Trump attacks Intelligence Community

[_MeDotOrg]

Many of the intelligence community have been highly critical of Trump's unwillingness to confront Russian meddling in our elections, none more so than John Brennan, former director of the CIA.

Today Trump revoked his security clearance, and also put out a list of other officials whose clearances he was reviewing:

• James Clapper, former Director of National Intelligence
• James Comey, former FBI director
• Michael Hayden, former CIA director
• Sally Yates, former Acting Attorney General
• Susan Rice, former National Security Adviser
• Andrew McCabe, former deputy FBI director
• Peter Strzok, former FBI agent
• Lisa Page, former FBI lawyer
• Bruce Ohr, former Associate Deputy Attorney General

“I call it the rigged witch hunt, [it] is a sham,” Mr. Trump said in an interview. “And these people led it!”

He added: “So I think it’s something that had to be done.”

One of the important reasons that former officials retain the security clearances is that their expertise can be mined by those who are currently in office. So Trump is telling the intelligence community which members can now be consulted, after weeding out those who disagree with him.

This is unprecedented in our history. Trump's instincts are those of an autocrat by temperament and style. He seems to want to confirm that his version of events is the only one accepted in the intelligence community.

Right now one of my biggest fears is that if the Democrats take the House in November, the President's claim to his alternative reality will grow smaller and smaller, and he will grow shriller and angrier and more dangerous.

Thank God Jared Kushner got his clearance. Now the intelligence community will be able to lean on his vast expertise.

Here is the experience John Brennan had with the CIA, now sequestered by Trump from the intelligence community.:

1980 - Brennan joins the CIA's Directorate of Operations as a Career Trainee.
1981 - Joins the CIA's Directorate of Intelligence.
1982-1984 - Political officer at the US Embassy in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
1984-1989 - Works in the Office of Near Eastern and South Asian Analysis in the Directorate of Intelligence.
1990-1992 - In charge of terrorism analysis in the Director of Central Intelligence's Counterterrorist Center.
1994-1995 - CIA's daily intelligence briefer at the White House during the administration of President Bill Clinton.
1995-1996 - Executive Assistant to then-CIA Deputy Director George Tenet.
1996-1999 - CIA Chief of Station in Saudi Arabia.
1999-2001 - Chief of Staff to then-CIA Director George Tenet.
March 2001-March 2003 - CIA Deputy Executive Director.
March 12, 2003-December 6, 2004 - Founding director of the CIA Terrorist Threat Integration Center.
October 2004-August 2005 - Interim Director of the National Counterterrorism Center.
November 2005-January 2009 - President and CEO of The Analysis Corporation.
2008 - Intelligence adviser to then-Sen. Barack Obama during his presidential campaign.
January 20, 2009-March 2013 - Assistant to President Barack Obama for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism.
March 8, 2013 - Brennan sworn in as CIA director.

[_Some Schmo]

Drumpf is the most obviously guilty suspect in history. You'd have to be a complete moron to think he's innocent (which explains his base).

[_Doctor Steuss]

My understanding (which is amateurish, at best) is that retired individuals who have high level clearance can’t actively use it just because they feel like it. It’s basically put on “hold” (for lack of a better turn).

By keeping the clearance, when their experience/expertise is needed, the clearance can be made active again quickly, without having to go through the security review process again.

I continually find myself in awe of the White House Press Secretary, and her ability to do her job. When giving the reason for revoking clearance, she said it was for making “a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations,” and for “wild outburst on the internet and television.” She was able to give these reasons without even the slightest of smirks.

[_Kevin Graham]

When we talk about powerful political figures going after their perceived enemies with a vengeance, we usually think of tyrannical dictators. Wasn't Trump supposed to be the non-political guy who brings a new, non-corrupt, perspective to Washington?

[_DarkHelmet]

William H. McRaven just asked Trump to revoke his security clearance as well. How about Trump just starts with a clean slate. Revoke all security clearances and then begin giving them out to those who swear a loyalty oath to him. The first two are for Jared Kushner and Donnie Jr. Hannity gets one. Alex Jones gets one. Kiss the ring and get a free security clearance.

By William H. McRaven
August 16 at 2:44 PM
William H. McRaven, a retired Navy admiral, was commander of the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command from 2011 to 2014. He oversaw the 2011 Navy SEAL raid in Pakistan that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Dear Mr. President:

Former CIA director John Brennan, whose security clearance you revoked on Wednesday, is one of the finest public servants I have ever known. Few Americans have done more to protect this country than John. He is a man of unparalleled integrity, whose honesty and character have never been in question, except by those who don’t know him.

Therefore, I would consider it an honor if you would revoke my security clearance as well, so I can add my name to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency.

Like most Americans, I had hoped that when you became president, you would rise to the occasion and become the leader this great nation needs.

A good leader tries to embody the best qualities of his or her organization. A good leader sets the example for others to follow. A good leader always puts the welfare of others before himself or herself.

Your leadership, however, has shown little of these qualities. Through your actions, you have embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation.

If you think for a moment that your McCarthy-era tactics will suppress the voices of criticism, you are sadly mistaken. The criticism will continue until you become the leader we prayed you would be.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... 5a17a47072

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

I hereby ask Trump to revoke everyone's security clearance unless they swear a new oath of fealty to him as our liege Lord.

- Doc

[_Some Schmo]

By William H. McRaven
August 16 at 2:44 PM
William H. McRaven, a retired Navy admiral, was commander of the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command from 2011 to 2014. He oversaw the 2011 Navy SEAL raid in Pakistan that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Dear Mr. President:

Former CIA director John Brennan, whose security clearance you revoked on Wednesday, is one of the finest public servants I have ever known. Few Americans have done more to protect this country than John. He is a man of unparalleled integrity, whose honesty and character have never been in question, except by those who don’t know him.

Therefore, I would consider it an honor if you would revoke my security clearance as well, so I can add my name to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency.

Like most Americans, I had hoped that when you became president, you would rise to the occasion and become the leader this great nation needs.

A good leader tries to embody the best qualities of his or her organization. A good leader sets the example for others to follow. A good leader always puts the welfare of others before himself or herself.

Your leadership, however, has shown little of these qualities. Through your actions, you have embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation.

If you think for a moment that your McCarthy-era tactics will suppress the voices of criticism, you are sadly mistaken. The criticism will continue until you become the leader we prayed you would be.

Perfect tone and execution. Awesome.

[_Some Schmo]

If there's one thing we've always instinctively known about Drumpf, it's that he's anti-intelligence.

[_Gunnar]

If there's one thing we've always instinctively known about Drumpf, it's that he's anti-intelligence.

He's also very clearly anti-democracy and anti-free speech for anyone who disagrees with him and criticizes him. He couldn't make himself look more guilty of corruption and treason against his own country if he openly confessed to it outright! He is either incredibly stupid himself, or he is heavily counting on and hoping that the American electorate (especially his hard core base) is abysmally naïve and stupid. He obviously knows that the investigations of his collusion and corruption are rapidly closing in on him, and he is desperately lashing out at and trying to avoid the inevitable. He also clearly emulates his puppeteer, Vladimir Putin, and envies the absolute power and control that Putin enjoys in his own country

[_moksha]

Wasn't Trump supposed to be the non-political guy who brings a new, non-corrupt, perspective to Washington?

He thought those in Washington were pikers when it came to masterful corruption.