The Coronavirus Is the Worst Intelligence Failure in U.S. History (1 Viewer)

[mrdeltoid]

That some disingenuous editing there. You didn't finish the rest

"The intelligence reports didn’t predict when the virus might land on U.S. shores or recommend particular steps that public health officials should take, issues outside the purview of the intelligence agencies. But they did track the spread of the virus in China, and later in other countries, and warned that Chinese officials appeared to be minimizing the severity of the outbreak.

These passages also appears in the WAPO article;

"Taken together, the reports and warnings painted an early picture of a virus that showed the characteristics of a globe-encircling pandemic that could require governments to take swift actions to contain it."

“But despite that constant flow of reporting, Trump continued publicly and privately to play down the threat the virus posed to Americans. Lawmakers, too, did not grapple with the virus in earnest until this month, as officials scrambled to keep citizens in their homes and hospitals braced for a surge in patients suffering from covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.”

I bolded the words "could require governments to take swift action to contain it". That statement, in context was referring to a future possibility. And the word "governments", plural, indicates no governments at that time were taking any measures. So, with the luxury of hindsight, we are all geniuses. Keep in mind, the Chinese communists lie to the WHO and said it could not be transmitted person to person. I say it again. Did Trump make mistakes? Of course he did. But for the MSM to constantly look back to point out mistakes every day is counter productive.

 

[mrdeltoid]

Our intelligence people were right on the money on this one. Their 2018 Threat Assessment that a "novel strain of a virulent microbe that is easily transmissible between humans continues to be a major threat.” Seems especially prescient now. The President's casual dismissal of the warnings was the failure here. They did all they could do. The NSC even had a "Pandemic Playbook" developed in the wake of the Ebola outbreak crisis for the Administration to follow. But they dismissed that as well. His Administration should've begun a broad effort to secure protective equipment at least 2 months ago.

Trump was too busy fighting the impeachment 2 months ago to do much else. And the House and Senate was to busy battling each other, to pay attention to anything else. Here's the headlines from the NYT Jan. 16th.:
"Headlines from The New York Times for Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020

Top News: Page A1- "House Delivers Impeachment Charges to Senate, Paving the Way for a Trial"

"Its Reputation Tattered, Polarized Senate Faces a Steep Impeachment Test"

"Trump Signs China Trade Deal, Putting Economic Conflict on Pause "

"Bailout Up to $500 Million Proposed for Taxi Drivers Trapped in Loans"

"Russian Premier Abruptly Quits Amid Swirl of Speculation on Putin"

"Elizabeth Warren Confronts the Skeptics Who Fear Her Plans Go Too Far"

 

[mrdeltoid]

We can blame Trump for not making sure there are enough tests, and not making sure there are enough ventilators, and not making sure there is enough PPE. We blame Trump for downplaying the issue for weeks/months. Had these things been done earlier we'd be in much better shape, and it is entirely Trump's fault.



So, I think the title is intended to provoke people and is a little hyperbolic, sort of like every other tweet by Trump.



It is Trump's fault we are not prepared for the present crisis.



1. This is not true. Scientists have been worried about pandemics like for many decades.

2. It's Trump's job, as leader of our country, to contemplate possible problems in the future, and try to mitigate those problems by steering his community/country in the right direction. A leader...LEADS. A leader does not react. And the primary attribute of a leader is good judgment. Many Trump supporters, because they are bullies and jerks themselves, think leadership is about barking orders. That's not what leadership is about.



Not enough. Sorry.

We should, right now, have enough ventilators and PPE, and test kits. We don't. That's Trump's fault.

Why do you keep defending this idiot? Why isn't clear by now to you that he's an idiot and he doesn't know what he's doing?



More pro-Trump propaganda

PolitiFact | Fact-checking whether Biden called Trump ‘xenophobic’ for restrictions on travel from China

Trump is incompetent. Trump is an idiot. Trump has poor judgment. Trump is not a good leader. We'd all be better off if he were not the President.

" Scientists have been worried about pandemics like for many decades."
If that's the case, Bush and Obama were in power for 16 years. Why weren't the ventilators and PPE available? If it's been known for decades, why wasn't action taken by their administrations?

"Why do you keep defending this idiot? Why isn't clear by now to you that he's an idiot and he doesn't know what he's doing?
"
When I posted he deserved some of the criticism, I acknowledged he has his shortcomings. And when I disagree with his actions or behavior, I say so. I understand he is an easy target, and brings a lot of criticism on himself, but if the only choice I have is Trump or whoever the dems nominate in November, I would be cutting off my nose to spite my face by voting against my positions. If a candidate supports the issues I care about, that is who I vote for. Although I'd prefer them to be Mr. Rogers like and loved by all, if he's a butt head, I'll make the sacrifice. When it comes right down to it, belittling and chiding Trump voters by calling them names, or attacking them in public, does nothing but make the exit polling on election day be way off......again. I don't dare wear any Trump gear here in Baltimore. (I don't wear political gear anyway). I know one thing, if I'm constantly insulted or attacked verbally or physically by Trump haters, it doesn't make me want to pull the lever for their candidate. That's what I never really understood. How would anyone believe that calling people names would endear them to your ideas?eace

 

[Atomic Kid]

Trump was too busy fighting the impeachment 2 months ago to do much else. And the House and Senate was to busy battling each other, to pay attention to anything else. Here's the headlines from the NYT Jan. 16th.:
"Headlines from The New York Times for Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020

Top News: Page A1- "House Delivers Impeachment Charges to Senate, Paving the Way for a Trial"

"Its Reputation Tattered, Polarized Senate Faces a Steep Impeachment Test"

"Trump Signs China Trade Deal, Putting Economic Conflict on Pause "

"Bailout Up to $500 Million Proposed for Taxi Drivers Trapped in Loans"

"Russian Premier Abruptly Quits Amid Swirl of Speculation on Putin"

"Elizabeth Warren Confronts the Skeptics Who Fear Her Plans Go Too Far"

Oh for Christ's sake. Cry me a river why don't ya? Clinton faced all that and more and still got things done while this boy-king a-hole throws a temper tantrum and go sulks any time he feels that some governor isn't talking 'nicely' enough to him.

 

[mrdeltoid]

Oh for Christ's sake. Cry me a river why don't ya? Clinton faced all that and more and still got things done while this boy-king a-hole throws a temper tantrum and go sulks any time he feels that some governor isn't talking 'nicely' enough to him.

My point was, nobody was freaking out over the virus. While we're looking backwards, think back to when nobody knew anything about it. Now, at that time, the Senate was having the impeachment trial. (that was purposely delayed 20 some days by Pelosi) Tell me what you think the reaction would've been, by you, the dems, and the MSM, if Trump, smack dab in the middle of the impeachment trial portion, shut it all down, told all nonessential employees to stay home and declared a national emergency ? Remember, those headlines were from January 16th. Not a peep by the NYT about the pandemic. Do you really think that "Wag the dog" wouldn't be the battle cry from Pelosi, Schumer, and the MSM? Be honest.

 

[MSgt]

The Coronavirus Is the Worst Intelligence Failure in U.S. History

It’s more glaring than Pearl Harbor and 9/11—and it’s all the fault of Donald Trump’s leadership.

...Suffice it to say, the Trump administration has cumulatively failed, both in taking seriously the specific, repeated intelligence community warnings about a coronavirus outbreak and in vigorously pursuing the nationwide response initiatives commensurate with the predicted threat.

--

More continued at link:

The Coronavirus Is the Worst Intelligence Failure in U.S. History, and It's All Trump's Fault

This is wrong. From the article:

Suffice it to say, the Trump administration has cumulatively failed, both in taking seriously the specific, repeated intelligence community warnings about a coronavirus outbreak...

This is not an intelligence failure. This is a White House failure. The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 continues to be the greatest failure in CIA history.

Their entire purpose for existing was to offer the White House intelligence on foreign threats so that the President could protect America from another Pearl Harbor. However, right from the beginning there were two arguments. One was that the CIA needed to be an espionage organization to collect data and analyse. The second argument was that the CIA needed to be a clandestine service that could shape foreign governments into non-threats. The second argument quickly won out because it was sexy. Because the CIA directors loved the idea of special operations and coups, they failed miserably to create spy networks in the Soviet Union and other governments. For the next fifty years, one President after another, misused the CIA and began insisting that the CIA provide them Intel for their agendas abroad. In return, CIA directors gave them the Intel that they wanted to see just to survive the politics of Washington.

- Eisenhower authorized the opening of First Class mail from abroad, unofficially licensing the CIA to betray its own mandate of not spying on American citizens.
- Kennedy used the CIA to widen the war in Southeast Asia.
- Johnson used the CIA to promote the second attack at the Gulf of Tonken, giving him license to seek approval for widening the war in Vietnam.
- Nixon used the CIA to spy on Democrats
- Carter couldn't get an answer for the Iranian Revolution, The CIA blamed the KGB, the KGB blamed the CIA.
- Reagan used the CIA to funnel weapons through Israel to Iran for cash in order to pay for a war in Central America.

The CIA was a mess all the way to 9/11, when despite clear enough warnings for years, the CIA was caught as flat-footed as the average American was. So much for the reason that the CIA was created in the first place. And afterwards? The Patriot Act officially licensed the CIA to spy on American citizens, a clear violation of its mandate. Then Bush II wanted the CIA to come up with something in Iraq in order legitimize the invasion. But, the CIA couldn't even create a spy network inside Iraq throughout the 1990s in order to give Clinton appropriate targets. They were too busy living off of their own created legend and their desire to play cowboys. All of a sudden it was supposed to know about WMD in Iraq? This history is why, rather than upset the seated President, they gave him and the rest of us, "we just don't know." It was the first time in our history that our Intel community actually looked for the military to invade and discover the Intel they needed in order to instruct the President to send in the Marines.

But now? Health officials, foreign governments, the American Intel community, the media, and Democrats all tried to sound the alarm to an asleep-at-the-wheel White House. The American President proved that he would rather play his anti-media and anti-Democrat and anti-deep state game while wearing a re-election campaign hat. Then, as the situation worsened, he merely dug in to protect his fragile ego. This was clearly a White House failure, not an Intel community failure.

 

[humbolt]

What a lame excuse that is. Do you think that Repubs effort to impeach Clinton were any less feverish? Was Clinton being any less pilloried than Trump? No, not at all. But he was still able to manage and govern our nation in the midst of it all. There's no excuse why Trump isn't able to do the same and fulfill his duties as President.

Ckinton? Don't tell me - he fought an impeachment, wars on two fronts, and a pandemic, all ar the same time. I didn't offer it as a lame excuse for Trump. I offerrd it as a lame excuse for your House leadership, because lame applies.

Please stop spouting off about intelligence assessments. It's highly likely the very same assessment, with some wording changes and perhaps a minor update here or there, has been used for years. I believe this is a rote function for you, and norhing more.

 

[humbolt]

BTW the US World Wide Threat Assessment, originally called the "Annual Threat Assessment", that has been given by the US Intelligence community each year since 2006, is first heard by the Senate Select Intelligence Committee and consists of at least one open or unclassified hearing. Except for this year. When the Trump Administration without explanation, postponed the DNI's World Wide Threat Assessment warning that the US remains unprepared for a global pandemic. The office of the DNI was scheduled to deliver the Assessment to the House Intelligence Committee on February 12.

Oh, horse****. A report doesn't make us prepared, and neither does the lack of one make us unprepared.

 

[Atomic Kid]

Ckinton? Don't tell me - he fought an impeachment, wars on two fronts, and a pandemic, all ar the same time. I didn't offer it as a lame excuse for Trump. I offerrd it as a lame excuse for your House leadership, because lame applies.

Please stop spouting off about intelligence assessments. It's highly likely the very same assessment, with some wording changes and perhaps a minor update here or there, has been used for years. I believe this is a rote function for you, and norhing more.

He fought impeachment, the war on terror in Somalia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Ordered a 4 day bombing campaign against Iraq in response to it's refusal to cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors, expanded NATO into Eastern Europe, sponsored peace talks and the eventual Dayton Accords ending the ethnic conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, ordered and conducted a successful 3 month US led NATO bombing campaign against Yugoslavia ending Serbian attacks on ethnic Albanians in the province of Kosovo. Secured passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement and and some 30 major bills related to education, crime prevention, the environment, and women’s and family issues, including the Violence Against Women Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act. Oversaw the first US government budget surplus since the 1960s and the largest budget surpluses in the nation's history.

Those are the kind of things you can get done when you're not a self-obsessed egomaniac. Who has surrounded himself sycophants, cronies and lackeys who either share, or only allowed to share his personal and political viewpoints. While dismissing or diverting any independent or other political viewpoints and opinions that don't comport to their own or the President's. And who under his direction have gone on with gutting critical government agencies and departments by pushing out any career public servants they have either deemed or suspect are disloyal to Herr Trump. Which has resulted in the kind of groupthink culture we see permeating throughout this administration and has led us into near paralysis on this issue.

And if there is any rote function I have engaged in here it would be constantly explaining stuff to you. But unfortunately I apparently cannot make you understand stuff.

 

[humbolt]

He fought impeachment, the war on terror in Somalia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Ordered a 4 day bombing campaign against Iraq in response to it's refusal to cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors, expanded NATO into Eastern Europe, sponsored peace talks and the eventual Dayton Accords ending the ethnic conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, ordered and conducted a successful 3 month US led NATO bombing campaign against Yugoslavia ending Serbian attacks on ethnic Albanians in the province of Kosovo. Secured passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement and and some 30 major bills related to education, crime prevention, the environment, and women’s and family issues, including the Violence Against Women Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act. Oversaw the first US government budget surplus since the 1960s and the largest budget surpluses in the nation's history.

Those are the kind of things you can get done when you're not a self-obsessed egomaniac. Who has surrounded himself sycophants, cronies and lackeys who either share, or only allowed to share his personal and political viewpoints. While dismissing or diverting any independent or other political viewpoints and opinions that don't comport to their own or the President's. And who under his direction have gone on with gutting critical government agencies and departments by pushing out any career public servants they have either deemed or suspect are disloyal to Herr Trump. Which has resulted in the kind of groupthink culture we see permeating throughout this administration and has led us into near paralysis on this issue.

And if there is any rote function I have engaged in here it would be constantly explaining stuff to you. But unfortunately I apparently cannot make you understand stuff.

It looks like you're busy attempting to convince yourself you know things you actually don't. It doesn't impress me, and it doesn't matter. Continued recrimination, and even some revisionism thrown in, don't change anything meaningful.

Intelligence assessments don't direct national policy. They inform it. Given that a highly contagious respiratory disease has been the chief pandemic fear for many decades, that one should appear isn't surprising. We've seen such things before. None of that knowledge provides specific information that helps us treat or prevent this disease beyond the general knowledge we already possess.

It's highly unlikely we could have prevented the introduction of this virus to our country, and given it's asymptomatic spread, it presents a unique challenge. It's not unprecedented, but the proper focus is on our response to it's presence, and not how we could have aboided it.

 

[Carleen]

The virus is all Trump's fault?

No, but he who hesitates is lost.