‘Left, Right & Center’: Birthers and Bernanke; Petraeus and Panetta

Staff / Truthdig May 1, 2011 The American political climate took on a certain circus-like quality this week, with GOP showman Donald Trump stirring up the birther controversy yet another -- and, given the result, hopefully the last -- time. Thankfully, we have "Left, Right & Center" regulars Robert Scheer, Matt Miller, Tony Blankley and special guest Mary Matalin to cut through the noise on that issue. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Musical Chairs at CIA and Pentagon

Staff / Truthdig Apr 27, 2011 President Obama is expected to announce Thursday that CIA Director Leon Panetta will be the new defense secretary, replacing Robert Gates, and that the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David Petraeus, will head the CIA. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Pakistan to U.S.: Tone It Down With the Whole CIA Thing

Staff / Truthdig Apr 12, 2011 It's not like we couldn't have seen this coming: Due in part to a special request made by the head of the Pakistani army, the U.S. has been asked to scale back significantly on the number of CIA operatives in Pakistan and to stop drone attacks on northern militants. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Petraeus to Head CIA?

Staff / Truthdig Apr 6, 2011 After many long months of leading U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Gen. David Petraeus is said to be considered for, and considering, the easy and relaxing job of CIA director. Meanwhile, current CIA chief Leon Panetta reportedly has his sights set on the Pentagon. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

American Nabbed in Pakistan Has CIA Ties

Staff / Truthdig Feb 22, 2011 Last month's arrest in Pakistan of one Raymond Davis, an American working security for other U.S. operatives in Lahore -- and an American with clear employment ties to the CIA and previously to Blackwater Worldwide -- has made for additional diplomatic strain between the two nations. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

CIA Director Is a Downer When He Makes Sense

Staff / Truthdig Jun 28, 2010 CIA Director Leon Panetta estimates that there are currently fewer than 100 al-Qaida fighters -- that's one for every thousand or so U.S. soldiers -- left in Afghanistan. Outgoing intelligence director James Jones has used the same figure. (Rant continues after the jump.) Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Report: Obama Might Replace CIA Chief

Staff / Truthdig Aug 25, 2009 CIA Director Leon Panetta might quit or get canned in the next year, reports ABC News. Anonymous officials said Panetta, who may have already threatened to walk, is unhappy with everything from his role in the hierarchy to some of the nasty things the agency is up to. Both the White House and the CIA vehemently deny the report. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

CIA ‘Lied’ to Congress

Staff / Truthdig Jul 10, 2009 House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes wrote that his panel "has been misled, has not been provided full and complete notifications, and (in at least one occasion) was affirmatively lied to" by the CIA. The committee learned of the matter in the secret testimony of CIA Director Leon Panetta, who revealed that the agency he just inherited has been deceiving Congress since 2001. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

CIA Chief Wonders Whether Cheney Wishes for Terrorist Attack

Staff / Truthdig Jun 15, 2009 Leon Panetta responds to the former vice president's constant sniping in the latest New Yorker: "I think he smells some blood in the water on the national-security issue It’s almost, a little bit, gallows politics When you read behind it, it’s almost as if he’s wishing that this country would be attacked again, in order to make his point I think that’s dangerous politics". Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Pelosi Finds Some Backing

Staff / Truthdig May 19, 2009 Three new developments in the Nancy Pelosi drama this week: The Democrats are said to stand "solidly behind" the House speaker, who is under fire from Republicans for talking smack about the CIA that “misled” her on waterboarding. Meanwhile, President Obama gives a vote of confidence to Pelosi, while CIA Director Leon Panetta urges Congress to focus on actual national security threats, stating “We are a nation at war.” Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Mike Huckabee

Staff / Truthdig May 19, 2009 Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was visited by the GOP Muse and out plopped this elephant patty of a poem. The chef-d'oeuvre comes at a time when Republicans and Leon Panetta are calling for an apology from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the CIA for accusing the agency of "misleading" her on their interrogation methods. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The Pelosi Puzzle

Staff / Truthdig May 16, 2009 It’s been a rough week for Our Lady Speaker of the House. In Act I, she claimed ignorance about the full extent of the CIA’s torture repertoire. However, thanks to the magic of technology and documentation, her version of the story clashed with that of a pissed-off Leon Panetta. (See Robert Scheer's latest column for an editorial critique.) Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )