Retired admiral who oversaw bin Laden raid to Trump: ‘Revoke my security clearance as well’

[mystery-ak]

Retired admiral who oversaw bin Laden raid to Trump: ‘Revoke my security clearance as well’
by Diana Stancy Correll
 | August 16, 2018 03:33 PM

Retired Adm. William McRaven, who oversaw the Navy SEAL raid that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in 2011, said it would be “an honor” for President Trump to revoke his security clearance as he did for former CIA Director John Brennan on Wednesday.

“Few Americans have done more to protect this country than John,” McRaven wrote in an op-ed published in the Washington Post Thursday. “He is a man of unparalleled integrity, whose honesty and character have never been in question, except by those who don’t know him.

“Therefore, I would consider it an honor if you would revoke my security clearance as well, so I can add my name to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency,” he added.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders announced Wednesday that Trump yanked Brennan’s security clearance and cited Brennan’s “erratic behavior” as a reason to restrict his access to sensitive information. Sanders also said the White House was considering revoking the security clearances of other former top officials such as former FBI Director James Comey and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.

more
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/retired-admiral-who-oversaw-bin-laden-raid-to-trump-revoke-my-security-clearance-as-well

[endicom]

Quoth the McRaven, "Nevermore."

Rapping, rapping at the White House door is his prerogative but revoking clearances is the President's.

[Sanguine]

 

[Right_in_Virginia]

May your wish come true, Admiral.   

[Sanguine]

FWIW:

After three years as chancellor, McRaven to leave UT System, join UT-Austin faculty

Published on April 17, 2018 at 10:45 pm
Last update on April 18, 2018 at 5:03 pm
By Maria Mendez

...

McRaven will continue helping students next spring as a professor at UT — a position that inspired him to take on the job of chancellor.

...

But next spring, McRaven will return as a professor at UT’s LBJ School of Public Affairs to share his national security knowledge.

“I’d like to build a course that’s based on my experiences,” McRaven said. “Looking at how national security theory and practice don’t always work in reality.”

Fenves said McRaven will further strengthen UT’s intelligence program as a professor.

....

http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2018/04/17/after-three-years-as-chancellor-mcraven-to-leave-ut-system-join-ut-austin-faculty

[GtHawk]

Maybe not 100% applicable, but triggered by be careful what you wish for.

! No longer available

[the_doc]

Retired admiral who oversaw bin Laden raid to Trump: ‘Revoke my security clearance as well’
by Diana Stancy Correll
 | August 16, 2018 03:33 PM

Retired Adm. William McRaven, who oversaw the Navy SEAL raid that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in 2011, said it would be “an honor” for President Trump to revoke his security clearance as he did for former CIA Director John Brennan on Wednesday.

“Few Americans have done more to protect this country than John,” McRaven wrote in an op-ed published in the Washington Post Thursday. “He is a man of unparalleled integrity, whose honesty and character have never been in question, except by those who don’t know him.

“Therefore, I would consider it an honor if you would revoke my security clearance as well, so I can add my name to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency,” he added.

If I were Trump, I would do it for him in a New York minute.  I might even tweet "Now you and Bill Kristol have the same security status.  You're more than welcome."

[Fishrrman]

Retired admiral who oversaw bin Laden raid to Trump: ‘Revoke my security clearance as well’

By all means, Mr. Trump, please oblige this officer's request!

[Night Hides Not]

As a former SEAL, he might want to consider the fate of Snuffy the Seal:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_i3PPe3i9Y




For the record, my 8 YO grandson thinks that video clip is hilarious. So do I.

[the_doc]

@Sanguine

McRaven is correct if he regards Trump as a kind of a_hole--because this is what Trump so often projects openly.  But I believe that there are some important, positive things that McRaven almost certainly doesn't know about Trump. 

By way of contrast, I'm virtually certain that McRaven knows only those things about Brennan that Brennan wanted McRaven to know.  McRaven's SEALS worked closely with the CIA, and Brennan probably did come across as a lovely patriot.  Brennan used the SEALS only in ways that SEALS would respect. (To do otherwise would be unthinkable to Brennan.  [No one has ever said that Brennan is completely stupid.])  Oh, but the real Brennan is a different guy.  McRaven hasn't figured that out.  I believe he eventually will, bless his heart.

Hey, in this post, I am trying to be charitable regarding McRaven.  But I think my speculations make sense.   

[Sanguine]

McRaven is correct if he regards Trump as a kind of a_hole--because this is what Trump so often projects openly.  But I believe that there are some important, positive things that McRaven almost certainly doesn't know about Trump. 

By way of contrast, I'm virtually certain that McRaven knows only those things about Brennan that Brennan wanted McRaven to know.  McRaven's SEALS worked closely with the CIA, and Brennan probably did come across as a lovely patriot.  Brennan used the SEALS only in ways that SEALS would respect. (To do otherwise would be unthinkable to Brennan.  [No one has ever said that Brennan is completely stupid.])  Oh, but the real Brennan is a different guy.  McRaven hasn't figured that out.  I believe he eventually will, bless his heart.

Hey, in this post, I am trying to be charitable regarding McRaven.  But I think my speculations make sense.

That is very charitable of you.  McRaven isn't a stupid man, so he had to try to be that ignorant.

[Wingnut]

Old Admirals never die, they just get a little dinghy.

[the_doc]

That is very charitable of you.  McRaven isn't a stupid man, so he had to try to be that ignorant.

I'm a very loving guy--almost all of some of the time, occasionally/eventually. 

[Formerly Once-Ler]

May your wish come true, Admiral.   

As well it should, and any inferior who will not kneel before Zod.

[Emjay]

May your wish come true, Admiral.   

It continues to amaze how many total azzholes are in high places in government and military.

[INVAR]

I gotta nice idea.... How about it becomes policy that EVERYONE WHO IS NOT CURRENTLY EMPLOYED or SERVING AT THE PRESIDENT'S PLEASURE, have their security clearances revoked?

This means retired Admirals, ex-cabinet members, former Administration officials, former presidents and their staffs and any Alphabets who are fired, quit, impeached or retired? 

I think that is a swell idea.

I mean, how many of you still get the keys to the bar, executive board room and have full access to the data files at the company you no longer work for?

[Chosen Daughter]

I gotta nice idea.... How about it becomes policy that EVERYONE WHO IS NOT CURRENTLY EMPLOYED or SERVING AT THE PRESIDENT'S PLEASURE, have their security clearances revoked?

This means retired Admirals, ex-cabinet members, former Administration officials, former presidents and their staffs and any Alphabets who are fired, quit, impeached or retired? 

I think that is a swell idea.

I mean, how many of you still get the keys to the bar, executive board room and have full access to the data files at the company you no longer work for?

Agree, there is no need for them to maintain the security clearance.

[edpc]

Agree, there is no need for them to maintain the security clearance.

There actually is, but the need for it doesn’t arise as often as you’d expect.  For instance, we are currently dealing with Taliban elements in Afghanistan in negotiations.  His experience commanding operators in the region may be useful in knowing the players and their backgrounds.  Having the clearance allows him to be read into whatever current situation arises.  People with the privilege after leaving their positions aren’t just strolling in and out of secure facilities everyday.  There has to be another way to use their experience for consultation, however.

[sneakypete]

Guess who will soon announce he is running for a congressional seat.

[sneakypete]

Not only did Obomber give him his star,but this "SEAL" managed to spend a whole career without ever having heard a shot fired that wasn't on a training range.

PLUS,he was given the boot for not being trustworthy on the only assignment he ever had that MIGHT have resulted in him going into combat. Marcinko gave his ass the boot for having a stick up his ass about wearing red and marching in a straight line. After that he spend his entire career as either a staff officer or a training command officer. He spent his entire military career as a SEAL,and DOES NOT HAVE ONE SINGLE COMBAT AWARD.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._McRaven

 "As a Navy SEAL officer, McRaven was deployed to the Philippines.[10] In 1982, as a junior officer McRaven was assigned to SEAL Team SIX under the command of CDR Richard Marcinko but was pushed out in 1983 due to McRaven's concerns about a culture of recklessness, military discipline, and difficulties in keeping his sailors in line."

[sneakypete]

There actually is, but the need for it doesn’t arise as often as you’d expect.  For instance, we are currently dealing with Taliban elements in Afghanistan in negotiations.  His experience commanding operators in the region may be useful in knowing the players and their backgrounds.  Having the clearance allows him to be read into whatever current situation arises.  People with the privilege after leaving their positions aren’t just strolling in and out of secure facilities everyday.  There has to be another way to use their experience for consultation, however.

@edpc

He never commanded operators. He commanded their bosses from afar. He was a paper pusher staff officer.

[ConstitutionRose]

@edpc

He never commanded operators. He commanded their bosses from afar. He was a paper pusher staff officer.

Well that says it all.  Why the heck is he teaching?

[sneakypete]

It continues to amaze how many total azzholes are in high places in government and military.

@Emjay

It shouldn't. The military is the ultimate bureaucracy. Eisenhower was the top General during WW-2,and the only shots he ever heard fired in his whole life were either on the rifle range,or when he was leading troops to break up the the demonstration in DC of WW-1 troops looking for the bonus pay they had been promised.

Ike fired Patton for protesting the order to back off and let the Soviets take Berlin.

Ike was the Uber Clerk in a system entirely ran and controlled by paper-pushing bureaucrats.

Just like this "Admiral Seal" that spent a  whole career without ever being deployed or hearing a shot fired.

[sneakypete]

I gotta nice idea.... How about it becomes policy that EVERYONE WHO IS NOT CURRENTLY EMPLOYED or SERVING AT THE PRESIDENT'S PLEASURE, have their security clearances revoked?

This means retired Admirals, ex-cabinet members, former Administration officials, former presidents and their staffs and any Alphabets who are fired, quit, impeached or retired? 

I think that is a swell idea.

I mean, how many of you still get the keys to the bar, executive board room and have full access to the data files at the company you no longer work for?

@INVAR

That generally happens with enlisted swine like me,but not with senior officers with Pentagram and Political Connections. I  hesitated to write "AND Political connections" because no officer spends much time at the Pentagram that doesn't have a political rabbi.

I had a Top Secret Crypto clearance while on active duty,but when I went to work with the Special Warfare Center a decade later  had to apply for and get a new clearance to work there. This time a plain Secret clearance. Which was really higher than I needed to do the job I was doing. I think they went with a "Secret" clearance as the base clearance just in case me and others like me were exposed to something above Confidential by accident.

Senior politicians in uniform like him would be exposed to planning because taking advise from others who know what is needed is all they know how to do,so they would need higher than Secret clearances.

[DCPatriot]

I gotta nice idea.... How about it becomes policy that EVERYONE WHO IS NOT CURRENTLY EMPLOYED or SERVING AT THE PRESIDENT'S PLEASURE, have their security clearances revoked?

This means retired Admirals, ex-cabinet members, former Administration officials, former presidents and their staffs and any Alphabets who are fired, quit, impeached or retired? 

I think that is a swell idea.

I mean, how many of you still get the keys to the bar, executive board room and have full access to the data files at the company you no longer work for?

LOL!   Here I am agreeing with you.

One thing...it would force these so-called journalist reporters to find the story instead of getting fed 'scoops'.