Pat Roberts Calls Out John Negroponte

(HT: Captain Ed)

June 27, 2006 The Honorable John D. Negroponte Director of National Intelligence Washington, D.C. 20511

Dear Mr. Director:

Unauthorized disclosures of classified information continue to threaten our national security – exposing our sensitive intelligence sources and methods to our enemies. Numerous, recent unauthorized disclosures of sensitive intelligence programs have directly threatened important efforts in the war against terrorism. Whether the President’s Terrorist Surveillance Program or the Department of Treasury’s effort to track terrorist financing, we have been unable to persuade the media to act responsibly and protect the means by which we protect this nation.

To gain a better understanding of the damage caused by unauthorized disclosures of this type, I ask that you perform an assessment of the damage caused by the unauthorized disclosure of some of our most sensitive intelligence programs. While your assessment may range beyond the President’s Terrorist Surveillance Program and Treasury’s Terrorist Finance Tracking Program, I am particularly interested in the damage attributable to these two unauthorized disclosures.

Sincerely,
Pat Roberts
Chairman

This letter is a joke. It's a nice idea. A sweet sentiment, but it's a joke, nonetheless. Don't get me wrong here. Calling for Negroponte to do an assessment of the possible damage inflicted by this and other leaks is a smart move. However with Negroponte acting as he has been over the last few months (he was the one dragging his feet on the release of the Saddam documents, and it's still out there that he helped Porter Goss to the door) I'm not too confident in whatever sort of assessment he may hand down.

Secondly, I'd like to know why Sen. Roberts isn't convening hearings over this. Congress can call all sorts of hearings over the most infinitessimal issues, but when it comes to national security Congress puts that on the back burner? I think not. Call your reps: 202-224-3121 and demand that Congress convene hearings about this. Contact Justice, and let them know you're not happy with a mainstream media outlet revealing national security secrets. This is a crime, and it demands attention. It doesn't demand assessments. It doesn't demand letters.

It demands that our elected representatives get off their collective @$$es and do something. Hugh Hewitt agrees that congress isn't doing it's job right now. While a flag-burning amendment may be worthy of some notice, the war comes first. Remember the platform:

Win the War
Confirm the Judges
Control the Spending
Cut the Taxes
Control the Border

There's a good reason why the war is issue number one. If it's not won, then nothing else on that list amounts to a hill of beans. We must focus on winning the war, and with the New York Times and LA times blowing national security secrets wide open on their front pages--and doing so unchallenged for the laws they break--then we have no chance to win this war. Those nutters will print whatever they want, whenever they want without any fear of prosecution for hurting this nation by revealing clandestine operations.

Tell the Senate and the House to get off it's ass. Tell the Justice Department to begin investigations. DON'T let the times get away with this.

Publius II