If Mary McCarthy (in photo) leaked to the media classified information about secret CIA prisons, she deserved to be fired, some top Democrats said. But they also are wonderingabout a double standard: It’s wrong for a CIA officer to blow the whistle on a possible illegal operation, but OK for the White House to leak classified information to undermine its critics? My concern is that there has been more attention spent on finding the CIA leaker than on examining whether and why we have the secret prisons, and what type of interrogation has occurred there.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Registered?
Commenting on WE Blog now requires you to be a Kansas.com member. Use the links above to register, if you haven't already, or to log in.Contact us
Follow us
Daily Archives
-
Recent Comments
- BlueJay on Open thread 11/22
- Regular on Open thread 11/22
- Regular on Open thread 11/22
- Rage on Open thread 11/22
- cosmos_originally on Open thread 11/22
- Chas on Open thread 11/22
- BlueJay on Open thread 11/22
- Boxlock20 on Open thread 11/22
- satatom on Open thread 11/22
- JimJohnson on Open thread 11/22
65 Comments
They have lots of secrets that are not exactly on a need-to-know basis with the general public. Take Roswell for example.
I’d like to hear more about how Condi leaked classified info to Israel.
Oh Wait. that is a good leak, right?
Did anyone catch the Washington Posts “Good leak” editorial on the same day their front page story tore to pieces the rational for the opinion?
Sounds like a McCarthey witch hunt, headed by Porter Goss.
She deserves a Medal of Freedom.
Lets see now …
Leaking information about illegal activities to the American people – BAD.
Leaking lies in support of illegal activities – GOOD.
Outing CIA agent good, CIA official outing illegal immoral activities by the W.H. Very Bad!
Off topic, we need a thread to discuss these outrageous gas prices.
Phillip:”My concern is that there has been more attention spent on finding the CIA leaker than on examining whether and why we have the secret prisons, and what type of interrogation has occurred there.”
The strategy is criminalize the leaker of the illegal activity & have that be the focus of attention. This is the Bush mantra. What is so hard to understand, Phillip?
Off Topic:steve,In a speech today, Bush is supposed to talk about what to do on high gas prices. I bet he will solve all of our problems with a few wise words. Or, maybe just one – “walk”.
Off topic- we do need that thread on gas prices. Any one want to bet that Bush will not use the “C” word in his speech today?
Conservation or Condi, DD? :)
The funny thing is, I read an article last night that said Mary McCarthy was days from retiring. It makes no sense for her to leak BEFORE she left, when there would have been very little they could do to her. In fact, they really have no case to persue this any further. How much of this has to do with her $2000 contribution to Kerry’s campaign and the fact that she was obviously not a bush-backer?
I guess it’s okay that our charming Administration sets up torture prisons in other countries, but it’s not okay that we know about it. What’s the nation coming to when Porter Goss uses lie detector tests on the people working under him?
It’s been a comedy of errors since Bush took office in 2001. Oh, wait. It’s no comedy. It’s a tragedy.
Will Bush and Cheney fire themselves when it’s proven they set up the leak of the name of a CIA agent?
Republican: The Party of Double Standards.
Lemme see if I’ve got this straight. Libby should be in jail for leaking. McCarthy should be given the Medal of Freedom for leaking. Ahh, liberal logic. Hysterical if it wasn’t so pathetic.
AP–WASHINGTON
President Bush, dressed in his little Lord Faulteroy outfit of baggy short-pants and giant bow-tie, was soundly scolded and sent to bed early, sources close to the White House say.
When choosing up sides for kickball, the President told reporters, “I’m the decider and I decide what’s best!” He later put both fingers in his ears and said, “I can’t hear you, I can’t hear you” over and over when journalists asked about Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
This was quickly followed by “I am NOT TIRED! I am NOT TIRED!” as tears of frustration streamed down his little face. As staffers tried to hustle him out of the Rose Garden, the Little Prince let his legs turn to rubber and screamed “don’t want to, don’t want to, don’t want to.”
In response to the White House Chief of Staff’s whispered comments, a red-faced Bush fairly howled, “you’re not my mommy and you don’t get to tell me what to do! I’m the decider!”
Staffers later confided that the President had soiled his diaper and was over-excited by all the activity.
Better watch out TrueBlue – they might come after you for releasing this sensitive information!
My concern, Phillip, is that we have too many bleeding heart, tree hugging, drive-by media pukes like you that are more concerned with terrorist-rights than winning the war on terror. We could argue about the various security levels of classified documents, and whether or not one level over the other should/could/would be leaked, but only you media types have that kind of time. Keep your eye focused towards winning the war on terror. Otherwise you better start converting to Islam fast, because there is no room in the Muslim world for weak-mined Christians or atheists.
I’m a little confused here. The White House declassified material and released it to the media. That’s a leak?
But a CIA officer in the department that oversees ethics violations inside the CIA leaks information that seiriously damages the intelligence agencies of our allies and that’s commendable.
Can any one of you fools show me a shred of evidence that the White House leaked Plames name? Fitzgerald apparently hasnt found any either. I’ll not hold my breath waiting for your replies.
To penalize whistle blowers that expose possibly illegal, and definitely immoral operations, done in a black hole, is not American. Don’t let your Islamic paranoia neutralize the intellectual part of your brain. They could never take over the U.S.
ID–
You are one funny guy. You reactionaries howl and moan about people “soft on terror” (it used to be “soft on communism,” remember?).
You’re willing to give up any constitutional right to “win” the war on terror. You’re willing to slander your opponents with “terrorist lover” and threaten them with forced conversions to Islam.
You conservatives are willing to do anything to support this “war on terror” except PAY FOR IT with your taxes or VOLUNTEER TO FIGHT IT by enlisting in our barely functioning military.
Republicans = no shame, no honor.
All the terrorists would need to do is to pretend that they are beaners and they would be given amnesty.
V.L.R.B!!
I imagine there are millions of people in the mid-east that are like minded to ID. But in there case, the take over is more real, than paranoia.
I’ve yet to hear anyone present evidence that Plame was outed by the White House. hmmmmm.
ID?
You post one more post that has a Rushsism (drive by media ) in it and I am totally ignoring you except to expose your Rushisms. You are on warning. You don’t want to find yourself like….
Heckler?
I notice upthread a bit you begging for replies.
Know why that is? Becauseno matter what anyone posts it will not matter to you.You live on the world according to Heckler in the kingdom of wingnuttia. So they no longer bother.
We are such old adversaries I decided to fence with you a little. Just for old time sake.
I’m sure Fitzgerald will ultimately out someone in the White House. But he hasn’t.
I want to play a game with you Heckler. It’s called “what if”. There are no winners or losers. It is a test of character.It involves no names,just principles. This will require you to use your imagination.ID can play too. But he has to post HIS thoughts. One Rushism and he is out.
I’m betting you won’t have the courage to play. If you follow form you will spin. I can even predict your spin.
Now lets say Heckler that the United States is operating secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe. So do you think it is the right of the American people to know this. Yes or No
Let us say that high officials in the White House outed Valerie Plame to 1) Punish a persons wife to get even with him for 2) getting in the way of faulty intelligence being used to push the need for a war. Would you consider this action Good or Bad
Do not spin. You can post anything else you like. But I challenge you for 2 of 4 answers I asked you for.
Question 1 answer yes or no
Question 2 answer good or badGO!
JR
I’ll play question 1. No.
I’ll play question 2. when you show me any shred of evidence that the White House leaked Plames name.
You folks all seem to except it as fact, show me the evidence. And while your at it show it to Fitzgerald too cause he cant seem to find any.
JR
If Libby lied to a grand jury I have no simpathy for him but Fitzgerald is going to have a hard time convincing a jury to convict him of “lying about a crime that never happened”
JR
“it will not matter to you.You live on the world according to Heckler”
I’m laughing because I could say this about 90 percent of the Moonbats on this blog.
One party’s leak is another ones whistleblower.
Joe
It seems as though one party has a rather loose interpretation of what a leak is depending on whose doing the “leaking”.
The Republican party, agreed. The other qualifier is did the leak help or hinder our agenda.
Heckler – “”lying about a crime that never happened”"
That was enough to impeach Clinton.
Ben
It’s funny you should bring up Clinton, considering how deep McCarthy was in with the Clintonistas regarding intelligence issues.
Yea Heckler – especially since there is no evidence against her.
Listen to Heckler run the “Democrat = disloyal” meme.
Someone who insists that his opponents meet the most literal standard of evidence (”prove the WH leaked Plame’s name”) ought to be a bit embarrassed to depend so heavily on “guilt by association” to impugn his political enemies. Ah, the twisty Wingnut brain.
Nothin’ personal, Heckler.
Heheh. Just got to this thread, and what do ya know. “Breaking News” on MSNBC says Rove is testifying today for the FIFTH time before a grand jury on the Plame leak. Somehow this is a surprise as no one knew he had been called AGAIN. Some speculation amongst the “liberal” (heheh) MSM media that Fitz is closing in on the rovester.
Anyone got some eggs for their smug little faces? We could need it in a few days.
But then if rove is indicted, heck would say “the white house didnt authorize it”. Is the rovester part of the white house staff? heheh.
So heck, stay tuned here. Same moonbat time, same moonbat channel. Ya want proof? Be careful what you ask for….
…heheh. How indeed can their be a leak on Plame when the preznit is the decider and he decided he and cheney and scooter could leak without it being called a leak.
Through the looking glass. One of the six impossible things they expect us to believe before breakfast.
I guess our “proof” on the leaks is about as good as the “proof” that there WERE some WMD in iraq.
Rove is in there for the FIFTH time?
Sounds to me like Fitz is desperate, hasn’t got anything yet and is hoping for a Hail Mary.
Heckler,
Sounds to me like someone wants to cut a deal and is singin’.
CF
Having observed the MSM throughout the Plame kerfuffle I’m convinced that if the White House had leaked her name to a Washington reporter they would have gleefully and breathlessly come forward(lawyer in tow) to tell about it months ago, on the steps of whatever Federal building the grand jury is seated in.
As for the “guilt by association” business, are you a little curious about the ties that run between Richard Clark, Sandy Burglar, and McCarthy? Sounds like juicy stuff.
CF
There’s also a little overlap in service in the same place with JoeWilson if I recall correctly.
“White House had leaked her name to a Washington reporter”
Uh heck… even SCOOTER says he leaked it. It just isnt called a leak since the decider decided it wasnt a leak. It was… wait for it….THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY TO PROVE JOE WILSON WRONG!!!!!!
But no, it wasnt the white house leaking……
Is that “overlap” kinda like the overlap (heheh) between cheney and scalia in the duck blind?
leaking is as leaking does.
ksfarmgrrl
I think your mistaken there. Scooter was asked by a reporter(dont remember which one) is he had heard Wilson’s wife was CIA, and he admitted he had heard that.
Rove was also asked by a reporter if he had heard that, he said he had. Rove even filled out a “contact report” detailing the conversation with a reporter in which possibly classified information was brought up.
In both cases the reporters already knew about Plame from another source. In both cases the reporters asked, Rove and Libby did not offer.
If you call that a leak I can’t help you.
ksfarmgrrl,Good points. Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Heckler,
NOW who’s the one wearing the tinfoil hat? Forgive me for not getting overly excited about your putative ‘vast left-wing conspiracy’.
KFG
Just re-read your post, I think I misunderstood what you were talking about. Sorry.
CF
Look at all the leaks that have come out of the CIA. Look at the books that have been written by people leaving the CIA. It doesnt take a tin foil hat to see a clear pattern of leaks designed to undermine the White House and its policies. There is no shortage of folks in the CIA with political agenda’s.
Really. The CIA undermining the White House?
After BushCo scapegoated them for the WMD debacle . . . now why would the CIA have any motivation to want to set the record straight?
Making illegal acts secret by “classifying” them should be on par with buying stolen property or any other kind of fraud.
It shouldn’t be illegal to reveal illegality. Illegal acts should not be protected by the law.
Maybe Rove will get the Grand Jury straightened out when he testifies for his fifth time today. This isn’t going away, but I suspect Rove may be. No doubt his job description was changed recently, because he’s going to be tied up like Liby soon.
LeftHook
I havent spent much time analyzing it, so I could be wrong, but look at the timing of the leaks and attacks from within the CIA versus the “scapegoating”. It could give you a clue as to what’s really going on.
Hecker,
Indeed, there are no shortage of folks in the CIA with political agendas, starting with Porter Goss and the Republican operates he appointed to displace senior level intelligence officers.
Your error, Heckler, is that you’re mistaking an effect for a cause. Those former CIA staffers now writing books weren’t fired because they were politicized; they became politicized because they were fired. There’s a difference. And it has everything to do with the willful effort to politicize the CIA, to destroy its independence and nonpartisanship, and to bring it under the control of the White House.
LH
I’m not sure what illegal acts you’re talking about since to the left everything Bush does that they don’t like is deemed ‘illegal’. Your list is probably to long for me to address.
“I’m not sure what illegal acts you’re talking about… Your list is probably to long for me to address.”
Thanks for finally admitting the truth heck. Thanks for saving us the research time. You know it and we know it too.
Fifth testimony, either Rove is cooperating and going to sell out his buddies, or he’s in a tangled web he can’t lie himself out of.
Could be, CF. One thing that could help all of us a lot would be for Sen. Roberts to finish up with his “Iraq Intelligence The Sequel: Did He Fudge It?” investigation of the administration’s use of intelligence in the runup to Iraq.
It almost makes one think that the GOP has something of President Bush’s that it wishes to hide! ;)
Heheh. Hard to say ANYTHING bush does is illegal.
I mean, when everything that falls out of his oh so elequent mouth is automatically appropriately declassified, when every wrong doing is legalized after the fact like the NSA spying, and when the exectutive branch has unlimited power and is above all u.s. law because, well, they say they are, when all those things are reality…
yeah. it is hard to say the preznit and his merry band of republicans EVER did anything illegal.
Can you say pardon? Coming soon to an impeachment near you.
“he’s in a tangled web he can’t lie himself out of.”
HEE HEE steve, would that be like the tangled web he lied himself INTO?
And now bush’s senator, the “honorable” pat robers, is breaking the “investigation” into two parts, guarenteeing it wont be finished until AFTER the november election?
Had enough? NO INCUMBENTS!!!!!!!!1
CF
The CIA was politicized long before Bush II came along.
Those staffers were fired because they resisted changes the Commander in Chief was trying to make. They resisted because of their personal politics. They forgot who the boss was and they forgot who hired the boss. They forgot that the President sets policy, not them. And as it turns out they pretty much all turned out to be Clintonistas.
Heckler,
And, once again, dissent = opposition. Forgive me for pointing out the indelicate fact that this mindset of yours is sort of, well, fascistic.
As for your narrative of events, what ‘changes’ would those be, Heckler? Ones pertaining to the ability of the VP’s office to dictate the kinds of intelligence that were to be sought, and the kinds of evidence that were and were not to be made public in advance of already-made policy decisions–like, say, the decision to invade Iraq?
CF, maybe the one where cheney and bush are authorized to declassify information with impunity for political purposes. Or the one where leaking the identity of a covert CIA operative is ok if they say it is ok?
Yep. I bet those changes pissed off the CIA …..
JR, you take this blog too seriously. Glad to see you have so much time on your hands that you can post daily. And I could care less if you ‘drive by’ my blog. You libs are not immune to Maher’isms, Holywood’isms, Soros’isms, Moore’isms, and other name-the-neo-lib’isms.
Poor ditto head ID.
So Heckler
Secret detainment facilities are ok with you.
How about say… secret trials?
If the administration approves amnesty for all the illegal aliens then EVERYONE SHOULD STAY AT HOME, SIT BY THE HARBOR, COLLECT VISON CARDS, FREE HEALTH CARE, REDUCED COLLEGE TUITION FOR KIDS and quit work and stop paying taxes! This has to be a sick joke to let the ileegals from foriegn countries come and drive down wages and get free rides. Can we start a third party? I may not want to be republican anymore?signedLady liberty
Hecklers:”And as it turns out they pretty much all turned out to be Clintonistas.”
Heckler,You’re really mischaracterizing the CIA. If you read any reasonable reporting on the Agency (e.g., Dana Priest at the Washington Post), you would know that the CIA is filled with retired military, hide-bound conservative Republicans. They were just rightfully appalled at the intrusions of Cheney/Bush and the “intelligence tampering” they did.
Yeah DD. Porter Goss was urged to purge democrats from the CIA.
It seems Mary is the only one to go.
Does that mean she is the only democrat there? heheh.
Too bad they still cant find ossama. But they sure got rid of that democrat threat didnt they?
Is Rove going down tomorrow? We’ll just have to wait and see. http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/MSNBC_reports_Rove_believes_he_in_0427.html