Is Libya Mess the Work of NSC Chief Tom Donilon?
A 2006 federal investigation caught Donilon as part of a group of Fannie Mae executives who exchanged “scripts” in advance of meetings of the agency’s independent compensation committee. When Fannie Mae’s independent regulator — the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight — sought to investigate Fannie Mae, Donilon aggressively attacked it. David Frum wrote: “Donilon is the ultimate Democratic Party politico.”
The well-connected Donilon initially served as Obama’s transition chief at the State Department, and hoped to land a top job there. His controversial role at Fannie Mae convinced Obama that Donilon would never receive Senate confirmation, so he landed at the NSC.
A number of State Department officials have told PJM that when they see what looks like seat-of-the pants management, it looks like Donilon’s work: “This is pure Tom Donilon,” a USAID official told told PJM. “He makes it up as he goes along.” The official spoke to PJM on the condition of anonymity.
On the conservative side of the fence, the analysis about Donilon isn’t much better. Andy McCarthy of the National Review Institute told PJM the administration’s Libyan operation “looks like what you would expect it would look like if they didn’t have a plan going in and they didn’t have an objective.”
As the Libya adventure goes south, Washington seems to be entering the fingerpointing stage. Even now, so early in the deployment, many issues seem to point to strategic military and diplomatic blunders, and much of them fall onto Tom Donilon’s desk.
For example, few are clear even now whether the U.S. military mission is to protect Libyan civilians or to topple the regime of Col. Muammar Gaddafi. The NATO alliance itself appears to be fracturing. From the NATO command in Brussels there is reported criticism of the “hastily improvised nature of the military coalition.” The German military now has entirely pulled out its military forces from the Libyan coalition. The Brits and Americans are in a public brawl as to whether or not Gaddafi should be assassinated. Turkey has tried to exercise a veto about NATO leadership.
And there is near universal uncertainty about whether the continuing military action will be directed by the U.S., NATO, or a new unspecified international coalition. ”The NSC is kind of the hub that’s the intersection between intelligence, national security and the military,” McCarthy says. “It seems to be a failing of arriving at a coherent strategy from all those different components of government.” This is all Donilon’s portfolio.
And how could Donilon permit President Obama to take a whirlwind tour of Latin America as a major wartime mission was getting underway? The State Department source called it “purely astonishing.”
There also is the rupture with Congress and liberal Democrats. Donilon, a consummate political operative, should have foreseen the need to formally notify Congress under the War Powers Act, which requires formal notification of Congress when military hostilities begin. And the White House did not reach out with kid gloves to the party’s left wing, who are enraged by the use of military force in a third Muslim country.
Certainly there is enough blame to go around, from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Secretary Gates and President Obama. But the nexus of the entire operation is Thomas Donilon, and fingers seem to be pointing at him as the possible fall guy.
In addition to President Obama, Donlion enjoys the confidence of Vice President Joe Biden: Donilon served as a close confidant to Biden in the late 80s. When Biden was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Donilon was a key player in the destruction of Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork. He was also part of a close-knit group of advisors behind Biden’s presidential bid in 2007. Brother Mike Donilon currently serves as counselor to the vice president, and wife Cathy Russell is Jill Biden’s chief of staff. Few were willing to talk publicly about Donilon. Typical was this statement from a former political colleague:
Everybody I know who knows Tom Donilon wouldn’t say that he his unqualified — even if they believe he is. This is mostly due to the fact they are all former campaign colleagues, or they want to curry favor with him.
“This is fine mess you have gotten us into, Obie!”
The great I AM, Commander-in-Chief of the planet, turner of the tides, cooler of climates, humble Nobel Peace Prize winner, and lover of Urdu poetry,golf, soft ice cream, arugula and beer parties. cannot escape taking the credit no matter how many fall guys he tries push under the bus.
A totally unjustified military action, ill-conceived, undefined in purpose, doomed from the outset to end in chaos and compound troubles in the Islamic world while he flies off to have a little R&R, honor-guard salutes, and state dinners in Rio.
Maybe a few will come out and say that Tom Donilon is unqualified but most of the world will agree that his boss has certainly demonstrated that he is.
This is what happens when a gaggle of inexperienced incompetents who have never earned a living in the private sector take the reins of government. We’ve suffered a two-year nightmare that just gets worse with every month.
No frapping way Jose.
This entire Libyan mess, all of it is Barrack Hussein Obama’s bugger.
It is an unbelievable, embarrassing lack of experience and leadership fiasco on full length, real time display for all of the world to see.
For starters, as a direct result of Obama’s political save-face eruption there is a 100% guarantee that American lives – way, way too many of them are going to be lost AND more than a small chance that the whole thing could explode into a major world conflict: even all out war.
We will not be sacrificing some poor slob to protect Obama’s incompetence this time!
Donilon may not be the only incompetent former Fannie Mae executive putting the U.S. in harms way. Jamie (“build a wall”) Gorelick who was an executive at Fannie Mae while they were caught cooking the books is on Obama’s short list for Director of the FBI. Gorelick’s incompetence helped bring down the Twin Towers and Fannie Mae. Why not give her the job of overseeing the Nation’s domestic safety.
We now know what “Hope and Change” means — namely, affirmative action and incompetence
Or perhaps to be more complete, when all appointments are based on either affirmative action, political loyalty or ideological adherance, you’ve got very lttle chance that the appropriate skills and competencies will ever come into play. Look at the entire slate from the Keystone Kabinet to every department head. What a pathetic joke.
I am sure Donilon is every bit of the doofus you describe but Hillary sure was pushing this along with Rice and Power. No question that Obama holds final responsibility.
I don’t think you can look just at Libya. When it comes to the President, I am always concerned with what the other hand is doing. His words never match up to his actions. From the beginning, I have said he is evil or incompetent. Though I recognize plenty of incompetency in his administration, their long term intent and goals are EVIL and against the principles of our nation and it’s founding.
Less government, more individual freedom, drill now, mine now, strong defense and PRAYER.
“There is the near universal confusion about what the American military’s mission in Libya is. Who is calling the shots on deploying military assets? What is the end game?”
It would be kind of nice to know the answers to these questions BEFORE we start shooting cruise missiles at people. Oh, and by the way, who is going to pay for all of this? I thought we were broke and could barely afford the TWO WARS we are already fighting? And still we have not heard anything directly from Obama on this to the American public. Talk about amature hour at the White House.
“Everybody I know who knows Tom Donilon wouldn’t say that he his unqualified — even if they believe he is. This is mostly due to the fact they are all former campaign colleagues, or they want to curry favor with him.”
Or, considering his track record, because either he knows where their skeletons are buried, or just have an aversion to broken kneecaps.
The presence of a hack like Donilon at NSC goes a long way to explaining thing like Panetta being director of the CIA, and now Jaime (“There Is No Wall”) Gorelick being put up for Director of the FBI.
Clearly, The One values personal loyalty (to Him) and fealty to His worldview and agenda over competence. To say nothing of loyalty to the United States, which He openly admits is an “outdated concept”. (In His mind, anyway.)
Funny thing. Nixon had the same “management style”. It didn’t work out too well for him, and my guess is it’s also why the Obama administration is increasingly coming to resemble a cross between Haight Street in ’68 and an insane asylum.
With the inmates in charge, that is.
clear ether
eon
Survival of the incompetent, never hire anyone smarter than yourself. O ring, you’ve done a good job.
EXACTLY! After 28 years in university administration I (and others) have seen it over and over again. Hiring or promoting the incompetent is assurance that management always looks more efficient. Then when it becomes too ugly, managers move on and leave the created mess behind for someone else.
Donilon is just symptomatic of an individual who always votes, present. Such an individual never needs to seek advice from others, and so he has no way of telling who will give him good advice and who will not. OTJT does not seem to be working for him either.
IT’S HUSSEIN’S FAULT. The Economy is Obama’s Fault. The Foreclosure Crises, the Bankruptcy Crises, the Unemployment Crises, the Record number of Americans on FOOD STAMPS, is Little BARRY’S fault.
The buck stops with this Marxist/Muslim MFer.
And don’t EVER forget it.
“Is Libya Mess the Work of NSC Chief Tom Donilon?”
Is the hiring of Tom Donilon the work of Mr. Barack Hussein Obama?
Is the hiring of “NASAs primary mission is making Muslims proud of their contribution to science” the work of Barack Hussein Obama?
Is the hiring of Samantha Powers the Work of Mr. Barack Hussein Obama?
Is the lifetime appointment of the greasy La Raza Racist Sotomayer the work of Mr. Barack Hussein Obama?
Is the hiring of self-avowed communist Van Jones the work of Mr. Barack Hussein Obama?
Is the hiring of Valerie Jarrett, political hack, the work of Mr. Barack Hussein Obama?
Is the hiring of “Our nation’s gravest threat is posed by white militias” and illegal alien apologist Janet Napolitano the work of Mr. Barack Hussein Obama?
It goes on and on. Every diversion of blame away from professional jackass and charlatan Barack Hussein Obama serves him on some level. He’s the epicenter of this tsunami of incompetence, this meltdown of civility, this earthquake of cultural destruction emanating from his administration.
Like I said, hire the dopes so you can throw them under the bus when the time comes. That way the top dog never has to take any blame while the media continue to fawn over his brilliance.
you’d think his activity with Fanny Mae would earn him free room and board at a prison near you.
last I heard fraud is a criminal activity.
Last I heard, corruption and fraud go hand in hand as the modus operandi of the Democrat party. It has led to their complete dominance by Marxists and Muslims.
It’s terrifying and insane that this jerk, and really, the entire BO administration are in charge of our national security. None of them are anything but political hacks with no idea at all of how to govern or administer ANYTHING.
Ultimately, the Libya fiasco is President Barack Hussein Obama’s fault; no leadership remains as the mission statement is nonexistent. Obama is coming apart as the seams.
Let’s hope he end up resigning over this!
As a supplement to Richard’s piece or as additional reading I offer this lambasting by Charles K.:
http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/obama-293574-arab-league.html
When a doofus appoints a doofus as a principal advisor, the appointed doofus thinks, acts and advises like a doofus, and the Doofus-in-Chief lacks the knowledge, insight and interest to fire or at least to override him, the fault lies with both. Faulting the appointed doofus in no way diminishes the blame of the other one; it makes it even more obvious.
War is just that………..War. It is not kinetic, pathetic or magnetic. When a bullet is fired onto a nation from another nation……that is war. Very simple to understand! Obama is a Bait & Switch master! It actually seems that Obama’s policy on this Libyan war is at the least…incoherent and a complete joke! This is what we get with a person who voted 80% of the time………..”present” and didn’t never take a stand. Sad and sad for the American people and for the free world. Please Lord, give us strength to survive this President and his assault upon our Constitution.
Eventually everyone will figure out there were only a handful of people–strategically placed–who brought the whole stinking country down. Gorelick, Todd, Frank, this frikkin’ guy, Obama and a few others. What we need to figure out is if it was by stupidity or design and if by design, whose?
I’m going for design because the entire MSM appears bought off:
http://tinyurl.com/6eqnwe9
Once “HE” has ruined our country for both
the liberals and the conservatives you have
to remember that he and his family have many
countries to hide in. He will live in luxury
while he watches those that worked for him
and lied for him to stay in office = get
blamed for everything!You really don’t
think that he will worry about what happens
to them do you?
Donilon sounds like the typical jerk who steps on and avenges everyone on his ‘climb to the top’, because it’s the end game not because he is qualified.
‘Seat of the Pants Management’? Sounds too familiar and foolish, very foolish. Obama Care was seat of the pants legislation (management) and with few, very few exceptions, it’s a piece of crap legislation that will wind up costing trillions more then it’s original intended cost.
Obama does not lead. He delegates without question. Obama winds up looking like an idiot because he has surrounded himself with people who have their ‘own’ agenda, not an agenda for leading a Nation. Then when something goes wrong, Obama plays the blame game and throws someone under the bus. Well, sounds like in this case Donilon deserves the bus.
“Seat of the pants management”? The famous Pelosi line on Obama Care ‘we have to pass it before we can find out what is in it’. Does this sound like a well thought out plan or “Seat of the Pants management”? Then the Biden line whispered in Obama’s ear (loud enough to be picked up by the mike) ‘this is a big f-ing deal’? Someone’s ‘agenda’ is finally realized?
Has anyone really looked at Obama’s base, I mean really looked? If you haven’t, there is another article here called ‘The crazy never stops…’ This is Obama’s ‘base’ among others. This is who Pelosi, Biden, Reid and the ilk were talking and snickering about when they implied many times the ‘people’ are stupid/ignorant/don’t understand/etc.. etc… and the sad part is they were right. These are ‘Obama’s idiots’ who voted him in, and now we ARE ALL stuck with Obama and a tanked Nation thanks to his far left utopia ‘base’… THERE IS NO UTOPIA! STOP LOOKING FOR IT!
I hope incompetent, inexperienced Obama, his incompetent/far left seat of the pants managers/advisors are a wake up call to Americans. Americans really need to ask themselves a hard honest question – how much better off are you today then 2 or even 4 years ago. Ask the unemployed and the drop off list of unemployed, the business owners who had to go out of business, those who lost their homes, savings and who are still struggling…
Of course to Scum like Donilon, he would say it was all ‘worth it’…
Are they missing Bush yet? Oh, by the way Hillary hasn’t added to her resume for president. Who’s on first?
I don’t doubt the truth of what’s reported here but I do question the motives of the “Washington insiders…privately pointing a finger at him.” I think this selective leak is designed to set him up for a trip under the bus to protect Barry as well as to paraphrase Pat J Buchanan the “three sisters” Hillary Clinton, Susan Rice and Samantha Power who brow-beated him into action.
Sounds like a Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush repeat. Over the years, I’ve read the same accusations but with Reagan and Bush filling in the “name” instead of Obama being the target.
Both Reagan and Bush could also have been impeached.
In fact, for President Reagan several incidents could have led to an impeachment.
The only difference is that this time its conservatives shouting the same accuastions instead of liberals.
oh how convenient. The word is out that there is a fall guy. Poor little Barry was too busy with has brackets and Carnivale and some staff dork has dipped his wick in some horse’s patooty.
yeh, that’s the ticket. It’s a staff guy that caused it the mess.
Having served in the Secretary of State’s office Clinton years and witnessing Donilon’s actions first hand, I had a proverbial cow when I learned that he was being appointed NSC adviser. This could be the worst appointment of Obama’s administration thus far, and that is saying something. It is unbelievable. The political hack is totally unqualified for this extremely important position. What irony as well. Donilon’s actions on behalf of Fannie Mae helped to undermine the economic security of this country. Great job, Mr. President. Great job.
Our present (double-meaning intended) President could learn something from Harry Truman (also a Democrat).
Truman said, on leaving office, (referring to to famous sign on his desk): “The President, whoever he is, has to decide. He can’t pass the buck to anybody. No one else can do the deciding for him. That’s his job.”
Good God! The more that comes out about this incompetent regime, the worse it gets. The head incompetent hires more incompetents and we continue to spiral downward. Can we impeach the lot of them yet?
I am afraid that the Libyan adventure sets up a similar action against Israel when there is another well deserved attack on the savages in Gaza.
The Socialist faction of the Vandals may get really upset, but they will never step away from their program … Controllers over Chaos by whatever name, we must purge the system of these diseases. Obama is merely one of the symptoms.
“The Best and the Brightest” Chicago version.
Who still thinks Obama is on our side?