If this so-called “plan” was to be directed against a Chavez, or even an Ahmadinejad, it would be wrong, wrong, wrong…and in direct violation of Executive Order 11905.

But we are not talking about foreign or national leaders.

We are talking about a bandit gang, thugs, terrorists, brigands, who deserve, under the terms of Geneva, summary execution, nothing more.

That it was discussed at the operations level…good idea. Glad at least somebody was looking at the possibilities.

That the higher up it went, where politics and scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours games are rampant, and was set aside, terminated, no surprise there. But, can somebody tell the higher ups we are at war, and our enemies would have no reluctance to do the same, if given the opportunity?

In covert ops, one can lean to the side of caution, if there is valid reason for doing so. Such factors as danger to our personnel, blowback that could endanger even more US citizens, or the costs in dollars and innocent lives such a program would entail.

The recent al-Qaeda pronouncement that there are spies in their midst should be something we should capitalize on, and across the board, not shrink from the opportunities such paranoia within the ranks of al-Qaeda offers us.

The recent spate of murders of Somalis who formerly lived in the US at the hands of al-Qaeda suggests that those jihadis with recent US ties, real or imagined, might be enemies is something that further suggests that al-Qaeda may be breaking up from within. One or two or more of their top lieutenants, even Osama himself, being taken out in the dead of night might be enough to fragment the movement even more.

Opportunity. When it comes around, you seize it.

Or you spend the next many years wondering about what might have been.

Since Barack Obama in the Presidential debates stated emphatically that if the Pakistanis won’t kill Osama, and he would, if he were President…well, Obama, you are President.

Pay the piper or get off the dance floor.

coldwarrior on July 13, 2009 at 5:22 PM

Presidential findings either come from the top…a President decides that Problem A must go away…or from the bottom, an ongoing covert activity has reached a level where it may be in the best interests of the nation to pursue it further.

The bottom up procedure is lengthy, and cumbersome, as it should be, and at each level from the field and at the supporting desk, concurrences have to be signed off, and then it goes to the appropriate division chief, and the concurrences att hat level have to be signed off on. Then it is presented, as a suggested course of action, to the seventh floor. If approvied in principal by the DCI Suite, it goes back to the originating desk and then the writing and vetting by legal staff ensues.

Each page is a legal document. No spelling errors, and a comma misplaced can change the intent or meaning of the Finding.

Copies are made, edited, checked by legal, and then it goes back to the seventh floor, and then over to the NSC. At that point, the Attorney General is brought on board, and the senior members/ranking members of the select committees are briefed on the details with a up or down vote, so to speak. It then goes back to the White House and their NSC staff and the legal team goes over it in detail. If satisfactory from a legal and editorial point of view it goes to the Oval Office for signature.

At every stage a large number of eyes see the pre-finding, and can comment on it, ask that it be changed, ask that it be quashed, or endorse it in its entirety.

Once signed by the President it has the effect of law.

From the top down it gets more complicated, as what the president desires may be outside the current capabilities of the Agency…assets in place, access to the target area, support from liaison if necessary and the like.

In both cases, there is law to be followed and procedures that are not easily, if at all, tossed aside. It is a matter of historic record, the National Archives ends up with these things when the dust clears. Ask Sandy Burger about this…he had post-Adminsitration access to such documents when he “mistakenly” shoved them in his pants and socks and left them somewhere outside the Archives for some inane reason.

coldwarrior on July 13, 2009 at 8:54 PM