Larisa Alexandrovna: WH CHOSE NEW INTELL CHIEF TO DARKEN IRAN INTELL & BROADEN DOMESTIC SURVELLANCE

[kpete]

Officials believe White House chose new Intelligence chief in effort to darken Iran Intelligence Estimate, broaden domestic surveillance

Larisa Alexandrovna
Published: Monday January 8, 2007

Nominee's company audited
SWIFT banking spy program

The nomination of retired Vice Admiral John Michael "Mike" McConnell to be Director of National Intelligence is part of an effort by the Vice President to tighten the Administration’s grip on domestic intelligence and grease the wheels for a more aggressive stance towards Iran, current and former intelligence officials believe.

If confirmed, McConnell will replace current National Intelligence Director John Negroponte, who was tapped Friday to become Deputy Secretary of State under Secretary Condoleezza Rice. According to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, Negroponte’s exit followed a lengthy internal administration battle between the Office of the Vice President and the two-year-old Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

According to officials close to both men, two issues surround Negroponte’s departure and McConnell’s nomination: a forthcoming National Intelligence Estimate on Iran – which the White House could use to buttress a case for military force – and pressure from the Vice President to augment domestic surveillance.

Negroponte had resisted both efforts. Tensions soared after Negroponte made a public statement last year that countered the administration position that Iran was an immediate threat and that its alleged nuclear weapons program was in an advanced stage.

more at:
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2007/Intelligence_officials_believe_White_House_chose_0108.html

[LSK]

1. I hope the Dems learned to never trust a NIE again

and I hope it is fully public and nothing on it is classified ever again.

Yeah, Im living in a dream world.

[annabanana]

2. It's a strange, strange world indeed..

When Negrodeathsquadponte is on the side of the angels....

[Jackpine Radical]

5. Yeah. Nicaraguaponte and the CIA. In a way, even James Baker.

Weird, weird, weird.

[mod mom]

3. Larry Johnson's blog had a similiar assessment. Discussed on DU here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=3047433&mesg_id=3047433

[Jackpine Radical]

4. How Roveian.

This is really so interesting--Rove is obviously a one-trick slimeball. Well, OK, maybe a three-trick slimeball: Tell lies, tell big lies, tell gigantic lies. He has always been able to bluff, bluster and blather his way through anything, with lots of corporate money and the willing cooperation of a lapdog corporate press. Now things have stopped working the way they used to. In fact, things stopped working for him as of last November. People are developing an immunity to the likes of Limbaugh & Hannity. Rove's only answer--his only fallback strategy--is to do more of the stuff that has now apparently stopped working.

[lala_rawraw]

6. i cannot understand

how a 2k word article got only 4 comments.... not sure if this is Rovien, the nomination. appears directly OVP

[leftchick]

7. second verse, same as the first!

shit on a sandwich! Are americans this stupid? Are the congress people going to fall for this shit again!!!!!

:cry:

[mmonk]

8. All I have to say is

our newly elected dems better not bite on this one (war with Iran). We need to go ahead and impeach bush and Cheney while we have the chance.