What we’ve been saying for 6-7 years now. Thank goodness it’s finally *news*. Obama will do something.
A Day In The Life Of Covert Technical Support
[Phone rings]
[Man in cubicle, late 20s, wearing headset, playing FarmVille on computer under heavy florescent lighting]
Служба Внешней Разведки! Меня зовут Иван! Thank you for calling Directorate OT customer support. Your call is very important to us. How may I assist you today? This call definitely will be monitored for satisfaction.
[Female voice, exasperated]: You have to help me, no one at Directorate S has a clue about iPhones and Macs.
[Ivan]: Oh, uh, wow Directorate S! You know, procedure? You aren’t even supposed to be calling here? You’re an illegal.
[Female voice, sharp]: Well, I’m calling, aren’t I?
[Ivan] OK, OK. It’s just S . . . they’re touchy. You’re breaking cover and all. Is it true? I mean, the good life, yeah? All those Red Bull and vodka parties. Pay per view? I guess I can do some tech support, but if I help you out, how about you do the same? Put in a word for me? I look Belgian. Everyone says so.
[Female voice, heavy sigh]:
[Ivan]: First off, to open your account, may I ask your legend’s name and date of birth, please? (muttering under breath, ‘I am soo getting fired for this’).
[Female voice]: Anna. Anna Chapman, 1982, OK? Look, I can’t get my Mac to synchronize for my scheduled meetings. Something stopped working. We use an ad hoc encrypted drive-by wireless data transfer with the contact’s van. And I have all this huge, huge news on Facebook’s privacy policies . . .
[Ivan]: May I call you Anna? Your problem involves your van’s broken wireless network. OK, now I just need to verify your your account status. “I think we may have met before in Kharkov last June.”
[Anna]: What? I would never go to Kharkov in a million years. Help with this Mac now. Or do I need to ask for a supervisor?
[Ivan]: Thank you, Anna, that was the correct response. I can enter your general account now. One moment, please. I don’t have access to all your Directorate S accounts – their security is good. But I know some work arounds . . . [keys clacking].
Mercenary ‘Intelligence’ Spats In The Sandbox
The memo also said that Mr. Furlong had a history of delving into outlandish intelligence schemes, including an episode in 2008, when American officials expelled him from Prague for trying to clandestinely set up computer servers for propaganda operations. Some officials say they believe that the C.I.A. is trying to scuttle the operation to protect its own turf, and that the spy agency has been embarrassed because the contractors are outperforming C.I.A. operatives . . .
To skirt military restrictions on intelligence gathering, information the contractors gather in eastern Afghanistan and Pakistan’s tribal areas is specifically labeled “atmospheric collection”: information about the workings of militant groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan or about Afghan tribal structures. The boundaries separating “atmospherics” from what spies gather is murky. It is generally considered illegal for the military to run organized operations aimed at penetrating enemy organizations with covert agents.
Amusing and even predictable. DoD let the Lockmart contract lapse this month. Still, an ‘investigation’ will result in nothing but a pile of dead trees (and overly ornate PDF file).
Once again Dewey Clarridge pops up like a telemarketer at dinnertime. North by contrast channelled his energies into churning out awful television. Nice to know DoD, Petreaus and Lockmart hired a Czech company to assist intelligence operations (putting a retired senior U.S. General who helped start it all on the payroll).
This Administration will do nothing. No one’s clearances will be revoked. No letters of reprimand. After all, a Tampa-based CENTCOM lawyer said it was kosher. Haven’t we seen *that* dance before? Holder probably has everyone involved on ‘call block.’
Congress in its heart of hearts wonders what’s the fuss? Of more concern is why aren’t more Czech holding entities U.S. front companies showing up at breakfast fund raisers?
Thank goodness one no let it slip to the Pakistanis. Imagine if Pakistanis realized American mercenaries and drones were operating in their country. Killing 20-30 people at a time with – to Americans – monotonous regularity. Even a non-radicalized Taliban faction Pakistani eventually might get pissed off. That kind of ‘nut’ could over react to those few silly drone fusillades and other “war” stuff. And suggest someone go buy propane. Or something.
From Katyn To Raoul Wallenberg (Error Corrected In Comments 5/2011)
Putin’s government surprisingly is at least partially open to historical truths over Soviet lies recently. His presence at the Katyn massacre memorial and then again for the plane crash memorial well covered. Another facet is a seemingly small but hugely significant gesture: releasing more files on the fate of Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, arrested by the Soviets in Budapest after he worked desperately to save hundreds of thousands of Jews. Amy Knight, who has written several good books on Soviet intelligence, sums it up in NYR.
When the Soviet Union fell, the KGB was sundered into two: the SVR (the old First Chief Directorate for foreign intelligence) and the FSB (the old Second Chief Directorate for domestic matters). It’s the FSB which on its own this year provided information undercutting Soviet and Russian official lies about Wallenberg’s fate. As Knight notes, we still do not yet have the full truth or any measure of confidence as to how Wallenberg died in Soviet hands.
Many former Soviet-related colleagues and now fresh young faces unknown to the Stiftung are speculating on why these terribly belated now. Naturally, the Poles like Z-Not-Zo-Great attribute it to Polish resurgence and Russia’s need to reconcile with Poland to get a fair hearing in Europe. Warsaw as Europe’s arbiter. Right. Others put Europe first and see normalizing consensual history the first step towards deeper social and economic connectivity. The Stiftung also sees a domestic imperative as well. The Russians have their virulently anti-American ‘Fox Nation’/tea bag demographic, naturally. But the broader sociology and demographics have changed – more education, younger people getting news from around the world, etc. Their Stalin-Brezhnev cohorts are dwindling away. Even Putinism as a social and political force benefits from carefully measured and controlled truth telling.
Regardless, one can only hope that all of us learn the truth about Raoul Wallenberg, Russians and the world both.
DNI One Year Into The Boy King
Walter Pincus, an old school reporter of the best kind, sums up some perspectives on where intelligence reform went after the 9/11 Commission klieg lights shut down. Many of the anecdotes Pincus shares we’ve discussed here together long ago. In that sense, the piece brings one up to date rather than conveys fresh information.
What’s missing from Pincus’ reporting are the actual key issues — tasking and budget. Commuting aside (it’s not just a Starbucks double mocha latte kvetch, D.C. traffic is famously brutal, in no small part due to incompetent divers let alone inadequate infrastructure), who whom still rules, and budgetary control is the ultimate Peacemaker. Control over tasking also defines priorities and the the entire scope of the intelligence product cycle.
We predicted we’d end up in this miasma. First when Snarlin’ Arlen offered similar reform bills in 1987/88 after Iran Contra. And more recently when we were quoted in nationally syndicated columns blasting Cher Condi’s fatuous testimony on Community reform before the 9/11 Commission. (Well worth the subsequent and wholly coincidental tax audit). Pincus rightly recalls Duncan Hunter’s stand to expand intelligence oversight jurisdiction for HASC/SASC and DoD programmatically.
We have to admit Panetta’s flackery and full court leaking have been surprisingly effective. We didn’t think a year ago he’d have anything thing like his success creating notional constructs of a functioning and at least capable Agency [sic]. In the end, the Community will seek inertia and the status quo under the best of times. A change agent in the White House would make all the difference. Yet as we see with the Bush Lite Nuclear Posture Review, President Goldilocks is not going to go there.
Que sera, sera.
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