Ex-CIA: "Intelligence officers should not be used as political footballs"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/20/AR2005072001877.html

Ex-Intel Officers Speak on Plame's Behalf

The Associated Press
Wednesday, July 20, 2005; 7:10 PM

WASHINGTON -- Eleven former intelligence officers are speaking up on behalf of CIA officer Valerie Plame, saying leaking her identity may have damaged national security and threatens the ability of U.S. intelligence gathering. In a statement to congressional leaders, the former officers said the Republican National Committee has circulated talking points focusing on the idea that Plame was not working undercover and deserved no protection.

There are thousands of U.S. intelligence officers who work at a desk in the Washington, D.C., area every day who are undercover as Plame was when her identity was leaked, the 11 former officers said in a three-page statement.

The former officers' statement comes amid revelations that top presidential aide Karl Rove was involved in leaking Plame's identity to columnist Robert Novak and Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper, and that Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, Lewis Libby, also was a source for Cooper on the Plame story.

"Intelligence officers should not be used as political footballs," the 11 said. "In the case of Valerie Plame, she still works for the CIA and is not in a position to publicly defend her reputation and honor."

[blondeatlast]

1. Why risk your own neck if you risk being exploited for political gain?

Good to hear they are speaking out on this very distutbing aspect of the issue.

[Burried News]

2. Thanks for posting. This story got no MSM coverage yesterday.

Once again professionals put themselves on the line for America.
Isn't that what political parties are supposed to do? So many flags, so few patriots. Catapault the truth.

[flpoljunkie]

3. Yet media blackout today of Waxman/Dorgan hearings LIVE on C-SPAN3 now!

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

4. I had to DIG to find it...it wasn't a "front page" item.

I've been using the "Google News Beta" lately. My usual news bookmarks are Yahoo, Fox, MSNBC, CNN, Salon, and Michael Moore's site.

Google News seems to have a level of depth that the others are lacking. I definitely endorse it as a daily source for my fellow DUers:

http://news.google.com/nwshp?hl=en&gl=us

:toast:

[kestrel91316]

5. It's perfectly ok if Republicans do it. (sarcasm)