Friday, July 22, 2005

Let's dare to call it treason

Here's an article by a Republican - someone who was against Clinton and who voted for Bush - who is calling the leak of Valerie Plame's identity treason. The article is by Ken Moulton and it's entitled, "Of treason and Karl Rove". Here are some excerpts:

I place national security very high on my own agenda. Over three decades ago I took a solemn oath to defend our Constitution from all enemies both foreign and domestic. Foreign enemies are easy to identify whether they be Communism from the Cold War to the terrorists of today.

Domestic enemies I define as those within our own country that would try and overthrow our democracy. Some on that list would be those involved in the 1971 bombings at the Pentagon and Capitol or the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. I take those enemies one step further in my definition.

I consider domestic enemies to also be those in high political or appointed office that lie to us and betray our trust. The Pentagon Papers showed us the lies of several administrations concerning Viet Nam. For some, these lies continue out of a need for their own family's self-preservation and legacy.
...
I have a total understanding and appreciation of what national security is all about. I also fully understand what security classifications and clearances are about and for. While I was in the intelligence community for several years, I had clearances that were just below "Eyes Only President." I was told and knew that to disclose any classified information is a federal crime and can be considered treason. The Rosenbergs were executed in the 1950s for giving away classified information. Sometimes it is not the information that is so important but how or who gathered it. By giving out classified information people can be killed!
...
In the current case of the CIA leak that outed a CIA agent, it was done for strictly political and revenge reasons. It was an act of revenge against an ambassador that told the truth. The truth was contrary to what the Administration wanted told. It was shear bullying and intimidation. The information that was leaked came, reportedly, from a classified state department report that Colin Powell brought to the White House. These types of reports are usually very highly classified as they should be. Just because somebody works at the White House does not mean they are cleared to hear or review this type of information.

It seems that selective information from this highly classified report was knowingly, and on purpose, leaked to the media. This in itself is a Federal Crime of leaking classified information. In some cases it could be considered treason because national security interests were compromised. We know that reporter Robert Novak was leaked this information as well as other reporters. We now know that the President's political advisor, Karl Rove, was a leaker of this classified information. He knowingly violated national security by his leak. For this, he needs to be arrested and tried for possible treason.

We also know that at least one other White House official leaked this same information and possibly more. We are still waiting for that person's name to be disclosed. That person should also be charged and tried for treason along with Rove.


Of course, Mr. Moulton did not apologize in his article for voting for Bush in the first place. I guess that would be too much to hope for.

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