Just one of those mysteries

That certainly sounds like something a former CIA agent turned CIA Director would say upon his departure

Porter Goss said Saturday that his surprise resignation as CIA director is "just one of those mysteries," offering no other explanation for his sudden departure after almost two years on the job.

The custodial staff at CIA HQ probably has more knowledge than do bloggers, but why let that ruin some idle speculation?!

The first off-the-top-of-the-head reason for his departure would seem to be getting out in front of a coming scandal, but somehow that seems too low-level for these guys. Goss and Negroponte go way back, and only their friends know the history of that relationship. Sometimes what seems friendly on the surface is anything but underneath.

So, we have the professional differences scenario. Perhaps Goss was privately fed up, and being late in his government career and generally a no-BS kind of guy, he just punched out. His mysterious parting comment was just fish food.

But surely the internal political back and forth within the agency has to be a more likely explanation, as it seems we're being too easily fed the "personal problem" theory. Anytime people start getting fired from the Federal Government you can count on a dogfight. Just think of Bugs Bunny's old rejoinder, "of course you know, THIS means war." It would seem the McCarthy/Plame affair holds more promise.

Whatever the reason, Both Goss and Negroponte, and possible future Director Michael Hayden, are privy to America's top secrets. They know what's really going on with the War on Terra. They know whether Zarqawi is important. They know Izzat al-Douri's name. They know what's really going on with Saddam, and they know our real strategy regarding the Mullahs. They know whether the Mullahs had any direct involvement with 9/11 and whether they harbored Bin Laden's crew.

They know things we don't even know to ask. And that's some big time pressure right there.

MORE 5/6/06

The New York Daily News is dragging Porter Goss into the Watergate
poker/hooker scandal connected to Duke Cunningham, apparently based on the fact he likes to play cards and enjoys a fine cigar every now and then. Guess the days of the macho spy life are over.

Of course, the Daily News rushed out to get comment from VIPS member Larry Johnson, who hasn't worked in the agency for 15 years, but seems to be asked for comment by MSM outlets everytime a story breaks on the CIA. Surely they know the score.

GENERAL DECISIONS.. 5/7/06

I tend to agree with Pete Hoekstra:

"There is ongoing tensions between this premier civilian intelligence agency and DOD as we speak," Hoekstra said. "And I think putting a general in charge - regardless of how good Mike is - ... is going to send the wrong signal through the agency here in Washington but also to our agents in the field around the world," he told "Fox News Sunday."

A qualified civilian candidate would be preferable. But I think Bush should do it just to tweak the New York Times. They've already sent Hayden to the Senate for confirmation.

MORE 5/7/06

Via Just One Minute, Tom Maguire linked to a question/answer session with the WaPo's secret prison specialist, Dana Priest. His excerpt was about Plamegate, but mine targets what what she said about Porter Goss the day BEFORE he stepped down (her response was to a question about whether our intelligence was suffering from the newly elected left-leaning governments around the world):

Dana Priest: I think they are, but not for the reasons you cite. I don't think CIA director Porter Goss is very good at maintaining and cultivating the so-called "foreign liaison relationship." Longstanding allies now see DNI director Negroponte when they come to Washington and not necessarily Goss. This is, ultimately, not a good thing since the cooperation with other countries is what has led to the capture of so many Al Qaeda figures.