Three items here on major DNI flub on national TV new. I saw interview in question — no tricks or BS on part of reporter Diane Sawyer. Lt Gen Clapper was just unprepared and came off looking like a cretin. ODNI staff didn't prep the boss or the boss was stupid. Of course, my personal view is that zone of consideration for the DNI position should start and stop within CIA, with officers who have been either D/CIA or D/NCS.
National Security Leaders Discuss Terror Threat (ABC News)
White House Admits Intel Chief Was Not Briefed on Britain Terror Arrests (FOX News)
Phi Beta Iota: We do not concur with the assessment above. We were the only ones to publicly defend Jim Clapper with a national press release and other measures when Donald Rumsfeld had the gall to fire him for being honest, and we will again defend him. This is all on John Brennan, hardly an Ollie North but trying never-the-less. As for who should be DNI, we will point to the two memoranda that went to Condi Rice on national intelligence reform unsolicited, the second invited on homeland defense intelligence, to Chapter 13 from Book One and Chapter 15 from Book Two, and to the Technical Preface by Robert Garigue (RIP) in Book Three. We have a proliferation of “czars” because the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has not been able to manage anything since the mid-1980's if not earlier. If the President (or the DNI) ever wants to get it right, he can start right here. We should have a Deputy Vice President for Education, Intelligence, and Research, not a DNI. Everyone, without exception, means well, but they just do not have the mind-sets to actually do the right stuff. The next two years will be largely wasted, in our view.
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