Ex-agents: CIA leak a serious betrayal

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The FBI is interviewing members of the Bush administration as part of its investigation into the leak of a CIA operative's identity. The officer's name was revealed after her husband, former U.S. ambassador Joseph C. Wilson, raised questions about the pre-war intelligence on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction.

Two former CIA operatives, Larry Johnson and Jim Marcinkowski, have asked the Senate to investigate the leak and discussed the situation with CNN's Bill Hemmer.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/10/24/cnna.leak/index.html

This is the interview I described in my post within this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=182153

Plame-gate must not die!

<snip>

HEMMER: Tell me why you think it is such a big deal.

JOHNSON: Was 9/11 a big deal? It's a big deal in part because we saw the planes crash into the buildings and we saw the images and horrible vision of people jumping from those towers. We saw it. If we didn't see it and didn't read about it, we wouldn't know it happened.

The problem with this is a lot of the damage that has occurred is not going to be seen. It can't be photographed. We can't bring the bodies out because in some cases it's going to involve protecting sources and methods. And it's important to keep this before the American people. This was a betrayal of national security.

<snip>

HEMMER: After listening to Larry, it sounds like, essentially the sky is falling in terms of the CIA around the world. Do you see it that way and did you get that sense in the hearing?

MARCHINKOWSKI: Yes, I did. I think the message is out there. This is an unprecedented act. This has never been done by the United States government before. The exposure of an undercover intelligence officer by the U.S. government is unprecedented. It's not the usual leak from Washington. The leak a week scenario is not at play here. This is a very, very serious event.

....shows he has a sense of humor.

You are both registered Republicans, right? How concerned are you about the political gain that one side or the other may seek in this?

JOHNSON: That's what we have to get out of this. I don't know, Bill if you have any kids, they've gone to school on "opposite day" where they wear their clothes inside out and wear their shoes on the wrong feet. I feel like we're seeing opposite day. If a Democrat had done this, we would see the Republicans up in arms.

As a Republican, I think we need to be consistent on this. It doesn't matter who did it, it didn't matter which party was involved. This isn't about partisan politics. This is about protecting national security and national security assets and in this case there has been a betrayal, not only of the CIA officers there, but really a betrayal of those of us who have kept the secrets over the years on this point.

Talk about the iron fist in the velvet glove. Sing, little canary, sing!

"We can't bring the bodies out because in some cases it's going to involve protecting sources and methods."

"I don't know if lives have been lost yet..."

"You could potentially have people dead because of this."

Hmmm, should we be reading between the lines of that statement? It's certainly possible people have died. I wonder if he DOES know, but is just being cagey....

if I were on Team Bush I'd be pretty anxious.

Julie

It will be a miracle if this info ever comes forward....too many people are protected and too many are scared. Of course, if Clinton was prez that would be a different story.

There is such a good record at finding leakers. If this one isn't identified it must be deliberate of course.

Btw, I watched a West Wing rerun earlier this week where CJ had to find a leaker. She didn't find him.

...the identity of an operative with Non Official Cover.

I can't think of anyone but Bush, Cheney, Rice and Tenet (and some of their staff) who would have that sort of security clearance.

So even if the leaker themselves wasn't one of them, one of those above had to have violated security protocols if it was someone else. Karl Rove, for example, does NOT (or SHOULD not) have appropriate security clearance to know the identity of NOC operatives.

I think there's a much better chance of finding out this leaker's identity than Deep Throat (who didn't talk to half a dozen reporters). One of those reporters (other than Novak) will end up telling the story, if nobody else does.

HEMMER: Do you think the leaker will be caught?

JOHNSON: I'm doubtful.

Hmmmm. Wonder if the leakers will become victim of accidents. Certainly the CIA will know who did it.

Hasn't the CIA watched them cover-up for the Crime Family over and over again? Where's the 9-11 investigation? Why aren't bush and Cheney in jail yet?

"If a Democrat had done this, we would see the Republicans up in arms."

Most of things done by the Bush administration fit this statement...

and the agents exposed with impunity. This was a vicious politcal act with consequences that may cost a lot of lives. However, it pales in comparison to the fake reasons for war with Iraq. War with Iraq was necessary to the Bush mid-term election plan, which was leaked in early 2002 by leaving a copy of the campaign strategy in Lafayette Park. This was the PowerPoint Presentation that emphasized that war patriotism was a necessary part of the 02 election plan.

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=182153&mesg_id=182153

I'm locking this thread. Interested DUers are welcome to continue discussing this in the referenced thread.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation,
TahitiNut - DU moderator