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**glamourcitys** · 02-24-2006, 10:52 AM

There's a really interesting letter from Senator Rockefeller to Director of National Intelligence Negroponte, dated Feb. 17, 2006. Here are a few things he said.

On comments made by CIA Director Goss in the NY Times (Feb. 10, 2006) concerning the many negative effects the leaking of classified information cab have:

I am surprised and puzzled, however, that Director Goss chose to lay the blame for this damage on what he describes as misguided whistleblowers. Clearly "leaks" and damaging revelations of intelligence sources and methods are generated primarily by Executive Branch officials pushing a particular policy, and not by the rank-and-file employees of the intelligence agencies. On the Libby leaks "authorized" by Cheney:

This blatant abuse of intelligence information for political purposes is inexcusable, but all too common. Throughout the period leading up to the Iraq war the Administration selectively declassified or leaked information related to Iraq's acquisition of aluminum tubes, the alleged purchase of uranium, the non-existent operational connection between Iraq and Al-Qaeda, and numerous other issues. On Bush, his domestic spy program, and the December NY Times story:

Rather than offering no comment on the press stories, as is normally done when classified information is leaked, the President chose to selectively declassify aspects of the program that would allow for a public relations campaign to score political points. The President has for the past two months used previously classified information about this program to bolster his political position while simultaneously denying Congress access to information needed to fully understand and evaluate the program. And my favorite part:

Given the Administration's continuing abuse of intelligence information for political purposes, its criticism of leaks is extraordinarily hypocritical. Preventing damage to intelligence sources and methods from media leaks will not be possible until the highest levels of the Administration cease to disclose classified information on a selective basis for political purposes. With Bush, it's all politics, baby - not policy, just politics, time and again.

02-24-2006, 10:52 AM	#1
glamourcitys Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 570 Senior Member	Rockefeller on leaks There's a really interesting letter from Senator Rockefeller to Director of National Intelligence Negroponte, dated Feb. 17, 2006. Here are a few things he said. On comments made by CIA Director Goss in the NY Times (Feb. 10, 2006) concerning the many negative effects the leaking of classified information cab have: I am surprised and puzzled, however, that Director Goss chose to lay the blame for this damage on what he describes as misguided whistleblowers. Clearly "leaks" and damaging revelations of intelligence sources and methods are generated primarily by Executive Branch officials pushing a particular policy, and not by the rank-and-file employees of the intelligence agencies. On the Libby leaks "authorized" by Cheney: This blatant abuse of intelligence information for political purposes is inexcusable, but all too common. Throughout the period leading up to the Iraq war the Administration selectively declassified or leaked information related to Iraq's acquisition of aluminum tubes, the alleged purchase of uranium, the non-existent operational connection between Iraq and Al-Qaeda, and numerous other issues. On Bush, his domestic spy program, and the December NY Times story: Rather than offering no comment on the press stories, as is normally done when classified information is leaked, the President chose to selectively declassify aspects of the program that would allow for a public relations campaign to score political points. The President has for the past two months used previously classified information about this program to bolster his political position while simultaneously denying Congress access to information needed to fully understand and evaluate the program. And my favorite part: Given the Administration's continuing abuse of intelligence information for political purposes, its criticism of leaks is extraordinarily hypocritical. Preventing damage to intelligence sources and methods from media leaks will not be possible until the highest levels of the Administration cease to disclose classified information on a selective basis for political purposes. With Bush, it's all politics, baby - not policy, just politics, time and again.
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