The Intelligence challenge: Can we trust our president?
"Politicians must not politicize the intelligence community. ... It is up to the President to restore the bonds of trust with the intelligence community that have been shattered ..." [→ READ ]
Larry Johnson, a former C.I.A. and U.S. State Dept. intelligence analyst — along with other byline colleagues — lays on the line what this “White House-sanctioned assault on Valerie Plame and her character” means to the United States, its intelligence officers, and its security.
Powerful stuff:
We trained and worked at the CIA with Valerie Plame. We presented the following statement at a hearing on Capitol Hill in October 2003. In light of the latest White House sanctioned assault on Valerie Plame and her character, our testimony remains relevant and accurate. All of us were undercover. … We’ve got each other’s back. …
Clearly some in the Bush Administration do not understand the requirement to protect and shield national security assets. Based on published information we can only conclude that partisan politics by people in the Bush Administration overrode the moral and legal obligations to protect clandestine officers and security assets. …
Not only have the Bush Administration leakers damaged the career of our friend but they have put many other people potentially in harm's way. If left unpunished this outing has lowered the bar for official behavior. Further, who in their right mind would ever agree to become a spy for the United States? …
[via SusanHu]
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