I'm not enough of an organizational theorist to argue the merits of Pat Roberts' intelligence restructuring proposal -- although it's certainly intriguing, and expanding the scope of the debate can't be all bad.
One thing about the proposal really struck me as a good idea though: not only would the CIA cease to exist under the Roberts plan, but its name would likely be eliminated. How frightening is that name, how menacing in the minds of the people of the world! (Remember that bit in Barcelona about the AFL-CIA?) It's kind of the like the FSB, the apparently emasculated but arguably just as nefarious successor agency to the KGB... changing that name can seriously lower your profile and help reduce world suspicion/animosity. The only real question is, can we find a sexy enough acronym to replace it?
I vote for the OMF, the Office of Messin' with Folks. At first blush, it sounds friendly, doesn't it?
But MF does have a different, and not quite so friendly, connotation as well.
Why do you hate America, Haggai?
Because John Kerry told me to, 33 years ago. Yeah, I was -5 years old at the time, but I'm telling you, that was some effective stuff. Like in the original Manchurian Candiate: "John Kerry is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life." If you'll excuse me now, I have to go pass the time by playing a little solitaire.
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