
Update at bottom with video link- 18:10 EST:
Why should a country go to the effort of spying on America when all they have to do is follow the US media? USA Today reported a database of phone calls and the New York Times publically exposed the SWIFT banking transaction database; both were used to combat terrorism. Now on the May 22 edition of ABC News’ the Blotter, Brian Ross and Richard Esposito revealed another national security-related secret (my emphasis throughout):
The CIA has received secret presidential approval to mount a covert "black" operation to destabilize the Iranian government, current and former officials in the intelligence community tell the Blotter on ABCNews.com.
Story Continues Below Ad ↓The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject, say President Bush has signed a "nonlethal presidential finding" that puts into motion a CIA plan that reportedly includes a coordinated campaign of propaganda, disinformation and manipulation of Iran's currency and international financial transactions.
Now the Blotter subtly brought up the specter of illegal activity by quoting ABC News consultant and former “White House counterterrorism official,” Richard Clarke:
“There are some channels where the United States government may want to do things without its hand showing, and legally, therefore, the administration would, if it's doing that, need an intelligence finding and would need to tell the Congress."
Only ten paragraphs in does the article really explain why the White House would find such action necessary:
The covert action plan comes as U.S. officials have confirmed Iran had dramatically increased its ability to produce nuclear weapons material, at a pace that experts said would give them the ability to build a nuclear bomb in two years.
That’s it. There is no discussion of Iran’s disregard for international opinion and habit of preaching destruction to the US and Israel, such as President Ahmadinejad stating in 2005 "we shall soon experience a world without America and Zionism" and “Israel must be wiped off the map.” None of that is mentioned and the terrible repercussions of a nuclear Iran are left unaddressed.
Instead, ABC again brought up the legality of such covert actions with the requirement of Congressional reporting, and then questioned the effectiveness and risk of moving to stop Iran, even through non-lethal economic pressure, which “carries great risk”:
"I think everybody in the region knows that there is a proxy war already afoot…(a)nd this covert action is now being escalated by the new U.S. directive, and that can very quickly lead to Iranian retaliation and a cycle of escalation can follow," [Council on Foreign Relation’s Vali] Nasr said.
The article made using covert action to prevent a nuclear Iran seem like just another neo-con adventure in global domination, dropping the names of advisors such as Deputy National Security Advisor Elliot Abrams, who “in particular” “blessed” the plan. Of course, there were a total of five paragraphs devoted to Elliot’s past, which included his role in Iran-Contra and Republican connections.
Too bad that ABC didn’t devote as much space to reminding the public about Iran’s past and troubling stated future wishes. That kind of context is essential; without it, an article like this reads more like ideological bias and an attempt to silently sway opinion.
Update: ABC News posted this video that explains a little more about the network’s exclusive story, such as what the “non-lethal covert acts” entail--"a coordinated campaign of propaganda broadcasts, placement of negative newspaper articles and manipulation of Iran’s currency and international banking transactions," which took the place of Dick Cheney’s plan for military action.
Contact Lynn at tvisgoodforyou2 AT yahoo DOT com















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Boycott the traitors. I'd
May 23, 2007 - 08:48 ET by kathleenirishBoycott the traitors. I'd like to say something else, but it's not fit for a family blog.
Has anyone else noticed, that
May 23, 2007 - 09:42 ET by FastEdHas anyone else noticed, that these "exposes" never happen when there is a demolib in control? Could it be that the demolibs DON'T ever go after terrorists? Could it be that the "journalists" of this country don't get it? (sorry dumb question).
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
when will the government EVER
May 23, 2007 - 09:02 ET by pmohbuckwhen will the government EVER take a stand on the media's recklessness? i wonder how many americans have been killed over the years do their unashamed exposure of sensitive military and intelligence data?
at what point did their "right" to report outweight someone's right to live?
sometimes i really believe that treason has become somewhat chic in the media world. i guess their mantra is the more casualties we take abroad, the more news they can report.
If it bleeds... it leads... T
May 23, 2007 - 09:24 ET by Sergeant ROCKIf it bleeds... it leads... These people should be tried for treason.
I'm all for the bill of rig
May 23, 2007 - 10:30 ET by Challenger GrimI'm all for the bill of rights, freedom of the press AND the 2nd amendment. But good night this is out and out treason IMHO. Maybe there's more to the story, maybe we're missing some context but I really have trouble seeing how this could be justified.
Be sure to get your daily Fred Thompson Fact!
What's funny is that the MSM
May 23, 2007 - 09:13 ET by Sergeant ROCKWhat's funny is that the MSM is more concerned about a political hack's supposed 'secret' identity (See; Valerie Plame) more so than damaging our country's security efforts.
Again, the MSM demonstrates their utter disregard for our nation's security for the sole purpose of undermining their political enemy: President Bush.
There used to be a word for
May 23, 2007 - 09:28 ET by MightyMouthThere used to be a word for this stuff; "treason". Apparantly that word has been redefined as "journalism". And I have a question to ask of dubya... why doesn't your "justice department" look into this crap?
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
It isn't treason when a Repub
May 23, 2007 - 09:36 ET by Sergeant ROCKIt isn't treason when a Republican is in the Whitehouse.
Bush's appeasement of the left has yielded big dividends.
Dubya's biggest flaw is t
May 23, 2007 - 09:47 ET by MightyMouthDubya's biggest flaw is that he is a decent human being. He should have wiped the government clean of every Clinton appointee he could and put in a bushbot. The dems and left are a dispicable lot and not worthy of dubya's graciousness.
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
True. And yet, he continues d
May 23, 2007 - 09:52 ET by Sergeant ROCKTrue. And yet, he continues down this path.
You'd think he had learned from his Dad's Read my lips... no new taxes... debacle.
You hit the nail on the head,
May 23, 2007 - 10:20 ET by dscottYou hit the nail on the head, W extends civility and consideration to those who have no interest in it thinking they at heart actually care about the country. Reminds me of something someone said 2000 years ago, "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces."
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius
As far as the lefties are con
May 23, 2007 - 12:17 ET by BeowulfAs far as the lefties are concerned, "civility and consideration" are weaknesses. Which they have been more than happy to exploit. In the meantime, we're getting screwed and our GIs are getting dead. What a proud day for liberals and the MSM!
The Closed Mind Erects Strong Barriers
That's how liberals define vi
May 23, 2007 - 12:18 ET by Sergeant ROCKThat's how liberals define victory.
MM...He should have wiped the
May 23, 2007 - 13:30 ET by bigtimerMM...
He should have wiped the government clean of every Clinton appointee he could and put in a bushbot.
Exactly!
The rest of what you posted is almost verbatim of the conversation I had with my other half this morning.
Crying shame President Bush thinks the left is going to get along and work with him, in any way shape or form...no matter how gracious he is.
You two are pretty smart bt
May 23, 2007 - 21:17 ET by MightyMouthYou two are pretty smart bt :-) I'm sure he identifies you as his "better half" if he as a single working brain cell in his head :-)
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
Treason? Yeah, right
May 23, 2007 - 09:44 ET by Cool ArrowAny of these traitors get attacked by this White House gets a Pullitzer and his own show on NBC as well as deification (or is it defacation) from the Muslocrats
I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.
"The sources, who spoke
May 23, 2007 - 13:18 ET by general company"The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject,"
Find this guy and prosecute him, that is the only way to make this crap go away
TRAITOROUS SWINE!If our next
May 23, 2007 - 09:35 ET by Dave RTRAITOROUS SWINE!
If our next-to-useless "Attorney General" Alberto Gonzales wasn't so busy going after Border Patrol agents and not going after illegal aliens (who keep showing up on TV in rallies by the gazillions) perhaps he could find time to build a few cases against these treasonous b*st*rds who make up the enemy within.
Gonzales should be tar'd and
May 23, 2007 - 09:42 ET by Sergeant ROCKGonzales should be tar'd and feather'd and run out of town. It's funny that the left again misses the REAL justification for the removal of an appointed or elected official.
Right on Rocko
May 23, 2007 - 09:48 ET by Cool ArrowGonzalez' unforgivable attacks on his Border Patrol agents is shameful. He had any number of legitimate reasons to fire those lardass lawyers, but I can't overlook his treatment of Ramos and Compeon.
I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.
Sarge & Riled,It's real
May 23, 2007 - 10:26 ET by Dave RSarge & Riled,
It's really strange that Mr. Gonzales' "Justice" Dept. can go after Scooter and Duke, but they can't seem to build any kind of a case against Willie Cold Cash Jefferson, who is still prowling the halls of congress.
And don't even get me started on Dianne Frankenstein.
Maybe Gonzales wore himself out slapping Sandy Berger on the wrist.
I swear, Alberto is beginning to make Janet Reno look competent. :-O
Again, this demonstrates the
May 23, 2007 - 10:33 ET by Sergeant ROCKAgain, this demonstrates the Bush adminstration's continuing path of appeasement when it comes to dealing with those that seek their political destruction. It's insane!
On the other hand, Brian Ross
May 23, 2007 - 09:46 ET by dscottOn the other hand, Brian Ross and Richard Esposito are useful idiots. Now that the Iranian regime knows for certain that the US is actively working to overthrow them, this adds pressure to the negotiations on Uranium enrichment. If the Mullahs want to stay in power they have to concede their position. If anyone has noticed, more ships have recently arrived in the Gulf signaling immenent military action. So which is it? Door #1 bombing campaign that destroys your military and uranium production. Door #2 being overthrown by a campaign of bombings targeting Mullahs and the Quds which ends worldwide support of terrorism or Door #3 Stay in power, have the Russians reprocess the uranium and continue to fund terrorism?
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius
I think everyone can agree th
May 23, 2007 - 09:49 ET by BeowulfI think everyone can agree that the 1st Amendment can't protect someone for shouting "FIRE" in a theater. This is the well-worn example of where that particular line is drawn. But how far is the media allowed to go when it involves national security and the very lives of Americans?
The words "Secret", "Covert", and "Black Operation" were readily used in this article, so there can be no doubt of the information's sensitivity.
There is no Constitutional infringement involved, so the "Domestic" wiretapping and Patriot Act arguments are not valid.
These SOBs knew, and know, that this is SECRET and vital information that helps our enemies while hurting our own national interests.
The authors and editors should be brought up on charges, the entire outlet shut down until the conclusion of an investigation, and and all-out effort made to discover whoever leaked the information in the first place, and who should be locked up for life.
These people are playing games with our lives and the very existence of our country and way of life.
THIS BS HAS TO BE STOPPED!
The Closed Mind Erects Strong Barriers
I couldn't agree more with al
May 23, 2007 - 10:23 ET by jpatchI couldn't agree more with all that is being said here.
The members of the MSM think that they are superstars, they think they are celebrities, and they thiink they are doing good work by attempting to overthrow the U.S. government.
We need to push for treason charges against these sick people. They have literally become the enemy within, and they must be stopped.
I think it's a perfect example of the left's insanity when you see how Olberman doesn't even listen to Rush Limbaugh, and yet he (Olberman) would purport to tell us all that Limbaugh is the world's worst person...just like they try to demonize Bill O'Reilly, who is an Emmy Award winning career journalist.
What can we do? We need to organize something to get more exposure to the fact that we have "journalists" in this country that are acting as agents for our enemies all over the world. This is unacceptable and in my opinion, should be cause for widespread protests in this country...only problem is, all of the people that would be protesting have jobs and are at work.
Down with the traitors...put them on trial like they do to our men and woman in the military. The journalists will be the first ones to call our troops murderers, baby killers and monsters...I'd like to see how Olberman, Rosie or Bill Maher would handle being on the front lines. Wouldn't that be great TV?
I agree, it has to stop.Per
May 23, 2007 - 10:45 ET by Dave RI agree, it has to stop.
Perhaps if Mr. Bush would stop trying to be everybody's' friend and start trying to ID the leaker(s) that keep doing this (unless this was an intentional leak by the administration to send a message to Iran-it does happen), it would go a long way to plug some very damaging leaks which have become essentially an epidemic .
What they need is a high-profile criminal case against one of the leakers and prosecute them to the hilt.
Won't happen, but it should.
The media have 1st Amendment
May 23, 2007 - 18:25 ET by Lynn DavidsonThe media have 1st Amendment protection to spill these secrets—to a point, I think. You touched on an important point. Why hasn’t the wave of unconscionable leaks from the CIA and State Dept. been stopped?
As I read stories like this, I wonder several things. Would the media outlet, in this case ABC News, have revealed that President Clinton was planning covert ops in Somalia, Bosnia or Rwanda, and where is any of the concern at this leaked information exposing actual covert agents who happen to be working in a hostile country that the media showed a CIA analyst who was no longer a covert agent and had already been outed--once by her ambassador husband?
The media were concerned about the vulnerable CIA agents and the foreign contacts who were exposed due to Valerie Plame's "outing," but they don't seem to care about the Iranians and Americans working undercover to destabilize a dangerous and brutal regime that are now in danger--not to mention the innocent people that Iran wrongly accuses of spying.
Great name btw, "Beowulf" was one of my favorite English Lit tales. I wonder if it is still taught. There's supposed to be a movie, which I hope doesn't stink. Maybe it can get kids interested.
Thanks Lynn. One of my favori
May 24, 2007 - 09:46 ET by BeowulfThanks Lynn. One of my favorite characters as well. I always liked his "philosophy". Anyway, back to the discussion at hand:
I think the same as to would the story have been told in other circumstances, namely with a Dem in office. But it's a moot point, as it can't be determined either way, and while it's pertinent overall, it's also irrelevent at the same time. It is already a well known and heavily denied fact that the MSM treats members of the two philosophies far differently from each other. The Plame affair is a perfect case in point, as is the US Attorney firings.
The issue is the leakers passing classified information to the media, and the media knowingly publishing said classified information. It has become common practice for the MSM to completely disregard the ramifications of their "reporting" on national security, prosecution of the war, and net effect on intelligence gathering and covert operations and operatives simply to score points and/or hurt the administration and conservatives.
The Closed Mind Erects Strong Barriers
Leak?
May 23, 2007 - 10:17 ET by allanfSometimes stories such as this are deliberately leaked by the government to achieve a desired effect.
This may or may not be the case here. What is clear is that leaks will continue until the government is willing to prosecute both the leakers, journalists and newspapers that publish classified information.
There is a real lack of will here. If the goverment can track down the Valerie Plame leak, I cannot believe it cannot track down the leakers of the NSA montioring story
Why are you people so surpris
May 23, 2007 - 10:29 ET by Sonny LykosWhy are you people so surprised. Communism and Socialism have become Medusa, and her snake head tentacles are the Democrat Party, the MSM, Soros, Moveon.org, university professors, the teachers union, GLAAD, the State Dept., and many more.
Any way you look at it. we’re screwed! Conservatives, unlike aggressive, vicious, well organized and with a lot of money, are very passive and more interested in American Idol while their ship sinks.
The U.S. government should le
May 23, 2007 - 10:30 ET by mattmThe U.S. government should let it leak that covert C.I.A operatives have been deployed in the MSM, looking for traitors...think they're paranoid now?
Nauseating
May 23, 2007 - 10:34 ET by CuzThis makes me sick to the stomach. Seriously.
The freedom of the press is a good thing. The reckless and irresponsible behavior of the media with this freedom is terrifying beyond comprehension.
Can they hate our president so much that they would undermine our national security? ......Oh, sorry, dumb question...
Don't fret.. they'll simmer d
May 23, 2007 - 10:37 ET by Sergeant ROCKDon't fret.. they'll simmer down when a democRAT gets back in the Whitehouse.
There needs to be a cultural
May 23, 2007 - 10:38 ET by BDThere needs to be a cultural change within the CIA. As it stands the CIA is the second most liberal Intelligence Agency in the US Intelligence Archecture falling just behind the Department of State Intelligence apparatus.
THe CIA gets this way based on who they recruit as analysts (Mostly kids right out of Ivy League schools with peculiar degrees in things like "Early Mesoamerican feminist poetry" ) and who they promote.
THe notion of patriotism to these CIA analysts differs from the patriotism most normal americans enjoy. (Lots of J Frank Wilsons in the ranks of the CIA, trust me.)
If I were the DCI I would start recruiting directly from the military and put all their new analysts through non-CIA training.
I used to work in the Intelli
May 23, 2007 - 12:02 ET by rbosqueI used to work in the Intelligence field. We were constantly drilled that loose lips would send us to the pokey. Where are these leaks coming from and why are they not plugged and jailed? If I had done this, I would have ( at the very least ) felt like a traitor, then I would have been unceremoniously been dumped off at a federal penitentiary, and rightly so.
Incredible.
Not so incredible if you know
May 23, 2007 - 13:38 ET by Sonny LykosNot so incredible if you know a little history:
1963 Congressional Record Report of Communist Goals. Please note how many have been accomplished and/or are in the process. And many here think the problem is just between conservatives and liberals. Mmmmm. And guess who is bankrolling the liberals and what "liberals" really are?
3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament [by] the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.
6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.
11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)
15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.
16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.
17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.
18. Gain control of all student newspapers.
19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.
20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.
22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression.
23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."
24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.
25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.
26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."
27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."
28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."
29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.
30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."
31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture.
32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.
36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.
38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand [or treat].
40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.
41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.
42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use ["]united force["] to solve economic, political or social problems.
45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction [over domestic problems. Give the World Court jurisdiction] over nations and individuals alike.
You are correct. Sinister for
May 23, 2007 - 13:50 ET by rbosqueYou are correct. Sinister forces are at work and they are plainly evident. This is no wild idea, no fantasy. The left is on the march and the MSM are complicit in this. Terrible.
Sonny...You are exactly right
May 23, 2007 - 14:00 ET by bigtimerSonny...
You are exactly right and I am glad this was posted again...it is right on the money!
23. Control art critics and
May 23, 2007 - 14:36 ET by Challenger Grim23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."
Anyone ever read C.S. Lewis' The Abolition of Man? It's a slim book (but very deep) that pretty much makes the point, that for civlizaion to survive, people need to be taught- to be trained - to recognize what is "good" (like "good" art, "good" writings, etc). And he points out how this concept of "good" or a standard of culture is universal to any human society.
The older I get, the more wisdom I find within that book.
Be sure to get your daily Fred Thompson Fact!
Be sure to get your daily Fred Thompson Fact!
May 23, 2007 - 21:17 ET by Free StinkerBe sure to get your daily Fred Thompson Fact!
They didn't mention the best one (which I just made up):
Fred Thompson & Ann Coulter walked into a bar. The bar was instantly destroyed because That Much Awesome cannot be contained in one building.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"George W. Bush simply reminds leftists everyday what they will never be. And they hate him for it." --Tammy Bruce
so true...WAKE UP, AMERICA !!!
May 23, 2007 - 21:13 ET by LionKingThis is so true. Oddly enough, which major party agenda coincides most closely with this list.
Also, deep in its bowels, you will find this list along with other subversive goals to guide the ACLU. If you look at the list, you can see where the ACLU has played an active part and is still attacking our great nation.
WAKE UP, AMERICA !!!
I wonder if ABC would have sa
May 23, 2007 - 20:27 ET by Lynn DavidsonI wonder if ABC would have said this --
"Anonymous sources at the OSS said the President had given the go-ahead for secret operations in France to destabiize the Vichy government, but he must seek Congressional approval for the program to be legal. In other news, anonymous sources have told ABC that Pas de Calais is not the target of possible military intervention in France, and they will instead invade at Normandy. Up next, FDR is in a wheelchair."
Odd
May 23, 2007 - 21:07 ET by Mr. BishopI find it extremely odd, that the same people that complained that Iraq should have been a CIA pushed internal struggle to topple Saddam Hussein, would complain that the US is trying to follow their advice to topple the Iranian government. Whether these events are true or not... the sheer inability to remain consistant on the part of the Media is disturbing
If homosexuality is genetic, then it must be a birth defect. If it is a birth defect, then stem cell research might provide a cure.
the media is consistant if it
May 23, 2007 - 21:18 ET by botgthe media is consistant if it's a Move ON talking point it's followed
Supreme Court, National Security, Borders, Fiscal Restraint, my litmus test for President.