You know what? I actually want to expand on this a...for a couple of reasons.
This is going to be a thread.
This is going to be a thread.
First off, I want to draw a distinction between the oaths that we take as government officials or intelligence professionals, and the codes we live by.
Some people are generally familiar with the oaths we take, like the Military Oath of Office.
army.mil/values/officer…
Some people are generally familiar with the oaths we take, like the Military Oath of Office.
army.mil/values/officer…
The oath is the same for intelligence officers and all Federal civil servants. I used the Army link because it was Mike Flynn’s first and most essential Oath. It was the first and most essential oath that he betrayed.
I sympathize with Mike Flynn. I knew him, at varying degrees of proximity, over the course of about 10 years. I briefed him, or heard him brief, dozens of times. I served under his direct command for several years.
He changed - A LOT - over 10 years.
He changed - A LOT - over 10 years.
Too much time deployed. Too many high-optempo assignments. Too much strain.
He was extremely bitter over McChrystal’s firing.
He became more short-tempered. More arrogant.
He was extremely bitter over McChrystal’s firing.
He became more short-tempered. More arrogant.
He started believing in his own capabilities and intellect, in the mythos surrounding himself - despite the fact that he had straight-up stolen credit for many of the best innovations in the SOF/F3EAD targeting cycle.
And THAT, friends, is where and when he started breaking our codes. The oath-breaking came later.
In our business, you don’t steal from your colleagues. You give credit - generously. Most of the time, no one’s name is on the target package, or the analysis, or the product.
In our business, you don’t steal from your colleagues. You give credit - generously. Most of the time, no one’s name is on the target package, or the analysis, or the product.
Because it’s not about us. It’s about what benefit we can get institutionally provide to policy makers.
And no one begrudges for an instant when he left the IC (unceremoniously) and started his a consultancy - not at all. Most of us work years for relatively lousy pay for the work we do. When it plays out that we have to enter the private sector, coworkers are usually happy for us.
But the code is that you still remember our oaths and who we work for in the end.
Getting in bed with Russians in violation of existing sanctions...working to kidnap and render a US national...other business dealings that will inevitably come to light...these broke our codes.
Getting in bed with Russians in violation of existing sanctions...working to kidnap and render a US national...other business dealings that will inevitably come to light...these broke our codes.
You have to maintain a moral center in this business. Mike Flynn seemed to have lost his. And I’m sad. I’m deeply, deeply sad about that.
I’m sad that a man who served so long and did so much good, hard - sometimes dirty and ugly - work on behalf of this country allowed his anger and resentment and greed to get the better of him. It’s a cautionary tale.
That’s it. For whatever it’s worth.
/fin
That’s it. For whatever it’s worth.
/fin
A clarification, since a couple folks have asked: no, I’m no longer in the intelligence business and yes, I’m still involved in national security.
