While most of us are willing to compromise on most issues, some seem to cross the line of support.
A former senior U.S. intelligence official Tuesday withdrew from consideration for a top intelligence post in the new Obama administration amid protests from liberal groups linking him to the Bush administration’s “enhanced interrogation” and secret transfers of terrorism suspects to nations that torture prisoners and political opponents.
The move by John Brennan, a former senior CIA official and head of President-elect Barack Obama’s intelligence transition team, is the first personnel setback to hit what’s otherwise been a swift and smooth transition to the White House for Obama.
President-Elect Barack Obama is fortunate that John Brennan withdrew his name. While some can argue the pros of a Brennan appointment, the masses of liberals and moderates have had enough of anything relating to the Bush administration and the illegal torture and rendition procedures that have brought disgrace to our country.
In a letter to Obama, a copy of which was obtained by McClatchy Newspapers, Brennan denied involvement in the Bush administration’s detainee and interrogation policies and said he was taking himself out of the running to avoid entangling the new administration in unnecessary controversy. Brennan, who held a succession of CIA posts, was reported to have been under consideration as the successor to CIA director Michael Hayden.
Obama is under pressure from liberal lawmakers and others to replace Hayden, a retired Air Force general, for overseeing and defending the Bush administration’s program of eavesdropping on Americans’ telephone and e-mail communications without court warrants while he was the head of the National Security Agency.
There is no doubt that Hayden has to go. But, Brennan seems to be too closely linked to the Bush administration on key issues involving the CIA to replace him.
Brennan’s appointment as head of Obama’s intelligence transition team ignited a storm of protests by liberal commentators, bloggers and others who linked Brennan to the Bush administration’s detainee and interrogation policies.
U.S. allies and many legal authorities have decried the secret transfers of detained terrorism suspects – known as extraordinary renditions – to nations that practice torture and interrogation practices such as water-boarding – which simulates drowning – in secret CIA prisons as illegal under international and U.S. laws.
The Bush administration insists that no laws were violated.
Brennan was serving in top CIA posts while the practices, which Obama has opposed, were under way.
In his letter to Obama, Brennan denied involvement in the decisions implementing the policies, and asserted that his internal criticism of the practices prompted the White House to twice block his promotion to more senior intelligence community positions.
“I am extremely proud of my 25-year record of intelligence work and I am prouder still of the courageous and heroic work performed by the men and women of the CIA over the past 60 years,” Brennan wrote.
“It is with profound regret that I respectfully ask that my name be withdrawn from consideration for a position within the intelligence community. The challenges ahead for our nation are too daunting, and the role of the CIA too critical for there to be any distraction from the vital work that lays ahead.”
Brennan said he’d remain head of the intelligence transition team.
Brennan is a little too close for comfort for most of us. But, there is some relief in knowing that he won’t be staying.
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