A silo mentality is one where inside of a large organization there are separate departments which not only do not effectively communicate with each other, but which are actively trying to sabotage each other.
The New York Times today has a good article called “Abuse Issue Puts the C.I.A. and Justice Dept. at Odds.”
LINK: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/28/us/politics/28intel.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
The intelligence community in many countries has long operated hidden non-democratic governments within open elected democracies. Over the years some have even suggested that this might be true in America as well.
Here is the way it is supposed to work: The CIA, DIA and the many other open and secret intelligence agencies are supposed to provide accurate INFORMATION to the elected officials in our democracy, so that these politicians can make good decisions and properly protect the country. In general the Intelligence people have not been very successful at their core job of providing good and timely information and forecasts to the politicians.
The CIA is not supposed to be some kind of a KGB style secret police force or a second hidden arm of the country’s military. Yet this is apparently what they have been doing for some time. Cheney and his right wing types encouraged them. Using “private contractors” as hit squads, etc.
It is the Justice Department’s responsibility to make sure that everyone in America is obeying the laws of the land, including these well compensated spooks in the CIA. Everyone would prefer to be God-Like and to not have to obey any rules or laws. No oversight. The CIA is no different than any high school boy in this regard.
It is well beyond time that the Justice Department was able to do its job without interference from the anti-democracy politicians. If the lawyers at the Justice Department just ignored this possible use of torture by our government workers and their major violations of our law, then they are useless. Go get them Eric Holder.
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