Davis's leaked Report

Panetta and President Obama should deal severely with the dishonored brass.  pl

http://www1.rollingstone.com/extras/RS_REPORT.pdf

Comments

[WP]

President Obama needs immediately to issue a stern directive to his whole administration to keep their hands off of this valuable whistleblower. Prosecuting him or stripping him of privileges and clearances would be an outrage. Only the president can sufficiently protect him and he should be protected.

[The Twisted Genius]

My God, that's one damning report. I would think the dishonored brass would resign and retreat to isolated ranches out west out of shame. But, of course, they have no shame whatsoever. I think the assault on LTC Davis' competence and reputation will be swift, ugly and nonstop.

LTC Davis had some pretty harsh words for Information Operations and the culture of deception that it created. I've watched and even participated in the development of the whole Information Operations industry for near fifteen years. I always thought there was something unsavory about the disregard and disdain that some of these IO practitioners had for the truth.

[Cold War Zoomie]

We are in an age of zero integrity. I do not trust anything anyone who is in power says. CEOs, politicians, commanding officers, bishops...you name it...it's all about PR and "branding."

[jonst]

Has Davis issued a public comment on this since the Report surface? Anyway...from the Report: "Further, there are also some general officers in our Army who are dedicated to the nation and still have their integrity fully intact."

What. A. Damning. Sentence.

[DanM]

I was just tweeting some bits from the report. I've only scanned a few passages (that other people had flagged as of interest -- basically the propaganda stuff). Got a response from a friend who's in touch with the beltway world. His brief message was "overuse of capitalization usually points to instability." I don't know if he's capitalized too many words, doubt there's any relevance if he has. But probably an indicator of the gathering storm for Col. Davis.

[Roy G.]

That is an incredibly damning report. However, it seems like 'full spectrum dominance of information' has succeeded to the extent, and will continue to succeed up until the truth becomes painfully self-evident.

We seem to now be in an era where brazenness rules, and shame and disgrace are ignored and subliminated to IO and the continuation of will to power.

I just wish Barbara Tuchman was still alive to write the sequel to March of Folly. This seems like the chapter about Vietnam on steroids, although Von Rumsfeld, McChrystal and Petraeus make the 'Best and the Brightest' look like pollyannas in comparison.

[Roy G.]

On the civilian side of IO, there is the whitewashing of MEK, and the 'material support of terrorists' which is apparently acceptable because it is being done by Giuliani, Townsend and other Politicians for Hire. Greenwald also follows the money and wonders where a ragtag group like MEK gets its money to buy these politicians - guess who?

http://salon.com/a/syyi8AA

[William R. Cumming]

Most of the Flag Ranks are time servers whose real worries are there post employment opportunities. Just look at the post-employment of Flag Ranks for the last two decades if you doubt my conclusion. This if available is no doubt highly classified. All clearance for post employment of serving officers in DoD should be a matter of public record. Congress and OGE are you listening?

[FB Ali]

A remarkable report! Of course, nothing in it would surprise anyone who follows developments in Afghanistan based on media other than the US and Western. But it should come as a bombshell to those who unhesitatingly swallow the official line. Except that it won't; like other 'bombshells', it will likely soon sputter out.

Clearly written, dispassionate, not in the least polemical or emotional even as it makes grave allegations against many senior generals and Pentagon officials. The weight of the allegations is fully balanced by the detailed and authentic evidence advanced in their support.

It lists chapter and verse how senior generals, and their supporters and enablers (politicians, analysts, the interests that stood to make a lot of money from these positions, the jackal media) have taken the United States for a ride, causing thousands of needless casualties among its troops and squandering billions of its dollars.

It also proves that one Lt Col Davis is worth more than all these bemedalled generals put together. In spite of Col Lang's hope I doubt if anyone will be required to pay for these actions. That culture of accountability went out of fashion some time ago in the US. It is much more likely that it will be Col Davis who will pay a price, if not immediately then once the dust has settled.

[turcopolier]

FB Ali

I have neither fear nor hope in this matter. pl

[Bill H.]

Truth is irrelevant today. People hear only that which confirms their preconceived narrative. Evidence is in the mind of the beholder, not the eye. Senses are denied, and "belief in the tribe" is everything. Sad.

[walrus]

As suspected - narcissism.

When we went to a more "inclusive" selection system for leaders, we threw out a critical attibute - character, in particular the ability to empathise.

Think of Holly Graf:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly_Graf

To put that in context, my son was selected for our Police Academy after a Nine month process. You will never guess what the parameters of his final interview were all about. Some very smart old ladies were weeding out possible psychopaths in very innovative ways.