Aug 25, 2009

Panetta has tantrum - threatens to quit CIA post

ABC News reports on the screaming match at the White House:

A "profanity-laced screaming match" at the White House involving CIA Director Leon Panetta (pictured), and the expected release of another damning internal investigation, has administration officials worrying about the direction of its newly-appoint intelligence team.

Amid reports that Panetta had threatened to quit just seven months after taking over at the spy agency, other insiders tell ABCNews.com that senior White House staff members are already discussing a possible shake-up of top national security officials.

White House spokesman, Denis McDonough, said reports that Panetta had threatened to quit and that the White House was seeking a replacement were "inaccurate." However, as the ABC News report says:

According to intelligence officials, Panetta erupted in a tirade last month during a meeting with a senior White House staff member.

Panetta was reportedly upset over plans by Attorney General Eric Holder to open a criminal investigation of allegations that CIA officers broke the law in carrying out certain interrogation techniques that President Obama has termed "torture."

The proposed criminal investigation of the CIA is intended to take attention away from the administration’s problems passing ObamaCare.

No wonder CIA director Panetta is steamed!

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