From the linked-to article: CIA must be disestablished. Its functions should be returned to the Departments of State, Defense, and Treasury.
That would just be case of Two-Card Monte, unless the personnel in what is now the CIA also are entirely removed from government employ. Merely transferring the persons to other sections will only transfer their misbehaviors and penchants for misbehavior to those other sections.
It's also an empty gesture unless the other institutions of the "Intelligence Community" are similarly purged.
Still, I'm not convinced that's necessary. What would be useful, at least as a first cut, would be the purge of all of senior management in all of those institutions from political appointees--their impeachment if they resist leaving from being fired--down through GS-11 or equivalent.
That at least would preserve the field agents, in whom I retain, by and large, confidence, which would preserve a measure of experience, continuity, and a less extensive disruption of ongoing activities.
Lincoln faced a similar problem. The story is that he imposed tyranny on the United States, plus the Rebels. A closer look at the stats tells a different story.
I post it without comment because I respect Codevilla, who has a personal history here. I don’t want anyone to skip reading his thoughts because I got in front of them.
One problem of course, is that we have a lack of information on how well or not the CIA has been doing it's primary job. I've heard that the DIA has been the more reliable in recent years, so there's that- but again- how would I know really? It's certainly an interesting argument.
From the linked-to article: CIA must be disestablished. Its functions should be returned to the Departments of State, Defense, and Treasury.
ReplyDeleteThat would just be case of Two-Card Monte, unless the personnel in what is now the CIA also are entirely removed from government employ. Merely transferring the persons to other sections will only transfer their misbehaviors and penchants for misbehavior to those other sections.
It's also an empty gesture unless the other institutions of the "Intelligence Community" are similarly purged.
Still, I'm not convinced that's necessary. What would be useful, at least as a first cut, would be the purge of all of senior management in all of those institutions from political appointees--their impeachment if they resist leaving from being fired--down through GS-11 or equivalent.
That at least would preserve the field agents, in whom I retain, by and large, confidence, which would preserve a measure of experience, continuity, and a less extensive disruption of ongoing activities.
Eric Hines
Assuming any of you are allowed to abolish the CIA...
ReplyDeletehttps://quod.lib.umich.edu/j/jala/2629860.0005.103/--lincoln-administration-and-arbitrary-arrests?rgn=main;view=fulltext
Lincoln faced a similar problem. The story is that he imposed tyranny on the United States, plus the Rebels. A closer look at the stats tells a different story.
I post it without comment because I respect Codevilla, who has a personal history here. I don’t want anyone to skip reading his thoughts because I got in front of them.
ReplyDeleteOne problem of course, is that we have a lack of information on how well or not the CIA has been doing it's primary job. I've heard that the DIA has been the more reliable in recent years, so there's that- but again- how would I know really? It's certainly an interesting argument.
ReplyDelete