The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is more of a laughingstock around the world than most realize. From being called “useful idiots” (tontos utiles) in Latin America to much, much worse in the Middle East, it appears to have become a bloated bureaucracy incapable of achieving anything of positive significance. Intelligence is an inherently governmental function, and clandestine and covert intelligence especially so. Both require the very highest standards of integrity and professional skill. CIA appears to be lacking in both, and nothing has changed under Leon Panetta. It is in our view high time that the President and Congress require a full General Accountability Office (GAO) of every aspect of CIA operations, as well as those of the National Security Agency (NSA).
Below are three headlines that turn our stomach.
CIA Hired Blackwater for Al Qaeda Hit Squads
Private contractor executives helped with planning, training and surveillance for the secret plan, but the program never resulted in the capture or killing of any terrorist suspects
THE CIA, SIBERIA AND THE $5M BAR BILL
Complicating matters, the judge ruled that no classified information could be used at trial: no mention of the CIA, Afghanistan, or even “9/11.”
HAYDEN: Time for CIA to move ahead, not back
Phi Beta Iota: Hayden violated the Constitution twice. CIA is out of control and unprofessional to boot, with children, contractors, and a witches brew of ad hoc hires all working primarily out of official installations (CIA had to close 20 of the 21 “non-official cover” companies it created–even with unlimited amounts of money CIA cannot do the most basic things right).
