CNN lists former California representative Jane Harman, now head of the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C., as a potential successor to Gen. David Petraeus as head of the Central Intelligence Agency.
This idea is a very, very bad one. Harman is an Iran hawk who would be perfectly happy to give Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu the war on Iran he so desperately wants the US to fight for him.
She accepts uncritically the allegation that Iran is going for broke in trying to build a nuclear warhead (there is no good evidence for Iran wanting an actual bomb as opposed to the capability, similar to Japan’s, to construct one quickly if deterrence against foreign invasion was needed).
In her campaign appearance above, from some years ago, Harman advocated trying to break up Iran along ethnic lines. The only other forces aiming at that goal are terrorist groups such as Jundullah in Baluchistan, which has allegedly received help from the Israeli Mossad. Harman in the above clip incorrectly alleges that the Persian-speaking population in Iran is not a majority. And, she virtually exults in the economic misery imposed on Iranians by US sanctions, and in the bigotry against Shiites of now-deposed Arab dictators such as Hosni Mubarak in Egypt.
Harman’s elevation to the CIA would politicize the agency and distort Iran analysis, removing a potential obstacle to hawks who are annoyed that the National Intelligence Estimates don’t support Netanyahu’s alarmism.
Moreover, making someone who has openly supported conniving at breaking up Iran on ethnic grounds (which would require terrorist operations such as those of Jundullah), would decisively push Iran away from any negotiations with the US of the sort Obama managed to set up in October, 2009.
may I offer:
“Harman’s elevation to the CIA would FURTHER politicize the agency …”
Petraeus, Hayden, Goss, Panetta, GHW Bush, Woolsey, Colby, Gates and Tenet were all pretty darn political. But Harman-Kardon, I believe, is a dual Israeli citizen, taking it to a whole ‘nother level.
I really don’t want to…incite matters…but, if this vision actually progresses, I wanted to saw I told you so in some way….
When Israel decided it wanted Michael Oren to be ambassador to the US it ran up against the fact he was a dual-national. So he simply renounced his US citizenship: no big deal, problem solved. The underlying point lost was how effortless it was to do so and how he REALLY never had any loyalty other than to Israel…..unless, of course, one wants to make the predictable quibble that the interests of the US and Israel are one and the same.
Would the powers that be in the US accept the same glib assurances of loyalty if Harman simply renounced her Israel citizenship (I’m assuming you’re right here, beyond her having the simple “right of return” all Jews enjoy).
Anyway you cut it, such an appointment wouldn’t be much worse than putting Dennis Ross in the the chair. But don’t think at some level making such a penetration isn’t something AIPAC and its sponsors aren’t angling for, in whatever way they can get away with.
You can register your protest with the president here…
link to whitehouse.gov
Ah! But what kind of money will it make the mil indus complex? This sort of action would start a civil war and keep them fighting for a very long time. It is also a plan that Israel would love though. While all of the hens are fighting amongst themselves, the fox is stealing all the eggs.
Jane Harman would be a catastrophe
Not to mention some rather serious questions regarding an Israeli spying incident and her support for Bush’s warantless wiretap program. If the Senate were to confirm her it would illustrate just how much partisanship has triumphed over principle, but I rather doubt that such confirmation would be forthcoming.
Not having the time to listen to CNN, they must be baiting blogs like this. The thought of Harman being seriously considered is ludicrous: remember how she got caught routing secret intel to AIPAC a few years ago? The closer you look at her behavior and “qualifications,” the more absurd the thought.
OK….Just did a refresher Google. Here’s a link to Greenwald on Salon a couple yrs ago that lays out the basics:
link to salon.com
The story actually unfolded over time, but speaks eloquently to the absurdity of such a candidacy.
In sum, what happened was that AIPAC cut a deal with Harman to help get her on the Senate Intelligence committee if she’d play ball with them/Israel afterwards. Alberto Gonzales got wind of this relationship through an NSA wiretap, but cut a deal with her to let things slide as long as she played ball with the Bush administration policy and needs.
I guess we should be prepared for disappointment with Obama. I voted for Jill Stein, so I don’t feel guilty.
Who is Paula Broadwell? Is she another Paula Jones? Or is she another Jonathan Pollard? Why did Paula Pollard have the classified docs on her computer and in her home? Were any of them accessed by others? Now that her affair has gotten Petraeus out of the way, in comes AIPAC spy Harman?
Again- What was Petraeus’ stance on bombing Iran? That is a pivotal question, as was his testimony in 2010:
link to theatlantic.com
Petraeus out of the way and an Aipac spy on the list. Jane “waddling on over to interfere in the Aipac espionage investigation and trial” Harman a contender for head of the CIA. Now we know that Holder and Obama almost as soon as they took office dismissed the Aipac espionage trial. This just can not be so.
Hartman wouldn’t show up on any list from Minority Leader Pelosi.
“Hartman wouldn’t show up on any list from Minority Leader Pelosi.”
I do not know who you mean by “Hartman,” but if you are referring to Harman, what does Minority Leader Pelosi have to do with it? The CIA Director is selected by the President. Neither the House nor the Minority Leader have anything to do with it.
If the US or Israel had any inkling of enemies with such a track record plotting their destruction like this they would attack immediately.
“Who is Paula Broadwell? Is she another Paula Jones? Or is she another Jonathan Pollard? Why did Paula Pollard have the classified docs on her computer and in her home? Were any of them accessed by others? Now that her affair has gotten Petraeus out of the way, in comes AIPAC spy Harman?”
By suggesting that Paula Broadwell was running interference for AIPAC, you have taken conspiratorial paranoia to a whole new level. Your above-cited quote would do justice to Oliver Stone.
Maybe one of us out here who is enraged by the multi-layered deceptions and frauds that are hidden behind the Shallow Narrative you apologize for mistook “Paula Pollard” for Jane Harman Kardon, about whom it is said, by sources you would no doubt be happy to impeach, that at the very least, according to one or more sources, spent some time on the phone agreeing to use her considerable clout to have the Justice Department down-charge a couple of AIPAC folks who were, ahem, maybe involved, like Jonathan Pollard and a bunch of other “Americans,” in espionage for the Israeli government AGAINST THE INTERESTS OF THE U.S. link to counterpunch.org But of course in your world those interests are sufficiently aligned, in the grander elements of the Great Game, you doubtless don’t share this guy’s concern: link to viewzone.com
And in case you forget, there’s more than one ex-CIA type who thinks that Our Friend and Ally Israel (or at least the CIA-neocon equivalent over there) is the most serious security threat to the US in the Mideast, and of all the places that’s reported in Googlespace, I’m linking to Ha’aretz, as an at least interesting source. link to haaretz.com.
Not sure whether Ha’aretz was concerned, or just bragging…
Aside: Why is “Red Dawn” the heavy-sell “Thanksgiving movie” this year? link to imdb.com
“And in case you forget, there’s more than one ex-CIA type who thinks that Our Friend and Ally Israel (or at least the CIA-neocon equivalent over there) is the most serious security threat to the US in the Mideast.”
Although your above-cited quote does not have anything to do with my comment on Mhrr’s statement suggesting Paula Broadwell was running interference for AIPAC, I will respond by stating that if you think I am a supporter of Israel’s policies, you obviously have not read my previous comments on the U.S.-Israeli relationship. I have always stated that very often U.S. and Israeli national interests are opposed to each other. You appear to blindly use any comment to piggy-back your own personal Narratives, regardless whether or not they actually address the issue under discussion.
and there is surprise in this? this is just the way it is. the war machine runs America with their Agents/Congress. i’d bet there is more people in power like Ms. Harmon, but we just don’t know or hear about.
this will not change until Israel gets its war with Iran. Israel wants what they want. Nobody can criticize Israel without being called anti-semitic.
and it is not like anyone can challenge these powerful people. We tax payers can whine all we wont. we are just backdoor agents of death. any wonder why “they” hate us. so sad, and true.
religion and politics. just proof these don’t mix.
People may wish to read our article about Harman that tells about the spying incident in more detail, and contains other information that may also be of interest: “Possible New CIA Director Already Compromised? Jane Harman and Israeli Spying” link to ifamericansknew.org –
I’m afraid this affair will bring many further best results. the Senate were to confirm her it would illustrate just how much partisanship has triumphed over principle, but I rather doubt that such confirmation would be forthcoming.
United States and CIA has been after dividing Iran based on erhnic,religion or language,but did not succeed.Perhaps the candidate for the position intends to put more emphasis.However this will not be a good option for putting more pressures on Iran.On the other hand it may even further strenthen unity amongst Iranians.Iran is not a country with many ethnic minorities.Iran is a civilization.
The following article, “The Marriage from Hell: Jane Harman and the Woodrow Wilson Center,” approaches Jane Harman from another angle:
link to dissidentvoice.org