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Schadow
Vice Admiral
Joined: 30 Sep 2004
Posts: 936
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
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 Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 4:30 pm Post subject: The anatomy of a conspiracy |
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Sometime after April, 2006, an employee of one of our intelligence agencies divulged a portion of a classified National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) to the New York Times and the Washington Post, thereby committing a crime. This employee gave the NIE report to the papers "on condition of anonymity because the report is classified", thereby confessing to the crime.
The two papers simultaneously published the informant's classified material on Sunday, Sept. 24, and in so doing, committed another crime. Miraculously, Senators Edward Kennedy and Harry Reid and Representatives Rahm Emanuel and Jane Harman, had prepared statements ready for delivery the same day.
The very next day, Monday, Sept. 25, Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) had arranged for a meeting room in the Capitol; alerted the media (particularly television) and any stray Democrats who might want to sit in and nod on cue; flown in a covey of retired disgruntled general officers; and proceded to hold a Rumsfeld Bash.
Of course, I suppose it's possible for Democrats to work so swiftly and independently to pull off such a spectacle, but the odds are vanishingly small. Does this smell of conspiracy with a whiff of criminal conduct? Nah, they wouldn't do that. No "culture of corruption" there.
The totality of the NIE in question apparently does not give such a disparaging view of Rumsfeld or the conduct of the war in general but we can't see it because it's - classified. 
Schadow
P.S. I'm gonna send this as a Letter to the Editor to our local paper which is a repeater station for thr AP. Any odds on whether they'll print it?
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Capt, 8th U.S. Army, Korea '53 - '54 |
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shawa
CNO
Joined: 03 Sep 2004
Posts: 2004
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| Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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Former Spook Blog
I read this last night and wished that Bush could declassify the NIE to give balance to the public. But figured he can't do that.
Now we hear the President IS going to release it.
Dubya is FURIOUS! GOOD FOR HIM!
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“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” (Thomas Paine, 1776) |
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Schadow
Vice Admiral
Joined: 30 Sep 2004
Posts: 936
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
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| Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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| shawa wrote: | | Dubya is FURIOUS! GOOD FOR HIM! |
Dittos on that. 
Guess I'll have to delete my final paragraph before I send it to the Huntsville Times.
Schadow
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Capt, 8th U.S. Army, Korea '53 - '54 |
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shawa
CNO
Joined: 03 Sep 2004
Posts: 2004
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| Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 5:35 pm Post subject: |
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Here it is:
http://www.nysun.com/article/40396
| Quote: | WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush on Tuesday said it is naive and a mistake to think that the war with Iraq has worsened terrorism, disputing a national intelligence assessment by his own administration. He said he was declassifying part of the report.
"Some people have guessed what's in the report and concluded that going into Iraq was a mistake. I strongly disagree," Mr. Bush said.
He asserted that portions of the classified report that had been leaked were done so for political purposes, referring to the Nov. 7 midterm elections.
Mr. Bush announced that he was ordering parts of the report declassified during a White House news conference with President Karzai.
Portions of the document that have been leaked suggest that the threat of terrorism has grown worse since the Sept. 11 terror attacks and the war in Afghanistan, due in part to the war in Iraq.
Democrats have used the report to bolster their criticism of Mr. Bush's Iraq policy. The administration has claimed only part of the report was leaked and does not tell the full story.
Both the chairman and the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee have urged the White House to release the material.
Using a portion of the report to attack his Iraq policy and suggest it has fanned more terrorism is "naive," Mr. Bush said.
"I think it's a mistake for people to believe that going on the offense against people that want to do harm to the American people makes us less safe," he said.
Mr. Bush said he had directed National Intelligence Director John Negroponte to declassify those parts of the report that don't compromise national security. The National Intelligence Estimate was written in April.
"You read it for yourself. Stop all this speculation," Mr. Bush said.
He complained that "somebody leaked classified information for political purposes,"Mr. Bush said, criticizing both the news media and people in government who talked to them about classified material. |
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“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” (Thomas Paine, 1776) |
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LewWaters
Admin
Joined: 18 May 2004
Posts: 4042
Location: Washington State
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| Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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And of course, these "leaks" always go to and are printed by the New York Times.
During a time of war, this undermines our efforts and demoralizes those in harm's way.
Someone needs to get very serious about finding these "leakers" and prosecuting both them and who makes secret information public!
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Clark County Conservative |
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Doll
Commander
Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Posts: 339
Location: The Beltway
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| Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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This really borders on treason. This is not the first time as we all are aware of, but I must say that we would concur that this must be the last time. Lew is right when he said, "Someone needs to get very serious about finding these "leakers" and prosecuting both them and who makes secret information public!" It truly is time that this comes to a complete stop. This is putting our country in harms way and those that fight to keep us safe.
I cannot understand for the life of me, even if you do not agree with this administration why anyone would be so fool hearty to do this? They seem to be oblivious to the fact that everytime they leak classified information to the press or anyone that they are putting themselves in danger too. The fact their hate is trumped over national security is insane. Furthermore the anti-Bush crowd will never see eye to eye with him, but the fact that they do not respect the office of President is downright anti-American.
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The HILL Chronicles
Soldiers' Angels
"Wednesday Hero - Google It!" |
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BuffaloJack
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
Joined: 10 Aug 2004
Posts: 1637
Location: Buffalo, New York
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| Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:34 pm Post subject: |
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Both the Leaker and the Leakee need to be dealt with severely.
Also, does the Leaker receive any compensation for the leaked info? (favors, money, position, etc.)
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Swift Boats - Qui Nhon (12/69-4/70), Cat Lo (4/70-5/70), Vung Tau (5/70-12/71) |
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Anker-Klanker
Admiral
Joined: 04 Sep 2004
Posts: 1033
Location: Richardson, TX
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| Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 1:49 am Post subject: |
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Sigh, I fear that for the next 40+ days, and then for the next two years, we'll only see more and more of this.
Without any accountability for Democratic politicians (ideally provided by MSM keeping them "honest") or the media, there appears to be absolutely nothing to lose by using this (e.g., NIE leak) tactic - just make up any irresponsible assertion, coordinate it with all media outlets for maximum trumpet effect when revealed, and reap the ensuing political benefits, knowing full well that it will take days or weeks for the Republicans to effectively rebut it (again, keeping in mind that Republicans have to fight an uphill battle to get their rebuttal even mentioned in MSM), by which time the damage has been done. The way things stand now, with no accountablity, no punishment, no cost, and no integrity, what's the downside of the tactic? (Note that the tactic will not work at all, or at least not as well, for the Republicans since MSM is not in their camp - Heaven forbid that anyone on the Republican side should think to try it).
Somebody, please, talk me out of this gloomy forecast... |
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dusty
Admiral
Joined: 27 Aug 2004
Posts: 1264
Location: East Texas
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| Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 3:42 am Post subject: |
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Is there a person in the Atty. Gen. position of this country right now? If so, where the hell is he and what's he doing?
Sure as HELL not taking care of business. That this is being allowed to continue with no consequences is the biggest mistake this administration is making.
As bad as Nixon not prosecuting Kerry and Fonda and several others.
Makes me want to just go fishing and not think.
And Schadow has the conspiracy thingy pegged. Dots that close together just ain't that hard to connect.
Dusty
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Left and Wrong are the opposite of Right! |
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shawa
CNO
Joined: 03 Sep 2004
Posts: 2004
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| Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 10:29 am Post subject: |
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Many months ago the Attorney General empaneled a Grand Jury to investigate the leaks. FBI is aggressively pursuing the investigation. But since the Grand Jury is secret, we don't hear much about it.
The last I heard was the big flap about the FBI getting reporters phone logs from various phone companies. Of course, the media raised objections. But that is always a part in any criminal investigation to track down suspects. They get the phone logs to establish what contacts were made. It's not getting any actual conversations, just what phone numbers, dates. and how often, can lead them to suspects in government positions who may be leakers. Standard FBI procedure in any investigation. But of course the Press is crying about it violates freedom of the press and their ability to protect their sources.
_________________
“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” (Thomas Paine, 1776) |
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shawa
CNO
Joined: 03 Sep 2004
Posts: 2004
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| Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 10:48 am Post subject: |
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Here is an article with the complaining by ABC's Brian Ross.
GlobalResearch
| Quote: |
~SNIP~
In an interview on the “Democracy Now!” radio program, Ross commented, “It was clear to us that somehow the government knew our records. We were told our phone calls weren’t being recorded, but just who we were calling. Now, in terms of trying to track down insiders at the government who are providing us with information, that’s really about all they need.” Ross added that the FBI had acknowledged they were tracking journalists’ phone calls. “The person I talked to said, ‘Well, it may be more like backtracking.’ But under this administration, what used to be hard to do, in going after reporters and their phone records, is now easy.”
Indeed FBI officials, according to ABC News, did not deny that the television network’s telephone records, along with those of New York Times and Washington Post reporters, had been sought as part of an investigation of leaks at the CIA. The FBI press office indicated that its inquiries into such matters begin with an examination of government phone records.
“The FBI will take logical investigative steps to determine if a criminal act was committed by a government employee by the unauthorized release of classified information,” the statement said.
In their attempted crackdown on the press, the FBI is making wide use of National Security Letters (NSLs), a provision of the Patriot Act. The NSLs are a type of administrative subpoena and are not signed by a judge. Under the provision, worthy of a police state, “a phone company receiving a NSL for phone records must provide them and may not divulge to the customer that the records have been given to the government” (ABC News).
...Cont'd |
_________________
“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” (Thomas Paine, 1776) |
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Anker-Klanker
Admiral
Joined: 04 Sep 2004
Posts: 1033
Location: Richardson, TX
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| Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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Partial results are in! Yesterday Dubya released the parts of the report that included the major conclusions; I read them on the net yesterday evening on several blogs.
Yet, this morning, my home-town kitty litter liner ran a lengthy article supplied by LAT. It conceded that Dubya had released part of the report with the conclusions, and then proceeded to list and expand upon (yes, with all the anti-war fervor it could squeeze out of the spin) only those points that supported the Democrats, conveniently ignoring those conclusions that were not supportive of their agenda - leaving the average reader to conclude that the full report completely supported the Democrat talking points.
Folks, this is about as bad as it gets. And damned right!, it's a media/Democrat conspiracy! (Reminding me very much of how the MSM carried water for sKerry two years ago.)
Which makes you wonder what Bush accomplished by declassifying and releasing the NIE Report...
(BTW, same paper had a lengthy and flattering article on Hillary defending Bill, but absolutely nothing on Condi's slamming of Clinton's reinvention of history - both of which were news event of yesterday.) |
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Schadow
Vice Admiral
Joined: 30 Sep 2004
Posts: 936
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
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| Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 3:08 am Post subject: |
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Ralph Peters, a former Army intel officer writes about honor in a piece in the New York Post:
| Quote: | SECRETS FOR SALE - CHEAP (AND BY BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES)
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September 27, 2006 -- After more than two decades in the intelligence world, I know a few secrets. Some would merit brief, trumped-up headlines. But keeping those secrets is a matter of honor.
I don't keep secrets from the American people. I keep secrets for the American people. I took an oath not to divulge classified information. In return, I was trusted. And I never broke my word.
That means that I and all those like me who keep the faith don't fit in Washington, D.C., where leaking our nation's secrets is now a competitive sport - for both Democrats and Republicans.
The climate of leaks-without-penalties must end. But it probably won't. Why? Because senior figures in both parties see political advantages in well-timed leaks. They're willing to betray our nation for a brief partisan edge.
I've already used two out-of-date words that mark me as a patsy in D.C.: "honor" and "betray."
What happened to honor? Among our elected and appointed officials? A sense of honor still prevails within our military and among hundreds of thousands of government employees. Honor still prevails in much of our community life. Many Americans beyond the Beltway maintain a strong sense of personal and professional honor.
But honor's dead in Washington. And at "leading" universities (where patriotism, too, is beneath contempt). And in the media. Honor isn't hip. It's as pathetic as a powder-blue, polyester leisure suit.
To journalists and members of Congress, the concept of honor is so alien it's incomprehensible. If you can grab a headline, no matter the cost to your country, tell our secrets - and win an award for your "courage."
If you can bump up your poll numbers before the election, spill the beans. If you can stick it to the other party, by all means tell the terrorists what our senior intelligence officers think. Expose our security programs. Exaggerate our military problems. If we're short on bullets, tell the bad guys.
Honor's for the chumps, the losers, the average voter who "doesn't have a clue." In other words, for people like you and me.
Of course, reporters and political hacks can't just stroll into a secure vault and walk out with classified documents (well, except for a certain former national security adviser . . . ). They need accomplices. So they've created a culture of leaks in which bureaucrats and even military officers convince themselves it's OK to tip our nation's secrets - your secrets - to the media.
What can be done? It's simple: Enforce the law.
Leaking classified information is a crime punishable with prison time. The statutes are on the books, folks. Those who leak classified information and those who publicize it should go to jail.
This isn't a matter of creating a police state, for God's sake. We're at war. In war (and in peace, as well), we have secrets to keep. When we fail to keep those secrets, soldiers die, our enemies are encouraged, our allies grow reluctant to share intelligence with us, and our own agencies worry about the danger of sharing information from their top sources. And you, the American people, are betrayed.
"Betrayal" is the other un-cool word I used up above. But it's the right word. Whether a senator or a low-level staffer in a government department, the man or woman who intentionally compromises classified information has betrayed you, your family and your country.
The latest example was a selective leak from a National Intelligence Estimate - a high-level document that reports not only a consensus view, but also dissenting opinions (I know - I read plenty of 'em in the past). According to the media's version of whatever was leaked, we're less secure now than before Iraq was invaded. It was a cynical set-up just over a month before national elections: In order to challenge the allegations, the president had to declassify a very sensitive document.
The leak wasn't about some phony "right to know." It was a political stunt performed for political gain. And now our enemies know what our intelligence community thinks. Gee, thanks. We don't need to know what intelligence documents say. What matters is what our leaders do or fail to do.
What will it take to inspire a nonpartisan crackdown on those who betray our secrets, who selfishly expose our country to mortal danger?
A punk who robs a convenience store goes to jail, yet an official who passes sensitive intelligence to the press or to the political party he or she favors is rarely pursued at the upper levels of government.
Why? Same answer as above. Your politicians like the culture of leaks. They complain about it, fingers crossed way down in their deep pockets. But they do nothing. Washington's a club - and you're not in it, brothers and sisters.
This shouldn't be a Democratic or Republican issue. It's an American issue. Keeping our country safe is more important than Sen. Sweetspot's re-election campaign or a Pulitzer Prize for another self-adoring, America-loathing journalist.
Put 'em in the slammer. Where these criminals belong. Enforce our laws. And maybe - just maybe - folks in Washington will start obeying those laws again.
There's one more reason why I keep old secrets and actively avoid exposure to new ones now that I'm out of the system. In this great, free country, I can figure out anything I need to know from open sources. I don't have to dishonor myself or the United States of America.
And if honor's a joke to those in power, I'm proud to be the butt of it.
Ralph Peters is a retired Army intel officer and the author of "Never Quit the Fight." |
Source
Schadow
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Capt, 8th U.S. Army, Korea '53 - '54 |
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BuffaloJack
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
Joined: 10 Aug 2004
Posts: 1637
Location: Buffalo, New York
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| Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 11:10 am Post subject: |
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Ralph Peters stated | Quote: | This shouldn't be a Democratic or Republican issue. It's an American issue. Keeping our country safe is more important than Sen. Sweetspot's re-election campaign or a Pulitzer Prize for another self-adoring, America-loathing journalist.
Put 'em in the slammer. Where these criminals belong. Enforce our laws. And maybe - just maybe - folks in Washington will start obeying those laws again. |
I couldn't agree more.
I'd only change one thing. After "Put 'em in the slammer" insert "and throw away the key."
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Swift Boats - Qui Nhon (12/69-4/70), Cat Lo (4/70-5/70), Vung Tau (5/70-12/71) |
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noyesj
Seaman Apprentice
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 77
Location: n w washington (that is the state)
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| Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:27 pm Post subject: |
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WHATEVER happened to the firing squad???
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noyesj USAF 1953-1959 |
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