Two ATF Senior Officials Get Demoted For Doing Their Job

The Washington Post

Two senior officials at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who opposed many questionable management and spending decisions by the agency's former director are being moved to lower-ranking positions effective Thursday, officials said.

Deputy Director Edgar A. Domenech, who also served as acting director last year, is being moved out of ATF headquarters to lead the agency's Washington field office. The assistant director for field operations, Michael Bouchard, will become an assistant to Michael J. Sullivan, a U.S. attorney who is temporarily running ATF.

The transfers are widely seen within ATF as demotions. They come seven months after the sudden departure of Carl J. Truscott, the former director, who clashed with Domenech and other senior executives over spending and management practices.

An inspector general's report issued after his departure showed that Truscott -- who previously served as head of President Bush's security detail at the Secret Service -- engaged in a wide-ranging pattern of questionable expenditures on a new ATF headquarters, personal security and other items. The report also said that he violated ethics rules by forcing employees to help his nephew prepare a high school video project.

Domenech took over for Truscott after he resigned and reversed a decision to include a costly engraved quotation from Bush's speech to Congress after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks at the new headquarters entrance.

    Typical Bush administration policy. It is surprising that anything can get done in Washington under this administration since anyone who does their job right gets demoted or fired.

 

Technorati tags: ATF, Senior Officials

 

Al-Jazeera Ask It's Readers " Will The U.S. Attack Iran?"

     From even the United States did this question get some answers!

       Below are some of the comments/answers

    Al-Jazeera

Will the US attack Iran? Are you in Iran or the US and, if so, what do you think?

Added: Sunday, 11 February 2007, 07:55 AM

I am proud to be an American, as all people are proud of their country. But my government is totally out of control. It's not even an elected dictatorship. Our votes don't count. Some voting districts have one voting machine for over 3,000 people. Some folks stand in line for up to 8 hours. Electronic voting machines were manipulated. Our government lies to us. Most Americans are not truly aware of what goes on in the world because the news that comes in here is so filtered. Bush is absolutely planning on attacking Iran. That's what the troop build up is really about. We bombed Somalia but there was little mention about it on the news here. We're in trouble.

treehugger, Washington State, USA

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Added: Saturday, 10 February 2007, 11:49 AM

Until all UN states are nuclear-free, the UN doesn't have the right to demand other countries quit their nuclear programs. No country in possession of a nuclear arsenal should speak out against other potentially nuclear nations, whether they aim for nuclear weapons or peaceful technology. And given this point, I still haven't seen any conclusive proof from Iran's accuser that it seeks nuclear weapons. Then again, until Israel dismantles its arsenal, Iran is entitled to defend itself.

Andreq, Cluj Napoca, Romania

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  Added: Sunday, 11 February 2007, 07:50 AM

The US will attack Iran's nuclear development sites if Iran doesn't cease uranium enrichment and stop the provocations. It's no more complicated than that. The ultimate answer to the question lies entirely with Iranian leadership. Some point to the new weapons Iran has ostensibly test-fired this past week as a deterrent for the US, but the weapons are only new to Iran, and it's a major mistake to think they will provide insulation from the ultimate result, which is that Iran will not be permitted the capability of creating or deploying nukes under any circumstances. Iran stands virtually alone in the world, even (or should I say particularly) in the Middle East, thinking otherwise. Seattle-WA/US.

Steeley, Seattle, USA

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Added: Saturday, 10 February 2007, 01:50 AM

To Andreq, Shafiq, no2wo: India and Pakistan have nuclear arsenals and in the same area and no one made fuss about them. This is because they never threaten other countries. On the other hand, Iran under Ahmadinejad and North Korea has threatened to destroy other countries. They keep having one military maneuvere after the other. These and other irresponsible actions lead the world to believe they will use their nuclear arsenal once it is in hand. It is responsible to keep their hands away from any WMD.

mishmish, , Egypt

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Added: Saturday, 10 February 2007, 01:04 AM

I am convinced that the US or its 'allies' in the Middle East,namely Israel,will make surgical strikes on Iran. They will not attempt to destroy the whole country as they did with Iraq but will content themselves with destroying the atomic research facilities, airbases and other military installations thus leaving Iran unprotected. This sudden transformation will, they hope, bring about demands for swift and far-reaching change in the political structure in Iran. Their intelligemce services will provide Bush et al with the 'evidence' that Iran is planning a global war whereas we all know that only America is allowed to unleash a holocaust. Before the Iranians become too belligerent they should study aerial photographs of Germany after May 1945. They,the Germans,paid a terrible price for their 'liberation' then, just as the poor Iraqis have. I foresee chaos and destruction for Iran.

captain, Edgware middx, United Kingdom

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Added: Saturday, 10 February 2007, 11:49 AM

I share the sentiments expressed by Koorosh, London and would add that even if Iran yearns for nuclear capabilities, it should be understandable as Iran is surrounded by countries with nuclear weapons, namely India, Pakistan, Russia and Israel. Iran has never invaded any country or involved in any wars except in self-defence but is sandwiched between two countries under hostile occupation by USA and in the throes of civil wars that would inevitably spill onto its territories. Nuclear weapons may be over the top but it sure needs a strong deterrent.

shaikanwar, Norfolk, United Kingdom

 

Technorati tags: Al-Jazeera, U.S., Attack, Iran