Spy Games Inc.

24 October 2002

The New York Times reports today (number 1 hit on the Early Bird) that Secretary Rumsfeld has stood up a small team to datamine the array of information on Iraq and the Middle East provided to his staff by professional intelligence producers.

This is old news; the article points out that this team stood right after 9-11-01.

Pentagon supporters of this fantastic intelligence innovation say, "Mr. Rumsfeld, Mr. Wolfowitz, and Mr. Feith are consciously challenging 'cherished beliefs and assumptions' they believe prevent intelligence analysts from focusing on certain information."

You bet your life they are.

Here's how it works.

Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and Feith (RW&F) already know that Saddam must be replaced in Baghdad by a U.S. proxy to create real security for other regional allies (Israel mainly, then U.S. presence in Turkey, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait as afterthoughts). RW&F also know that Iraq must stay a unified country, or else Iran isn't balanced properly. A U.S. proxy OPEC member (or breaking OPEC entirely) isn't a bad idea either.

RW&F also know other things.

Israel under Likud leadership is all good, never behaves indecently, and is a perpetually noble victim. RW&F know when Mr. Sharon visits with more requests for military and economic aid, in the double digit billions in part to support all those new settlements in the West Bank, it is a good thing. RW&F know that information contradicting this should not be provided, because it is hopelessly irrelevant. Same goes for anything calling into question Israel's need for as many as 200 nuclear weapons.

RW&F also know that this whole project won't be that hard. With an unlimited military budget, unlimited largess and generosity of the American people, and the patriotism of their sons and daughters, the next ten years will be easy and cheap for RW&F. And RW&F know that above all, they know best what is good for America.

RW&F also know that in the next administration, many fascinating and enriching consultantcies will be available for the recycled business-minded neocons. Huge opportunities will exist as the next administration tries to clean up the horrendous mess of aid and footprints and new/old allies to discipline and reward, not to mention continued job growth foreseen on the homeland defense and global terror front.

I hope I have been helpful to the intelligence community. Throw out the assumptions you are using, and challenge yourself with these new beliefs and assumptions. Oh, and thank you for your interest in national security!