John Brennan, Torture-Tainted CIA Prospect, Alarms Obama Supporters

Marc Ambinder reported Thursday evening that former National Counterrorism Center head John Brennan is Barack Obama's "favorite to be nominated director of the Central Intelligence Agency." According to Ambinder's sources, Brennan has been vetted and even begun recruiting his team.

The news has alarmed Obama supporters who remember Brennan best for his role in both faulty pre-war intelligence and agreement with Vice President Dick Cheney on torture.

Glenn Greenwald writes, "I'm both entirely unsurprised and basically undisturbed by the fact that Obama's most significant appointments thus far are composed largely of standard Washington establishment figures and pro-Iraq-War hawks." But Brennan is "a different matter."

To appoint someone as CIA Director or Director of National Intelligence who was one of George Tenet's closest aides when The Dark Side of the last eight years was conceived and implemented, and who, to this day, continues to defend and support policies such as "enhanced interrogation techniques" and rendition (to say nothing of telecom immunity and warrantless eavesdropping), is to cross multiple lines that no Obama supporter should sanction. Truly turning a page on the grotesque abuses of the last eight years requires both symbolism (closing Guantanamo) and substantive policy changes (compelling adherence to the Army Field Manual, ensuring due process rights for all detainees, ending rendition, restoring safeguards on surveillance powers). Appointing John Brennan to a position of high authority would be to affirm and embrace, not repudiate, the darkest aspects of the last eight years.

Andrew Sullivan, in a post titled "No Way. No How. No Brennan," adds:

[T]he Republican, former chief-of-staff for George Tenet (who authorized war crimes as CIA head), admirer of Dick Cheney, CEO of the company one of whose contract employees improperly accessed Obama's and McCain's passports, and defender of renditions and "enhanced interrogations" is still Obama's front-runner pick to head the CIA. No, I'm not making this up. ...

Brennan was complicit and naive in the run-up to the Iraq war. And Obama wants to reward him? Brennan is also a believer in Cheney's term "the dark side," wishing merely to have some limits within it. He clearly has a mindset that has far more in common with the war crimes of his former boss than with the clear, and indisputable beliefs of the Obama movement.

...

The least we know is that Brennan is ambivalent about [torture]. Ambivalence on this matter is unacceptable. We haven't fought for decency and reform and a return to American values for so long to be turned back now. We didn't work our butts off to elect Obama only to get Bush another four years at CIA. If Brennan emerges as the pick, those of us against the continuation of war crimes and the prosecution of war criminals will have to oppose him strenuously in the nomination process. We will, in fact, have to go to war with Obama before he even takes office.

Melvin Goodman, a retired CIA intelligence analyst, lambasted Obama in the Baltimore Sun for relying on "discredited cronies" like Brennan.

Blogger and lawyer Anonymous Liberal says he shares their concerns, but he doesn't think the possibility is quite so dire. He points out that Brennan's actual involvement in illegal Bush-era programs is unclear, and that intelligence agencies don't set policy.

Every illegal program and policy during the Bush administration emanated from the White House and was given legal imprimatur by the Justice Department. Regardless of what John Brennan personally thinks about surveillance, torture, rendition, etc., he will only be able to do what the White House and the DOJ authorize him to do. That's why Eric Holder's nomination is reassuring. And if Obama really wants to reassure people like myself, he'll appoint someone with Holder's expressed views (perhaps Marty Lederman?) to head up the OLC.

So long story short, while some of Brennan's expressed views are troubling, his appointment may be more about operational competence than policy or ideology.

Comments

[Norge]

That is one mean, cruel looking fellow with high colesterol and hemroids.

[Coinyer101]

and he got no business in obama administration.

[nogimmicks]

It is a domino effect. Obama started his pro-war/neocon appointments with Emmanuel and then every next one becomes easier with his emerging right-wing cabinet. More war in Afganistan, more torture seems to be the change we will see. Cheney must be thrilled.

Hey, Obama, get an honest and moral person like Kusinich for this post.

[Norge]

Yes, absolutely. Kucinich is an honest and anti-war man who would certainly be the best for the position and give Obama terrific credibility.

[aubrey8]

He's kind of a joke, he comes off as to much of a flake. He's a smart guy but no.

[lmnop13]

I just went to Change.gov, there must be 2 million people on there leaving messages. It was slow as Christmas. I hesitate to jump the gun as well, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't speak. Obama promised in his acc. speech that we may not agree with all of his decisions as POTUS, but he promised to always be honest. We've sort of lost the Fight The Smears site, so speculation is garnering a world all its own. I see nothing wrong in asking him, PE Obama, is this true? We should all ask away. I'm not rescinding my vote, whining ad nauseum, or losing my mind. I still support my PE, and would vote for him again.
But, in the spirit of his campaign, and of transpanency, I do believe we all have every right to question. And I hate rumors.

[jubei]

TO ALL LIBERAL AND ANTI WAR ACTIVIST READ THESE BOOKS THE ART OF WAR/SUN TZU,THE 48 LAWS OF POWER/ROBERT GREENE,THE ART OF SEDUCTION/ROBERT GREENE,OBAMA IS A DAMN GENIUS FOR DOING THIS HES PLAYING POLITICAL JUJITSU!!!!

[goldnchyl]

I don't even mind your shouting! Speak the truth. People just don't know.

We've gotten a taste of O's more than enough qualifications. Sit back, relax and have a little faith in your president. It's about time.

[Yermammy]

I know the first, well. I don't see it. This is a stupid mistake, or he has no choice. That's the only two options. You can't make silk out of a sow's ear. This is MAJOR sow's ear.

[naschkatze]

Yes, this is really disturbing news. I hope it is not true.

[Star2000dancer]

I give up. I told my sister in Savanna the Obama people would never let predjudice take place when she told me how the kids were being abused by black kids in Georgia. She's one of the strongest people I know. I've never seen her have fear like this for her kids & the kids who work in their Restaurants.
I promised I'd help. I already sent an email to the Obama/Biden site. It sweems blacks kids are forming gangs & telling all the other kids we're in charge now. They're abusing the other kids, making them get on the knees & polish their shoes or kissing their feet among other things.
I've been hearing this from other people too, but my sister was a wreck about it. I told her I'd post it here & you'd all help. So far I've been , insulted, called a liar & a right winger. Kids are getting killed almost everyday, now we have a new group of black supremist kids who are bullying & beating the other kids
This is not Obama's dream & we must stop it . Please spread this word around & see if we can stop this..We voted for change & hope, not division We're a mostly white nation & we voted a black man in.. I promised my sister I'd help, I told her this was not what Obama was about, & I swore I go here & post it to get help. Promise kept, but so

[Zhonni]

ARE U STILL SPREADING YOUR LIES?

[StillIRise]

You should have told your sister to go get help ... mental help. And you probably should make an appointment for yourself.

I'm afraid that the election of a black man has literally driven you and your sister to the brink of INSANITY.

[goldnchyl]

I live in GA too and have heard nothing like this anywhere. Are you related to Ashley Todd?

[Yermammy]

You're pathetic. I pity you.

[naschkatze]

I'm sorry you chose to attach your comment to mine.

[Liberalrep1980]

Come on BO, I am a Republican who voted for you and I got to say. YOU ARE MESSING THIS ALL UP! There are a ton of other people with more to offer than that yahoo. So far Rahm is the only pick I do like. Clinton, are you serious? Leaving Droopy Dog Lieberman in his chair, wtf?! You want to bring in some intelligent people who will argue with you in the right manner. Hire Hagel and Paul and you will have all the opposition you need. Hey look at all the big government guys they are. Every single one of them. Please stop the terrible picks my man. And no, I will not give him time to set up or give him a chance on his picks. A terrible pick is a terrible pick, no need to give anyone a chance. Yeh, leader of our foriegn affairs, someone who lied about taking sniper fire on foriegn soil.

[bubbuh]

yawn

[nellie]

These appointment threads are beginning to sound all the same:

Is this the change we can believe in?
WTF?
I'm so sad and disappointed.
This isn't what I voted for.

Good grief. It's getting hard to tell the tro//s from the whiners.

Then again when you read DISASTER DISASTER, PANIC PANIC FEAR FEAR FEAR, it's a good bet you've got a trollpost.

[Mattie]

its a good bet that when you excuse everything he does, that you have an Obama fanatic. He votes for FISA, oh that's ok, he supports the Cheney Energy bill, well he had his reasons, he backs out on public financing, so what he gave his word, big deal. It's called blind faith, and it's not a good thing!

[goldnchyl]

I can't excuse or not anything O has done as he is not president yet. I have no idea of how he will utilize his cabinet. I only know that from what I've seen of him so far and the high-minded qualities he's shown and ability to think things through to successful conclusions are more than enough for me to at least wait until he's been president for a while before I draw conclusions. Just MHO

[StillIRise]

nellie: I'm beginning to find some of these posts too silly to even respond to. Like you, I can't tell the difference anymore between the trolls and the whiners, because they all sound alike now. It's one thing to have legitimate concerns, but it's quite another to make rash judgments and illogical predictions, or to question your own convictions, simply because someone is selected to Obama's cabinet that you don't like, or who wasn't your first preference, or you don't trust ....

We supported and trusted Obama's judgment for two years, two of the longest years of my life, and now that he's where our vote of support put him, suddenly, we don't trust his judgment anymore. Now, it's become all about the individual us, and OUR judgment. Now, we're the one's who know what's best for him!

Let one of us walk in his shoes for just one day, and we will be running back to the refuge of this blogsite and anonymity faster than the eye can blink. It's easy to sit on the outside, in the safety of our small, secure world and criticize and judge that which we know so little, if anything at all, about. I trust President-Elect Obama's judgment, and I trust that he will inevitably once again show us that he's a lot smarter than we are, and a lot smarter than we want to give him credit for.

[Rep0X]

Stop being a cheerleader, and become a REAL supporter.

- Ask questions

- Tune in everytime O is about to make a decision

- Show your support, but with strings attached to it (This is about the country)

- Tune in when they are about to pass legislations (as many as You have time for)

- Most importantly; Don't support whatever choice O is gonna make, before he makes it!

[Zhonni]

SPECULATIONS,
++++++++++++++RUMORS,
+++++++++++++++++++++++AREN'T,
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++FACTS.

I will say that till I get blue in the face. I have noticed that some RIGHT WING nutcases are taking advantages of the seeming disarray, just like they did when we were up in arms about Obama's FISA vote. I came off that band wagon quick after I realized the bill had been changed.

[Yermammy]

Yeah, changed for the worse. There was NOTHING wrong with the 1978 version. But that wasn't the point ANYWAY. Retroactive immunity so the telco's couldn't be pressured to TESTIFY was the REAL goal. WTFU. We got PUNKED and yet you squeal with delight.

[Sumocat]

There seems to be a "guilt by association" and "blame the troops" mentality forming against Barack Obama's potential picks. As chief-of-staff to George Tenet, Brennan enforced policies; he didn't create them. If the White House hadn't promoted torture as an intelligence-gathering source, if the White House wasn't determined to invade Iraq regardless of actual intel, would Brennan have publicly supported and enforced those policies? Maybe, maybe not, but I'm inclined to agree with Anonymous Liberal on keeping an open mind (but wary eye) on Brennan. If he can keep the CIA running and the intel flowing, while also enforcing the ideals of the new administration, he could be the right man for the job (emphasis on "could"; I am neither endorsing nor condemning the possibility yet).

[bubbuh]

Sullivan's use of "complicit and naive." has the same semantic value as "fellow traveler" or "pinko." Since when is ambivalence a bad trait in a security analyst or a spy? Too much surety is what has brought the USA to its current problems.

Whenever I read round-ups like this, I keep hearing echoes of George Orwell's "Animal Farm."

Folks, there's a Democratic administration moving into the WH. This administration is not only Blue, it holds out the promise of binding our people together, repairing the psychic damage of the past eight years, and seriously moving forward in a way that may help us successfully get through the economic catastrophe we are presently undergoing.

I know it's a tough habit to break; but, it would be smart to stop the hysterical overreaction. The Election was 17 days ago, Obama has yet to take office. Give him a chance to do it his way. Again, try to remember who you voted for and the he takes office two months from now.

[Driver125]

Yo.....Barack. President Elect Obama. Leader of the Good Guys. Brennan is not the only guy in this country with CIA experience. Choose another.

[changeorbust]

make sure you post your opinion @ change.gov

[LucieLee]

Do we really know who President-elect Obama is appointing for this job? No we don't, so let's not jump to conclusions.....

[Moshe]

Wait if you want. Get what you get.

Or write to:

www.change.gov

And let President-elect Obama know now that you expect that this time, when a new crew is swearing to uphold the Rule of Law and respect the Constitution, and the People's Bill of Rights, we expect them to really mean it, not just say it, and really practice it, not just give us more excuses as to why they really don't want to.

President elect Obama has already said he will not tolerate torture.

Let him know that includes not granting high public offices to those who support or practice torture.

This is state sponsored torture we are talking about here, not a parking ticket.

[Yermammy]

Right on! Moshe! Good to hear from you, bud.

[karmafriend]

only one thing to say

WTF

[Shieldmaiden]

Is this an official story or a reported story? I cannot seem to get my facts on these things straight. Is this a real story or just a "report"? Anyway, Obama has pretty much expressed we're closing Gitmo and ending torture.

[carlgt1]

jeesus h. kee-rist, can I get a refund on the $700 I donated over the past year?