Senior American intelligence agencies are deliberately skewing reports to make them line up with the Obama administration’s political spin, a blockbuster report charged Wednesday.
In what is being called a “revolt,” the intelligence gatherers working out of the U.S. military’s Central Command have formally complained that their bosses closer to the White House are inappropriately altering reports to fit the White House narrative, according to The Daily Beast.
More than 50 intelligence analysts have complained that their assessments on the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and the Nusra Front in Syria were changed to make the militant group appear weaker than the analysts believe they really are.
“The cancer was within the senior level of the intelligence command,” one defense official said.
The Daily Beast reported:
Two senior analysts at CENTCOM signed a written complaint sent to the Defense Department inspector general in July alleging that the reports, some of which were briefed to President Obama, portrayed the terror groups as weaker than the analysts believe they are. The reports were changed by CENTCOM higher-ups to adhere to the administration’s public line that the U.S. is winning the battle against ISIS and al Nusra, al Qaeda’s branch in Syria, the analysts claim.
That complaint was supported by 50 other analysts, some of whom have complained about politicizing of intelligence reports for months. That’s according to 11 individuals who are knowledgeable about the details of the report and who spoke to The Daily Beast on condition of anonymity.
The Middle East is currently experiencing the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II, with hundreds of thousands of Syrians fleeing their country to escape the violence and mayhem brought on by ISIS — the result of a destabilized region brought on when President Obama pulled all U.S. troops out of Iraq and dismissed ISIS as a “junior varsity” squad.
And Obama’s top people within the intelligence and defense community are allegedly cooking the books by downplaying the strength of the terrorist groups in question to cover the president’s backside.
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The initial complaint was made by a civilian employee of the Defense Intelligence Agency, according to the New York Times, with Fox News confirming that the Defense Department’s inspector general was investigating the charge.
According to one complainant, a “Stalinist” work environment existed for analysts, Fox News reported:
According to the report, some analysts allege that reports deemed overly negative in their assessment of the Syria campaign were either blocked from reaching policymakers or sent back down the chain of command. Others claim that key elements of intelligence reports were removed, fundamentally altering their conclusions. Another claim is that senior leaders at CENTCOM created a work environment where giving a candid opinion on the progress of the anti-ISIS campaign was discouraged, with one analyst describing the tenor as “Stalinist.”
The reaction on social media suggests that the report “is a big deal,” as Jonah Goldberg put it. But others are confident that Obama’s media allies will continue to cover for him.
Here’s a sampling of responses from Twitter:
Whoa. This is a big deal.
Exclusive: 50 Spies Say ISIS Intelligence Was Cooked – The Daily Beast – http://t.co/kdejukmNpa
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) September 10, 2015
This ISIS story could be one of the most damning pieces on the entire Obama administration. http://t.co/jIlibMZzsv pic.twitter.com/xPLwbvk7J9
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) September 10, 2015
This ISIS intelligence story may be the Big One.
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) September 10, 2015
@JonahNRO doesn’t matter. Nobody cares what this guy does. It’s depressing.
— Hoosier Roguery (@hoosierchicago) September 10, 2015
@JonahNRO Its not like a republican administration did it. Total non-event. Complete overshadowed by NFL opening weekend.
— Peter Healy (@PeterRHealy) September 10, 2015
@JonahNRO Whoa this is scary! Has Obama administration been lying and making stuff up about EVERYTHING! Obama is the JV of the world!
— GingerMarple (@GingerMarple) September 10, 2015
@JonahNRO I’m sure Failure Theater McConnell and Crybaby Boehner will be calling for hearings first thing tomorrow morning. #yeahno
— Ran Dather (@WhatMediaBias) September 10, 2015
@JonahNRO We always say that, but this Bizarro World. Nothing will happen.
— Donna Levy (@donnal0910) September 10, 2015
@jpodhoretz You think the next chunk of evidence of Obama admin corruption will be the big one, but MSM will cover for him.
— Robert G Silverman (@RobertGSilvermn) September 10, 2015
@jpodhoretz no chance. Too much invested in him. Someone will fall on a sword.
— Charles Bellows (@CTBellows) September 10, 2015
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The longest-tenured writer at BizPac Review, Tom grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills.
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