Ex-CIA man says U.S. is short on spies (refutes *Co claim on bin Laden)

[UpInArms]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/01/security.cia.reut/index.html

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- A former CIA counterterrorism officer who tracked Osama bin Laden through the mountains of Afghanistan says the U.S. spy agency could need a decade to build up its clandestine service for the U.S. war on terrorism.

<snip>

"(Goss) is trying to improve the situation. But it's going to be tough. The rebuilding is going to take years. A decade, at least," he told Reuters late last week.

<snip>

But intelligence sources say the rebuilding process has been complicated by disaffection for Goss' leadership within the service.

<snip>

In the book, Berntsen says his Jawbreaker team tracked bin Laden to Afghanistan's Tora Bora region late in 2001 and could have killed or captured the al Qaeda leader there if military officials had agreed to his request for an additional force of about 800 U.S. troops.

But the troops were not sent and bin Laden was able to escape, he said.

His account contradicts public statements by Bush and former Gen. Tommy Franks, who maintained that U.S. officials were never sure bin Laden was at Tora Bora.

...more at link...

[BeHereNow]

1. As I recall, there was a mass defection when Goss came on board.

Not surprising at all.
Goss is also the one who wanted to allow
foreign intel to operate on US soil without tort reform.
Certainly fits with Wolfowitz's plan to amass a
global army that could be used against
anyone who opposes the Empire, eh?
BHN

[BeHereNow]

2. Check out this archived thread on same:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=742167
Courtesy of Lori Price.
BHN

[alfredo]

3. A secret police. It wasn't just a mass defection, a lot of people

got fired because they lacked neo con connections.

[goforit]

4. Why would Bush/Cheney want to keep Osama BinLadin alive?

[drdtroit]

6. Profit:

Terrorism = The Red Scare

[txindy]

7. The never-ending War on Terra needs a target in order to justify itself

There's never any need to end the war if the target is still alive, free, and a "threat," is there?

[lyonn]

8. The bush bunch had their eye on Iraq and with Osama gone

the terror talk would have diminished and probably screw up their pre-emptive war plans. Or maybe, if the 800 troops had been sent into Tora Bora and there were too many deaths the crowd back home would not be eager for more war. With Afghanistan looking easy with few casualties we the people wouldn't balk at the thoughts of getting rid of Evil Saddam. Bush would look like the Savior fighting for freedom and keeping America safe.

[MagickMuffin]

11. Because the Bushes and Bin Ladens have been

business partners for years.

Do a google on this phrase: bush bin laden business partnerships.

It will provide you with some very mind boggling data.:eyes:

[MagickMuffin]

12. oops ((self deleted posted twice))

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

5. says the schumuck who possibly let OBL

walk personally.

[applegrove]

9. I think they were short on spies the day after 9/11. That didn't stop

anyone from ferreting out anyone who would not drink the Kool-aid.

[madmark]

10. More incompetence; this is what the last election should have been

about.

[rucky]

13. They're too busy spying on Americans. n/t

[wakeme2008]

14. See my thread on

Tenet and Franks not wanting to capture bin Laden. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2343769&mesg_id=2343769