Behind the Removal of Porter Goss

I truly did not know about this Board or if I did, I've forgotten. According to Truthout today, they were instrumental in the removal of Porter Goss. Of course that led me to wondering who "they" were.

They've been around since 1956, were dismantled by Jimmy Carter, and brought back by Ronald Reagan. The Foreign Intelligence Operations Board has changed in size since then and in the use made of it.

I tend to see things simply; sometimes I'm sure too simply. Worried American is much more the digger and analyst. However, does it bother anyone except me that a group of ex-military and CEO's, unelected by us, wields so much power behind the scenes?

The doings of the CIA are way over my head and usually give me a headache. So far as I'm concerned, they're usually lying about something. I don't know if the removal of Goss is a good thing - sounds as if his replacement will be worse.

Now we seem to have a sex scandal right in the middle of it all. I've been trying to keep up but I'm not doing terribly well. The whole mess just sickens me when I think about it too hard.

My gut feeling is that for years people behind the scene have been pulling the strings. I've always said I read too much Taylor Caldwell when I was young. Maybe I'm not as far off base as I thought.

Anybody out there have some wisdom to contribute?

Update:

That link to info about the Board won't take you to the exact page but it does have a table of contents. Strange doings.

Here's another truthout link from late 2005. I'm going to check a couple of others to see if I can find something comprehensive.

And here's a link to a blog called The Washington Note which discusses the individual members - not all that favorably.

Enough for now. Most of you probably know much more.

Ann