Watch Obama on Intelligence
From today’s WSJ:
President-elect Barack Obama is unlikely to radically overhaul controversial Bush administration intelligence policies, advisers say, an approach that is almost certain to create tension within the Democratic Party.
This is likely just an opening salvo from one (of many sides) in a war over the future of our government, but this should serve as a wake-up call to those Obama supporters who are willing to just sit back and “trust him” on most everything. Who’s driving this particular story?
Mr. Obama is being advised largely by a group of intelligence professionals, including some who have supported Republicans, and centrist former officials in the Clinton administration.
That is to say, largely those that have a vested interest in the status quo, and a future interest in the contractors that support it. Add them together with Obama’s demonstrated cautious nature, and the inevitable bias towards keeping power that has already accured to the office, and we’ve got a problem. He may yet surprise and please. But it’s something to watch carefully.
No, no, no says:
No surprise there.
November 11th, 2008 at 11:26 am
silence dogood says:
Most people I know who work in Intel have very little vested interest in preserving the status quo. The contractors who develop the technology, maybe. But everyone inside the community wants to improve the system.
The problem is that everyone has a different idea about how to do that, and a lot of the solutions proposed are focused on organizational adjustments instead of operational adjustments. A lack of clear leadership and direction is what preserves the status quo in our Intelligence Services. If and when Obama decides on a direction, I think we’ll see it implemented.
November 11th, 2008 at 11:45 am
MB says:
If you run on Change and get elected on Change, I’m going to hold you to Change. No Get Out of Change Free cards from me in the form of saying that I never expected it.
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When I say status quo, I mean the current boundaries of power and oversight in broad terms.
November 11th, 2008 at 1:01 pm