Anybody seen the 10/3 edition of Nightline regarding the CIA leak?

[Pennstate]

They had 4 former CIA officers and 1 active undercover officer (voice altered and image camoflouged). Active undercover agents do not often give interviews, but this one was so upset that he/she agreed to come on the show to show how serious this is. They were all majorly pissed off at the Bush administration about the "outing". What is interesting is that all of them were registered Republicans who voted for GW Bush. One of them said " I wonder what Bush Sr. think about this incident" given that he was a former CIA director.

Important points:

The outing not only affects Wilson's wife, but also affects:

1. the ability of CIA to recruit foreign agents. (If the US gov. can't even guarantee to keep a secret about its OWN agents, why would they trust the CIA?)
2. People overseas who have worked with Wilson's wife are endangered by the outing.
3. Even if She was only an analyst, many times analysts have more intelligence info than undervover operatives because the compartmentalization nature of spying
4. Politics is not the issue here. The identity of the outed agent is NOT THE ISSUE HERE. IT's the act of betrayal, endangerment of lives, and crippling human intelligence recuiting that is the reason why this is SO SERIOUS.

If this happened during the Clinton Administration, he would have definitely been impeached. I would support his impeachment too. And don't give me crap like "Bush didn't know" etc. He is the FSCKing president!!! He should be REPONSIBLE for the action of people under him. He is their leader and this incident reflects his failure at leadership. One more thing before I go to bed. Robert Novak should SHut his trap. He is losing credibility with each article saying how insignificant the leak was. Something tells me he is being blackmailed. If he knows so much about the CIA, why doesn't he apply for a job.

 

[sMiLeYz]

A band of liars and traitors in our whitehouse, George W. Bush may not have been involved with this... but he sets the tone, he is leader so he must be held accountable.

 

[sMiLeYz]

You're absolutely right about the politics part too, my conservative friends and I dont agree on many things. But one of the few things we agree is that what the whitehouse did was absolutely dispicable and indefensible.

 

[Aegion]

It also looks like White House officials took advantage of and publicized the details of the leak after the fact.

The White House, meanwhile, was striving to contain the scandal by defining the allegations narrowly. Its spokesman, Scott McClellan, accused critics of "moving the goalposts". He said the allegations should focus only on whether classified information was leaked - and not on whether White House officials spoke to reporters about it later to capitalise on the leak.

Mr McClellan appeared to be referring to news reports and comments by Mr Wilson, suggesting that White House officials phoned reporters to encourage more stories after the initial leak was published.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/10/03/1064988410525.html

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I am for getting rid of Bush as the next patriotic american (zing!), but no one knows who is responsible. Rather than taking the attitude of "get Bush", I think the emphasis should be on getting an independent investigation. In the long run (if as the administration would probably contend) this does not involve a senior official, then Bush would be better off. Certainly all the "foxes" in the form of the justice dept. at best give a doubtful appearance of lack of conflict of interest in investigating who robbed the chicken coop. If it was a higher up, then the most conservative here should not object to the removal of someone who turned out an operative. God knows they would be burning Clinton in effagy if the situation was reversed for what is a serious felony. IF it were shown to be Bush, then the President would be (or at least ought to be) impeached. Well, in that unlikely event, evidence would have to be overwhelming. The chances of a sitting president being impeached while his party is in power is nil. Party before all?

 

[CaptnKirk]

The 'Damage Control" mode is reminissant of the Nixon Days, and the fall of his credibility through cover up.
You can bet that the 'Off the Record' talking points of the Administrations Inner Circle is one of "Don't Ask - Don't Tell"
until they can co-ordinate a scape-goat of lower positioning to take the fall for the top guy who was involved.
Plea bargain the Pawn to a lessor charge, get a probationary sentance theough Ashcrofts JD, and cover the
Knight, Rook, or Bishop in this chess match - just keep the finger off of the King and Queen. (You understand that ?)

Rove, by the way, was a deciple of the Dirty Politics Nixon Machine lead operative - Segretti, and
was fired once before (by Daddy Bush) for his part in Dirty Politics in Daddys Machine.
Rotten fruit isn't dragged very far from the tree it falls of of, even scavengers have their pride.

 

[smashp]

From what is said in the beltway, Barbara Bush is a mean cold hearted Bitch. The taskmaster. She has evil mean streaks.

Well dubya is HER son. Her Baby. He of the 5 Bush children is a MAMA's Boy.

The vindiction this administration has and contempt for anyone that stands in its way, might be nuilt by rove, spinned by Ari/scott, regurgitated by the conservative media, yyet the tone of F@@@ you ill do what i want......Comes right from the president.