Taylor; Op Ed: Trump impeachment: Government deep state isn’t what you think, and America really needs it

Attacking deep state is good for Russia
In the longer term, continued efforts to discredit the whistleblower and Intelligence Community will undermine the IC’s ability to retain top-tier talent and attract the next generation of analysts needed to confront complex new challenges. Hollowing out America’s intelligence agencies will leave the United States less capable and competitive on the international stage. This is the goal of America’s adversaries such as Russia, which has increased its efforts to weaken U.S. institutions including through its efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Not only are the administration’s allegations unfounded, but current efforts to discredit the whistleblower and intelligence community are dangerous, they undermine the national security decision-making process and they put America’s democracy at risk. They suggest that the president is not receptive to the information he receives from his intelligence agencies, which his predecessors have used to counter adversaries and identify threats.

Although our intelligence officers will continue doing the hard and quiet work required of them, this administration’s lack of confidence in the Intelligence Community has a chilling effect. When the IC perceives that it does not have a consumer in the White House who values their analysis, it can dampen the innovative and out-of -the -box thinking that is paramount to keeping Americans safe. Consider that one of the key findings of the 9/11 Commission was that analysts failed to envision the type of attack that occurred. It is therefore in the interest of every American that the White House create an environment that sets the intelligence community up for success.

America’s institutions are robust, but the administration’s response to the whistleblower poses significant risks. Americans cannot afford to take the resilience of our national security process or U.S. democracy for granted. And that means we must recognize the professionalism of the whistleblower and others who have come forward and not let the President’s attack distract from the damage being done to our democracy

Navy Vet

Article URL : https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/11/14/trump-impeachment-attack-intelligence-agencies-help-russia-column/4184670002/