So if we know nothing else, we know that he’s got a sound perspective on dynamics in the Middle East…
Most top U.S. military officials – even members of George W. Bush’s administration such as National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley – did not recommend a “surge” or escalation of U.S. troops into Iraq when they were interviewed by the Iraq Study Group last fall, says group member Leon Panetta, a former White House chief of staff under Bill Clinton. Instead of a surge – which the president plans to announce in a speech to the nation tomorrow – these officials recommended at the time that more U.S. advisers be embedded in Iraqi units, Panetta says… I think it’s sending the wrong message to the Iraqis… What concerns me is the president’s message isn’t going to make that clear, and that if the Iraqis fail to unite, there will be no consequences.
… and on the broader intelligence environment in general:
Panetta has managerial chops and a close relationship with Obama but virtually no hands-on intelligence experience. Perhaps more importantly, he’s not tainted by associations with Bush-era detention, interrogation of surveillance policies like some of the other candidates who were considered. He’s also a much bigger name.
Well at least he’s against enhanced interrogative techniques. There’s been a veritable epidemic of waterboarding going around so it’s good that that’s a priority.
References:
* Panetta: Why the Bush "Surge" Won’t Work [Newsweek]
* CIA Bans Waterboarding in Terror Interrogations [ABC News]
Previously:
* New Obama Guidelines Already Undermining Military By Chilling Qualified Hires
* Obama’s Latest Round Of Deeply Ironic Appointments
* Obama Foreign Policy Appointees: Israel To Blame For Mideast Instability, Sweeping Concessions Necessary
