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Managing Escalation: Negroponte and Bush's New Iraq Team |
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Written by Dahr Jamail
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Monday, 08 January 2007 15:55 |
by Dahr Jamail
 As part of a massive staff shakeup of Bush's Iraq team last week, it
was announced that John Negroponte, the current U.S. National
Intelligence Director who has also conveniently served as the U.S.
ambassador to Iraq from June 2004 to April 2005 is being tapped as the
new Deputy Secretary of State.
It is a move taking place at roughly the same time when Mr. Bush is to
announce his new strategy for Iraq, which most expect entails an
escalation of as many as 20,000 troops, if not more. Bush has already
begun preparations to replace ranking military commanders with those who
will be more supportive of his escalation.
The top U.S. commander in the Middle East, Gen. John Abizaid, will
likely be replaced by Adm. William Fallon, currently the top U.S.
commander in the Pacific. Gen. George Casey, currently the chief general
in Iraq, would be replaced by Army Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, who headed
the failed effort to train Iraqi security forces. Thus, those not in
favor of adding more fuel to the raging fire are to be replaced with
those who are happy to oblige.
Former NSA director and veteran of over 25 years in intelligence,
retired Vice Adm. Mike McConnell who happens to be an old friend of Dick
Cheney (who personally intervened on his old buddy's behalf) will
succeed Negroponte as national intelligence director. McConnell, willing
to oblige his neo-con pal Cheney, may prove more hawkish regarding Iran
than Negroponte was.
The timing of this move is what should raise eyebrows, and for two main
reasons. First, Negroponte is relieved of his job of intelligence
director as the drums of war continue to be pounded by the die-hard
neocons, and Negroponte wasn't playing quite loud enough to the Tehran
tune. McConnell may well be able to carry a louder tune for his pal
Cheney, which may come in the form of a Sonata of manufactured intel to
justify an attack on Iran, which is important since time is growing
short for Cheney and Co. |
