An Avenging Angel at the CIA

While it is far too early to intelligently speculate about the new team Bush will try to assemble for his second term as President, indications from a recent appointee seem to indicate Bush's version of Team America will not accept dissention within the ranks.

Porter Goss, the former spymaster now heading the CIA, is clearing out the deadwood in management. Two more officials "resigned" today from the CIA, and according to a Washington Post article:

Both men are highly regarded by their clandestine service colleagues, said 10 former CIA officials who have worked with them.

Of course, commentary from the CIA to the news just like this is exactly why these men needed to be "resigned."

The CIA is supposed to be a spy agency, which it clearly has not been for the last decade in any effective way. With John McCain calling the CIA a "rouge" agency with a political agenda instead of an intelligence service, Goss is right in telling these paper-pushers to ship out.

The job of the CIA is to provide intelligence, not attempt to sway public opinion.

I'm glad that someone in Washington finally realized that. It's amazing that this was even an issue after the multiple and broad CIA failures noted in the 9/11 Commission Report and other critical reports and books.

Goss, thankfully, understood the importance of having an intelligence service that works for the administration and the country instead of against it. His "can do" attitude is certain to strike fear into career CIA bureaucrats the way another famous Porter did when he took care of business in his own environment 150 years ago. If Goss is any indication of the character of men and women Bush will appoint, Bush's second term is going to be fun to watch and blog.

Update: wretchard of Belmont Club provides an excellent analysis of the CIA culture Goss is trying to reform.