Admiral McRaven compares President Trump to McCarthy.
I could go on for hours about this bat shit Admiral. It might show a wee bit, but I never liked his Show Boat nonsense.
William H. McRaven, commander of the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command from 2011 to 2014, published his letter on the Washington Post website today, requesting that Trump also revoke his security clearance, “so I can add my name to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency.”
I really hope this loon does get his clearance revoked.
Trump said Wednesday he is reviewing the security clearances of several other former top intelligence and law enforcement officials, including former FBI Director James Comey and current senior Justice Department official Bruce Ohr.
Why do these people still have a Clearance anyway?
“Like most Americans, I had hoped that when you became president, you would rise to the occasion and become the leader this great nation needs.
“A good leader tries to embody the best qualities of his or her organization. A good leader sets the example for others to follow. A good leader always puts the welfare of others before himself or herself.
“Your leadership, however, has shown little of these qualities. Through your actions, you have embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation.
“If you think for a moment that your McCarthy-era tactics will suppress the voices of criticism, you are sadly mistaken. The criticism will continue until you become the leader we prayed you would be.”
Hey McRaven…you have embarrassed those who serve and protect this nation with your ignorance and public display of hysterical political angst. What I would give to have a public debate with this attention whore. This an organized attempt, on the part of the media, to attack the President of the United States. There was no Russian collusion by the President…Hillary Clinton blew that election all on her own. The worst anyone could possibly say about what the Russians did on their own was to release exactly what the elitists at the top of the Clinton Campaign were saying to each other about the American people. I, along with roughly half of this nation, already knew they were elitist scum.
Admiral Billy McBitchen should stick to Flipper re-runs and STFU. Her gender fluid needs to be checked. People giving him credit for killing what’s his name is like giving me credit for winning the Super Bowl because I watched it on TV. I don’t agree with everything President Trump does…needy little attention whores like Billy here just make me move further into the Trump corner. Letting the Left use him as a tool just shows how brainless he is. He most definitely needs any clearance he has pulled.
But, that’s just my opinion.
Category: Politics
Bravo!! Nicely written, we share the same opinion.
“Like”, and I took door # 3 on the poll quiz. Give ’em Hell Dave
Sad to see a SEAL go so far off the deep end….
Perhaps he can cohost with Ventura on R/T media.
Seems to me McRaven has never made a secret of his left leanings… high flag officers’ politics definitely have a role on whom each administration picks for some commands. McRaven has publicly opposed Trump and conservatives in the past as UT chancellor. The man chose to live in Austin, the “San Francisco of Texas”. ‘Nuff said.
That said… no clearance should last past 6 months after last read-on termination. And the ‘ old boys’ mentality should go out the window. If you aren’t read on, no info.
God help us–he lives here in Texas?? But a teasip chancellor–that fits, of course.
Definitely agree on the security clearance.
As a UT undergrad, he was a journalism major. Make of that what you will.
I thought I would never have to say this, but… it looks like ADM (Ret) McRaven is a rare breed – A retired SEAL with a mangina.
He has a retractable penis so he can go fuck himself.
I served with him at NAVSPECWARGRU TWO. He was a liar then, and he still is. He was known as one of “those” who would do absolutely anything for money and promotion – and that’s how he became an admiral. I also served with Eric Olson, his predecessor at SOCCOM, whom I have utmost respect for. Olson earned it the hard way, receiving a silver star for actions in Somalia. McRaven earned his by bending over for every flag officer walking the hallways in Washington.
Yeah, he and Wesley Clark appear to be two peas in a pod. Complete wastes of time, water, and oxygen.
Wesley Clark – another cocksucking political animal that wore a uniform.
When the whole ‘make your bed’ speech was being hyped, I tracked down some guys who went thru BUD/S with McRaven. The inside joke? He couldn’t make his bed worth a damn. 😉
Color me unsurprised.
He is retired and not an admiral. The title is honorific. Phuk that and phuk him. I shall call him Billy. As for MCcarthy-era tactics, it’s too bad they were abandoned or perhaps the commies would have been weeded out of the Dept of State and elsewhere in the gov’t. Billy must be bored and in need of attention.
I’m sorry, I feel I should disagree, if he’s retired he is in the retired reserves, like I am and subject to recall up to a certain age. He is an Admiral, just a political weenie one. When you retire, the rank is not honorific as I see honorific defined.
You know you bring up a good point. IIRC McRaven is part of the Fleet Reserve and subject to recall. How about we recall his posturing, preening, butt sore ass and hitmhim with an Article 88?
Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
^this.
^LIKE^
I’d vote for that.
Sounds like a plan to me👍
I’m good with that. Maybe a court martial would send a message to “Obama’s favorite officers” to STFU.
No he is retired. Fleet Reserve is for folks who retire prior to 30 years. You are transferred to Fleet Reserve until you hit your 30 year mark and then you are fully retired.
Somewhere along the way to Admiral, McRaven’s ‘SEAL’ sloughed off and ‘politician’ took it’s place. Shame, really.
I’m sure these are SCI level clearances that require a “need to know” and a billet requiring one. Whenever I changed jobs I was read out (i.e., talk about any of this and its jail). If my next job required it, I was read back in for that particular program, not my last one. On a need to know basis!
It was a surprise to me that folks kept their clearances after leaving government employment. As a contractor they could have their clearance reinstated if their SBI is current and only for need to know.
Hope this causes a lot of folks to be read out.
This is shining a light on why there is such rampant leaking in the intelligence and defense community. Apparently clearances are granted and never rescinded, even when one is fired! Not just dismissed, but fired for lying to congress, spying on Americans, lying to courts, etc.
Baffling.
Only for “The Annointed.” Mere mortals are Admin Termed and read out during out processing.
It certainly shines a light in an inconvenient place, doesn’t it? I was in Signals Intelligence including being a special security officer for almost 20 years, and had never heard of this nonsense before. With regular people, when you got out, or no longer had a valid need to know, you got debriefed, and barred access to classified material. Because that is the law.
Well, yes, his clearance should indeed be revoked. Not because of his political persuasion but because he is no longer on the payroll. Doesn’t matter if he leans left or right – there is no need for him to have a clearance.
Have all these clowns forgotten the “need to know” part of national security and security issues in general? Retired and otherwise separated personnel have no need to know. And should they need to explain something from back in the day, that “need to know” thing should cover any brief peek at a doc, for instance, to refresh the memory.
This really isn’t complicated.
No need to know and, no national interest is served by Brennan, or any of the other retired people with clearances, keeping a security clearance.
Dave Hardin is far too reserved in his approach to this angst-ridden, self-absorbed, attention-sucking manwhore.
When is anyone going to tell MacCraven and others of his ilk to go pound sand up their sigmoid colons and rotate on it?
We have Wheinstein the Busybody Pharisee collecting cash from everyone he can con into it and then rattling his teeth, stomping his widdle feet, and pounding his widdle fists to get rid of Christian this-and-that on military bases.
And now we can add, to this collection of absurdities and Barnum sideshow false fronts, a retired admiral whose agenda is not to improve things in this country, but simply to get more attention than he’s already received to date, so that, in an unforeseen future, he can run for the Office of President and have his own way in everything.
Yes, and he’d probably do what bodaprez did: sit with his feet up on Lincoln’s desk. There’s a photo of that apostasy somewhere from back in the beginning of that dogbreath’s Reign of Nitwittery.
Please, let’s do continue to publicize the stupidity in which these people engage. Let them trip over their own feet and stumble and whack their knees on the pavement, but not help them get up.
Instead, because they are so utterly self-involved that they think they’re more important than We, the People, are, let’s do make sure that their cronyisms and reckless disregard for the rights of the people of this country are widely publicized.
What an asshole!
“angst-ridden, self-absorbed, attention-sucking manwhore”..
I love it! Can I borrow it?
Owwwwwuuuch & Daaaayuuum, Ex! This gonna leave a mark that probably won’t buff out. You go girl! Don’t know why Dave has gotten so shy and reserved of late. Must be the weather.
Of course you may borrow it, CDR_D. Be my guest.
I do get tired of people who assume that their importance is inflated (along with their egos) because they have XXX on their sleeves or collars. Some of them need to learn to stow it.
I’m so borrowing this, “that dogbreath’s Reign of Nitwittery”.
But, tell us how you really feel, Ex.
Sister Mary Grace has advised me in one of our conversations that it is completely appropriate to use every bit of vocabulary available as a means of Engaging in Creative Insults.
It confuses the less-informed and sometimes makes the objects think they’re being complimented.
‘MacCraven’? Seriously? This isn’t gossip time in the girls junior high restroom.
Love him or hate him, but show him the respect he is due.
The bottom line is on his worst day he contributed more to the USA than your best day x100.
‘McRaven is credited for organizing and overseeing the execution of Operation Neptune Spear,[15] the special ops raid that led to the death of Osama bin Laden on May 2, 2011.’
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._McRaven
Probably better if you stuck to cooking posts. You’re coming across like a nagging, yapping little dog and it doesn’t reflect well on TAH.
Mr.Sharkman, I don’t know him but one of my best friends recently retired CMC who worked with him at WARCOM says he’s one of the best leader he’s ever worked with in his 30 years in the NAVY, is good enough for me.
Really? I don’t see you dissing other people who post opinions and comments similar to mine, sharkman.
Or is this because you think WOMEN HAVE NO PLACE IN ANYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN?
You don’t like my opinion, fine.
I don’t have to like an attention-whoring lefty who is using his service record to grab a career in politics.
And how come you aren’t going after other people whose comments are similar to mine? Huh? Answer the question, asshole.
Either spread it around or drop dead.
If all you can see is ribbons and awards, you are blind to everything else.
Must I bring up Lyndon Johnson, who got himself a Silver Star and turned into a worse president that Richard Nixon ever dreamed of being?????
Mr. Sharkman. I don’t love him, mostly because he has been a weenie to my alma mater (UT), and I hate him because he was handed the Operation on a Silver Platter and still managed to leave a very expensive toy on the playing field…that had to be destroyed. There were plenty of other folks chomping at the bit to execute, and his Buddy Barack handed it to him as a concession. You could also say he screwed up the first three attempts, but that would be a discussion that we couldn’t have in front of him if he loses his clearance!
Wikipedia? REALLY?? I’ll take SEAL TWO’s opinion (above) any day and twice on Sunday. And I think you need to STFU regarding Ex-PH2’s service, which you clearly know nothing about.
Approves of deplatforming conservatives on social media, approves of antifa, approves of sending cash to Iran, but thinks losing your clearance for actions that can only be described as malfeasance is “McCarthyism”.
In a way, he is correct. Every single person on McCarthy’s list was, in fact, a communist aiding the USSR.
Considering everything, including his desire to be the center of attention, maybe someone should smack him good and hard in public and reprimand him in pure vitriol for his behavior.
I think he’s trying to translate his service into an LBJ-style political campaign. He needs to learn when to shut his yap.
‘He needs to learn when to shut his yap.’
Oh, the irony. 😉
You’re repeating yourself, sharkman.
I can respect his service and what he DID, and I do.
I do NOT have to like what he is doing NOW. And I DO have the right to say so.
Whether you agree or disagree with my viewpoint, sharkman, is your business. But if you are blind to what he is doing NOW, because you see ONLY what he did in the past, you are limiting yourself.
Should I bring up John McCain and how he has deteriorated over time from a war hero to a slumguzzler?
“Every single person on McCarthy’s list was, in fact, a communist aiding the USSR.”
I’m not sure about every single, but the vast majority of them were. Papers released after the fall of the USSR showed the KGB was financing Red activity in Hollyweird to the tune of $2M a year, from WW2-era right up until the 80’s.
The Reds of Tinseltown used union thuggery to bully Walt Disney into bad contracts and used hit pieces in their rags to smear his reputation.
McCarthy was a f**king hero for exposing people allied with this country’s enemy and calling them to account.
For all ‘Tailgunner Joe’s’ outrage and prying, not a single day was spent in jail, not a drop of blood spilled in the name of The U.S. of A for SIMPLY being a commie.
But let’s permit the ultra tolerant, impeccably moral, and annoynted brainiacs of the lunatic left keep kicking the corpse of Joe McCarthy.
Just for clarification, Senator McCarthy was investigating commies in the government, not Hollyworthless. That preview was the House Un-American Activities Committee.
HUAC had a larger impact on the culture and is typically what is referred to as ‘McCarthyism’.
But then Margaret Chase Smith stuck her virtue signaling lobster boat face in it and became the darling of Maine leftists.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Chase_Smith
Declaration of Conscience my Red, White and Blue ass!
How the hell is THIS not taught in schools?!
Oh wait. I get it…
The KGB was not the Communist spy agency form the 1920s to after WWII. That was the OSS.
The OSS recruited America’s best known write and journalist, Ernest Hemingway, to write for their American publications and file war correspondence on their behalf from Europe, while he was in Spain observing Franco’s overthrow of the Spanish government. They used every resource they could get their hands on, and later became the KGB.
They depended on the naive and uninformed then, and they still do it now. If you think KGB has gone away, you’re dreaming. It just has a different name now.
NKVD/NKGB/KGB/CNN/DSA/WKRP, it’s all commie nonsense and should be treated to sunlight.
Orwell was right about history and future. It is imperative that these modern day pinkos are called out.
“It is imperative that these modern day pinkos are called out”
I tried warning people about Obama’s friends from the past such as Ayers, Dornan and the like but they had no idea what I was talking about. They lived through the same times as I did but failed to pay attention and remember the names.
When I brought up Frank Marshall Davis it was all over. I was shunned.
KGB is a radio station in San Diego…
The OSS was never a communist spy agency. The OSS was the predecessor of the CIA.
Crap! I got the OSS mixed up with the NKVD! My BAD!!!
Sorry about that. The OSS did recruit Hemingway later on, before it became the CIA.
Sorry about that. I need more salsa or something.
LOL… 😉
Not sure that it really, really makes a whole lot of difference in reality. Those that populate the intel community back then were all elitists, some/many the very same people who today we call red diaper doper babies. (Well, some of us of a certain age call them that.) They truly thought that they were true patriots, and many were. But, they also believed themselves to be above the rest of us several layers and were best positioned to make decisions for us.
To quote from Robert Heinlein:
“If I askk you if you’ve betrayed my country, if you’ve helped others betray my country, if you’ve given money or aid to those who wish to betray my country, and you say you do not wish to answer because it might incriminate you…
…You’re not a hero. You’re a traitor. “
There was no ice in that pitcher, until Mattis stared at it.
If Saint Mattis the Warrior Monk had truly stared at it, the contents of that pitcher would have turned into WINE!
Like I commented yesterday, I would like Brink’s to give me the ATM codes and combinations to their customers safes. I’ll bet they tell me that I don’t work there anymore. On a side note, if a Govt. employee has left his place of employ and has a security clearance and it is no longer valid, I understand that if he or she is needed on a consultation basis, the clearance would be re instated so whats the big deal over this. Sounds like we are getting only half the story on these security clearances.
This sorry son of a bitch is one of what Dave Hackworth referred to as “Perfumed Princes”. He should be recalled to active duty long enough to relieve him of the two extra stars he wears at the pleasure of the president (two is the highest permanent grade). Same goes for any of these other uniformed service deep state cockroaches like Petraeus, Clapper, and Hayden. They should be busted in the most public forum possible, and with all the colorful obloquy Trump can muster.
Seriously fuck these seditious cocksuckers.
I make damn sure to keep my personal opinions far and compartmented from my retired status.
I expect other ‘leaders’ to do the same.
The subtle differences between criticism and critique are lost on the Admiral. Time to correct his heading.
Unbeknownst to me, the SeALs have a code, not too dissimilar from the NCO and Ranger Creeds. Submitted for reference a few lines from it:
“I serve with honor on and off the battlefield. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other men.
Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor are steadfast. My word is my bond.”
What word, what integrity and with what honor is the Admiral displaying? The whole ‘praise in public’, ‘admonish in private’ is one of the bedrocks of military honor.
What day you?
*What SAY you?
F’ing autocorrect.
One of the calling cards of immature lefties is that they claim they can change the world. Madison Avenue adopted the mantra years ago as a selling point. Use this product and change the world. Come together. Sing a song. Change the world. Maybe we can all sing Graham Nash’s “Change the World” and that will do it. Or we can attend a D. Hogg die-in. That might do it. So, what’s the point? This. Chancellor Billy McRaven wrote a book called “Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World.” It’s #1 in the Amazon self-esteem book section. I think I’ll pass.
“Sailing” Christopher Cross.
It’s stuck in the Admirals head.
Let’s not forget this bootlicking bureaucrat in a Navy uniform was one of 0bama’s boyz. Almost all of the flag officers who survived during Commander Zero’s regime and received key command positions sold their souls for their career advancement. Most, if not all, of what they spout deserves no credence.
Bingo.
As I recall I thought my clearance went bye bye when I ETS’ed even though I had 2 more years of inactive reserve time left. But I was just an E5 schmuck and that was almost 50 yrs ago.
Ten or so years ago I stopped watching the news and switched to watching cartoons because the news depressed me. This year I stopped watching cartoons because these new fangled excuses for cartoons have been depressing me and I started getting my chuckles from the news.
Unfortunately, this Admiral McRaven person took the chuckle out of my dose of morning news.
On the bright side, I’m thinking if Hollywood simply replaced the Wile E Cayote in those Roadrunner cartoons with Admiral McRaven and let Roadrunner have his way with this hemorrhoid McRaven person all will be well in my world again.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJJW7EF5aVk?ecver=1&w=528&h=360%5D
Another asshole from the crystal palace desperately hoping for yet another 15 minutes of importance. Decades of honorable public service down the shitter with a hissy fit. I lost my security clearance when I retired. It never occurred to me that it would follow me into the civilian sector. Why are we even having this conversation about who should have their security status revoked?
Trump should make a public display of removing this twinkie’s clearance and cut him off at the knees when doing so.
Admiral McRaven needs to change his douche. It’s really not working for him and it’s giving him those itchy agitated fits the day long. Thus such liberal “I want to be noted for something, anything” mentality. Or, it’s his setup for a post military political career on the queer lovin’ side of the aisle.
I would have suggested Massengill’s new product. It’s a masculine hygiene deodorant spray called “Umpire! (For Foul Balls)”. But alas, it requires balls to begin with.
Sadly, political leanings or in some case aspirations have taken priority over more worthy characteristics of people’s lives. Morality, honor, integrity and a warrior’s ethos have taken a back seat to propping up the right party or person at all costs. This reminds me of Bob Kerry allowing the Democrats to use him as a prop during the Bush-Gore elections. Kerry clearly bad mouthed Service Members with less than perfect absentee ballots. And let us not forget the other Kerry implying that anyone who ended up in Iraq was an idiot. Jews vote for a president who favors members of a religion that would wipe out the Jewish state given the chance. Christians are mum when he denigrates Christianity but defends Islam to the hilt. Catholic cardinals attend the Democratic convention and rub elbows with speakers advocating abortion rights. And please don’t try to convince me it’s all for the greater good. These people sold their soul for a political agenda and nothing more. Some of the people Trump wants to revoke security clearances on have demonstrated they are sleaze bags. Defending them puts one in the same bag.
These zippernuts need to lose their clearances as of 23:59:59 of their last working day across the board. You no longer work there, you no longer require access to classified information. Want to write your memoirs? You don’t need access to stuff you can’t include in them to write them; think you do? Tough. And here’s another newsflash having a security clearance has nothing to do with the First Amendment, excercise that amendment too much about the wrong subjects and see what kind of trouble your rights under the First Amendment will get you into. So, “admiral” go make your bed, STFU, get on with your life QUIETLY, and grow yourself a man bun ya pathetic has been.
Sounds right.
So, regardless of his impeccable service, we’re going to sit here and verbally attempt to destroy him because he has an opinion? All of you have an opinion, and I understand that you have the right to state it. However, it hurts me that you would bash him. We have all served in the military, we’ve done our time, under leaders we may have not agreed with. But to shame this man, for speaking to his ideals?
Kinda comes off as a bit of the pot calling the kettle black.
And some of the name- calling? I kind of thought you were all adults. You all should be ashamed of yourselves. You can disagree with what someone says, but that doesn’t mean you have to act like children, and start abusing them over it
He’s a seditious piece of shit. He’s a big brave boy he can take it.
I like plausible conspiracy theories, this maybe a little OT, but hear me out:
NYT just announced that “The White House counsel, Donald F. McGahn II, has cooperated extensively in the special counsel investigation, sharing detailed accounts about the episodes at the heart of the inquiry into whether President Trump obstructed justice, including some that investigators would not have learned of otherwise, according to a dozen current and former White House officials and others briefed on the matter.”
So Mr McGahn is dishing dirt to Mueller. Interesting. You mean the same McGahn that was instrumental to one Brett M. Kavanaugh that’s being vetted to the SC? The same Brett M. Kavanaugh who’s record the Dims are screaming to be opened?
One of two ways this plays out:
1. McGahn was a deep state plant from the start, and:
A. Trump knew it and knew, or had suspicions that, Kavanaugh sat on FISA.
B. Trump knew dick and these a-holes are torpedoing the ship (maybe they have…something)
2. McGahn and Kavanaugh are working in concert with the Administration to get FISA malfeasance out in the open.
3. I’m retarded.
Interesting times in which we live.
Very, very interesting times, Roh-Dog.
Another swamp denizen heard from. Duly noted. Revoke away!
I’m waiting for the MCPO to share his opinion.
I have about as much respect for McRaven as I do for Wesley Clark, mudda-fuckin’ ZERO! Do politicians like that feel anything when they sell their souls like that?
Wesley is a total tool of the D-rat gang; now McRaven is a verified member of the same club.
Huh, guess my reply wasn’t posted. Apparently it wasn’t to the liking of the group. Well shit then, there goes that 1st amendment
Happens to all of us. Usually it means we forgot how to spell our name. Or something.
Or put in a capital letter where one isn’t supposed to be. Been there, done that.
Bingo.
The names “JOES” and “JOE S” are NOT considered the same by the blog software. If someone has posted previously as “JOE S” and mistakenly types “JOES” instead, the comment will be held for human review and approval. Pretty sure this is covered in the site’s FAQ.
Seems something along those lines happened here.
Probably sitting, waiting for someone to click ‘okay’ on it, and if it isn’t in something I posted, I can’t do that fer ya.
Sorry about that. Have to wait until whattshisname gets back to business at hand.
Less than admirable McRaven, a political hack flag officer, repaying his socialist establishment benefactors.
Mattis
There was no ice in that pitcher till Mattis glanced at it. My reply never made it earlier either.
Dave,
I know ADM McRaven, Dave you are no ADM McRaven.
See you for drinks later.
McPO OUT!
Lol, that is the nicest thing anyone said to me all day. I am sleeping with a Soviet in DC. Collusion on a massive scale.
It took 1 hour, 20 minutes for my TS clearance to be pulled, upon the receipt of my official federal retirement papers, and a hearty handshake from my Battalion Commander and the Federal Facility Superintendent.
They did not pull your clearance they pulled your access. If you served long enough to retire you should have known the difference. I am a little surprised about how many of you claim to have had clearances but seem to know little about how they are managed.
Clearances are not revoked or “pulled” on retirement. Your access is pulled because you no longer have “need to know” classified information.
You clearance is still in they system until they expire. Which is why so many veterans and retirees can leverage their still not expired clearances for defense industry jobs after leaving service. Once you hold a new position requiring a federal security clearance, even in the private sector, your
Clearance can be verified and access granted again
Security clearances are revoked for cause, or now it seems for political reasons.
Otherwise they expire 5 years after investigation for TS, 10 years for secret, and 15 years for confidential.
Thank you Captain Obvious.
Huh. Funny, looking through my service record, my clearance has entries like, “administratively removed” because I was transferred to a command at which a security clearance was not necessary.
Active, maybe–but you can bet your ass they’d have still done a bkg check before I went back to a billet that did need a clearance.
Especially after that guy named Walker got done with his little shitshow. Remember him?
Good grief. Senior people, regardless of political affiliation, often keep their clearance because they are a wealth of knowledge whom others, handling on-going operations, can read-in and consult with as needed.
Just because you maintain a TS/SCI clearance doesn’t mean you, as a former intelligence official, get read-in to jack shit. They aren’t privy to anything new unless specifically invited. They need the clearance to be invited.
You would think this community would recognize that there’s value to be had in being able to draw on the decades of operational experience of senior members of the IC.
Welcome to the Trump era, where political partisanship/party loyalty “trumps” common sense, any facts or evidence, and the good of the country.
Goooo Team!
Welcome to the Trump era, where [National Security] “trumps” [political douchebaggery], [lying about Top Secret investigations and the illegal unmasking of citizens], and [placating National enemies by eroding trust].
You keep on being you, sunshine.
Not to mention the leaking … for what appears to be political reasons.
When the truth is that there is ZERO justification for leaking.
Cthulhu does not know me.
But what about when you use that access for partisan political fuckery?
Regardless of side, you (not you specifically, generic “you”) should be above said petty bullshit.
@Dave Hardin:
Here’s Devtun’s take on ADM McRaven’s role: “… ADM McRaven was the one who masterminded the operation wire to wire…”
Source: https://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=30522#comment-638857
It’s possible to dislike what ADM McRaven said, and yet not diminish his role in the bin Laden raid too. Oddly enough, the same goes for Brennan’s role that night in getting the green light for the raid.
LC, I will refer to my other comments earlier on this matter. I don’t think Barry or ADM McRaven should get credit for what they did. All McRaven had to do was agree to offer it up, he did not write it (Generals and Admirals don’t write their own speeches, let alone Operations Orders or Plans). He credited the Operators, but what about the Staff that built his plan for him to OK? If he was a true warrior he would continue to speak about this behind closed doors and leave the issue to those who can actually do something instead of “opening his mouth, and removing all suspicions.”
JR, I wasn’t there so I don’t have first-hand knowledge of the situation – all I was doing above was quoting Devtun, a SEAL who comments here, on ADM McRaven’s role. It was, as you saw, pretty complementary.
It seems strange, to me, for a milblog to disparage a guy who up until now had an extremely respectable career, to include serving as CO of a SEAL Team and heading up JSOC. Had he come out for revoking Brennan’s security clearance, I’m quite sure people here would be celebrating his role in the Neptune Spear op. But because he had the audacity to say that the President was wrong in this case -notably sharing company with several former DCIs, including Republican ones- suddenly his service isn’t all that it was cracked up to be, and he’s now a loony lefty.
Again, you can dislike what the guy said. But our view of his past actions shouldn’t change based on whether we agree with him or not.
As for your comment above, sure, all the top tier teams were vying for the op, but Panetta chose McRaven and I frankly don’t think SIX is a bad choice in any situation like this. And the loss (and revelation to the world) of the MH-X sucks big-time, but I won’t second-guess the SOAR guys. The shit hit the fan, and if I remember correctly, they hadn’t seen the issue the encountered in training because the mock-up had chain-link fences, not cement ones, so the airflow around the compound was different. Preventable? In hindsight, possibly. A lighter craft might have made it a non-issue, but then they’d have needed more choppers to carry the team. Maybe that would’ve multiplied the risk factors in other ways.
When all is said and done, and outside your understandable UT beef with the man, ADM McRaven seems worthy of some respect. That shouldn’t change because he criticized a President.
General Arnold had distinguished and valorous service up to a point. Timmy McVeigh was awarded a Bronze Star.
One betrayed the Army, and the other blew up a building full of innocent people.
This son of a bitch McRapweasel, has thrown in with the likes of Brennan and the other deep state roaches who are trying to engineer a coup.
The point is that up until he did the apparently unforgivable sin of saying, “Hey, maybe taking clearances for political reasons doesn’t help the country…”, people here had a lot of respect for him. Somehow I think being reasonable, even if you disagree with it, doesn’t quite measure up to, oh, bombing a building full of people or being a literal traitor to your country.
Do you also include all the other Republicans who support Brennan and McRaven as ‘deep state’ roaches? Porter Goss, President George W Bush’s pick for DCI, and unanimously backed for that position by his fellow Republicans, is one of many who also have come out against the revocation. Another ‘deep state’ mole? Or someone who might know a thing or two about this, and is solidly Republican?
Absolutely I include them. I did not distinguish them by political party and had no intention of doing so. The are all the deep state, ruling class cockroaches Trump was hired to exterminate.
This here is your problem. The ‘deep state’ is a conspiracy level on a level like the 9/11 Truthers spout. You’re telling me there’s a group of people who are so utterly secret that they’ve remained unknown until, coincidentally, this Presidency, and that they span both parties and are everywhere -literally, anyone who speaks out about Trump- and yet, despite their all-powerful ways and incredible Illuminati-like ability to remain hidden and be a cohesive group across party lines… they couldn’t get their ‘establishment’ candidate of Clinton elected? And not even just against Trump, but even against Obama in ’04? Or did someone like Porter Goss only recently join this super-secret club in his retirement, where he has no power, ignoring all his conservative principles because… I dunno, .. someone mind-melded him into being a true believer in anyone-but-Donald-Trump?
Scientology is wacky. This shit is just sad. I hope you’re actually smarter than that and come around at some point.
I told you nothing of the sort. You just make shit up.
The “deep state” is entrenched professional government slugs. Cockroaches. The sons of bitches who have become accustomed to entitlement. The so called ruling class, as opposed to the common citizen. There’s no secret society. These motherfuckers are so goddam upset because their rotten stinking slimey crooked whore lost the election, and by God they are going to do everything in their power to nullify it. No more complicated than that. And I don’t give a flying fuck about Porter Goss or any other professional Republican diarrhea mouth like George Will.
This is why many of us gave up engaging LC in discussion. You get sucked into what appears to be a normal conversation. Somewhere down the road you realize that it is being demanded of you that you justify ridiculous things having nothing to do with anything you have said and even less to do with the position you are arguing.
Yeah, many of us have gone down that road only to discover, too late, it is too much like arguing with a lunatic.
So, it would seem.
Alas …
As I said above, I exaggerated the nonsense a fair bit, but I have yet to see an agreed-upon definition of the ‘deep state’. It’s a lot like the QAnon stuff. Or the Clinton pizza parlor / pedophilia stuff. It’s the stuff of conspiracy theories with no proof whatsoever.
As I asked above, if this is a pervasive network of ‘ruling class’ people who don’t like the status quo to be upset, why didn’t it target President Obama? Clinton, clearly, was the establishment candidate in ’04. Instead, it just seems to be a poorly-defined way of labeling anyone who opposes President Trump. Despite some good reasons to do so on things like this.
I took some slight exaggerative liberties, but with such a poorly defined concept I don’t think it was that much of a stretch. So you’re saying it’s merely entrenched professional government slugs, a ‘ruling class’ so to speak? And they’re upset because Clinton didn’t get elected?
So, again, where were these sorts when President Obama beat her in ’04? She was surely the establishment candidate then, no? And you really think that retired Republicans qualify as entrenched professional government slugs? It needn’t be Goss – various other examples can be mentioned too.
Is any government employee who dislikes President Trump a part of the ‘deep state’? If in the next election, someone else wins the Presidency, is anyone who doesn’t like them part of the ‘deep state’?
Let me make it as simple as I can. I will assume you are familiar with the metaphors “swamp” as in “drain the…” and “denizens” as in “swamp….” and so on.
I prefer the metaphor “deep state” and “cockroaches” to describe the creatures who need to be proscribed. I use “exterminate” as a metaphor in place of “drain”. These government insiders of both parties are upset that an outsider is on the scene who threatens their sinecure. And they, along with the entrenched upper echelons in FBI, CIA, DOJ, inter alia are doing what they can to nullify the ’16 election. I include Brennan, Clapper, Comey, Mueller, and Rodentstein as ringleaders. No secret society meeting in the Roman catacombs. Right out in the open.
“Through your actions, you {President Trump] have embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation.”
That’s part of McRaven’s op ed piece. For whom does he speak? Himself alone? Himself and those two guys over there? I am not embarrassed by Trump. In my view, he is re-elevating the country in the eyes of the world. Trump is not dividing the nation. He has no such power. His opponents are driving a wedge between people, openly denying the legitimacy of Trump’s election and demanding he be impeached for no known crimes. In fact, the leadership of some gov’t agencies, namely those in the CIA and the FBI, were diligently working to undercut and sabotage the administration, and there is no reason to believe they have stopped but merely are working more deeply. What has McRaven said about any of this? And what What he calls division, I call a political disagreement among citizens as to the role of government, to put it kindly. So, yes, McRaven’s service aside, he’s a horse’s ass. As I and others have said many times, just because you were a good soldier, sailor, Marine, or airman doesn’t mean you necessarily are a good anything else. And thus I say, phuk him and his two cents.
He speaks for himself, of course. As we all do. And the notion that the foibles of this administration are because of ‘deep state’ people in the FBI and CIA is laughable because this administration shoots itself in the foot all by itself.
As for how the world views us, plenty of studies show that the rest of the world disagrees with your rosy assessment. There are countries that view us more favorably under Trump, but far more view us much more negatively. We’re clearly going to disagree on that, shockingly, but the numbers seem pretty damn persuasive.
“As for how the world views us” should mean dick because this ain’t the United States of Burger King.
And to your above comments, I love how you affirm McRaven’s right to express himself then point out how someone’s view on the inadequate representation by our Intelligence Community is flawed without actual rebuttal but you do offer admonishment.
Keeping it classy. I like it.
Here is some facts for you:
-The IC was involved with spying on an opposition candidate.
-The IC got FISA warrants to tap the Trump campaign.
-Someone (one or more of 34 people) in the IC or prior administration unmasked the name of the citizen(s) whose communications were either intentional collected or incidentally collected.
-The information to obtain the FISA warrant(s) was based on opposition research funded in part by both HRC and the FBI
-The FBI portions of the opporesearch was provided by a later discredited source. (Wait, he was discredited then someone gave him a second chance)
Facts. There are a lot of them, not a f**k one comes close to removing a security clearance from a political hack that may or may not have been complicit in all of this.
LC. How do you know that he is speaking for himself? Is there a magical something that allows you to read “I” when everyone else reads “us?”
“He credited the Operators, but what about the Staff that built his plan for him to OK?”
In what universe does this happen? Credit or blame resides in the one person who has execute authority on a CONOP/OPLAN after it’s briefed back by the operator. Staff wrote the OPLAN/CONOP last time I checked that’s what staff officers do.
“Just because you maintain a TS/SCI clearance doesn’t mean you, as a former intelligence official, get read-in to jack shit. They aren’t privy to anything new unless specifically invited. They need the clearance to be invited. ”
Then there is no need for a clearance once out of the government or military, is there? I had my Top Secret pulled the minute I took of a uniform as has many if not all on this sight who had one. One out of government every person should automatically have his clearances revoked. There is no need to have one. In Brennan’s case, he lied to Congress and promptly got a job on TV. Having access to Classified info in that capacity is silly considering the myriad deep state assholes that continue to leak information to either save their jobs or make an administration they disagree with look bad.
It was not “ pulled”, you access was “ pulled” and you were “read off” of your need to know classified information. You still had a clearance until it expired.
When I was in, if your position didn’t require a Top Secret and you had one already, it was DROPPED for financial reasons.
Why are these ‘people’ still maintaining clearances if they no longer work in the military/government AND they are NOT contractors for either???
Seems like a waste of money, especially for the levels these asshats have…..
It was not “dropped”. Your access was suspended and eventually the clearance expired since you never gained a new position requiring renewal.
It keeps their options open so they can sit on the board of SAIC, like Gates did.
Couple of questions:
–Dr. Condi Rice was/is an expert of Soviet/Russian relations. Was she consulted by anyone un the Obama administration regarding Russian collusion? If not, why not?
–Did anyone touch base with Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, George Bush, et al, about how to deal with Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, the Horn of Africa, etc., etc?
Bottom line, not to anyone’s knowledge here. Nor would an “opposition” administration be inclined to listen to their political opponents opinions.
Also, clearances can be reinstated, As Paul Begala said, “Stroke of the pen, law of the land. Pretty cool.” This is just more political posturing, IMO.
And final thought–if you have your clearance ripped, do you REALLY want to have the likes of folks like David Petraeus defending you? I’d be like, “Uh, Dave? Not helping, bro.”
“Uh, Dave? Not helping, bro.”
No kidding. Petraeus sullied an illustrious career.
He undid a lot of the progress that Admiral Harward made in Afghanistan against the Taliban. Should have the stomped the remnants out in 2011-2014, after the surges in 2009-2010. If memory serves me correctly, he reinstated several bad policies (night raids, etc) that hurt our progress in the field.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xEh-jF8CHEQ#
Really? Peters?!
Look, I’m going to ask questions in easy words and speak real slow like.
How is a President that is trying to make government smaller a tyrant?
How is a President that shows the illegal actions of the IC a traitor?
How is a President that removes restrictions on US businesses but increases sanctions on Russia and China working for a foreign government?
When you come up with a logic that fits, well… ya won’t.
Roh-Dog, These are people who hate change…even change for the good. The reason why libertarianism will never work is if done correctly it makes you not have a job! People hate to admit when they are wrong, especially when it is something they helped build (even if it was unnecessary).
‘I was a pretty good analyst, made a lot more good calls than bad calls…’
LOL, how very nice for the enemy to give him a glowing report card!
Let’s see: McRaven, Petraeus, Robert Gates vs. Vladimir Putin’s candidate, Donald Trump. And y’all are on Trump’s side. Why is it that you’re supporting Putin’s man?
Obviously Putin’s meddling worked with at least one citizen – you, Stanley.
This is another of those things that is really not as complicated as many would have us believe. What our enemies want is to confuse things as much as possible. They really don’t care who wins as long as they have cast doubt upon the outcome of each and every election. Confusion and discontent.
Unfortunately, the left continues to aid and abet the international commie/socialist/progressive/whatevertheycall themelvesthisweek community. Just as they have done for about 100 years in this country. They answer to handlers whose goals are the destruction of this country. Many have no clue, which is why they are often referred to as useful idiots.
“the left continues to aid and abet the international commie/socialist/progressive/whatevertheycall themelvesthisweek community. Just as they have done for about 100 years in this country.”
How about since the 1860s.
Look it up.
OK. I’ll get right on that. 😉
Meanwhile, it really is easier to use all that Bolshevik, Russian Revolution stuff as a benchmark to folks lacking the education and/or intellectual will to study the entire history. Nor is more information necessary to get them steered to thinking about the left as an enemy of freedom loving people everywhere for a century or more.
Call me lazy. But sometimes keeping things simple is the best way to go. I don’t claim to always know which situation we might be in at any given moment. Besides, there are plenty of folks around here and other places who know infinitely more about it than do I. The big picture I can see clearly.
Dude. Get a grip.
Russia is an enemy. They do whatever they think they can get away with to weaken us. One REALLY good way to accomplish that mission is by dividing us.
It’s working like a charm.
McRaven, hero of the situation room during the Bin Laden raid…
Would someone please show this admiral and all the others of his ilk to the door?
[…] This Is Your DFL Candidate For Attorney General STUMP: Chicago Stupidity This Ain’t Hell: Admiral McRaven Compares President Trump To Joe McCarthy, also, Corporal With 73 Years Time In Grade Finally Makes Sergeant Victory Girls: Ex-CIA Chief […]
If by “embarrassment to our children” he’s referring to Tide Pod eating, condom snorting brats with Che t-shirts, then I think Trump is doing a fine job.
And that observation gets you anything from the top shelf!
If McRaven says this is McCarthyism, then McRaven is either totally ignorant of the American experience in the Cold War… or he’s a liar.
No, he’s running the current propaganda line because he’s lining himself up, just like Kerry tried to do, to aim at a higher seat of power.
Don’t kid yourself that it’s anything else. He’s tacking right along the same course that Lyndon Johnson and Jimmy Carter took.
With respect, how is anything you said incompatible with anything I said?
It isn’t, however, you did say ‘or he’s a liar’.
Did I misunderstand your intention there?
Or both.
(Please visualize this comment attached to DaveP’s above. Thank you. We now return to regular programming.)
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