The Panetta appointment is a strong statement

[cali]

I think it clearly says that the Obama administration wants nothing to do with the torture mentality that was so pervasive throughout the bushco ranks and the CIA.
Panetta is strongly opposed to torture and illicit CIA activites.

Here's a Panetta quote:

"If torture can stop the next terrorist attack, the next suicide bomber, then what's wrong with a little waterboarding or electric shock?

The simple answer is the rule of law."

Pretty unequivocal.

[JuniperLea]

1. People who give concise and simple answers...

Are more trustworthy in general, imho.

This is one thing I've always admired about Obama... cut to the chase, and leave the verbiage at the door.

[Captain Hilts]

4. Style over substance!!!!

[TTUBatfan2008]

15. I disagree

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

10. Bush gave the most concise and simple answers possible.

His statements rarely go beyond a few sentences. Was he trustworthy?

[JuniperLea]

14. I think you mistake simple...

For simpleton.

Yes, there needs to be a modicum of logic, reason, and sensibility as well. Concise is not a word I'd use to describe the evasive gibberish we've come to recognize as Bush Speak. Concise actually answers the question. Bush Speak leaves you with more questions than you had to begin with.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

16. I don't believe there's a direct correlation between "concise" and "trustworthy"

There are far, far too many issues in this world that defy simple explanations, most of which are matters of foreign policy. One can be as concise as humanly possible and still speak for a half an hour explaining what a reasonable, trustworthy policy would be as it pertains to Iran, for example. In fact, in such instances, brevity is often the enemy of truthfulness, as watering down complex issues leaves out too many important details.

Personally, I don't trust someone that doesn't at least acknowledge the nuances of a situation. That tells me they either think I'm a moron or are clearly under-evaluating the situation.

[Teaser]

44. grunts and farts may be simple and concise

but are not necessarily the ideal form of communication

[bvar22]

Yes, Obama is concise.

* I will not support a bailout that does not include protections for taxpayers.

* I will not support a FISA bill that includes immunity for Telecoms.

Very strong words.

[JuniperLea]

23. I am assuming his actions will be equally strong...

Fingers crossed! I keep telling myself there is every indication is it so, but I think the BushCo induced cynicism will hang on for a while.

[Still Sensible]

2. I'm concerned...

While I agree with the OP position on the "torture mentality," I would prefer someone at CIA with field experience. I think an outsider could remain an outsider even if he holds the title.

[cali]

9. running the CIA is a managerial position

it's a huge organization and most people with field experience and managerial experience have been part of the status quo. that we don't want.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

42. you don't need James Bond to run the CIA, only M

[DevonRex]

12. And insiders like to hide the bodies. I like this pick. nt

[Still Sensible]

17. I'm pretty confident that an outsider will never see the bodies

and that you really need to identify someone with some experience in their past. Even someone with oversight experience would be better than a novice.

[DevonRex]

18. He'll find some bodies. More importantly he won't allow there to BE

any more torture.

[EFerrari]

3. I can finally say, I love this choice of Obama's.

Leon Panetta is one of the good guys in my book.

[Captain Hilts]

7. Like Waxman. Operates under the radar. nt

[Cha]

11. Do you like this choice?

Ichingcarpenter (1000+ posts) Mon Jan-05-09 01:31 PM
Original message

Obama's impressive new OLC chief- by Glenn Greenwald

If Glenn likes her then I do too.

The Office of Legal Counsel, inside the Justice Department, is probably the most consequential federal government office that remains relatively obscure. The legal opinions which it issues become, more or less automatically, the official legal position of the Executive Branch. It was from that office that John Yoo, Jay Bybee and others did so much damage, issuing now-infamous memoranda that established the regime of lawlessness that has dominated our political institutions over the last eight years. Other than Attorney General-designate Eric Holder and Obama himself, there is probably no official who will have a more significant role in determining the extent to which the Obama administration really does reverse the lawlessness and legal radicalism of the Bush years.

Today, as The Boston Globe just reported, Barack Obama announced several new appointments to key DOJ posts, including Dawn Johnsen to head the OLC. Johnsen is a Professor of Law at Indiana University, a former OLC official in the Clinton administration (as well as a former ACLU counsel), and a graduate of Yale Law School. She's become a true expert on executive power and, specifically, the role and obligation of the OLC in restricting presidential decisions to their lawful scope.

There are several striking pieces of evidence that suggest this appointment may be Obama's best yet, perhaps by far. Consider, first, this rather emphatic Slate article authored by Johnsen in the wake of the disclosure, last April, of the 81-page John Yoo Memo which declared that the President's power to torture detainees is virtually limitless. Her article is notable at least as much for its tone as for its substance (emphasis added):

>>>>>>snip

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/01/05/olc/i...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4770180

[EFerrari]

13. Wow! I missed that. Thanks for the links.

:hi:

[Cha]

19. You're welcome! It's pretty

exciting:hi:

[Mass]

5. I like the choice.

[Captain Hilts]

6. I think he's a good choice. nt

[grantcart]

8. He has alwasy seemed a sincere person.

That appointment and the Kaine appointment indicate to me that Obama intends to maintain strict control over his administration.

[gmudem]

20. It's good to have an outsider pick.

The CIA is a pretty untrustworthy organization, so it's good to pick someone who has not belonged to it before. Maybe he will be able to change some of the mentality there, but he will probably have to put up with a lot of bs from CIA people who have been there for a while and want to torture and don't want the American public to know what their taxpayer dollars are going to.

[Cha]

26. More of the "strong statement"

analysis.

[Rebubula]

21. CIA Power

The power at the CIA resides in the career people that usually work a couple of steps below the Director. It is a very insular group that does not accept outsiders.

Panetta will do fine, but he will never see the harsher side of the 'Black Budget'.


Political appointees do not have much real power in intelligence agencies.

[EraOfResponsibility]

22. My mother knew Leon Panetta

My mother knew Leon Panetta. He was head of civil rights at Health Education & Welfare (Now Dept. of Education). He was her boss around '69 or '70. He became director of the office for Civil Rights where my mom worked. She said he was outgoing, friendly. He felt very strongly about civil rights (he switched parties from Repub to Democrat because of this). According to her, he was a standup kind of guy, robust, strong, go getter. He wasn't ambitious, but he felt strongly about the cause of civil rights. This is all according to my Mom.

[seaker]

29. My Mom too!

She had/has the same things to say about him.

[Cha]

33. That's good to know..

Thanks.

[NYC_SKP]

24. Right On, Barack...

A definitive stand against torture makes me quite happy with Panetta...

Rec'd.

[crimsonblue]

25. The opposition to the pick by Feinstein is telling

Feinstein is a worthless enabler, so this pick is AWESOME in my book.

[Thrill]

27. Good thing he didn't listen to Feinstein or Reyes?

Both Democratic Chairman in the House and Senate wanted to pretty much keep McConnell and Hayden.

[moondust]

28. I like it.

CIA does indeed need a mindset overhaul in the wake of massive failures on 9/11, WMD, complicity on Iraq, fixing intelligence around policy, torture, analysis based on long-outdated raw data or no data, overall incompetence. Panetta is as good a choice as any to try to salvage it.


Oh yes, somebody remind Feinstein that she is part of the above failures.

[CTLawGuy]

30. waaaah

"he's a former clinton guy"!!!!111!!111!!!11

waaaah

"he has no experience"1!1!111!1!11

waaah

"obama has sold out progressives AGAIN"!11!11

:eyes:

[donco6]

31. I like this choice.

I think we need someone there with civil rights experience who can keep the pendulum from swinging any more toward totalitarianism. And he's been outspoken against torture. (Though it seems odd that I should have to write that . . . )

[MasonJar]

32. Panetta is a great choice. Yea, for the good guys! Torture is over.

DiFi had better not mess this up! I've had it with her after Mukassey. She had better STFU! We all need to call and remind her of her mindless actions on that front and of her need to not mess this up.

[Fearless]

34. Oh noes! Did he pick someone we like now?

Dear me, what am I to do???!?!

:eyes:

[Jennicut]

35. People everywhere must now stick their heads in their toilet bowls to get

the downer felling of yet another disappointment.
Seriously, Panetta will be much better then anyone Diane Feinstein wants so that makes me happy.

[Fearless]

36. Hehe.

:hurts:

[Jennicut]

37. Well its either that or watch Apocalypse Week on the history channel

and worry incessantly about the fate of the end of the world. I watched it last night and I was boy it was one real downer after another.

[Fearless]

38. Yeah! Did you hear about the earthquakes in Yellowstone lately?!?

:rofl:

[Jennicut]

39. Superearthquakes! We are in the red zone! The end is coming!

or is it supervolcanoes? Well, it won't be pretty, the end. To give the History Channel credit they are pretty much so over the Climate change argument, its happening and its real. But all the other Hopi Indians "Blue Star" crap and the aligning of the galaxy and the sun stuff makes me think I am on pot and back in college circa 1995.

[Fearless]

40. Well if the world ends...

Then the universe aimed real low with the human species and achieved even less.

[eridani]

41. Very good news! n/t

[MBS]

43. he used to be my congressman. He's a good guy.

I think this is a good appointment, and, as Andrew Sullivan said on the Daily Dish, the nature of the opposition (eg, bad guys are against it) confirms the wisdom of the choice.

[ErinBerin84]

45. lol

Of course, AOL has on the screen "Critics slam Obama CIA pick...even some Democrats complain". Yeah, convenient time for the Democrats to start complaining about this, eh? I think it's a good pick, Feinstein wanted someone very much on the inside and I think we need someone from the outside.