Sitting Behind Their Desks 

Layers of Middle Management

     Washington today. They laugh at the boss's jokes. Are loyal to prevailing groupthink. Move paper. Attend meetings. Climb the corporate ladder. 

     "But they have no idea how to run an op or recruit a source," said a former CIA department head in a speech at Hillsdale College. 

Part 2

     "At its core," he said, "the CIA is meant to do what everyone else considers impossible. It's supposed to be run by people who will steal the crown jewels if asked. Not anymore. Now it's run by people who look for ops with no downside, and therefore, no upside either."

     "The CIA has proved unable to put a source inside a Chinese bio lab, within the leadership of the Taliban, or next to Valdimir Putin. Those kinds of operations require the willingness to take risks and manage those risks. We no longer have either."

Politization 

     September 11, 2012. Two American compounds in Benghazi, Libya were attacked by an Islamic militia with a terrorist history. A compound of the Dept. of State was overrun. The American ambassador was killed. 

     A CIA compound was better prepared to resist. Those inside held out long enough for a relief force in Tripoli to arrive and evacuate CIA personnel. No military relief force was sent by the Obama administration.

     Throughout the attacks, a stream of reporting went to Washington. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and others began to peddle the narrative that a peaceful demonstration had simply gotten out of control. No terrorism. 

If we recall correctly, Clinton remained on a ship.

    offshore, surrounded by friendly forces.

To be continued