Obama’s Disclosures and the World of Intelligence
He was paid by a stranger walking through an airport who handed him a paper bag full of foreign currency. Sometimes it was in British pounds, sometimes in Japanese yen, but always a preferred currency. He would have bet on the denomination from week to week, but he had no one with whom to bet.
There was no real record of his existence. There was no personnel file at Langley. At most, there was a letter someplace rejecting his application to the CIA and thanking him for his interest. But even this probably didn’t exist. In fact, he had never been to Langley. He had not been trained on the farm (actually there are several farms), but overseas by private contractors, former British SAS, whose names he didn’t know and who didn’t know his. In a few cases, he lived with them while they trained him. When he moved on, so did they.
His first mission was to crawl through a tunnel into East Berlin and bring out an “asset” the U.S. wanted. On the West Berlin side he met Germans he didn’t know, whom he had to trust with his life to take him over to the other side. They were German nationals working for the U.S., part of an intelligence network reconstructed after the evisceration of the CIA by another political media star, Senator Frank Church. The senator wanted to be president, and chairing a committee parading the nation’s intelligence secrets day after day before the world’s cameras was to be his ticket to the White House.
Intelligence networks built up over decades collapsed as operatives feared that in America’s eagerness to do what no nation state had ever done — expose its deepest secrets to the world — they too would be exposed. Some piece of paper with their names on it would be waved before the world’s media in order to advance someone’s political agenda, even as two KGB officers dutifully and quietly sat at the back of the hearing room. One can only imagine what thoughts ran through their minds.
When you’ve committed yourself towards the defense of Bon Jovi’s hair stylings….You can vote for hope all you like son, but I just don’t think it’s going to be there for you…
As Zero presses forward with dismantling our intelligence services and Pelosi calls for show trials, the payback file gets thicker. Sedition and treason are extreme words that begin to fit the Dems as they weaken our nation and open us up to more attacks both at home and abroad. Unfortunately the evidence that will be presented will be in the form of destruction of parts of our society.
Governor Perry has a point that Texas would be better off without Washington and in reality this applies to much of the South.
ya know…i was going to write my usual funny line or some invective aimed at the marxists in power…..i just sit here and think how many brave souls have been put in harms way by these frauds in power…i’m sure our humint assets are long vanished into the ether of whatever hell hole they live in….our enemies may dress funny or talk in harsh sounds to our western ears….but they are not stupid…..they will, and are seizing this opportunity with gusto…..we grow weaker and less safe by the minute……my fear is that we won’t be able to undo this catastrophe in time…hell…we won’t be able to…let’s face it….collective madness has taken over a portion of our fair country…madness….i wish it was only them that will be paying the price….all of our kids and loved ones will….there won’t be any mercy shown, no checking of a D or a R next to your name…a large percentage of us will never submit….never….ever….madness
Obama is madder than Woodrow Wilson. And this idea that an affirmative action President will unite the world is ludicrous. All CIA operatives are in danger now, because of his French views. As an Australian, I felt safer under Bush. But perhaps the world will have to learn the hard way, God forbid.
I can’t speak for the risks spies run but I have worked as an undercover police officer. The biggest question when using a Confidential Informant always was “Can he be trusted?”. I can’t imagine what went through the minds of people that were risking their lives on our behalf when the Teleprompter in Chief decided to start spilling the beans on our Intel Ops.
If the invasions of Afgahnistan and Iraq proved anything at all is was that HumInt was the most important aspect of Intel Ops. You can take pictures from satelites all day long but until you have people “listening at the door”, so to speak, you are going to be doing a LOT of guessing. People on the ground have insight into the world they are living in that can never be replaced by electronic surveillance. I am sure that those people have suddenly become harder to find.
I agree jjkrn. There are no witty lines that apply here because it’s just that sad. Our own President has just thrown the American safety and security we have always enjoyed under the bus. The military, the CIA, the FBI have all been shaken to their core by this and unfortunately will take the blame when the US is struck by terrorists once again even though TeleBama has now essentially tied their hands. After all, TeleBama has never met a scapegoat he didn’t love right? Why I still haven’t figured out is why TeleBama hates the US so much??
I can understand another country doing this for us. But it’s happening inside our periphery. It seems like a terrorist attack by our government?
It was ironic, watching the President assure the CIA crowd of having their backs. He made his promise in front of the wall of stars – the Wall of Honor that graces the CIA Langley lobby. The wall of nameless stars of course, honors those members of the CIA who gave their lives – namelessly – in the service of their country. I wonder how many of those men and women would support this President as he begins a wholesale gutting of the agency and I wonder how many would believe his assurance of having ‘you back’ – as they walk down a darkened alley somewhere in an increasingly dangerous world?
To paraphrase a maxim: “Better to live in the world as it is, than in the world as it ought to be.” Liberals obviously choose to take the latter approach, though this is not enough–they must also demonize and marginalize those who take the former. All part of an adolescent and naive belief that they can lead the world by the power of their dreams. We will get hit, and hit big, and I feel sorry in advance for all the individual lives that will be devastated by this sophomoric and irresponsible policy.
It was ironic, watching the President assure the CIA crowd of having their backs. He made his promise in front of the wall of stars – the Wall of Honor that graces the CIA Langley lobby. The wall of nameless stars of course, honors those members of the CIA who gave their lives – namelessly – in the service of their country. I wonder how many of those men and women would support this President as he begins a wholesale gutting of the agency and I wonder how many would believe his assurance of having ‘your back’ – as they walk down a darkened alley somewhere in an increasingly dangerous world?
I think it’s an ultimate hypocrisy to use Obama and intelligence as if the two had any relationship.
@9. Maurice:
I’m sure you would have expressed the same disdain for the founders of our country, who proved conclusively that the power of dreams can move the world forward. Conservatives long for the past, forgetting the progress that we have made. Progressives look to the future, and imagine how it can be made a better place, and then take action to bring their dreams to fruitition.
Far from being adolescent and naive, it is the Progressive movement that best embodies the mature and thoughtful political vanguard of America. If you want to look at the adolescent and naive, just recall the greeting that was promised for our troops in Iraq.
I much prefer the dreams of the progressive to the nightmares brought into being by the conservatives in this country and others. The Taliban and the GOP are not really that far apart.
Peace.
DS
The worst part for me is that I KNOW that if the US is attacked again, the Liberals will be front and center whining about how the military and the CIA didn’t protect us. I’m just hoping we still have at least some smidgeon of free speech left when that happens to point out the obvious… TeleBama hates the US and is systematically dismantling every agency that dare protect the US citizens.
Standing by for Mr. Hannity. Paging San Hannity. We’re ready to help you help the children of American heroes. Five minutes on the waterboard is all. paging Mr Hannity. Nothing to fear sir. Just a little water. Like dunking your head in a sink. That’;s it. Promise. Paging Sean Hannity. It’s important that you represent conservative values right now. An opportunity to be courageous. Paging Sean Hannity.
#12, Now David, it is time to get back on your meds. Lets be a good little lib and debate the meaning of the word “is”.
David S.
For the very brief period of time in which truly free and liberated societies have been viably functioning on this planet, they have always been and will always be part of a two-handed approach, with one hand holding an olive branch and the other a gun. Our founders dreamed of freedom and peace, but won it with a very bloody, costly, and risky war. In just the past century we have seen much of the free world consumed with tyranny, only to have it liberated by power of force administered largely by, and under the leadership of, the US. To minimize the threat of war through diplomatic outreach is always noble, and should always be the first option–and in this effort I see signs of hope from the current administration. But to assume that this will universally win over our enemies is in fact naive. To hand over our playbook in this new kind of war, where intelligence is the front lines in fighting a stealthy enemy that does not even carry a flag, is tragically disastrous, I fear.
If you geniuses care so much about the welfare of our intelligence agents, where was your outrage when the Bush administration leaked the name of CIA agent Valerie Plame?
Hypocrites.
valerie flame…lmfao
I see that the Obama apologist are with us again. Destroying the intelligence community will further destroy this nation. And as for Valerie Plame, her husband outed her years before Bush got into office.
“The Taliban and the GOP are not really that far apart.”
I thought your idealism was admirable but naive. This statement makes you look just plain stupid.
Cite your parallel with a supportable dialog and I might actually listen to it. I don’t always agree with either political party, but at least I can see the point of view. If you can’t effectively argue either position in a debate, then you clearly don’t understand the issue/question that confronts you, regardless where your personal belief/opinions lie.
The above statement is idiotic.
Pastor of Muppets: Yes, I see the correlation. “Outing” Valerie Plame vs. “Outing” the entire Military, the CIA and the FBI. You Liberals are so predictable.
21 – Pastor asked a legitimate question. No wonder you couldn’t answer it. Back to your coma.
Plame? You would compare whats happening today with the Plame incident?
You do know it was Armatage that outed her, don’t you?
You are entitled to your own opinion, but you are not entitled to make up your own facts.
You should read/watch/listen to real “news” instead of taking huffington et al as gospel.
@17. Pastor of Muppets
In the world where you live there may be some similarity of risk between someone working covert ops in a brutal ductatorship and some bimbo who has her name on a parking space at Langley (and delivers lectures at universites using her name and rank), for the rest of us there is a staggering difference. One places their life at risk so that you can sleep safe at night, the other arranges for her entirely unqualified husband gets sent on fake fact-finding missions.
Even the families of those who are represented by the stars will be known. When the spies are outed so are their families. The enemies know that the best way to make someone talk is to go after what they love the most. David S, Pastor, for your sake, I hope no in your family has a government secret.
backatcha: Back to my coma? LOL! Do you ever make a point or just grunt randomly?
“Sedition and treason are extreme words that begin to fit the Dems” “Marxist in power” “All CIA agents are now in danger” “The military, the CIA, the FBI have all been shaken to their core by this” “a terrorist attack by our government?” “TeleBama hates the US and is systematically dismantling every agency that dare protect the US citizens.”
It is interesting to make a list of the stupid statements here. I email them to my friends for their entertainment
This article is one of the most interesting I’ve read in a long time. Mr. Miller shows us how Washington politics can have dangerous consequences for our brave men and women in the field. Obviously, Mr. Miller is passionate about this debate, not because he has adapted a liberal or conservative belief, but because such politically motivated decisions have affected his own life. This article brought a debate to the real world where there are real people.
@17. Pastor of Muppets
You also seem to forget that Armitage has stated that it was him, not Scooter Libby, that made Plame’s source of a paycheck a bit of national news.
Treason.
If you geniuses care so much about the welfare of our intelligence agents, where was your outrage when the Bush administration leaked the name of CIA agent Valerie Plame?
Plame outed herself. She conspired with Wilson to undermine the liberation of Iraq by sending Wilson to Niger and then remaining silent in derogation of her duty when Wilson issued false statements about what he had learned in Niger.
#27 The Shadow: You have friends? That’s the interesting part of your post.
Pastor of Muppets:
Sir: granting that no covert CIA agent ought to be outed, and noting that she was not covert, WADR, did she not “out herself” when she selected her husband to report on Niger, then allowed him to write a newspaper article recounting his CIA engagement? You can’t seriously believe that any darkop with an interest in anonymity would have permitted such a thing to happen. She was as “covert” as a narc with a bowtie and an earpiece on a college campus.
Nor can you seriously believe that any foreign power would blithely assume that Wilson (“I worked for the CIA”)’s wife was at home baking cookies?. The Plame incident was a joke from start to finish: whatever she had been, she was no longer in the shadows when this occurred. And as noted, it wasn’t Bush, Cheny or Libby that outed her.
We have troops in the field and the gratuitous release of memos and photos serves only one purpose: to make Obama look good to Europeans. It does nothing for the US but endanger our troops and diplomats. Obama is so far off the mark on this one its not at all funny.
David S:
Perhaps you should read the David McCullough biography of John Adams before you open your mouth. The founding fathers were not a bunch starry eyed idealists but practical men who were quite willing to use all means neccessary to make the revolution succeed. They have nothing in common with you so-called progressives who are at best blowhards with no scruples or men of evil designs on freedom. Progressive is just another name for Fascists of the red kind.
#27 The Shadow:
I assume you mean that the amped up rhetoric fails to come close to the pure name-calling (“fascist,” “”monster” etc) that is the reasoned product of leftist icons such as Cindy Sheehan (the “peace mom”), Sean Penn, and the forgettable one that just characterized people at anti-tax tea parties as rascists and morons.
But the amped up rhetoric here tries to describe an event as opposed to simple name-calling. You can surely see the difference. And its not far off the mark: you doubtless recall that after Jimmy Carter got through firing most of the CIA’s spooks, the effect was felt for decades: Reagan, Bush I and Clinton all moaned about the lost “huminintell” that was wasted by Carter like it could be reinstalled tomorrow (Carter thought like a CPA firing employees–thought they were all fungible). But deep operatives in foreign cuntries that might be executed if caught–are understandably gun shy about being outed by grandstanding US politicians. They will not assist for years now.
That’s what people here are complaining about. So put down the remote, take that half-eaten brownie out of your mouth, get off facebook, and be serious for a while. To paraphrase Dean Wormer (“Fat dumb and stupid is no way to go thru life son.”), taunting the posters here just to see them froth ignores their genuine concern and a real issue. That’s shallow. What would Dean Wormer say?
Blackwell:
And let’s not forget that the DoJ supervisor who oversaw Libby case is the same one who is now under investigation by the federal court in Alaska for prosecutorial misconduct in the Stevens case. Let’s see if that investigation expands to her conduct in the Libby prosecution.
The United States is self-destructing. This time there will not be a Ronald Reagan to save it.
Sirs, there is a cancer on the Presidency.
It doesn’t stop at killing the unborn, but extends
to killing any hope of knowing what our sworn enemies
will do before they do it.
This goes way beyond an inexperienced President making mistakes. Even doozies.
Any reasonable person would assume scienter. This President isn’t out to clean up interrogation techniques. That’s the cover. The brown eyed hansome man is out to kill America. Until I uncover the smoking gun, my proof is res ipsa loquitur. The cases I cite are Schenck, and Brandenberg. Next to Holmes’ phrase, “clear and present danger” in the newest publications of the West Company, are photos of Barack Obama. Ladies and gentlemen. The fox is in the chicken coop.
Blackwell: “We have troops in the field and the gratuitous release of memos and photos serves only one purpose: to make Obama look good to Europeans. It does nothing for the US but endanger our troops and diplomats. Obama is so far off the mark on this one its not at all funny.”
I agree that we should not be broadcasting any images of individual soldiers or agents who are still in the field of combat, as such a breach would put those particular soldiers and agents in danger.
However, your line of reasoning opens the door for any leader to justify the cover up of any atrocity by simply claiming that “We can’t tell you what we’re doing because any knowledge we share will put our troops in danger. If you continue to ask us for evidence of what we’re doing, we will conclude that you do not care about the safety or welfare of our troops, and therefore are an enemy of the state.”
That right there is how Hitler kept the lid on his death camps, and how Stalin kept the lid on his gulags. Just something to think about.
That right there is how Hitler kept the lid on his death camps, and how Stalin kept the lid on his gulags. Just something to think about.
You have a point there, Pastor, but the President has taken it to the opposite extreme. There is a middle ground, why can’t he stop there?
14. backatcha:
“Standing by for Mr. Hannity. Paging San Hannity. We’re ready to help you help the children of American heroes. Five minutes on the waterboard is all. paging Mr Hannity. Nothing to fear sir. Just a little water. Like dunking your head in a sink. That’;s it. Promise. Paging Sean Hannity. It’s important that you represent conservative values right now. An opportunity to be courageous. Paging Sean Hannity.”
Mr. Hannity can go on the waterboard as soon as Mr. soetero presents his birth certificate to the American public. When you talk with soetero this evening, you might want to mention that.
Pastor of Muppets:
“If you geniuses care so much about the welfare of our intelligence agents, where was your outrage when the Bush administration leaked the name of CIA agent Valerie Plame?”
You’re so silly. There was no “there” there, and you would know that if you actually informed yourself about the facts.
It’s sickening to have to keep adding the list that is entitled,
“Lives Not Valued By Barry Soetero: If You’re On This List, He Does Not Care If Die”
1. Unborn babies.
2. Live born babies who survived murder attempts by abortionists.
3. Elderly whose medical care will have to be rationed (he’s already made references to the potential for this–not a problem for him)
4. CIA agents who have faithfully served
5. Citizens in New York who (literally) could have been killed running down the stairs (check out the audio of the 911 calls–it was ugly)
6. I’m sure I’m forgetting some that could be added here.
Give it enough time–the names of you and yours will eventually show up on the list…but by that time it won’t matter, because no one will dare talk about it any more.
43. Meryl:
You forgot to list the people who get up and go to work!
The speed with which Obambi is determined to neuter both our military and our intelligence community makes me wonder why anyone would bother to become part of either? Americans learned a hard lesson after Vietnam, that being if your government isn’t going to support your effort you are going to lose. It’s obvious that Obambi is not going to back the military efforts even though he talks about committing troops to Afghanistan but I think he’s holding back and if the going starts to get really tough he’s going to sell out, sort of like we did to our South Vietnamese allies. Now he’s flaunting our intelligence secrets for all the world to see. I can envision a couple of years down the road where Obambi brings back the draft because not enough young men and women are joining, and believe me that is not going to be a pretty picture when his leftists buddies are forced into the military.
39 Pastor of Muppets:
Comparisons with Nazis contaminates any discussion don’t you think? Just like John Birchers calling pro-flouridation people communists, it simply irradiates all reasoned discussion. It also does away with any proportional discussion: Hitler was a vegetarian and I don’t necessarily oppose eating vegetables or tell vegatarians I meet that “Hitler did that!” as if that is the be all and end all of the issue. (many vegans are really hot too you know).
The Nazi’s also pushed the development of the jet plane, the small car and those funny helmets that the US army finally adopted. I am not opposed to jets, small cars (as long as I don’t have to drive one) or the helmets. So just because the Nazi’s did something (hid things) does not mean that they own it, or stained it and everything we do ought to be on line for excited nuts in other parts of the world to see. (Popes were corrupt too, but I don’t want to imitate those popes).
So back to the merits: Assume you agree that people will be inflamed at US soldiers, diplomats and tourists whether they are in a photo or not: if you don’t think so ask Daniel Pearl. Ooops. Guess we can’t. It was just a free-floating hatred for Americans, and in particular American jews that motivated his killers to cut off his head and put the fil on line. Why stoke that type of anger?
The 3,000 people killed on 9-11 were never in a photo either. Nor were the people killed in the embassy attacks prior to 9-11. Its nice that people in Wash D.C. that work for the government have guards and secret service protection: Why endanger US tourists who don’t even carry guns?
The people that suffer from this will be people that have no secrets ervice protection. And there is no benefit: the memos were published. Why pubish the photos? Seriously why?
Just dropped off a couple reels of film at Photo Quick. Will post those new Abu Ghraib shots tomorrow. Should be fun. Let not your heart be troubled. I’m sure there won’t be anything in them you can’t be proud of. Good old American values hard at work. Nothing serious or new to discover. Just a few “bad apples” going off the reservation. We’ve dealt with them. Don’t listen to Karpinski. Don’t read this:
http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed2/idUSN11414139
Nothing there to implicate policy makers. Move along. Focus on Obama’s dog or Michelle’s arms or a teleprompter. Don’t get sidetracked into facts or issues. Stay above the fray. Don’t succumb to that moral nagging to take/admit responsibility. Deny, deny, deny. Redirect criticism toward the Clintons. Still mileage to get out of “is is.” Above all else, do not mention Sean Hannity’s empty pledge to be waterboarded for charity. We don’t want to endanger right wing claims of principled views and actions with his . . . unfortunate bit of ad-libbing. We just to to stonewall a few more days and it will pass. Until then, remember . . . we chased Specter out . . . he didn’t leave . . . we chased him out. Got that? OK, good. Now, go back to your knitting.
41. Meryl: Mr. Hannity can go on the waterboard as soon as Mr. soetero presents his birth certificate to the American public. When you talk with soetero this evening, you might want to mention that.
Funny, I don’t remember Mister Hannity establishing that as a prerequisite (though it won’t surprise me if he does). As for Obama producing his birth certificate, he already has. And the Supreme Court has already dismissed this ridiculous bit of misdirection. Soooo . . .
Paging Mister Hannity. All set up here. Meryl says you can’t avoid it any longer. She says she’ll goon the board right after you. Don’t let Meryl down. paging Mister Hannity. Kids are waiting. they need your help. Why hast thou forsaken them? Paging Sean Hannity.
12. David S:
You are wrong about your assessment of the founding fathers. They were very much the realists and knew the dangers they were running. Benjamin Franklin’s words were “gentlemen, we better hang together or we will hang separately”. They were also quite conservative in continuing the traditions of liberty that had been established during the English Civil War and the Glorious Revolution. The wording of the Declaration of Independence bears this out. They were as well, strong supporters of private property and today’s progressive movement is a strong supporter of socialism and the far left wing is very vocal about their support and desire for statism.
In closing, my advice for all FBI and CIA personnel is to err on the side of legal caution, make sure suspects get a lawyer, put no pressure of any kind on suspects and if we get hit again so be it. The main job for our intelligence personnel now is to be good bureaucrats and stay out of jail themselves.
The people who work for the CIA have to remember the old axiom: ‘What goes around, comes around.” During the Bush Administration, the CIA was leaking information quite regularly to undermine President Bush. Apparently, some of the desk jockeys at the CIA (Plame and her non- CIA whimp-ass husband) thought they were elected President, not George Bush. Now the chickens are coming home to roost with Bambi in charge. I support the brave members of the CIA who few of us will ever know about or hear about. The aforementioned group does not include desk jockey, serial liar Valerie Plame (she has given three different versions of how her whimp-ass husband wound up taking a vacation in Africa), so the two of them could make George Bush look bad.
Backatcha’s sole intent for participating in this dialog is to incense. I suggest that a UFC style cage match with someone (I volunteer my 52 year old arthritic frame) to teach him some civility. (or at least some respect) I read these forums to get alternate perspective, not to listen to tripe.
He is not worthy.
backatcha,
Wow. Now I should be waterboarded as well.
You are opposed to waterboarding of terrorists, but you strongly promote its use with American citizens.
The Hawaiaan Certificate of Live Birth that has been released does not answer the questions that millions of people are asking. Sorry if you can’t deal with that or if you’re just too ignorant to understand the issue.
Apparently the reason you want me waterboarded is just because I ask a question that you don’t think I should ask. Very telling.
“You are entitled to your own opinion, but you are not entitled to make up your own facts.”
You are if the media is on your side. The new PRAVDA.
What goes around comes around – none of the leakers will get damaged by the truth commissions.
52 Meryl . . . Why worry about waterboarding? It’s not like it’s torture or anything. and remember, I’m the one opposed to waterboarding. You’re the one in favor of it. Think first, Meryl. Then type.
54 backatcha
I’m not worried about waterboarding.
I’m curious about the fact that you are (in your own words) opposed to the use of it for terrorists, but in favor of it for American citizens; although I do appreciate your acknowledgement (in 54) that it’s not torture.
Since it’s not torture (according to your statement in 54), then why do you have a problem with it where terrorists are concerned?
Guess this isn’t really a matter of conscience with you after all. You just don’t like people disagreeing with you.
You’re silly.
Until Obama is ousted from Office due to ineptitude or worse, if I were advising State leaders I would prod them toward secession. Unless and until Washington’s leaders regain their senses, understanding that their duty lies with protecting Americans-not the enemy-extricating ones State from Washington’s noose sounds pretty damn smart. Maybe not as smart as the ‘enlightened’ ones on Capitol Hill, but at least smart enough to protect the citizens of ones State.
Simple as that.
Waterboard all Democrat and Liberal posters here!
Water skiing for the rest of us.
Wow, what an amazing spy! Too bad he told you all that secret stuff. Now we will have to kill you. But sure, other than that, this was entirely believable.
How long are our military and other agencies who have taken an oath to protect the constitution of the United States, (not the president’s policies)
going to stand for the destruction and endangerment going on, before they step up and remove him from office on the grounds and principles they have sworn to uphold?
Yes, I have wondered this too. They have sworn to protect the constitution. There will come a time when the necessary action becomes obvious.
I think this discussion is too black and white. No one is all good and no one is all bad. Personally I liked Bush more than Obama. Obama is arrogant and naive like all liberals are. I liked Bushes no nonsense tough talk more. I think he scared the shit out of many a dictator. At the same time, I think Bush lacked in his performance. He was bad at executing his plans. He seemed to be stubborn and single minded. Resulting in poor performance despite good intentions.
I see signs that Obama, despite his liberal BS, is surprisingly kicking ass in his war waging performance. Here are some examples that I see as positive signs:
The Somali High jacking incident. It ended with 3 dead pirates. Obama actually let the DEVGRU operators do their job. Who would have thought that! I can’t remember any president that did that. Even under Reagan, Seal Team 6 wasn’t used a single time, despite plenty of opportunities.
Obama told the Pakistani President: “Take on the Taliban, or we will do it for you”. – I was pleasantly surprised about that one too.
Obama might suck in almost everything that comes out of his mouth in his speeches, but in my opinion he seams to be better than Bush at the executing-the-plan part of the job.
Perhaps the best combination is to have a president that sounds like Jimmy Carter in public to satisfy the liberal establishment and peoples sensitive feelings, and at the same time, without anybody noticing, fights wars mercilessly.
No matter what, it is not productive to criticise Obama, when he does things right. Even though it might be only 20 percent of the time.
AND – Revealing information that puts operators safety at risk sucks, no matter who does it. Even though Valerie Plame might not have been an undercover agent behind enemy lines at the time, it’s still wrong to leak the information. Even the mere thought of doing it is plain wrong. Undercover operators must have complete confidence that they are not outed no matter what. You just don’t do it. There must not be even the slightest suspicion that operators identities could be revealed.