Friday, 20 April 2012

Secret service scandal in Colombia is the culture of the Agency under the microscope


"Wheels up rings" is a common position, at least one observer said, but other top defenders, who have been defending the President

What starts out as a payment dispute between a client in Colombia Hotel and support two weeks ago presented the career of three members of the intelligence services. With each new turn of the scandal of the escalation hypothesis is that there were 11 officials to prepare the visit of the President to call prostitutes involved in Barack Obama brings a fresh review in Cartagena and adds disgrace historic proportions for the elite agency.

But the news that two of the three on Wednesday deported 20 years old, who are senior, became against the involved persons experience managers just questions about the collapse of an organization that prides itself on high standards of ethical conduct and professional system problems-or below.

Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican Committee for national security of the Senate, who said they are told about the investigation by Mark Sullivan, Director of the secret service, it is hard to believe that it is not due. Comments by others, is said to fear that the episode is "cultural".
Republican Congressman Darrell Issa, who chairs the House misunderstanding and government improvement committee, has raised similar concerns.
The Washington Post meanwhile reported that they heard the married members of staff, while an aircraft elevator in informal currency jokes: "wheel rings."

Ronald Kessler, a journalist and writer, who helped break the story, he said, does not believe that such behaviour was common to Cartagena. However, he believes that it is a symptom of a culture of "bad management", neglect and corner cutting.

Kessler told the guardian: "secret service can be managed more functionality and not enough staff".

He throws Sullivan, who was held for six years, led to a reduction in the corner, he pretends that the irresponsibility and contempt for the rules. He gave examples of neglect "basic security" is nothing else than an event that will be a magnetometer at the presidential elections, as well as smaller teams struggle with the latest weapons and guns is not the time for physics, and weapons training for officials.

Asked what he believed was behind the scandal of Colombia, told Kessler: "If your boss, OK, it is said that people in the case without the magnetometer screening will say if they secure a few then why don't I need to take it seriously." This is my personal opinion. »

He believes that the incident represents a breach of security Colombia "very difficult."
"Prostitutes can sing, can access their terrorists agent." you could be resolved later, bugs, plants of the Russian special services abroad.

Tareq and Michaele SALAHI, the State of Obama in the White House in 2009, Kessler, two candidates for aspiring reality TV, crashed the dinner as further evidence of low standards, under the eyes of Sullivan.

Sullivan was forced to apologise after exiting that the Salahis are managed by three-point cross, although the intelligence was not on the guest list. He admitted that in the form of military officials, not the process.

A 'pressure-cooker' atmosphere
The secret service has been determined by misbehavior allegations in the past. Article in u.s. news and World report, June 2002, the view of the Agency painted "laden with alcohol problems of crime, as well as reports of extramarital relations between staff and staff in the White House.

Monitoring units in September, reported in the "advertising", where the loss of hands down works "with greater responsibility fell to the environment. Reported in a uniform and difficult to manage as difficult to manage for a long time with the staff, it causes pressure to hire and train new agents can quickly lead to bad recruited people.

In the past ten years, the Agency has less cocky incidents are connected and the good OLE boy "moved" out of the picture, in the past, get that, according to the New York Times.

So Far.          

Kessler said that the income is always a problem and offers to the current level of more than 5% of the total and more than 12% in the Division.

The Agency did not immediately at the request of the guardian for the current form of the nursing staff, 3200 representatives and worked 1300 persons in military attire. But one ex- agent, who was accountable for recruiting new staff around 2002, said the erosion rate had never been a concern.

The former official Dave Wilkinson, who is running for President George Bush SR., Bill Clinton and George w. Bush, disagreed with Kessler had said that the scandal was a systematic problem of liberal norms in Sullivan.

Wilkinson said: "of course, there is one or two unhappy people is very low. Each agency's budget cuts can offer advice about fraud. But you still have to make sure you have the funds that they need to protect the President.

Wilkinson, withdrew its services in 2005 and is currently the President of the Atlanta Police Foundation, through the ranks with Sullivan and served this Assistant is responsible for the information of the President, said that he felt that the episode of Colombia is a unique case.

He said: "I have never been there in my 22 years of service." It is a culture of tolerance against any personal guilt, NULL, in particular members of the President. Just peer pressure enough on the right side and then close. »

Wilkinson, he said, "is not part of the team at the front, instead of the details of the Presidents of the participating officers.

"On the way to the safety of the President threatened officials and agents, but this does not diminish the harsh, because it opens the door to disrupt security."

He said the "Wheels up" so called clients, followed by visits to badly interpreted and referred to as a whole, thanks to the Ambassador of months of hard work.

He is described as a "shameful violation of SALAHI, but he insisted," Mark Sullivan is one of the most dedicated people I've ever worked with. "Professional, focused on the task of the Agency for the people, you will find here.

The political fight from the Colombia disaster continues in Washington, as the number of investigations has twisted. These include studies of the intelligence services of the professional liability, which directs the work of the Agency and the House National Security Committee, which oversees intelligence service. The General Inspector of the Ministry of national security also reported and special study, which runs in the 10 members in the United States Army, which failed in Colombia, would participate in.

"Agents I know anger".
Jeffrey Robinson, permanent sponsor in the history: life inside the officer on secret service has said that angry with men's officials for the service. But it is also noted that there was a threat to safety, minimal.

Robinson told the guardian: "these guys who were in support. They're not part of the Presidential General staff, PPD (Presidential Guard), none of them have the support only know what you need to know.

"These guys take the risk and all other owners. Yeah, he may have his stolen guns, stolen identity, of course. It has been 11 guys on the mixture of alcohol and testosterone, and they were stupid, as their careers.

"Agents I know anger". This is a great dilemma. You're angry at 11 guys scoring. They are angry, but not in which broke the security of the President and who is to say they had no knowledge of how they are used.

Robinson said, as the worst scandal to hit the Office, as they are just "playing Kessley political."
Why it's a big problem, is a mystery the spirit as the naval station is corp. "they are very proud of what they do, and these 11 guys destroy the image of the intelligence services. You have made the news.

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