My theory on why Bush is dismantling the CIA...

[Lovecrafty]

Bush has pretty much wrecked foreign relations with most countries in the world, leaving behind a trail of resentment and hostility from once friendly countries. I think this has had a serious effect on our ability to infiltrate and gather reliable intelligence within foreign countries. We are losing the support of governments and with that all the "connections" our CIA once had to gather intelligence. So the CIA is slowly becoming obsolete..it's importance less significant as we lose our ability to play the spy game. I think the Shrub is ditching what he now considers "useless" government overhead...ironically as a result of his own hubris!


Anyone care to validate my theory?

Of course, he could just be setting up a government filled with "Yes" men that will offer no resistance to his right-wing extremist agenda.

Either way the collapse of the US Government, our economy, our democracy, our very way of life continues...

[ewagner]

1. I see a different scenario

I see intelligence functions being taken over by the Pentagon under Rummy and the neocons.........

[unblock]

4. exactly. the cia is too independent.

[Warpy]

9. Correct, this has been a turf war since Day 1

of Bushco's first stolen term in office. They prefer the rigid ideologues in the smaller Pentagon intelligence offices. The CIA is a much larger bureaucracy, used to passing on whatever intelligence it has despite ideological constraints, and harder to control. Now they're seeking to remedy this by a typical ideological purge in that agency.

Remember, folks, purges destroy the right. Factionalization destroys the left.

As the right becomes ever more ideologically pure, more and more people will be ejected from positions of power or simply told their opinions don't matter in the rank and file.

The only question is how many of the rest of us will be badly hurt before they're marched firmly back to the lunatic fringe.

[louis-t]

13. "As the right becomes ever more ideologically pure"

Club for Growth in action.

[Straight Shooter]

2. The "yes men" are there to support his agenda with bogus intelligence

Probably a lot of Pentagon "Office of Special Plans" personnel will be found lurking in the CIA corridors.

What will the spooks who have been booted do? My, my, whatever will they do to avenge the dishonor on their reputation?

:evilgrin:

[shoelace414]

3. When they leave ahem.. government service

their friends will be running things.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Here we go:

Point One: George Bush's father was once director of the C.I.A. So Georgie knows the power of the agency, and understands that since his daddy left, it has a life of its own. In other words, he can't control it, so yes, if he can't co-opt it, he'll destroy it.

Point Two: Isn't there another agency that's being formulated now under the Patriot Act? If this agency isn't under the control of Bush, then it would also explain why he's trying to take over the C.I.A.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Your second gut instinct is correct

he is behaving like an EMPEROR and rewarding Loyalty, which trumps competence.

he is firing those who told them, this ain't gonna work bob.

Hence they are out, they don't want to hear informed opinion, Bush cares about loyalty, pure loyalty

[DELUSIONAL]

11. That is my vote -- he sees himself as Imperial

The way his campaign was run -- loyalty oaths -- carefully selected audiences all points that he will be even more rigid about surrounding himself with yes-men (women).

My guess is that the focus of intelligence gathering will be in the form of wire tapping of foreign leaders and the UN. Probably blackmail will be used as part of bushie's second occupation of the white house.

I hope to dog -- that the vote recount shows the world that Kerry is the real President -- I don't hold much hope for bush to be dislodged from the White House for the foreseeable future. I am predicting that further vote stuffing will bring about a Constitution Convention at which time bush will be appointed Prez/Emperor for life. Bushie is busy building his loyalists in all agencies -- his aim isn't just 4 years.

The democrats had a warning of vote manipulation in the 2002 Georgia election -- and they did nothing about election fraud that was so obvious. As the days go by I have no faith in the democratic party leadership -- but the grass root democrats are great -- so many people still believe in the promise of democracy and democratic elections!

What role could the bush loyalists dominated spy agencies play in future elections? The CIA has been manipulating elections in other countries for decades -- it shouldn't surprise us if this specialized knowledge isn't used in US elections -- and perhaps in other countries to bring them into line.

[physioex]

7. That moran start an internal war...

When he outed Plame. The spy business is like family, when you oust one the others are going to be damn pissed and won't stand for it...... (Cuz they know they might be next.)

[pnutchuck]

8. None of these new guys are going to reunite us with Europe

And what I find strange is that Yasser Arafat got on a helicopter smiling and waving to the media and public, then 3 days later is in a coma.... You think we don't have some Jason Bournes working in the French hospitals?

[zulchzulu]

10. Bush is purging the CIA of people who want him impeached or...

...dusted.

The Plume case is looming and the CIA is pissed...at least people who care about the CIA.

If the Plume case starts up, you can bet even some Repugs would have some level of accountability and would see how far the impeachment goes...

[louis-t]

12. I agree with your assessment of effects on intelligence

but as far as * actually having a plan, I'm going with the 'Yes' men rationale.

[genius]

14. Not only is Bush solidifying his power. He's planning to use CIA on us

Remember those 600+ camps. Remember those tanks in L.A. Guess where we may be spending our summer vacation.

[Generator]

15. Who needs the CIA when you can just make shit up?

Intelligence, we don't need no stinkin intelligence.