Why did Canada spies worry about Trump’s national intelligence candidate?

Hillary Clinton once described it as “Russian origins” – and that was while Tolcy Gabbard was still democratic.

Among all the cabinets of the Cabinet in Donald Trump, none of which were previously reservations from within the Republican Party – and this is in a field that includes the candidate of the Minister of Health who promoted Theories of the Anti -Qazi Conspiracy, The entertainment executive world of wrestling He was nominated as Minister of Education and Minister of Defense though Heavy drinking allegations and aggressive behavior towards women Who said in his autobiography that he left the US military After describing a “extremist”.

The only national security experience is in Gabbard in the National Guard in Hawaii, and it is known for it Poastery with dictators and Embrace conspiracy theoriesAs well as her sincerity to Branch headquarters Hawaii Hair Krishna movement. Former employees have Describe As a regular consumer of the Russian propaganda network RT, and its Russian state channels Publicly rejoice In the nomination of “our friend” Toulsi, as one of the hosts said, to lead the American intelligence community.

“The lack of experience or qualifications for this position is the biggest issue – which may affect the quality of the American intelligence that Canada depends on.

“This is not a particularly complicated person or especially thoughtful,” he said. “Nothing I read about it indicates that it has the background, experience or knowledge to take over the situations that are appointed by the Trump administration.”

American intelligence gatekeeper

Wesley Wark, the security and intelligence historian who served two periods in Canada’s consultations, says the position of director of National Intelligence (DNI) was created in the wake of the September 11 attacks, which revealed that there was no communication between US intelligence agencies. National Security Council.

“It is a very strong role,” Wark said. “There is no equivalent in the Canadian context.”

He said that the situation provides leadership for about 18 agencies and has an impact on the higher appointments.

“The most important thing is,” DNI) is really sitting in the right hand of the president in two ways, “noting the possible Gabbard seat in the National Security Council and supervising the president’s daily summary.

Trump is known for not reading these summaries anyway. But Wark says that Gabbard, if he emphasized, “will have a major impact not only on the collection and analysis of American intelligence, but also on the intelligence that reaches allies like Canada through the five eyes and other participation mechanisms.”

“Lies and Swams”

Some in her party asked not to confirm it. “The National Intelligence Ministry is not a place in favor of Russian, Iranian, Syrian and Chinese sympathy,” said Nikki Haley, who fought against Trump for Republican nomination.

Gabbard tried to anticipate such criticisms in its opening statement to the Senate Committee on Thursday.

“You will hear the lies and floods that challenge my loyalty and love for our country. Being Trump doll, Putin doll, lion doll, teacher doll, Moody doll – do not recognize absurdity as it is a time doll for five different dolls.”

But some members of the Senate found their responses.

“Some of its responses, and the non -developments, have created more confusion than clarity and deep my fears about its rule,” said Republican Senator in Utah John Cortis after a Thursday session.

Praise be to Assad

Foreign Gabbard Etisalat and Travel patterns The US Transport Security Administration (TSA) led to a temporary position on the monitoring list.

I strongly defended Bashar al -Assad’s campaign, which suffers from atrocities in the civil war in Syria, Contradictory The results of the American intelligence that Assad used chemical weapons against its civilian population – as a result With the support of the United Nations.

Within hours of Russia’s extensive invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Gabbard Take to Twitter Blame the West for not recognizing “legitimate security concerns in Russia.”

Russian allegations also published that Ukraine was the development of vital weapons in Cahoots with the US government, and the democratically elected government in Volodymyr Zelenskyy called

A “absolute blow” for the West

“From an examination point of view, in terms of loyalty and reliability, it is not perfectly appropriate in light of the opinions that it expressed,” says Dan Stanton, who was previously working on CSIS and director of the National Security Program at the University of Utawa Professional Development Institute.

“It is extremely important that she has these opinions that are completely inconsistent with the views of the Five Eyes and Nato coalition in relation to Ukraine and Russia,” he told CBC News. “These are views that you expect to see on Twitter, and not someone goes before the Senate Committee to have such a position and such a budget to supervise it. It is really frustrating.”

Stanton added that its previous tangle could leave it open to blackmail by foreign intelligence services.

“It is an absolute blow,” Wark agrees. “It indicates a willingness to listen to the Russian imperial propaganda without any intention to explore the rules of that imperial propaganda.” He says it is worrying that this is a position that the president seems to support him by choosing.

Elkuk says that Gabbard appears to be in fact reflecting widespread opinions in the Trump administration, albeit – so far – at the US Defense and Intelligence Corporation.

Leaves and moles

Even Republican Senators in the Gabbard session seemed to have faced a problem in digesting its support for Edward Snowden, the most sacrifice of American secrets in the modern era.

Snowden has long argued that he was patriotic and not desirable, when he revealed details of illegal secret espionage by US intelligence agencies.

The Canadians who spoke to CBC news say that although Snowden revealed real violations, most of the intelligence he leaked has nothing to do with that. Since 2022, Snowden has been a Russian citizen, and has shown a remarkable frequency in criticizing violations in Russia.

Gabbard refused to answer on several occasions whether Snowden is considered a “traitor”, but she said that he broke the law.

“The internal threat, the leakage, the moles, was increasing,” said Stanton. “This leakage issue does not disappear and is very harmful regardless of your political views.

“You need to protect it. If the actual director of the intelligence community has a sympathetic vision with people like Snowden, this is completely inconsistent with national security practices.”

From Russia, Snowden Express support For Gabbard on the social media platform of Elon Musk, and encouraged her to throw it under the bus if that helps her to filter her.

Five eyes are not yet dead

The Canadian experts, all CBC News consulted, said that they expect intelligence participation to continue at the tactical level, and the United States will remain in its position as the largest intelligence mosque.

Wark says that Canada traditionally relied on US intelligence agencies to “be the eyes and ears of Canada when it comes to global security threats.”

“I think that for Canada, one of the great concerns about Gabbard is to be seen as an unreliable partner, and that its rulings cannot be trusted … a large wall of doubts between Canada and the United States will participate,” he said. .

But Stanton said that whether the United States can be intelligently trusted of its allies could be a greater concern.

“The partners of five eyes, especially the British, may be hesitant to participate with the Americans,” he said.

“Canada collects very useful intelligence,” said Stanton. “Why do we share it with American agencies if there is a danger that will be used for political purposes by the White House?”

I am looking for new partners

Alcock says that although Canada is a clear beneficiary of its intelligence relationship with the United States, this country finds what Canada provides useful.

“It is possible that (the appointed from Trump) will cause tremendous damage and that as a result, participation with Americans will become more difficult and less acceptable in doing business,” said Elcock.

Canada will find itself in the position of having to diversify foreign intelligence sources by searching for new partners, says Wark, as much as she had to do in trade.

“Nordics candidates, all of whom have good intelligence services and greater participation in intelligence information with Germany and France. We will have to rely more on the intelligence partnership partnership for a long time with the United Kingdom in the Indian Pacific Ocean, I think we will need to reach our ongoing partnership with Australia And communicate with countries like Japan and South Korea to see them in the security threats in the region.

“We are used to this unique type of alliance between the five eyes that we have never felt that it is really necessary to expand this relationship or rely on anyone else. But the times are changing.”