by most Presidents, including Obama on Libya - Congressional oversight of the CIA budget is minimal, its one line item, as stipulated by law - CIA is directly reportable to Potus awks do have an input on Obama, but technically, the final decision on covert policy is decided by President; whether he makes that decision in isolation, or taking into account other political and/or business interests is another point On a lighter note some pure comedy gold from Fisk this morning which has already inspired its own hashtag . I posted a Fisk satire a couple of months back but, by any reckoning, this deeply eccentric article exceeds it. Did he really write this???? It looks official but reads like a p*ss take????There seem to be three theories (1) he has lost it (2) he is having fun at our expense (3) someone is having fun at his expense. I'd like to go for (2), but the Rafael de Nogales angle checks out on google, but that could be Fisk's double bluff..... with some hesitation I still go for (2) but would be interested in the views of others. The answer to the question, in case you are wondering, goes as follows: The Oslo express is racing across the pre-dawn, frozen pine forests of Norway, snow shawling over the corner window of carriage three, wherein sits Detective Inspector Fisk on the last day of "Operation Aleppo""..... And at this point, Inspector Fisk remembered a lecture he attended in Abu Dhabi