Trump and friends attack intelligence.

[pauldun170]

Thread title can be taken at face value

White House Plans to Have Trump Ally Review Intelligence Agencies

WASHINGTON — President Trump plans to assign a New York billionaire to lead a broad review of American intelligence agencies, according to administration officials, an effort that members of the intelligence community fear could curtail their independence and reduce the flow of information that contradicts the president’s worldview.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/15/...elligence-agencies-stephen-feinberg.html?_r=0

Right-wing media rips intelligence agencies over Flynn

Right-wing media rips intelligence agencies over Flynn
Several conservative media outlets have published stories critical of intelligence agencies that argue leaks from the community led to the resignation of President Trump’s national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Breitbart News, the right-wing populist outlet once helmed by Trump’s chief strategist, Stephen Bannon, described the effort to oust Flynn as coming from “the Deep State,” or the entrenched bureaucrats “who were here in DC when Trump arrived, and who look forward to seeing him leave—as soon as possible.”

The Washington Free Beacon reported this week that allies of former President Obama still working for intelligence agencies are working to undermine Trump.



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“The abrupt resignation Monday evening of White House national security adviser Michael Flynn is the culmination of a secret, months-long campaign by former Obama administration confidantes to handicap President Donald Trump's national security apparatus and preserve the nuclear deal with Iran,” the Free Beacon wrote.
The Daily Caller in a Wednesday night report cast Flynn as “the victim of a hit job launched by intelligence operatives, Obama government holdovers and former Obama national security officials.”

The conservative-leaning editorial board of the Wall Street Journal also wrote two opinion pieces this week demanding an inquiry along these lines.

“Did U.S. spooks have a court order to listen to [Flynn’s] conversations? Why?” read the sub-head of one editorial.

Trump has repeatedly blasted leaks from the intelligence community, more recently with regards to Flynn’s dismissal. The White House is reportedly appointing a close Trump ally, Stephen Feinberg, the co-founder of Cerberus Capital Management, to lead a broad review of intelligence agencies.

Conservative news outlets are offering support for Trump’s argument that the real story of Flynn’s resignation is of illegal leaks by government workers.
http://thehill.com/homenews/adminis...g-media-rips-intelligence-agencies-over-flynn

 

[Commodus]

The fact that the person reviewing intelligence agencies isn't at all an intel expert and is an associate of Trump's says it all.

This isn't an attempt to curb leaks -- it's a bid to crush dissent. Divine Leader Trump will not have anyone exposing his team's connections to Russia.

 

[woolfe9998]

This will only antagonize the IC even more. Just as Trump's attacks on the media have only made them more defiant, Trump's strategy of attacking the IC will backfire.

 

[Thebobo]

It was probably Sally Yates who leaked the documents.

 

[PokerGuy]

This will only antagonize the IC even more. Just as Trump's attacks on the media have only made them more defiant, Trump's strategy of attacking the IC will backfire.

Ultimately, they are there to serve the president and are part of the executive branch. I understand they chafe at the idea that someone would have oversight over them, but the IC doesn't run the country. Much like police departments might hate the idea of outside oversight and investigations into alleged abuses, the IC will complain but we need to be sure there is proper oversight into their activities.

Of course they won't just give in to such oversight, they will complain and whine and moan, but it is obviously needed.

Also, the media might be "more defiant", but as many polls now confirm, due to their own fake news reporting and Trump's attacks (fair or unfair), they've lost just about all their credibility among the general public. So, along with "more defiant", they are also quickly becoming less influential and less relevant.

 

[IronWing]

This will only antagonize the IC even more. Just as Trump's attacks on the media have only made them more defiant, Trump's strategy of attacking the IC will backfire.

It works for Trump, politically. He is successfully painting the IC as biased against the elected President even though he is the one attacking.

It will hurt his ability to perform as President as he effectively shuts down the flow of information to his office. He doesn't see a need for the info so he will act out of his normal mix of ignorance, arrogance, and stupidity. What he doesn't know will never bother him.

 

[MomentsofSanity]

Ultimately, they are there to serve the president and are part of the executive branch. I understand they chafe at the idea that someone would have oversight over them, but the IC doesn't run the country. Much like police departments might hate the idea of outside oversight and investigations into alleged abuses, the IC will complain but we need to be sure there is proper oversight into their activities.

Of course they won't just give in to such oversight, they will complain and whine and moan, but it is obviously needed.

Also, the media might be "more defiant", but as many polls now confirm, due to their own fake news reporting and Trump's attacks (fair or unfair), they've lost just about all their credibility among the general public.

No., They are there to protect and serve the interests of the country and the people. They report their information to the President. If they feel the CIC is not acting in the best interests of the country or blatantly against those interests then what you see right now is what happens.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I'm curious how this is supposed to play out. We're talking about one of maybe the three most powerful government intelligence agencies (as a greater whole) in all of human history. They've shaped the future of a few dozen countries and disappeared more than a few people. Is Trump expecting this set of organizations to be curtailed by putting one guy, with no real knowledge about how any of this works, in an office at the 'head' of this?

 

[IronWing]

I'm curious how this is supposed to play out. We're talking about one of maybe the three most powerful government intelligence agencies (as a greater whole) in all of human history. They've shaped the future of a few dozen countries and disappeared more than a few people. Is Trump expecting this set of organizations to be curtailed by putting one guy, with no real knowledge about how any of this works, in an office at the 'head' of this?

I think Trump's purpose is to poison the well should more damning evidence of his treasonous conduct come to light. It's working with his bootlickers.

 

[Commodus]

Ultimately, they are there to serve the president and are part of the executive branch. I understand they chafe at the idea that someone would have oversight over them, but the IC doesn't run the country. Much like police departments might hate the idea of outside oversight and investigations into alleged abuses, the IC will complain but we need to be sure there is proper oversight into their activities.

Of course they won't just give in to such oversight, they will complain and whine and moan, but it is obviously needed.

Also, the media might be "more defiant", but as many polls now confirm, due to their own fake news reporting and Trump's attacks (fair or unfair), they've lost just about all their credibility among the general public. So, along with "more defiant", they are also quickly becoming less influential and less relevant.

The intelligence community serves the country. Not the President. If there's evidence to suggest the President is a traitor who colluded with Russia, it has every right to pursue that investigation and shut him down.

 

[fskimospy]

I think Trump's purpose is to poison the well should more damning evidence of his treasonous conduct come to light. It's working with his bootlickers.

Yep! You will notice he isn't even bothering to attack the reports on the merits, he's trying to poison the well. This has been the case from the beginning. The more he attacks the IC the more it will require the rest of America to defend them against being politicized like they were before the Iraq war.

When the executive's response to information coming out about his administration being compromised by a hostile foreign power is not to dispute that information or mitigate its impact, but instead to attack the people that let the country know about it you know we've got a serious problem in our executive that needs to be investigated thoroughly.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Yep! You will notice he isn't even bothering to attack the reports on the merits, he's trying to poison the well. This has been the case from the beginning. The more he attacks the IC the more it will require the rest of America to defend them against being politicized like they were before the Iraq war.

When the executive's response to information coming out about his administration being compromised by a hostile foreign power is not to dispute that information or mitigate its impact, but instead to attack the people that let the country know about it you know we've got a serious problem in our executive that needs to be investigated thoroughly.

If he wanted these agencies shut down/limited, he would turn the populace against them, not get the populace to defend him.

We're seriously at the point of the american people *favoring the intelligence agencies*. The same agencies that what, a decade ago, was revealed were in the middle of a very concerted and illegal set of programs to harvest our information for 'security'. And now as a whole they're the good guys? or the less bad guys at least?

The FBI/CIA will grind this man to dust over this, if he continues to press the issue.

 

[hal2kilo]

I think Trump's purpose is to poison the well should more damning evidence of his treasonous conduct come to light. It's working with his bootlickers.

Yep, he's laying ground for why we should not believe anything coming from the IC. Good luck with that.

 

[Commodus]

If he wanted these agencies shut down/limited, he would turn the populace against them, not get the populace to defend him.

We're seriously at the point of the american people *favoring the intelligence agencies*. The same agencies that what, a decade ago, was revealed were in the middle of a very concerted and illegal set of programs to harvest our information for 'security'. And now as a whole they're the good guys? or the less bad guys at least?

The FBI/CIA will grind this man to dust over this, if he continues to press the issue.

I look at it this way: I don't give intelligence agencies carte blanche for mass surveillance. The NSA's practices have been sketchy. But that doesn't mean everything intelligence agencies do is bad, and at the end of the day, they're still there to protect the country.

And right now, they seem to be one of the last bulwarks against a President who's determined to cover up his activities and silence all opposition.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I look at it this way: I don't give intelligence agencies carte blanche for mass surveillance. The NSA's practices have been sketchy. But that doesn't mean everything intelligence agencies do is bad, and at the end of the day, they're still there to protect the country.

And right now, they seem to be one of the last bulwarks against a President who's determined to cover up his activities and silence all opposition.

Agreed on all points. I can almost guarantee that one of these orgs is sitting on information which would be impeachable/arrest-able. That's a nuclear option which won't be utilized unless pressed, or if they no-kidding need to shut him down. For now they'll hamstring him and his support base with a lack of information, and let him roam blindly for the next four.

 

[IronWing]

Agreed on all points. I can almost guarantee that one of these orgs is sitting on information which would be impeachable/arrest-able. That's a nuclear option which won't be utilized unless pressed, or if they no-kidding need to shut him down. For now they'll hamstring him and his support base with a lack of information, and let him roam blindly for the next four.

I don't think so. I think they'll feed him all the info he's willing to hear. The effect will be the same.

 

[Pens1566]

As others have already said, he's not refuting or denying any of the information coming out. He's just shitting all over anyone who leaks or reports it. In the process, he's making it infinitely more likely for those exact 2 groups to escalate their leaking/reporting activity. He will not win this fight if any of the reported info is true.

 

[OrByte]

Intelligence Agencies are not in the business of bringing down Administrations.

They are in the business of intelligence.

Congress/Justice Department/Media will need to bring down this Administration.

It would not surprise me if the IC already has the info needed to take Trump down, But that is something that isn't done through leaks and/or anonymous sources.

It's done through the justice system, and/or congressional oversight. And with the media shining the light on the activities.

we should all be supportive of the truth and the protection of our America.

 

[woolfe9998]

It works for Trump, politically. He is successfully painting the IC as biased against the elected President even though he is the one attacking.

It will hurt his ability to perform as President as he effectively shuts down the flow of information to his office. He doesn't see a need for the info so he will act out of his normal mix of ignorance, arrogance, and stupidity. What he doesn't know will never bother him.

I don't know that it's working for him politically. The IC is possibly leaking damaging information because of his attacks on them. I don't think sending in an outsider to "investigate leaks" in a highly secretive IC is going to make the leaks stop. It's more likely to increase them.

Latest Gallup has Trump approval at 40%, a trend that continues to decline:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/201617/gallup-daily-trump-job-approval.aspx

The reason Trump's popularity matters is because of the 2018 mid terms, particularly for the House. If the dems retake either house in 2018, not only will Trump finally be investigated but his tax returns will be made public, possibly bringing an end to his presidency.

 

[Pens1566]

I don't know that it's working for him politically. The IC is possibly leaking damaging information because of his attacks on them. I don't think sending in an outsider to "investigate leaks" in a highly secretive IC is going to make the leaks stop. It's more likely to increase them.

Latest Gallup has Trump approval at 40%, a trend that continues to decline:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/201617/gallup-daily-trump-job-approval.aspx

The reason Trump's popularity matters is because of the 2018 mid terms, particularly for the House. If the dems retake either house in 2018, not only will Trump finally be investigated but his tax returns will be made public, likely bringing an end to his presidency.

Yep. Nailed it. And from all appearances, he just doesn't seem to get it. Congress will eventually turn on him the closer the midterm gets. His only way "out" is to play nice. Which we know he is incapable of doing.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I don't think so. I think they'll feed him all the info he's willing to hear. The effect will be the same.

Our intelligence community is not in the habit of giving information to those who won't protect it. I won't be surprised if they're already holding back important stuff due to the dinner party snafu.

Intelligence Agencies are not in the business of bringing down Administrations.

I should have clarified, this would go through the proper channels were it to press forward. I didn't mean to imply they would personally usurp/disappear him.

 

[pauldun170]

After reading the articles in original posts as well as news from the other day
http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/15/politics/pentagon-considering-recommending-combat-troops-in-syria/
+
http://www.latimes.com/politics/was...-iran-on-notice-for-1485979123-htmlstory.html
+
http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/02/03...ttleground-in-trumps-confrontation-with-iran/
and
https://forums.anandtech.com/thread...appen-was-b-c-of-leaks.2499366/#post-38739543

It got me reminiscing about the old days
http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB254/
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2011/12/leadup-iraq-war-timeline
http://www.newsweek.com/2015/05/29/dick-cheneys-biggest-lie-333097.html

 

[zinfamous]

DPRT(rump's)A, here we come.

 

[zinfamous]

Ultimately, they are there to serve the president and are part of the executive branch. I understand they chafe at the idea that someone would have oversight over them, but the IC doesn't run the country. Much like police departments might hate the idea of outside oversight and investigations into alleged abuses, the IC will complain but we need to be sure there is proper oversight into their activities.

Of course they won't just give in to such oversight, they will complain and whine and moan, but it is obviously needed.

Also, the media might be "more defiant", but as many polls now confirm, due to their own fake news reporting and Trump's attacks (fair or unfair), they've lost just about all their credibility among the general public. So, along with "more defiant", they are also quickly becoming less influential and less relevant.

The IC is part of the executive branch?

Well, that's interesting.

 

[Commodus]

Intelligence Agencies are not in the business of bringing down Administrations.

They are in the business of intelligence.

Congress/Justice Department/Media will need to bring down this Administration.

It would not surprise me if the IC already has the info needed to take Trump down, But that is something that isn't done through leaks and/or anonymous sources.

It's done through the justice system, and/or congressional oversight. And with the media shining the light on the activities.

we should all be supportive of the truth and the protection of our America.

That's what the leaks are for, really -- forcing proper government action. Right now, the GOP is more interested in persecuting the leaks than Trump, because all it cares about is holding on to power. It won't launch serious investigations as long as it thinks there's even a snowball's chance that supporting Trump is more of an asset than a liability. I mean, they're already setting themselves up for failure in 2018 (even with the rigging through gerrymandering and voter ID laws), but they'd like to pretend they have a chance.

It feels like a race against time. The investigators are in a rush to uncover truly damning evidence (such as what Trump team members said to those Russian intelligence officials) before Trump does too much damage to the democratic system and national security.