U.S. CIA Director Leon Panetta explain The CIA's Secret Program

Is the CIA deliberately keeping its own head of a dark secret about the program? The latest storm to break over the Langley born after the New York Times reported this weekend that former Vice President Dick Cheney had ordered that the application is considered to be the Congress's oversight committees. It seems that the CIA director Leon Panetta had told the existence of the program, 23 June, four months after he took office. 24 hours, he was suspended and informed the control of Congress for its existence. Middle-and a stink about how and why the agency considered the dark of Congress, the question that has escaped attention, why did not the CIA officials say Panetta.


Details and specific objectives of the program has not yet been published. New York Times, calls Unnamed officials said that the CIA had plotted in 2001 to find and kill al-Qaeda leaders abroad. Two former CIA officials say, when it was another, slightly less dramatic: the ability to make a plan for domestic surveillance. Spying on Americans is not the CIA, and, it is very controversial - NOK good reason Cheney want to keep it secret.

The Agency will keep his mother is the whole issue, but an official familiar thing to tell time the application was not placed Panetta faster, because it was not in operation. "It is a characteristic that has not been reached, so it was not the front-burning issue," said the official. Another retired official familiar with details of the secret program says, "did not have much, if it has been in use, but since it did not exist, it is no big deal."

But several former CIA officials and intelligence experts, the TIME found that explanation difficult. One thing they will say only that the program appears to deserve consideration Cheney should have been a red flag. Although the program had been dormant the top officials would have known about Cheney's instructions, and should have immediately said Panetta, "says a former operations specialist.

Another retired senior official, the more directly: "[Since Cheney's interest], I do not know why the program is not a new leader of the desk stand on his first two weeks of work." Both former employees asked not to be named. Another official also questioned the assertion that the program is not important NOK Panetta immediate attention. "Speed, Panetta actions when he briefed said that the program was very important," he said.

Paul Pillar, former deputy director of the CIA's anti-terrorism Center points out that when a new leader to take responsibility, it is part of the senior authorities to find out what he needs to know and when. "You have one or two servants rungs down to decide what the commander is seen and what can wait," he said. But not shocked that Panetta had not been told that on 23 June pillar adds "Since then [Cheney] angle is to be a sufficient ground for someone of the opinion that it means the boss deserves attention."

Panetta foolishness experience may well have been a factor because he knew that to find any grenades that the secret program. One concern, when he was appointed was that he would be a weak link in the Office ", says Amy Zegart national security expert and professor of public policy from UCLA. Zegart But Panetta says is not his own ignorance." There are two big "so what" is the latest news "he says." One of them is: What happens Executive Branch, the CIA director did not even know the program, which former Vice President felt it was important to keep the NOK in secret? The second is: What happens in Congress, that control is so bad? "

Source : times.com