The Current Political Climate

[OffensivelyOpenMinded]

 

[The Great Goose]

I'm always right in the middle of authoritarian/libertarian( on the line) and half way between the middle and left.

Basically, I want my gibs but I don't like the looneys or the conservatards to get to much power over society.

 

[waltky]

Should make Flynn a shoe-in...

Report: Defense, Intelligence Chiefs Urge Ouster of NSA Director
November 19, 2016 | WASHINGTON — The heads of the Pentagon and the U.S. intelligence community have recommended to President Barack Obama that the director of the National Security Agency, Admiral Michael Rogers, be removed from his position, sources familiar with the matter said on Saturday.

The recommendation by Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, first reported by The Washington Post, was delivered to the White House last month.

Security lapses

Obama chose Rogers to take over at the NSA in 2014 and tasked him with repairing the damage after the huge leaks about its electronic spying program by contractor Edward Snowden. But there have been other security lapses, the sources said, including the one that led to the arrest of NSA contractor Harold Martin earlier this year. Rogers is being considered as a potential new director of national intelligence by President-elect Donald Trump. That post oversees all 17 U.S. intelligence agencies.

National Security Agency Director Admiral Michael Rogers speaks at the third annual Intelligence and National Security Summit in Washington, D.C.​

The Washington Post reported that a decision by Rogers to travel to New York to meet with Trump on Thursday without notifying superiors caused consternation at senior levels of the administration, but the recommendation to remove him predated his visit. Rogers is head of both the National Security Agency and the U.S. military's Cyber Command. Carter was also disappointed with the Cyber Command's performance in the war against Islamic State, another source said. The White House, Pentagon, NSA and office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment on the matter. A Trump campaign spokesman had no immediate comment.

Two jobs, too much

The Obama administration wants to split leadership at the National Security Agency and Cyber Command, arguing that the job of leading two agencies with differing missions is too much for one person. But some members of Congress, led by Republican Senator John McCain, the Senate Armed Services Committee chairman, oppose that plan, saying that Cyber Command needs access to the NSA's resources to do its job effectively.

Intelligence Officials Recommend Removal of NSA Director

See also:

Officials remain mum but sources claim a storm is brewing in the Pentagon
Monday 21st November, 2016 - Even as Trump continues to mull over and announce important cabinet appointments - a storm is brewing in the Pentagon, and has furiously spread over the last couple of days.

Reports citing top level administration and intelligence sources claimed that President Barack Obama is considering the removal of Adm. Michael S. Rogers as the head of the National Security Agency and United States Cyber Command. Co-incidentally, reports had stated that President-elect Donald Trump was considering offering a top position to Admiral Rogers in his administration and that he even met the man on Thursday, without the knowledge of the White House.

Now, reports have claimed that Obama was being pushed to remove Admiral Rogers by top officials who have expressed frustration at the repeated loss of closely guarded secrets, and the slow progress on combating the Islamic State Militant group. Trump meanwhile was said to be considering appointing Admiral Rogers as the director of National Intelligence, to oversee all the 16 intelligence agencies.

Admiral Rogers was promoted to head the NSA by the Obama administration in 2014 and reports pointed out that the current director of National Intelligence, James Clapper Jr and Defense Secretary Ashton Carter had recommended his removal last month. Official sources however claimed that the recommendations made to Obama were not related to Trump’s interest in hiring Admiral Rogers - but solely based on breaches during his tenure at the NSA and as its head. Neither the White House, nor the Pentagon have commented on the statements first reported by The Washington Post. According to reports, a replacement for Admiral Rogers would be confirmed only after Trump enters the Oval office.

Meanwhile, reports pointed out that both Carter and Clapper had formally recommended to the White House via a letter to split the NSA from the Cyber Command. Experts are now debating whether Trump would indeed hire a man who has suffered lapses before and yet others are interested to know why Obama would want to fire one of the nation’s top intelligence officers, with merely a few weeks left in the White House.

Officials remain mum but sources claim a storm is brewing in the Pentagon

Related:

Carter, Clapper reportedly want NSA Director Rogers Removed
Nov 20, 2016 - The heads of the Pentagon and the country's intelligence community think President Obama should remove National Security Agency Director Adm. Michael S. Rogers, according to The Washington Post.

Rogers, meanwhile, is purportedly being considered by President-elect Donald Trump to replace Clapper as the director of national security, which oversees all 17 U.S. intelligence agencies. The recommendation by Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter and Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. to oust Rogers was reportedly made last month, several U.S. officials told the newspaper.

Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) Adm. Michael Rogers testifies on Capitol Hill before the Senate Intelligence Committee.​

The chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), sent a letter late Saturday asking Carter and Clapper to appear before the panel to discuss the report. Obama could be delaying such action because he's already trying to work through another Clapper-Carter recommendation -- create separate chains of command at the NSA and the U.S. military's cyber-warfare unit.

The Post story follows Rogers traveling Thursday to New York to meet with Trump without notifying superiors, which purportedly upset top administration officials. The White House, Pentagon and Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment.

Carter, Clapper reportedly want NSA Director Rogers Removed | Military.com

 

[AnCap'n_Murica]