Obama Must “Tame” CIA; Fire CIA Director John Brennan, Argues Washington Post Columnist Eugene Robinson

Washington Post columnist
Eugene Robinson has a terrific column today, “Time
to tame the intelligence monster,” in which he calls for the
resignation of CIA Director John Brennan over his agency’s illegal
spying on Congress. From the column:

The CIA now admits that it spied on a Senate investigation into
the agency’s shameful program of secret detention and torture. Do
we need any more proof that the spooks are out of control?

An internal “accountability board” will look into the incident,
an agency statement said, and might recommend “potential
disciplinary measures” or even “steps to address systemic
issues.”

Somehow, I don’t feel reassured.

You will recall that when Senate Intelligence Committee
Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) alleged
in March that the CIA was rummaging through her panel’s computer
files without permission, CIA Director John Brennan scoffed at
the complaint with high-handed derision. “I think a lot of people
who are claiming that there has been this tremendous sort of spying
and monitoring and hacking will be proved wrong,” he said.

Oops. An internal CIA probe discovered that, well, a good deal
of spying and monitoring and hacking
did take place. Brennan reportedly has apologized to Feinstein
and Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, the ranking Republican on the
committee — both of whom have been among the CIA’s staunchest
supporters on Capitol Hill.

The White House has taken a la-de-dah attitude toward the
revelation that the agency charged with spying on the machinations
of our foreign enemies instead trained its focus on the official work of our
elected officials. Asked whether Brennan now has a credibility
problem, press secretary Josh Earnest said, “Not at all.”

Earnest is wrong on that score, but the problem is much bigger
than Brennan. At stake is the principle that our intelligence
agencies — like our military forces — must be subject to civilian
oversight and control. The spooks apparently have a different
arrangement in mind. …

Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.), a member of the intelligence panel,
stated the obvious: “This grave misconduct not only is illegal, but
it violates the U.S. Constitution’s requirement of separation of
powers.” He called on Brennan to
resign.

As I said, however, this is bigger than Brennan. At issue is
whether a vastly expanded and empowered U.S. intelligence
establishment will be fully and properly brought under civilian
control and oversight…. Obama, in the time he has left in office,
had better tame it.

Robinson is absolutely right that the national security
surveillance state is out of control and must be reined in. He
properly calls on President Obama to “tame it.”

Somehow, I don’t feel reassured.