Normally, I try to offer something that few other bloggers are talking about, but not this time.
I remain fascinated by the very existence of John Brennan, former director of the CIA, and his sense of entitlement to this country’s national security secrets. Even more riveting that his predecessors and peers obviously share this attitude.
You all do remember what I used to do for a living, right? Well, when I stopped doing it — in 1994 — my security clearance and access to information was revoked. Naturally.
And the same has been so for countless others who were granted access to classified information due to their jobs, but left their job positions for whatever reason.
But we were just worker bees. The recent screaming fit thrown by Brennan after President Trump revoked his access exposed that there are two sets of rules in the intelligence community: one for the lords and another for us serfs.
I suppose that I shouldn’t be shocked by it — especially after Hillary Clinton skated away from legal consequences for doing something that would have put me in jail — but I am.
The great thing about it all, however, is that President Trump’s
actions exposed this elite layer in the intelligence community to the world. When he announced his intent to yank Brennan’s clearance, Brennan and friends responded like Pavlov’s Dogs.
The list of former senior intelligence
[caption id=“attachment_108531” align=“alignright” width=“150”] The infamous James Clapper.[/caption]
officials who signed the letter includes James Clapper, a former Director of National Intelligence, and seven CIA Directors including Robert Gates, William Webster, George Tenet, Porter Goss, Michael Hayden, Leon Panetta and David Petraeus.
There is more than one person on this list who I wouldn’t trust to walk my dog.
“As former senior intelligence officials, we feel compelled to respond in the wake of the ill-considered and unprecedented remarks and actions by the White House regarding the removal of John Brennan’s security clearances,” they wrote.
“We know John to be an enormously talented, capable, and patriotic individual who devoted his adult life to the service of this nation,” the letter continued.
“Insinuations and allegations of wrongdoing on the part of Brennan while in office are baseless,” it added.
Some of the officials who signed the letter noted that they may not side with Brennan’s comments or choose to go public with any comments, but “We all agree that the president’s action regarding John Brennan and the threats of similar action against other former officials has nothing to do with who should and should not hold security clearances – and everything to do with an attempt to stifle free speech.”
Emphasis mine. As if Brennan will need a security clearance to throw his next tantrum.
I don’t think that these IC elite puppets get that they and their ilk have been outed to the world, but I get it. And the great thing about it is that they did it to themselves by falling in line behind a POS like Brennan. I guess I expected them to be more circumspect about their privilege, being spooks and all.
Brennan must have something on all of them …
Juliette Akinyi Ochieng has been blogging since 2003 as baldilocks. Her older blog is here. She published her first novel, Tale of the Tigers: Love is Not a Game in 2012.
Hit Da Tech Guy Blog’s Tip Jar for his new not-GoDaddy host!
Normally, I try to offer something that few other bloggers are talking about, but not this time.
I remain fascinated by the very existence of John Brennan, former director of the CIA, and his sense of entitlement to this country’s national security secrets. Even more riveting that his predecessors and peers obviously share this attitude.
You all do remember what I used to do for a living, right? Well, when I stopped doing it — in 1994 — my security clearance and access to information was revoked. Naturally.
And the same has been so for countless others who were granted access to classified information due to their jobs, but left their job positions for whatever reason.
But we were just worker bees. The recent screaming fit thrown by Brennan after President Trump revoked his access exposed that there are two sets of rules in the intelligence community: one for the lords and another for us serfs.
I suppose that I shouldn’t be shocked by it — especially after Hillary Clinton skated away from legal consequences for doing something that would have put me in jail — but I am.
The great thing about it all, however, is that President Trump’s
actions exposed this elite layer in the intelligence community to the world. When he announced his intent to yank Brennan’s clearance, Brennan and friends responded like Pavlov’s Dogs.
The list of former senior intelligence
The infamous James Clapper.
officials who signed the letter includes James Clapper, a former Director of National Intelligence, and seven CIA Directors including Robert Gates, William Webster, George Tenet, Porter Goss, Michael Hayden, Leon Panetta and David Petraeus.
There is more than one person on this list who I wouldn’t trust to walk my dog.
“As former senior intelligence officials, we feel compelled to respond in the wake of the ill-considered and unprecedented remarks and actions by the White House regarding the removal of John Brennan’s security clearances,” they wrote.
“We know John to be an enormously talented, capable, and patriotic individual who devoted his adult life to the service of this nation,” the letter continued.
“Insinuations and allegations of wrongdoing on the part of Brennan while in office are baseless,” it added.
Some of the officials who signed the letter noted that they may not side with Brennan’s comments or choose to go public with any comments, but “We all agree that the president’s action regarding John Brennan and the threats of similar action against other former officials has nothing to do with who should and should not hold security clearances – and everything to do with an attempt to stifle free speech.“
Emphasis mine. As if Brennan will need a security clearance to throw his next tantrum.
I don’t think that these IC elite puppets get that they and their ilk have been outed to the world, but I get it. And the great thing about it is that they did it to themselves by falling in line behind a POS like Brennan. I guess I expected them to be more circumspect about their privilege, being spooks and all.
Brennan must have something on all of them …
Juliette Akinyi Ochieng has been blogging since 2003 as baldilocks. Her older blog is here. She published her first novel, Tale of the Tigers: Love is Not a Game in 2012.
Hit Da Tech Guy Blog’s Tip Jar for his new not-GoDaddy host!
[…] Tells CNN To Get Stuffed CDR Salamander: Eight Months As The Under – On Midrats Da Tech Guy: Trump Forces IC Elite To Squeal, also, Report From Louisiana – More Loose Thoughts Don Surber: CNN’s Jury Tampering, […]
Glad you’re still writing! Good observations, as always. I think most of us never realized that retained security clearances had become the new sinecure for anyone who was a member of “the club.”
[…] Tells CNN To Get Stuffed CDR Salamander: Eight Months As The Under – On Midrats Da Tech Guy: Trump Forces IC Elite To Squeal, also, Report From Louisiana – More Loose Thoughts Don Surber: CNN’s Jury Tampering, […]
Glad you’re still writing! Good observations, as always. I think most of us never realized that retained security clearances had become the new sinecure for anyone who was a member of “the club.”
Hello, nice person–a pleasure to read you again. Missed your comments. I trust all is well with you?
pretty sure the entire list is signers should immediately have their clearance revoked as well …