Incoming House intelligence chief botches easy intel quiz

LadyT

LadyT

JPP Modarater
Contributor
http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/

"Rep. Silvestre Reyes of Texas, who incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has tapped to head the Intelligence Committee when the Democrats take over in January, failed a quiz of basic questions about al Qaeda and Hezbollah,"

Ummmm, should I be worried?
 
He should definetly know this.

We need better informed people. We've spent six years with Bush, who didn't know that Islam had to sects prior to starting his war on iraq.

I think we can do better.
 
Of course, according to the CQ link provided, Reyes is still an improvement over his GOP predessors:

"To his credit, Reyes, a kindly, thoughtful man who also sits on the Armed Service Committee, does see the undertows drawing the region into chaos.

For example, he knows that the 1,400- year-old split in Islam between Sunnis and Shiites not only fuels the militias and death squads in Iraq, it drives the competition for supremacy across the Middle East between Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia.

That’s more than two key Republicans on the Intelligence Committee knew when I interviewed them last summer. Rep. Jo Ann Davis, R-Va., and Terry Everett, R-Ala., both back for another term, were flummoxed by such basic questions, as were several top counterterrorism officials at the FBI.

 
Cypress said:
He should definetly know this.

We need better informed people. We've spent six years with Bush, who didn't know that Islam had to sects prior to starting his war on iraq.

I think we can do better.
Click to expand...

I agree 100%. From the sound of the quiz, that's actually pretty shameful on his part.
 
Cypress said:
That’s more than two key Republicans on the Intelligence Committee knew when I interviewed them last summer. Rep. Jo Ann Davis, R-Va., and Terry Everett, R-Ala., both back for another term, were flummoxed by such basic questions, as were several top counterterrorism officials at the FBI.
Click to expand...

I'm hoping for more than simply "better than stupid" from the dems. They've got a great pool of educated and sharp people that have been at the sidelines for years watching this 4hitstorm unfold. They can do a lot better.

That coupled with Pelosi's committment to not impeach the monkey, is two strikes for me.

(I already know you agree with her btw) ;)
 
I agree.

Even though the article suggests Reyes is better informed than his GOP predessors, I'd prefer someone more knowlegable.

Not knowing that Al Qaeda is a sunni extremist organization that is in direct conflict with iranian shia and other radical shia groups, makes Reyes sound like Gaffer, Dixe, or other wildly misinformed Con posters on this board.
 
Just a small problem. As long as he knows they are both terrorist organizations. that is what is important. He is a much better choice than the impeached judge Hasting that Nancy wanted in the position.
 
toby said:
Just a small problem. As long as he knows they are both terrorist organizations. that is what is important. He is a much better choice than the impeached judge Hasting that Nancy wanted in the position.
Click to expand...
Well, here ya go then Cypress...
 
toby said:
Just a small problem. As long as he knows they are both terrorist organizations. that is what is important. He is a much better choice than the impeached judge Hasting that Nancy wanted in the position.
Click to expand...


Yeah. Just a small problem. :rolleyes:
 
Just a small problem. As long as he knows they are both terrorist organizations. that is what is important.

No it isn't. A proposed intelligence chief needs to know everything there is to know about the two groups.

Its not understanding what the fuck is going on that has buggered you up so far.

The last thing the US needs is more brain-dead bulletheads in power.....
 
Well if you live in LA and are mugged by a gang, do you really care if they are Bloods or Crips?

Unless you are on an intelligence level of cretin or moron, yes.

Toby, simple rule for you to follow...

Thick Americans - bad
Smart Americans - good
 
AnyOldIron said:
Just a small problem. As long as he knows they are both terrorist organizations. that is what is important.

No it isn't. A proposed intelligence chief needs to know everything there is to know about the two groups.

Its not understanding what the fuck is going on that has buggered you up so far.

The last thing the US needs is more brain-dead bulletheads in power.....
Click to expand...
Right, but the truly qualified candidate was a Dem who promoted the war for a bit.... Therefore they would rather have an unqualified bullethead who was against the war than a qualified and intelligent woman who could have taken the reigns and kept them on the right track.
 
Right, but the truly qualified candidate was a Dem who promoted the war for a bit.... Therefore they would rather have an unqualified bullethead who was against the war than a qualified and intelligent woman who could have taken the reigns and kept them on the right track.

Then the Dems need to get their act together too, else they will lapse into being a big joke, like the Repugnants. No time for point scoring now.

The very basic qualifications should be an indepth understanding of intelligence matters....
 
Intel gathering has nothing to do with "Stay the Course"... We limit ourselves to bumperstickers and close down the portions of the "big tent" to our own detriment. Jane Harman was qualified and intelligent, believe me she would have answered that test correctly. First they were going to pass her up for an impeached judge, now they have passed her for this guy...

Honestly, have we learned nothing from the past?
 
AnyOldIron said:
Well if you live in LA and are mugged by a gang, do you really care if they are Bloods or Crips?

Unless you are on an intelligence level of cretin or moron, yes.

Toby, simple rule for you to follow...

Thick Americans - bad
Smart Americans - good
Click to expand...


I don't know how many times this has to be explained to moronic bush fans, and other wildy misinformed people.

Knowing your enemy is the key to defeating him. Knowing the difference between shia and sunni militants, knowing their history, and knowing their rivalries, makes it more likely to understand where they are getting their support, where their bases of operation are, who might be financing them, etc. It might even allow you to exploit the differences between the shia/sunni militants, as well as the arab/persian split, to our advantage
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top