Ask the CIA About PlameGate

Today there was some testimony regarding the PlameGate controversy of which one Karl Rove is responsible. The proceedings were held in an unofficial manner at an unofficial location, because the House and Senate Republicans refuse to properly or even officially investigate this unbelievable breach of national security. The Democrats are starting to get good as using the basement of the Capitol building to have their hearings, and may eventually get a regular spot on CSPAN 12.

Anyway, one of the more powerful statements was given by CIA veteran James Marcinkowski. I would like for you to think about this testimony when you hear Republicans try to spin this issue as non-important, or by calling Plame a paper-pusher with the CIA, or by discrediting Joe Wilson.

You won't here this testimony on your Nightly News, and you're probably going to have to dig past the Hummer sales and JC Penny Bra ads to find the story in your local paper, so I thought I'd let you read it here:

"Each time the leader of a political party opens his mouth in public to deflect responsibility, the word overseas is loud and clear--politics in this country does in fact trump national security.

Each time a distinguished ambassador is ruthlessly attacked for the information he
provided, a foreign asset will contemplate why he should risk his life when his information will not be taken seriously.

Each time there is a perceived political "success" in deflecting responsibility by debating or re-debating some minutia, such actions are equally effective in undermining the ability of this country to protect itself against its enemies, because the two are indeed related.

Each time the political machine made up of prime-time patriots and partisan ninnies display their ignorance by deriding Valerie Plame as a mere "paper-pusher," or
belittling the varying degrees of cover used to protect our officers, or continuing to play partisan politics with our national security, it is a disservice to this country. By ridiculing, for example, the "degree" of cover or the use of post office boxes, you lessen the level of confidence that foreign nationals place in our covert capabilities.

Those who would advocate the "I'm ok, you're ok" politics of non-responsibility, should probably think about the impact of those actions on our foreign agents. Non-responsibility means we don't care. Not caring means a loss of security. A loss of security means a loss of an agent. The loss of an agent means the loss of information. The loss of information means an increase in the risk to the people of the United States.

There is a very serious message here. Before you shine up your American flag lapel pin and affix your patriotism to your sleeve, think about what the impact your actions will have on the security of the American people.

Think about whether your partisan obfuscation is creating confidence in the United States in general and the CIA in particular. If not, a true patriot would shut up.

Those who take pride in their political ability to divert the issue from the fundamental truth ought to be prepared to take their share of the responsibility for the continuing damage done to our national security.

When this unprecedented act first occurred, the president could have immediately
demanded the resignation of all persons even tangentially involved. Or, at a minimum, he could have suspended the security clearances of these persons and
placed them on administrative leave.

Such methods are routine with police forces throughout the country. That would have at least sent the right message around the globe, that we take the security of those risking their lives on behalf of the United States seriously. Instead, we have flooded the foreign airwaves with two years of inaction, political rhetoric, ignorance,
and partisan bickering. That's the wrong message. In doing so we have not lessened, but increased the threat to the security and safety of the people of the United States."