While much is being made of Osama Bin Laden's beard coiffure (short and black, not long and gray), I haven't seen anyone focus on CIA Chief Michael Hayden appearing IN UNIFORM before the Council on Foreign Relations to say "Boo!" Saturday's LATimes reports that Hayden spoke before the Council on Foreign Relations to say "It feels like Sept. 10" because of a diminished "willingness of the broader political culture to be comfortable with the things we believe are both lawful and necessary to fight this war [on terror]". Apparently, Americans are becoming uncomfortable with eavesdropping, torture and rendition.
The LATimes quoted Human Rights Watch as noting Hayden "is using the mystique and authority of his position to frighten potential critics into backing off and not limit the extraordinary authorities that this administration has granted to the CIA". The accompanying Emmanuel Dunand Getty Images photo of the spy chief showed him in uniform, plastered with epaulets and 5 rows of military decorations.
He also wore the uniform to his May 2006 confirmation hearings, while testifying that he was outside the military chain of command and would take care to ensure CIA independence from the Pentagon, quieting critics who feared too much civilian-spying capability on the military's part. NYT May 19, 2006.
Even Republicans were concerned about a military takeover of the CIA. WaPo reported on Hayden's confirmation that Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) "raised questions about Hayden's active military status, [but voted in favor of confirmation because] ... the general 'has convinced me that he can make the transition from the military side to the civilian side of the intelligence community while continuing to move the CIA in a positive direction of change and transition.'" In fact, Chambliss apparently expected Hayden to retire from the military and leave the uniform at home. "I think the fact that he is a part of the military today would be the major problem. Now, just resigning commission and moving on, putting on a pinstripe suit versus an Air Force uniform I don't think makes much difference."
According to the online International Herald Tribune, Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Michigan) initially opposed General Hayden, because "it was wrong to choose a military official to lead the CIA, especially as crucial questions like the state of Iran's nuclear program loomed. 'We need to be able to get the unvarnished intelligence and we need to be able to get it from a civilian,' whose independence would be unquestioned, he said."
N.B. Sen. Clinton voted no, Sen. Reid voted yes on Hayden's confirmation.
At the time of his confirmation, his uniform symbolized a lack of independence looming for the CIA. Today, it symbolizes the unvarnished audacity of the administration to stoke a gullible public's 9/11 fears.
P.S. Sorry there are no links to the quotes. I tried the link button but it didn't do the trick. Anyone who wants to give me a tutorial is welcome to try. I put the URL's in square brackets, they appear in my draft, but not in the final version. Huh?