Top CIA Official: Obama Changed Virtually None of Bush’s Controversial Programs

[Atypical Liberal]

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/iraq-war-on-terror/topsecretamerica/top-cia-official-obama-changed-virtually-none-of-bushs-controversial-programs/

"As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama pledged “a top to bottom review of the threats we face and our abilities to confront them.” He promised a sweeping overhaul of the Bush administration’s war on terror, which he criticized for compromising American values.

But FRONTLINE has learned from a former high-ranking CIA official that even before he took office, Obama’s team “signaled” they had no intention of rolling back secret programs begun under the Bush administration. In his first televised interview, for next Tuesday’s Top Secret America John Rizzo, a 34-year agency veteran described as “the most influential lawyer in CIA history,” tells FRONTLINE:

I was part of the transition briefings of the incoming Obama team, and they signaled fairly early on that the incoming president believed in a vigorous, aggressive, continuing counterterrorism effort. Although they never said it exactly, it was clear that the interrogation program was going away. We all knew that.

But his people were signaling to us, I think partly to try to assure us that they weren’t going to come in and dismantle the place, that they were going to be just as tough, if not tougher, than the Bush people."

Where is the hope and change?

[Solomon]

1. Fail

It's ridiculous to think Obama was going to completely dismantle the CIA.

And the former officer is not saying what the op implies.

[Atypical Liberal]

9. I didn't imply anything - I quoted directly from the source. n/t

[ProSense]

2. Wait

...

Rizzo, who was forced to withdraw his nomination to become CIA general counsel because of controversy over his role in developing the CIA’s secret detention and interrogation policies, also told us:

...

...a Bush nominee who was forced to withdraw his nomination is credible?

Really?

[teddy51]

3. As a new poster, the problem I see

If we don't re-elect President Obama, we will be stuck with someone like Rick Perry, or worse... ie: O'Donnell, and that would suck big time.

[Fuddnik]

4. Great campaign slogan.

I'm not that good, but I ain't as bad as those guys.

[FrenchieCat]

7. When one is living that reality.......

it's a slogan that makes sense,
regardless that it doesn't turn you on.

The point is there is a big ass difference between
not getting all that you want, and not getting some of what you want
fast enough, and living a nightmare where everything you ever had as well as
anything you ever wanted is shit canned for what will seem like an eternity.

You may not like the slogan, but you sure in the hell won't like the results that
it is warning you about.

It is possible you are so cynical that to you, it is just a scare tactic.....
but believe you me, it ain't nothing but the unadulterated and unpleasant truth.

[Vattel]

5. will have to get the details--not enough to go on here

[Solomon]

6. is it not obvioua to you that there are some things

the CIA does that they ought to be doing no matter who the President is?

Why would you dismantle everything for the sake of "change". The notion is ridiculous.

[Atypical Liberal]

10. Oh, I don't know.

How about the pervasive domestic surveillance, which the telecom companies have been given immunity over their complicity, just for starters?

[boppers]

8. "it was clear that the interrogation program was going away"

That's where.