Deep Throat Returns: Insider Notes from the Pentagon

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12 January 2003

For over a year now, Secretary of State Colin Powell has been discussed disparagingly by neo-conservative political appointees in the E-ring. "I wish he would quit" is about the nicest thing I've ever heard any of them say.

I was present when a political boss in the Pentagon referred to retired General Tony Zinni, the President's envoy to the Middle East region, as "that traitor."

Some of the political appointees I work with are retired military officers who achieved the grade of O-6 or lower. Now, as part of the Pentagon political establishment, they claim senior flag rank.

What a wondrous thing it is for some of these folks.

Why, just last week, I heard about a great lesson in civilian control of the military delivered to a group of military and civilian action officers by a retired O-6.

I am told that the attendees went around the group reporting status, and within five minutes the presiding boss interjected a story of how he had just won a contest of wills with the deputy commander (not DCINC anymore) of CENTCOM.

Why, that general just didn't seem to understand who's running this show, and who knows more about what is happening in modern warfare around the world.

Then, a bit later, the political brings up the incident again. "It was like he didn't get it. I said to do this.... I don't think they know who takes orders from whom around here!"

And then, like a phoenix rising from the ashes of the political's id, this subject comes up yet again. It was concluded with some sputtering that sounded to my friend like "I'm a four star and the boss!"

Between the second and third version of the DCINC incident, apparently there was another lesson, this time on the mildly unsavory character traits of "Little Tommy Fargo."

About how "when we were in the Navy, we called him Little Tommy Fargo.... I definitely know how to take care of him, I think I'll give him a call."

I didn’t think much of this until later when I found out "Little Tommy" is Admiral Tom Fargo, CINCPAC, er, commander of Pacific Forces since May 2002.

I've spent time here in the past discussing the piss poor planning within Office of the Secretary of Defense, the real but hidden objectives of the war on Iraq, some of the vagaries and readiness issues that go with our global presence and our new wars. I’ve wondered about the U.S. National Security Strategy, perceiving it as truly imperial in terms of both ideas and actions, and I’ve wondered who wrote it.

But one of the underlying issues that people around the world care about is simple honesty, and her younger sister, sincerity. These bitches have been dogging President Bush and Vice President Cheney and Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld all along. Do we mean what we say, and say what we mean?

I have tried to be a little ambiguous about the topics relayed to me about that staff meeting, to protect the innocent.

But I am not vague about the profound contempt for the uniform among some of the civilian appointees doing the dreaming in the Pentagon. I’m not confused about the utter disrespect exhibited by some of our senior civilians for retired four star generals who not only served their country all their adult lives, but provide to this day critically wise counsel to the President's team.

Washington, egged on and henpecked by the chickenhawk cabal you can read about in today’s Post, is making artificial peace in Afghanistan and artificial war in Iraq. Even if these efforts are wrongheaded (and they are), in order to do our jobs many observations should be served up with discretion.

However, the untrusting, contemptuous, jealous and intellectually superior attitude of appointed civilians towards active and retired generals serving our President should not be hidden and protected.

These tasty tidbits should be served as hot appetizers, to be followed by a main course that would leave several vacancies in OSD political circles.