While Obama sent some very good signals about closing Guantanamo and ending torture on 60 Minutes, a closer look shows that all is not well. In an op-ed in the Baltimore Sun last Friday, "Change in intelligence?", former CIA and State Department analyst Mel Goodman discussed two stupendously bad top transition figures in the intelligence realm: Goodman praised Obama for his willingness to replace two top figures, but went on to question who Obama has on his team:
President-elect Barack Obama is sending conflicting signals on whether he intends to change the bankrupt culture of Washington's intelligence community and to introduce genuine reform to the Central Intelligence Agency.
He appears to be ready to remove the top two intelligence officials, Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell and CIA Director Michael V. Hayden - both retired general officers - which suggests Mr. Obama recognizes the need to change the military culture of the intelligence community. But he also has placed the intelligence transition process in the hands of two senior cronies of former CIA Director George J. Tenet: John O. Brennan and Jami A. Miscik, who were actively engaged in implementing and defending the CIA's corrupt activities during the Bush presidency.
Goodman appeared on Democracy Now this morning, where he elaborated further. Glenn Greenwald has also weighed in.
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