What Happens When CIC Doesn't Want Certain News

[Kathianne]

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/26/wo...s-on-isis.html

Inquiry Weighs Whether Data on ISIS Was Distorted

By MARK MAZZETTI and MATT APUZZO<time class="dateline" datetime="2015-08-25" style="font-size: 0.6875rem; line-height: 0.75rem; font-family: nyt-cheltenham-sh, georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-left: 12px;">AUG. 25, 2015


</time>WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s inspector general is investigating allegations that military officials have skewed intelligence assessments about the United States-led campaign in Iraq against the Islamic State to provide a more optimistic account of progress, according to several officials familiar with the inquiry.


The investigation began after at least one civilian Defense Intelligence Agency analyst told the authorities that he had evidence that officials at United States Central Command — the military headquarters overseeing the American bombing campaign and other efforts against the Islamic State — were improperly reworking the conclusions of intelligence assessments prepared for policy makers, including President Obama, the government officials said.

Fuller details of the claims were not clear, including when the assessments were said to have been altered and who at Central Command, or Centcom, the analyst said was responsible. The officials, speaking only on the condition of anonymity about classified matters, said that the recently opened investigation focused on whether military officials had changed the conclusions of draft intelligence assessments during a review process and then passed them on.

...

Legitimate differences of opinion are common and encouraged among national security officials, so the inspector general’s investigation is an unusual move and suggests that the allegations go beyond typical intelligence disputes. Government rules state that intelligence assessments “must not be distorted” by agency agendas or policy views. Analysts are required to cite the sources that back up their conclusions and to acknowledge differing viewpoints.

Under federal law, intelligence officials can bring claims of wrongdoing to the intelligence community’s inspector general, a position created in 2011. If officials find the claims credible, they are required to advise the House and Senate Intelligence Committees. That occurred in the past several weeks, the officials said, and the Pentagon’s inspector general decided to open an investigation into the matter.

...

[Kathianne]

It's been repeatedly reported that intel was scrubbed to reflect Obama's 'we're winning, ISIS losing' narrative. It seems to be going higher up the food chain. Clapper seems to have a memory too weak for his position:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...sis-intel.html

02.15.16 7:00 PM ETExclusive: Whistleblowers Warned Top Spy About Skewed ISIS Intel

It wasn’t just the generals who were warned that ISIS intelligence assessments were overly rosy. The office of the director of national intelligence knew, too.




U.S. military analysts told the nation’s top intelligence official that their reports on ISIS were skewed and manipulated by their bosses, The Daily Beast has learned. The result: an overly optimistic account of the campaign against the terror group.



The complaints, lodged by analysts at U.S. Central Command in 2015, are separate from allegations that analysts made to the Defense Department inspector general, who is now investigating “whether there was any falsification, distortion, delay, suppression, or improper modification of intelligence information” by the senior officials that run CENTCOM’s intelligence group.



This second set of accusations, which have not been previously reported, were made to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). They show that the officials charged with overseeing all U.S. intelligence activities were aware, through their own channels, of potential problems with the integrity of information on ISIS, some of which made its way to President Obama.

The analysts have said that they believe their reports were altered for political reasons, namely to adhere to Obama administration officials’ public statements that the U.S.-led campaign against ISIS is making progress and has put a dent in the group’s financing and operations.

...

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper was asked about the defense inspector general investigation in September during a congressional oversight hearing. At the time, he gave no indication that his own office was aware through its own channels of the analysts’ accusations.



“It is an almost sacred writ… in the intelligence profession never to politicize intelligence. I don’t engage in it. I never have and I don’t condone it when it’s identified,” Clapper told the Senate Armed Services Committee.



But Clapper sought to downplay what he called “media hyperbole” about the substance of the analysts’ complaints. “I think it’s best that we all await the outcome of the DOD I.G. investigation to determine whether and to what extent there was any politicization of intelligence at CENTCOM,” Clapper said.

...

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

It's been repeatedly reported that intel was scrubbed to reflect Obama's 'we're winning, ISIS losing' narrative. It seems to be going higher up the food chain. Clapper seems to have a memory too weak for his position:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...sis-intel.html

Of course, he wages a fake war--thus his admin has to put out fake news.
At one point about 80% of the air-strikes flown against ISIS, RETURNED TO BASE FULLY LOADED, HAVING BEEN ORDERED NOT TO DROP THE MUNITIONS!
Myself, I'd bet a C-note against a Ten-spot those actually delivered onto target were hitting empty buildings, broken down abandoned vehicles etc. Or even worse hitting the positions of other muslim groups that ISIS WANTED ELIMINATED!
ISIS fights Assad and we all know our little traitor wants Assad deposed.
WHY WOULD OBAMA TRULY SEEK TO DESTROY THEM??
Assad staying in power prevents the prophecy of the muslim Caliphate's creation and Islam's triumph over the entire world!
Common sense and logic dictate obama is running a shell game.
What flipped his apple cart and pissed him off was when Putin came in and REALLY started
hitting ISIS.
THE LITTLE WORM WENT INTO A MONTH LONG DEPRESSION UPON SEEING THAT.....

So much truth, so very little time.....--TYR

[Gunny]

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/26/wo...s-on-isis.html

Same thing that happens when a General doesn't want it. There's a Colonel between him and the real world. There's a Major between the Captain and the Colonel. It's the same with the CunC. Deniable plausibility. He can claim he didn't know and blame down the chain of command.

[Kathianne]

Same thing that happens when a General doesn't want it. There's a Colonel between him and the real world. There's a Major between the Captain and the Colonel. It's the same with the CunC. Deniable plausibility. He can claim he didn't know and blame down the chain of command.

The recent report is not good for Obama or Clapper: http://www.debatepolicy.com/showthre...563#post798563

[Gunny]

The recent report is not good for Obama or Clapper: http://www.debatepolicy.com/showthre...563#post798563

Sounds like business as usual, to me. The second politics started controlling the military to the point of interfering with military operations, we're 1-4 in wars. DOn't think in Obama's case, he doesn't put his own spin on it as well. He tells us what he wants us to believe, not the truth.

[Kathianne]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...-isis-war.html

Intel Analysts: We Were Forced Out for Telling the Truth About Obama’s ISIS War

The growing scandal over cooked ISIS intelligence just got much worse. Now, analysts are saying they’re being forced out for not toeing the Obama administration’s line on the war.


Two senior intelligence analysts at U.S. Central Command say the military has forced them out of their jobs because of their skeptical reporting on U.S.-backed rebel groups in Syria, three sources with knowledge of their claim told The Daily Beast. It’s the first known instance of possible reprisals against CENTCOM personnel after analysts accused their bosses of manipulating intelligence reports about the U.S.-led campaign against ISIS in order to paint a rosier picture of progress in the war.



One of the analysts alleging reprisals is the top analyst in charge of Syria issues at CENTCOM. He and a colleague doubted rebels’ capabilities and their commitment to U.S. objectives in the region. The analysts have been effectively sidelined from their positions and will no longer be working at CENTCOM, according to two individuals familiar with the dispute, and who spoke on condition of anonymity.




The analysts’ skeptical views put them at odds with military brass, who last year had predicted that a so-called moderate opposition would make up a 15,000-man ground force to take on ISIS in its self-declared caliphate. An initial $500 million program to train and arm those fighters failed spectacularly. And until the very end, Pentagon leaders claimed the operation was more or less on track. Lawmakers called the plan a “joke” when Gen. Lloyd Austin, the CENTCOM commander, finally testified last September that there were just “four or five” American-trained fighters in Syria.

...

[Gunny]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...-isis-war.html

Once we had this Commandant of the Marine Corps named Mundy. He went on 60 Minutes and said blacks can't swim. By percentage, they can't. Never mind that. We had to doctor up everything to make it look like they can swim as good as the white guys. By percentage, they suck at it, period. But for the sake of PC, we had to make it look like they could.

Point is, if you buck the system it will screw you. You are required to present things in certain lights and no other way. Truth be damned. How do you think I became so disaffected with the government? My "reward" for a successful tour on the drill field was a trip to DC. I was disgusted watching their antics catering to BS.

[darin]

Point is, if you buck the system it will screw you. You are required to present things in certain lights and no other way. Truth be damned.

Spot. On. based on 20+ years experience across almost ever echelon, I concur with the above.

[Kathianne]

Spot. On. based on 20+ years experience across almost ever echelon, I concur with the above.

That's two of you that I respect a lot when it comes to understanding military related stuff. I've always read that the military is 'used to' being an agent of social change-from desegregation to women to gays.

What shocks me is this is screwing with intel info that could get huge numbers killed or injured.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...-isis-war.html

Would be better to ask where that 500 million truly went.
Training an imaginary force was the cover for it .
It almost certainly went to arm ISIS IN SYRIA AND ELSEWHERE.
The obama, we have never had a president as clearly treasonous as he......
Not even Bill Clinton matches him in treason and corruption.

500 million, sure buys a lot of weapons,ammo and needed gear.--Tyr

[tailfins]

It's been repeatedly reported that intel was scrubbed to reflect Obama's 'we're winning, ISIS losing' narrative. It seems to be going higher up the food chain. Clapper seems to have a memory too weak for his position:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...sis-intel.html

I could see Trump doing the same thing.

[Kathianne]

This has nothing to do with Trump.

[darin]

This has nothing to do with Trump.

For TF, EVERYTHING REMOTELY RELATED TO ANYTHING BAD has to do with Trump.