Another counterterrorism official dumps Bush, joins Dems

January 17, 2007

A familiar pattern is taking shape: a qualified, competent official joins Bush’s counterterrorism team, grows frustrated by the administration’s priorities, resigns, and joins the Dems.

The latest is Todd Hinnen.

A counterterrorism adviser to President Bush is leaving the White House to join the staff of a prominent Democratic senator gearing up to investigate the administration’s war policies.

A Senate source said Todd M. Hinnen, a director for combating terrorism on the staff of the president’s National Security Council (NSC), will become the chief counsel for Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., Delaware Democrat and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. [Hinnen will work with the Judiciary Committees, not Foreign Relations]

Hinnen follows Richard Clarke, Rand Beers, and Flynt Leverett, all of whom had key counterterrorism roles in the Bush administration, all of whom grew frustrated with the Bush gang’s policies, and all of whom teamed up with the Dems.

Upon learning that Hinnen was joining Biden, a Republican staffer on the Hill told the Washington Times, “Once again, people on the Bush White House staff turn on him while our soldiers and Marines fight to protect the rest of us.”

It’s exactly this kind of nonsensical, backwards attitude that probably helped drive Hinnen (and Clarke, Beers, and Leverett) to the Dems in the first place.

Indeed, it’s an oldie but a goodie, but Reuters ran an interesting item way back in 2004 noting a “staff exodus” among counterterrorism officials, all of whom left the White House because of the same frustrations expressed by Clarke and Beers. Considering the number of people and the scope of their concerns, it’s impossible to simply dismiss the whole lot as angry employees with axes to grind.

Since the Sept. 11 attacks, the Bush administration has faced a steady exodus of counterterrorism officials, many disappointed by a preoccupation with Iraq they said undermined the U.S. fight against terrorism.

Former counterterrorism officials said at least half a dozen have left the White House Office for Combating Terrorism or related agencies in frustration in the 2 1/2 years since the attacks.

Some also left because they felt President Bush had sidelined his counterterrorism experts and paid almost exclusive heed to the vice president, the defense secretary and other Cabinet members in planning the “war on terror,” former counterterrorism officials said.

“I’m kind of hoping for regime change,” one official who quit told Reuters.

And for good measure, let’s also not forget Henry Crumpton, Coordinator for Counterterrorism for the State Department, who’s not only stepping down after a year on the job, he’s telling reporters that “we haven’t made any progress” in stopping the worldwide surge in Islamic radicalism, and added “we’ve lost ground,” due in part to the war in Iraq.

It’s impossible to dismiss all of these officials as disgruntled former employees. At a certain point, the White House will have to explain why the president’s top counterterrorism officials keep leaving in droves.

January 17, 2007 at 11:26 am

The trend might accelerate now that they have some place relevant to go to–the senate Dems.

“At a certain point, the White House will have to explain why the president’s top counterterrorism officials keep leaving in droves”

Because they’re pre-9/11 thinkers. They want to use law enforcement, good intelligence, and smart people who don’t get appointed due to Bush family loyalty. And they have the gall to call the Great Crusade in Iraq a shambles and catasrophic failure.

Heretics

… a Republican staffer on the Hill told the Washington Times, “Once again, people on the Bush White House staff turn on him while our soldiers and Marines fight to protect the rest of us.”

First priorty, loyalty to Bush. Welcome to neo-con democracy.

Based on Bu$h’s recent appearances, it is painfully obvious the manchild is operating in some delusional state. To press onward with his own ‘surge’ to salvage what he thinks will be his ‘legacy’, he is ignoring the will of the people, the whole worldwide intelligence communtiy, active and retired military personnel with experience, members of his own party, and his daddy’s concierge, Jim Baker. He is basically giving everyone but his own acolytes a collective FUCK YOU, I’LL DO WHAT I WANT! To pour salt on America’s open wound, he even snickers and laughs when discussing the gravest of matters, for instance the death and carnage his failed policy has let loose in Iraq. I for one have had enough. There is no other option than removing this man and his handlers from offices of power. If impeachment isn’t on the table, then we must find another way. After all, it is written in the Declaration of Independance:

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness….

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Steve

I’m glad you pointed this out. I believe that other high level experts on terrorism left the administration, but I don’t recall their names. Perhaps others do.

The only high profile addition to the administration’s terrorism effort was Karen Hughes, and she is employed as a spin doctor.

This in a nutshell is the Bush presidency: no policy, just PR.

i just have to say that the “republican staffer” quoted by the washington times is a complete idiot; i realize that by definition half the country is below median intelligence, but why do they all work for the republicans in washington?

I’m fascinated by the educational backgrounds of those who continue to work with Bush (many Yalies, many of those Skull and Bones) and those who leave because of Bush, such as those you mention here:

* Todd M. Hinnen — a graduate of Amherst College, with majors in physics and philosophy, and Harvard Law School.

* Richard Clarke — the son of a Boston factory worker. He studied at the Boston Latin School (graduated 1969) and received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1972.

* Rand Beers — a graduate of Dartmouth College, and the University of Michigan; he served in a U.S. Marine Corps rifle company in Vietnam.

* Flynt Leverett — earned his undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University and his master’s and Ph.D. degrees from Princeton University.

* Henry Crumpton — received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of New Mexico and a Masters in International Public Policy, with honors, from John Hopkins University’s School of the Advance Internal Studies.

It’s as if a bunch of teenage religious nuts have taken over the student government in college and driven out the competent adults. Bad enough that brunch of brainless idiots are in control, but they’ve also caused a major brain drain in our government. Fortunately, if V. Pareto is correct, these non-governing elites may, sooner or later (2009?) circulate back into positions where they can serve again.

… a Republican staffer on the Hill told the Washington Times, “Once again, people on the Bush White House staff turn on him while our soldiers and Marines fight to protect the rest of us.”

I’m a Marine and I don’t feel betrayed by those who do the right thing.

howard, there’s a recent study that showed a correlation between voting for Republicans and mental illness, so there’s probably an even stronger correlation between mental illness and serving on a Republican staff.

I’d say it’s probably a job requirement.

Did Bush take a course at Yale about crisis management and come out thinking that the only way to show leadership is during a crisis? He consistently allows situations to become crises and then “acts”.

Well, the way the Chimp in Chief sees it, you’re either with HIM or against HIM–the country be damned. And, sadly, so far it has been.

“Once again, people on the Bush White House staff turn on him while our soldiers and Marines fight to protect the rest of us.”

If that “while” were instead a “because,” it would make sense.

I’ve been wondering the same thing about all the high-ranking generals who have been forced into premature retirement because their reality conflicts with Junior’s. It seems like by now all the quality people must have given up trying to influence policy.

I agree with #3. It seems that for the Bush regime, the military’s mission is to defend Bush’s political career, while the rest of us are still ridden with the quaint idea that the military’s mission is to defend our country.

“I’m kind of hoping for regime change,” one official who quit told Reuters.

We all are.

Bush is a cancer upon this nation. Just as in cancer when rogue, diseased cells replace and overcome healthy one, incompetent but loyal fools replace and work defeat government officials with a sense of rectitude, wisdom and moral obligation. God help us all.

Are Laura And Barney going to bolt at some point?

Perhaps Laura has already bolted as well.

At the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, Laura Bush joked in the most scathing terms about her husband:

“George and I are complete opposites — I’m quiet, he’s talkative; I’m introverted, he’s extroverted; I can pronounce nuclear. …”

“The amazing thing is that George and I were just meant to be. I was a librarian who spent 12 hours a day in the library, yet somehow I met George.”

“I am married to the president of the United States, and here’s our typical evening: Nine o’clock, Mr. Excitement here is sound asleep, and I’m watching ‘Desperate Housewives’ — with Lynne Cheney,” Mrs. Bush said. “Ladies and gentlemen, I am a desperate housewife. I mean, if those women on that show think they’re desperate, they ought to be with George.”

“Kennebunkport … is like Crawford, but without the nightlife,” Mrs. Bush said. “People ask me what it’s like to be up there with the whole Bush clan. Let me put it this way: First prize — three-day vacation with the Bush family. Second prize — 10 days.”

“I am married to the President of the United States and here is our typical evening. Nine o’clock, Mr. Excitement here is sound asleep, and I am watching Desperate Housewives. With Lynne Cheney. Ladies and gentleman, I am a desperate housewife. I mean if those women on that show think they’re desperate, they ought to be with George.”

“George always says that he’s delighted to come to these press dinners. Baloney. He’s usually in bed by now. I’m not kidding. I said to him the other day, George, if you really want to end tyranny in the world, you’re going to have to stay up later.”

“George’s answer to any problem at the ranch is to cut it down with a chainsaw. Which I think is why he and Cheney and Rumsfeld get along so well.”

“I’m proud of George. He’s learned a lot about ranching since that first year when he tried to milk the horse. What’s worse, it was a male horse.”

Ref. http://www.washtimes.com/national/20050501-105521-4706r.htm

Pretty harsh stuff. Does this sound like a woman who thinks her husband is “Mr. Wonderful”?

So is it coincidence that many in the Bush regime are defecting and going democrat?
When they say LOOK OVER HERE, I LOOK SOMEWHERE ELSE to see what I’m not supposed to see.
Could be we are Bushwhacked again and defectors assigned to infiltrate the democrats.
How many times can you rig an election. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.
Makes sense they want dems in next to prove they weren’t so bad.. if they infiltrate the dems then aren’t they are still in charge?
There is no rolling stone left unturned when world domination is the goal.

The goal is failure… and is why the advisors quit or were forced out.
—————————-
Bush works within an Orwellian world… “Failure is Success, and Success is Failure.” Peace is NOT their goal.

Bu$h Team works for failure. Opportunity exists in chaos and they know it. The more instability there is in the region, the more reason they have to keep us there… And, if any semblance of stability appears, efforts will be made to thwart the stabilizing effects. Those better minds who have left this utterly corrupt, immoral, illegal and murderous Administration saw the limited, narrow goals and would have little to do with it, and leave to work with those. No wonder one hoped for an administration “regime change”… as should we all work for it.

Can any one blame these good men from leaving? The policy of this admin. has been soooo damn bad and has undermind our basic belive system it no wonder therehas not been more. We can only hope that GWB will not do anymore crazy thing before he is out of office.

This is only for the blog owner I just want to thanks this guy because of it I get lots of information from it ….
thanks for the info you provided….

Comments are closed.