A Georgia Leaf-Blower in Foggy Bottom?
Michael Ledeen believes President Bush needs a War Cabinet:
"[A]sking for politics to be removed from strategy is like asking for pheromones to be removed from sexual attraction. It can't be done. The political remedy is the selection of a suitable War Cabinet. The president must have the advice of people who will not shirk from the unpleasant tasks before us, and who are capable of leading their agencies to maximum performance.
"Unfortunately this probably means a wholesale housecleaning. If it were up to me, I would urge the President to replace the secretaries of state and defense, the national-security adviser, and the heads of the FBI and the DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency). All are exceptionally gifted and patriotic people. All have worked very hard. But all have failed, for different reasons and to different degrees. There is a very narrow window of time to make wholesale changes, and I hope the President will seize his moment."
Ledeen knows more about this area than I do, certainly, but that seems more than a bit excessive to me. He doesn't even get into Director Bob Mueller or the DIA chief. I don't really buy his justifications for pink-slipping Rummy and Condi.
But especially after his recent Taiwan gaffe, it seems long past time for Colin Powell to depart, and take Richard Armitrage with him.
Ledeen's designated successor as SecState? Zell Miller.
Now don't get me wrong, I would love that pick. Not only would it be a bipartisan gesture that actually meant something, but perhaps no other area of the federal government needs to be blown out more than Foggy Bottom. And there's nobody better qualified to blow it out than Senator Miller, who loves to kick ass and would not hesitate to blast away even if burning bridges were a consideration - which it wouldn't. The striped-pants crowd couldn't assimilate him on their best day, and he'd be their worst nightmare - which would be very, very good for America.
It is such a good pick that I can't help thinking Ledeen has invoked April Fool's Day five months early.
One thing's for sure, though; ol' Zell's confirmation hearings before the Foreign Relations Committee could be on pay-per-view.
Clarence Thomas as Chief Justice; Zell Miller as Secretary of State. Maybe Dems are entitled to a little panic.
"[A]sking for politics to be removed from strategy is like asking for pheromones to be removed from sexual attraction. It can't be done. The political remedy is the selection of a suitable War Cabinet. The president must have the advice of people who will not shirk from the unpleasant tasks before us, and who are capable of leading their agencies to maximum performance.
"Unfortunately this probably means a wholesale housecleaning. If it were up to me, I would urge the President to replace the secretaries of state and defense, the national-security adviser, and the heads of the FBI and the DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency). All are exceptionally gifted and patriotic people. All have worked very hard. But all have failed, for different reasons and to different degrees. There is a very narrow window of time to make wholesale changes, and I hope the President will seize his moment."
Ledeen knows more about this area than I do, certainly, but that seems more than a bit excessive to me. He doesn't even get into Director Bob Mueller or the DIA chief. I don't really buy his justifications for pink-slipping Rummy and Condi.
But especially after his recent Taiwan gaffe, it seems long past time for Colin Powell to depart, and take Richard Armitrage with him.
Ledeen's designated successor as SecState? Zell Miller.
Now don't get me wrong, I would love that pick. Not only would it be a bipartisan gesture that actually meant something, but perhaps no other area of the federal government needs to be blown out more than Foggy Bottom. And there's nobody better qualified to blow it out than Senator Miller, who loves to kick ass and would not hesitate to blast away even if burning bridges were a consideration - which it wouldn't. The striped-pants crowd couldn't assimilate him on their best day, and he'd be their worst nightmare - which would be very, very good for America.
It is such a good pick that I can't help thinking Ledeen has invoked April Fool's Day five months early.
One thing's for sure, though; ol' Zell's confirmation hearings before the Foreign Relations Committee could be on pay-per-view.
Clarence Thomas as Chief Justice; Zell Miller as Secretary of State. Maybe Dems are entitled to a little panic.
posted by JASmius at 11:25 AM
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