CNN: Plame: Leak severely hurt U.S. intelligence; networks of agents jeopardized, destroyed

[DeepModem Mom]

Ex-CIA operative: Leak severely hurt U.S. intelligence
March 16, 2007


"My name and identity were carelessly and recklessly abused by senior officials in the White House and State Department," Valerie Plame said.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Valerie Plame told Congress Friday the leak of her identity as a CIA covert operative "has jeopardized and even destroyed entire networks of foreign agents."

For the first time since the 2003 leak, the central figure of the resulting scandal revealed her side of events that led to the conviction this month of a former vice presidential aide....

Novak's column destroyed her position and classified status, she told the committee.

The disclosure also damaged U.S. intelligence efforts, she said. "If our government cannot even protect my identity, future foreign agents who might consider working with the Central Intelligence Agency in providing needed intelligence would think twice."

Plame testified her work involved gathering intelligence on weapons of mass destruction....

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/16/cia.leak/index.html

[texpatriot2004]

1. It's about National Security, WMDs and Nuclear Proliferation nm

[Whoa_Nelly]

2. K&R

I watched her testimony this morning And, it's about damn time for her to be able to speak out!

[patrice]

3. Probably affected "human intelligence" in the Mid-East too, don't you think?

Resulting in more deaths than was absolutely necessary, though I guess ALL of the deaths were/are more than was absolutely necessary, but you get my point.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

10. It might be added that...

In the past, Intellagence people have stated our weakest area in the ME intel gathering is HUMINT.

You can bet that La Affaire' Plame not only hurt her network, but others, because of a fundamental loss of trust on the part of indigenous intel sources. They would be afraid of being used as pawns by a rogue administration, just as Valerie Plame's intel network was used as pawns for politics in the US.

You can bet that anyone who was known to have any kind of contact with Valerie Plame was rolled up and, at the very least, strongly questioned.

I do not wish to ponder what happened in the less-savory instances.

[patrice]

20. All of which added up to a VERY f---d up Intel. situation after "Mission Accomplished"

dont't you agree.

Ergo more deaths and more damage to National Security in the "War on Terrorism". Looks like Treason to me.

So what does Congress do next?

[EVDebs]

4. Ties in nicely with Bushco's spiking of legitimate non-proliferation efforts

Khan Job: Bush Spiked Probe of Pakistan’s Dr. Strangelove, BBC reported in 2001
http://www.gregpalast.com/khan-job-bush-spiked-probe-of-pakistan%E2%80%99s-dr-strangelove-bbc-reported-in-2001/

in order to push for preemptive wars based upon false 'intel'.

In fact, Ms Plame/Wilson's outing may have been done for that effect and not merely for 'revenge' for her husband's op-ed piece to the NYTimes !

If Iraq was set up with 'Curveball' and Chalabi, it seems logical that a legit non-proliferation entity in house, Brewster Jennings, had to be shut down so the next cavalcade of bullshit could commence.

My favorite part of Palast's article is the pre-9/11 NSA 'policy shift':

""A top-level CIA operative who spoke with us on condition of strictest anonymity said that, after Bush took office, “There was a major policy shift” at the National Security Agency. Investigators were ordered to “back off ” from any inquiries into Saudi Arabian financing of terror networks, especially if they touched on Saudi royals and their retainers. That put the Bin Ladens, a family worth a reported $12 billion and a virtual arm of the Saudi royal household, off limits for investigation. Osama was the exception; he remained a wanted man, but agents could not look too closely at how he filled his piggy bank. The key rule of any investigation, “follow the money,” was now violated, and investigations-at least before September 11-began to die.""

Will Congress be able to investigate THAT policy shift and its effect on 9-11 ? Let's hope so soon, huh ?

[Nikki Stone1]

5. Not the best photo. CNN needs to be castigated for that

..

[w4rma]

6. That's intentional. (nt)

[DeepModem Mom]

8. There were two photos. I edited and posted the other one. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. So CNN is FINALLY getting it?

[Pachamama]

9. Valerie Plame Wilson was fantastic today! But you know what pisses me off: How in the 3+ yrs since

being "outed", that the press and politicians haven't been discussing what has been so obvious to all of us here and which was very clearly stated today, which is that this hasn't just been about her, but that an entire network and operation that had been focused on the proliferation of WMD's was destroyed and most likely people's lives were jeopardized and even died (especially informants in various countries that were exposed as a result of Valerie's identity having been revealed).

It is despicable to me, that even now with her finally testifying, that these issues haven't been more obvious and the media's complicity/complacency in not addressing it properly, but also even now, when its so obvious, that there are serious issues here to National Security, that the GOP mouthpieces have the audacity to question whether she was covert and to put her and her husband down and to try to defend the actions of this administration.... :puke:

[LibDemAlways]

11. Those repukes today were making asses out of

themselves. Westmoreland was particularly egregious. The voters in his district should be ashamed - what an idiot.

What's so awful about this is that repukes will gladly impeach a Dem for a personal indiscretion but they'll excuse treason when it's committed by their own. They have no ethics, no allegience to the rule of law, and are hypocritical beyond belief.

[Pachamama]

12. When he asked her about her and her husband's political affilitation, I wish she had simply answered

"Congressman, I'm an American...my political affiliation has no relevance to my committment to being a proud American who cherishes our country and the Constitution....so whether I'm a Democrat or a Republican is an irrelevant question...but since you ask, I'll proudly tell you I'm a Democrat who believes in defending the Constitution".

[LibDemAlways]

15. That would have been an excellent answer. She looked so

stunned by the question, as though Joe McCarthy was up there asking her if she had ever been a communist, that she didn't have time to think it through. The only thing I would have added to your response would have been, "Congressman, this hearing isn't about political affiliation. It's about an administration that has no regard for national security when it gets in the way of a personal vendetta. However, since you asked, "Im an American...."

[cassiepriam]

13. That is what Cheney wanted, to destroy the CIA. He wanted his own

group in charge of info, info he could distort to his own ends.

He was able to kill a lot of birds with one stone in the Plame affair.

[Dems Will Win]

19. 60 to 70 informants died according to sources that talked to AL Martin about the Damage Assessment

Plus there was one agent that died between Feb. and Oct. of 2003 (see the blank star in the CIA Book of Honor below)

[cassiepriam]

22. My God. The Bush cabal stops at nothing to gain power and money.

Nothing at all.

[driver8]

14. What pisses me off is that in these past 3 years or so, not one member of this

lying, thieving, group known as the Whitehouse has ever offered and apology. Not one --- zip, zero!

To me, that should be the first clue to anyone that this bunch doesn't give a flying f*ck about national security.

I am so pissed off right now that my stomach hurts.

[cyberpj]

16. Nice to see something other than the AP Headline: "Plame sheds little light in leak case"

Plame sheds little light in leak case
By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS
Associated Press Writer
Mar 17, 8:11 AM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Valerie Plame put a glamorous face and a personal story to Democrats' criticism of the Bush administration Friday, telling a House committee that White House and State Department officials "carelessly and recklessly" blew her CIA cover in a politically motivated smear of her husband.

Plame, the operative at the center of the leak scandal that resulted in last week's criminal conviction of a former top White House official, created more of a stir by her presence on Capitol Hill than by her testimony.

She revealed little new information about the case, which sparked a federal investigation and brought perjury and obstruction of justice convictions of Vice President Dick Cheney's former top aide, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby. No one has been charged with leaking her identity.

[kestrel91316]

17. This can't be true. We all know she was not undercover, and was

really just a desk jockey.

:sarcasm:

[Seldona]

18. Republicans do NOT care about national security.

And it is time for the Democratic Party to start saying it. Anyone who supports outing a covert agent for any reason, let alone for politcal retribution, out to be thrown out on their ear! It is surreal! Was she a covert agent? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! I can't take it any more.

You won't hear any of them admit that Cheney's, Libby's, and Bush's actions destroyed YEARS of work in WMD proliferation in the very area they supposedly care so much about. What do you think happens to men or women of middle eastern decent that are exposed for helping the CIA? Or even ASSOCIATING with Mrs. Plame? People were KILLED! People who were helping us, though I am sure that is classified.

I will say it again; REPUBLICANS DO NOT CARE ABOUT NATIONAL SECURITY AT ALL! NOT ONE LITTLE BIT.

[The Doctor.]

23. This one does.

That's why I want these bastards foisted.

Fair enough?

[The Doctor.]

21. It's about time.

The damage done was literally immeasurable. The MSM needs to get on this solidly.

[mhatrw]

24. kick for anybody who missed this. n/t

[Name removed]

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[heatstreak]

26. kick