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Becoming the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), should Tulsi Gabbard be so confirmed, will be no small matter:
The director of national intelligence (DNI) is a senior cabinet-level United States government official, required by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to serve as executive head of the United States Intelligence Community (IC) and to direct and oversee the National Intelligence Program (NIP). All 18 IC agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and the National Security Agency (NSA), report directly to the DNI.
The DNI also serves, upon invitation, as the principal advisor to the president of the United States, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council on all intelligence matters. The DNI, supported by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), produces the President's Daily Brief (PDB), a classified document including intelligence from all IC agencies, handed each morning to the president of the United States.[1]
en.wikipedia.org/...
Like I said, it’s kind of a big deal. Not really a position for someone with questionable “intentions,” or divided loyalties.
While not as headline grabbing as the sexual offenses of other unqualified Trump picks, Gabbard’s recent actions and statements certainly deserve some wider scrutiny:
Alan Cunningham, New Eastern Europe -- Oct 12, 2022
[...]
In appearances on Fox News, in particular on The Ingraham Angle and Tucker Carlson Tonight, Gabbard has openly criticised Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and has called for Democratic congressman Adam Schiff and former CIA Director John Brennan to be considered “domestic enemies” of the US. She considers the pair a greater danger to the United States than the rioters who stormed the US Capitol building on January 6, 2021, while she has also warned of “efforts to combat domestic insurgents through surveillance and other monitoring activities”.
In August of 2022, perhaps driving the largest wedge between herself and the Democratic Party, Gabbard guest hosted for Tucker Carlson. During the broadcast, Gabbard said “there’s no denying that the unprecedented raid on [Donald Trump’s] Palm Beach home earlier this week has set our country on a dangerous new course, and there’s no turning back”. She also claimed that US law enforcement had been weaponised “to target the political opponents of the … Biden regime”, a move which had the “hallmarks of a dictatorship”.
[...]
“Domestic Enemies” sure sounds a lot like the precursor version of “The Enemies Within,” does it not?
ONLY one problem with such fiery rhetoric from “a currently serving Lieutenant Colonel (O-5) in the US Army Reserve [as of Oct 2022], assigned to the United States Psychological Operations and Civil Affairs Command-Airborne (USCAPOC(A)) as a Civil Affairs Officer” …
Such “contemptuous words” are worthy of court-martial, according to Article 88:
[...]
Within the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), the military legal system, there is one area in which Gabbard’s comments could land her in hot water. Under 10 US Code § 888 – Article 88, “Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct”.
Gabbard’s statements against President Biden have been numerous, while she also took direct shots at Nancy Pelosi, high-ranking members of Congress and the Executive Branch long before she starting hosting Tucker Carlson Tonight. Gabbard has asserted that the Russian Federation and the United States are “not so different” in terms of the censoring of free speech. She also claimed, in the early days of the Russian invasion, that “[Biden] wants Russia to invade Ukraine so that they can impose ‘draconian’ sanctions on the country”, while she also seemed to support Putin using his military to deter Ukraine’s NATO membership as a case of Russia pursuing its own national security interests.
What is of particular concern, however, is the fact that Gabbard’s top-secret security clearance gives her access to sensitive special operations and intelligence information, while she simultaneously operates within a mutually reinforcing dynamic with Russian propaganda outlets.
[Examples of disinformation follow ...]
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To recap, the little-noticed danger that promoting this ‘psy-ops’ Lieutenant Colonel, to Director of National Intelligence (DNI), actually poses to the nation:
At minimum, anyone “promoted” to DNI, MUST pass all Security and FBI Background checks with flying colors. Their loyalties MUST coincide with the national interests of the USA, and with us alone.
However, there is one small rather LARGE problem on that front — the Trump Transition team wants to by-pass the standard FBI Background checks, instead for the whimsical wink-and-a-nod “vetting” done by private vendors. In order to hit-the-ground running on Day One, “Trump 2.0 must not be hindered” — so goes their reckless rationale.
While some GOP Senators are hesitant to get on-board with out-sourcing these national security checks — it is imperative that citizens/reporters stay on top of this story. Our long-term National Security literally depends on it.
As a side note, granting “recess appointments” authority to Trump 2.0 — as many GOP Senators have advocated for — would amount to basically the same thing. Just pass GO. Just go ahead with your Dismantling American Government agenda — no questions asked.
It is imperative too, according to the Constitution, that those in the co-equal Legislative and Judicial branches — keep asking those questions. You know, to keep everything on the up-and-up.
Our fading Free Press has a sober responsibility here as well, constitutionally speaking.
We shall soon see, how all this murkiness unfolds. Will the compliant rubber-stamps in the Senate, simply sell out what remains of that American beacon on the hill? With a nod and whimper ...
The world will be watching, along with what remains of us worried citizens.
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Who’s got time for Questions, eh? <i>You’re Hired!</i>