Michelle Malkin » “Sabotage: America’s Enemies Within the CIA”

“Sabotage: America’s Enemies Within the CIA”

By Michelle Malkin • July 17, 2007 11:18 AM

Examiner reporter Rowan Scarborough has a new book out exposing the CIA bureaucrats who are undermining the war on terror. The Examiner newspapers are running a five-part series of book excerpts. The book publicist sends some details of the book’s never before reported accounts, including how:

· A CIA leak made the justice department open an official investigation into the Valerie Plame leak, plunging the Bush White House into its worst political crises.

· The CIA bureaucracy was so hostile to Director Porter Goss that his staff sometimes whispered in his 7th floor office as if it were bugged.

· The Iraq Station was still not the top CIA priority three years into the war. It lacked basic data bases and was staffed by scores of inexperienced officers.

· The CIA closed scores of stations and bases worldwide during the Clinton years, including the base in Hamburg Germany where radicals started planning the September 11 attacks.

· The New York Times snookered the chiefs of Congress’ two intelligence committees to tell the Times facts about the terror surveillance program.

· The National Security Agency studded the mountains of Afghanistan with a new type of high-tech listening devices and pointed them at Pakistan where they revealed terror training camps masquerading as schools.

· The CIA penetrated Internet cafes in Iraq to help it track al Qaeda terrorists. New details on the hunt for Abu Musab Zarqawi.

· A retired officer privately told Donald Rumsfeld in September 2006 that the Iraq war was nearly lost, prompting a complete change in strategy.

· An adviser to Karl Rove calls Richard Armitage a coward for not Coming forward in 2003 and telling the public he was the source of the Valerie Plame leak. It could have ended the scandal right then and there.

Human Events has an interview with Scarborough about the book.

Looks like a good one to add to your summer reading list.

Posted in: War

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#105457

On July 17th, 2007 at 11:38 am, Artbyruth said:

Oh man!! I can hardly wait to read this one!!!

I have always said that the worst thing that Pres. Bush did was NOT fire everyone in the CIA when he took office or immediately after 9-11. He was (and continues to be) far too trusting of these people.

But, hindsight is always 20/20, I guess….what do I know??
#105470

On July 17th, 2007 at 11:53 am, uhangtight said:

i think the entire bureauacracy of FBI, CIA and Pentagon needs to be gutted. Apparently, there are leaks all throughout, which means that these idiots put self-service over the service of their country. Leaking classified information should be considered treasonous and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. once one of these lifer bureaucrats gets tried for treason it may shut up some of those leaks. absolute arrogance!
#105471

On July 17th, 2007 at 11:54 am, Rick Moran said:

Art:

Spot on. Also, the CIA was traumatized by 9/11 and became even more paranoid and defensive as a result.

But bottom line is that the CIA is not a conservative Republican organization as many lefties might have you believe. It is staffed top to bottom with Ivy Leaguers – notorious bastions of liberalism in America. And I don’t think there’s any doubt that they opposed Bush from the moment he took the oath.

I was writing about this war against Bush two years ago.

It has been commented on by many old intelligence hands like Herb Meyer who served under Bill Casey during the Reagan years as well as Admiral Bobby Inman, perhaps the smartest guy ever to serve in government and who headed up the NSA during the Bush #41 and Clinton years.

Congrats to Scarborough. At least now there’s an historical record made that counters much of the Democrat and lefty spin on this issue.
#105487

On July 17th, 2007 at 12:17 pm, Mark1021 said:

When did the President find out that Armitage was the Plame leak?

If the President had fired Armitage immediately he could have ended the matter right then. The guilty party would have been identified and terminated just as the President promised. End of story. Why didn’t this happen?
#105522

On July 17th, 2007 at 1:05 pm, josetheguerilla said:

Rick Moran hit the nail on the head. I can’t wait to read the book.
#105527

On July 17th, 2007 at 1:10 pm, AlohaGuy said:

I agree with both Rick and uhangtight. As soon as Goss fired someone the NYTimes was full of stories that obviously came from leakers. I’d give everyone there a lie detector test and there would be (figurative for slow CIA types reading this) blood on the front steps…
#105536

On July 17th, 2007 at 1:19 pm, Jaded said:

I think most people are unaware that the 40 years the government grew under Democrats that most of these union (can’t fire) jobs were given to and are still staffed by liberals and they consistantly undermine Republican Presidents and their appointed staff at the top. I always like to say that America will fail in her democracy because of the war within.
#105539

On July 17th, 2007 at 1:24 pm, zorro said:

Michelle, are you going to create a link to where ever so we can purchase the book and get your site the credit for the sale?

Rick, Art, there’s a great book you might find interesting, “Honorable Treachery” by George J. A. O’Toole. Its the history of US covert action from George Washington to the Bay of Pigs. The late Mr. O’Toole was the CIA’s historian. One of the best books on American history I have ever read.
#105651

On July 17th, 2007 at 3:54 pm, Artbyruth said:

Zorro-

Oooh! I’ll have to check out that book. I love those types of books!

I never trusted the CIA during Clinton and after Clinton. I also NEVER trusted Colin Powell. I think he is behind alot of the damage to the war on terror as well. Wish I could prove it…..
#105654

On July 17th, 2007 at 4:02 pm, Artbyruth said:

Zorro-

Just put “Honorable Treachery” on hold at the library. Should have it by tomorrow. Cool!

Thanks.
#105660

On July 17th, 2007 at 4:11 pm, duff65 said:

Nothing has improved recently. If we were to put Porter Goss in charge of Homeland Security that would start to fix it. Give Porter complete authority to fire at the CIA and that would fix it even more.
#105771

On July 17th, 2007 at 6:21 pm, Boomer said:

It appears the CIA needs a cleansing. Time for some serious sting operations to out these traitors. I watched the interview on Fox this morning before going to work about these idiots wanting to blab because they have a serious case of BDS. It’s at the point where they would rather kill us all just to make Bush look bad.
#105775

On July 17th, 2007 at 6:38 pm, Alphonse said:

We need Douglas Feith back so we can get neocon disinformation directly from Mossad.
#105797

On July 17th, 2007 at 7:47 pm, sherlock said:

When did the President find out that Armitage was the Plame leak?

Pretty much when everyone else did… Armitage was under orders to not reveal it by Fitzgerald. But he did tell Powell, and Powell was under put under the same order.

So while Bush was ordering anyone with any knowledge to come forward, Powell and Armitage kept mum. Then when it turns out Armitage did it, the fact that he was a Republican was sufficient to finger Bush! Nevermind that he was a strong critic of Bush and almost certainly a key member of the State Department war on the adminstration.

I look at it this way, either Armitage worked for Bush and ignored his bosses orders, or Armitage did not work for Bush, and therefor you can’t blame Bush for his leaking. But the Dems and the MSM want it both ways, of course… Armitage is a hero for causing Bush trouble by leaking when he knew it was classified, and Libby is a traitor for confirming a reporter’s question when he thought it was common knowledge. And of course all the reporters were all heroes all the time.

Tell you what, no kid of mine is going to get a nickel of support to go to J-school and learn to be a liar and a traitor!
#105803

On July 17th, 2007 at 8:08 pm, sherlock said:

By the way, Armitage resigned in February of 2005, along with Powell. His identity as the leaker became public speculation in August of 2006, and he got permission to reveal it in September of 2006.

Thus Armitage had resigned from the administration 18 months before his role as the leaker became officially known to other than himself, Powell, and Fitzgerald. How the hell was Bush supposed to fire him then?
#105807

On July 17th, 2007 at 8:15 pm, zorro said:

Art,

That’s a well stocked library you have!

I have read this book several times over the years. Be sure to follow the footnotes, they will lead you to other good sources. It’s about 600 pages. I use to give this as Christmas gifts to my nephews and nieces! (What can I say!).

I am looking forward to reading “Sabotage: America’s Enemies Within the CIA”. I’ll use Michelle’s link to Amazon to make the purchase.

PS- you have nice looking website…
#105912

On July 18th, 2007 at 12:55 am, Artbyruth said:

Zorro-

Yes, I was pleasantly suprised our local library has it. I know I will enjoy it. I love history books.

You visited Artbyruth.com??

Thanks!
#106326

On July 18th, 2007 at 4:51 pm, JeffH said:

Sadly this is nothing new with the CIA. During the Cold War they constantly downplayed the strength of the Soviet Union to make Nixon, Reagan, et al. look like rabid warmongers.
#106364

On July 18th, 2007 at 6:17 pm, Mark1021 said:

Sherlock: with respent to Bush/Armitage, that was enlightening. Thanks.