No president in our lifetime, perhaps ever, has done more to knee cap the intelligence community’s ability to operate in our best interests. After universally respected Dan Coats could not serve another day under Trump, professional intelligence officers and professional politicians expected the “also” universally respected, Sue Gordon – second in line for the job, to be appointed to the position, or at least stay on in the acting role as director.
Yes, this is the same position that Trump attempted to staff with kiss-ass Rep. Ratcliffe, best known for chewing into the lifelong public servant Robert Mueller. Bipartisan forces aligned to ensure that such a naked political move didn’t succeed. Ratcliffe is back at home with other rats in the House.
MSNBC just reported that a “senior official” accused Donald Trump of “decapitating” the intelligence community, making the job impossible for people with integrity to work in such a climate. Such people will not pledge “loyalty” to Trump, ensuring they will soon be “Comeyed” to a TV interview near you.
The other inevitable impact is obvious to any observer. It makes it near impossibly to seamlessly study the threats to this nation. The most obvious threats include Russian plans to rig the next election, and study Trump’s ongoing ties to foreign adversaries such as Russia and, increasingly, Saudi Arabia. Often overlooked is that those pesky intelligence people may well know that the White House propounded accusations against Iran are primarily bullshit meant to slide our way into the Republican war. All of the above share one common denominator, they favor Trump at the risk of you and me.
Rarely can an outside observer accurately predict the average administration’s motives and priorities. But, we have never had a president so painfully “readable,” especially with respect to his one universal priority. Himself.
Besides, it is hard not to notice those heads rolling downhill from the front gate.
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Peace, y’all, especially to those intelligence officers, many of whom save lives, while putting theirs on the line. They deserve better.
Jason
Putin is pleased.
Is he? Or does he have enough problems in his own backyard to make this of lesser importance at the moment?
I would agree with your assessment.