Should Panetta Go As DCI for Lack of Tradecraft?

Most DCI's prior to G.H.W Bush had some tradecraft, if not in intelliegence collection then in military tactics and strategy. Panetta has a background as a Congressman, Chief of Staff, and Founder of a Think Tank. He has no background or tradecraft in the military or intelligence.



Someone in Congress should ask ';Did anybody at Langley give permission for the Afghan to enter the CIA base in Afghanistan?';



Was this a decision made by field case officers acting independently from Langley?



Were they authorized to make such a decision?



What exactly were the steps taken to vet this particular Afghan before he came in the the CIA base and blew himself up killing 7 case officers?



Was the tradecraft in this case by the book, or was it at variance with the book?



Should Leon Panetta, the DCI on whose watch this occurred by fired for failure to train and ensure compliance with training?



Seems harsh. But in the Navy, if the ship runs into the dock, even if the Captain is asleep in his cabin, he gets fired. It's called accountability.



Without it, nobody in the Federal government would do any part of their jobs. It would be 6 million people asleep at the switch.



Panetta is not an asset to the CIA, even though he is very well connected politically. The DCI has to be skilled in analysis and collection. He does have deputies in those areas, but the DCI sets the tone.



In this case it appears to be a very slackadocious tone.



It looks like Osama Bin Laden's tradecraft is better than ours. He tells a mature suicide bomber to burn a couple of small operations (tell the CIA about them, so the operations get busted). Then when his man is invited to go onto the CIA base, an extremely powerful explosive vest, perfectly fitted so it does not show under an Afghan military uniform is ready to rock and roll. Osama does not have B-2's, and he does not have Predators, but he's had plenty of time to become skilled in spy/counterspy work. He knows how to infiltrate. He was part of driving the Russians out of Afghanistan, and he didn't just do it by shooting stingers. He used intelligence tradecraft.



We need someone with that level of skill to replace Leon Panetta. We do have people like that. Unfortunately none of them have backgrounds as Democrat political hacks or ACORN members.Should Panetta Go As DCI for Lack of Tradecraft?
There is also a problem with the DHS that cannot be overlooked.Should Panetta Go As DCI for Lack of Tradecraft?
I say no; you are going to lose agents in the CIA no matter how careful you are; it's that dangerous. Now, if this were an issue of state secrets getting out, then I would have a different response.