing hats
The national security musical chairs was made official today by President Barack Obama.
On stage was a daisy-chain of Washington insiders who have worn many hats over the years and criss-crossed different administrations. They all report to Commander-in-Chief Obama, who by comparison appeared a relative newcomer.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a former senator and first lady, was there to welcome back into the fold Ryan Crocker, who was chosen to be ambassador to Afghanistan.
Crocker, a former ambassador to Iraq, had worked closely with General David Petraeus, who was nominated to be CIA director to replace Leon Panetta.
Panetta — a former congressman, White House chief of staff, and director of the Office of Management and Budget — was chosen for Secretary of Defense to replace Robert Gates, a former CIA director.
“Given the pivotal period that we’re entering, I felt that it was absolutely critical that we had this team in place,” Obama said.
If everyone remembers which building to go to on the first day of work, it’ll be a good start.
How bad was Intelligence Czar’s Libya “gaffe”?
The columnist Michael Kinsley once quipped that in Washington a “gaffe” is when a political notable accidentally tells the truth. Intelligence and national security officials are describing the latest controversial statements about Libya by National Intelligence Director James Clapper as that kind of “gaffe.”
At a Congressional hearing on Thursday, Clapper said that rebels trying to oust Muammar Gaddafi from power had lost momentum and that the Libyan leader could well survive for some time to come. “We believe that Gaddafi is in this for the long haul…He appears to be hunkering down for the duration.”
“This is kind of a stalemate back and forth,” Clapper said, but added that, “I think over the long term that the (Gaddafi) regime will prevail.”
White House officials subsequently distanced the administration somewhat from Clapper’s remarks and President Obama repeated on Friday that he wants Gaddafi to go.
Clapper was criticized for his his upbeat assessment of Gaddafi’s prospects. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican member of the Armed Services committee, called his statement “devastating” and while “some of (Clapper’s) analysis could prove to be accurate,” the intelligence czar was unwise to voice it in public.
But intelligence and national security officials defended Clapper’s remarks, saying that they represented an accurate summary of current U.S. intelligence reporting and analysis on the relative military postures of Gaddafi and his opponents. They said intelligence operatives must advise their “customers” and are not supposed to be influenced by wishful thinking or political or foreign policy considerations.
They say Clapper shouldn’t be blamed for laying out professional judgements that don’t fit a party line.
Gaffe?? Sounds to me like this guy is the only sign of intelligent life in DC…
Cheney touches a nerve at the White House
Well there he goes again. Former Vice President Dick Cheney has got ‘em all riled up again at the Obama White House over his Fox News Sunday interview.
Cheney feels strongly that the tough interrogation techniques employed against terrorism suspects by the Bush administration worked, in spite of the complaints about human rights.
He went on Fox to sharply criticize Attorney General Eric Holder’s decision to launch an investigation into the alleged abuse of prisoners held by the CIA during the Bush administration.
Cheney cried foul at what he called an “intensely partisan, politicized look back at the prior administration.”
So it came up at Monday’s White House news briefing, and Obama’s press secretary Robert Gibbs was armed with a response.
“This is the same song and dance we’ve heard since literally the first day of our administration. So I don’t have … a lot to say. I think the vice president, if you watched some of his interview, was clearly — clearly had his facts on a number of things wrong,” Gibbs said.
Like what, for instance?
getplaning. Here’s the deal with your “quote”. Most congressional democrats, both Clintons, PM Blair, President Putin…you get the point…all agreed and gave speeches (which are on the record) saying Saddam Hussein had WMDs and that he needed to be dealt with. Iraq was supported by both parties in congress and the American people. So, please stop with your half truth (I have no faith in your ability to do so…) it doesn’t tell the whole story.
Also, I believe Cheney and already stated the Bush administration has kept us safe, so that is proof enough for me. We haven’t been attacked…It is your job to prove he is wrong, but you wont’ be able to…Just like this adminstration isn’t able to prove anything and story keeps dying…They and you have nothing…nothing at all!
Just remember, over 3000 American “civilians” died in a few hours by being attacked on 9/11. That has never happened in our country before. It hasn’t happened again because of the policies of the Bush administration.
If you don’t want to see the truth, then that’s fine. But you can only respond with half truths…No problem, you left wingers are all alike…
With this game of musical chairs this is just another example of that change we were supposed to believe in.