Attorney General Eric Holder’s decision to investigate, and potentially prosecute, CIA intelligence officers for alleged “abuses” in the interrogation of detainees was stunning, to say the least. The idea that the Department of Justice would investigate the men and women who keep this country safe is a troubling sign for all Americans. It is pretty clear that these investigations are politically-motivated and have been concocted as yet another way to smear the Bush administration. The net effect, however, is a weakening of U.S. national security. Retired Marine Corps Lt. Ilario Pantano launched a website today–StandwithIntelligence.com–which focuses on providing support to U.S. intelligence professionals.
Instead of launching their own investigations of the CIA, the Congress should assess the long-term effects of the Justice Department’s investigations on the Intelligence Community. Will these investigations reduce our intelligence capabilities by making these organizations risk-averse? The Intelligence Community, particuarly the CIA, became risk-averse during the 1990s, thanks to a series of internal and external investigations. This risk-aversion undoubtedly contributed to the massive intelligence failures that predated the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The Intelligence Community must be subjected to rigorous oversight by the Congress. However, politically-motivated witch hunts masquerading as legitimate congressional oversight are not helpful and will only increase the risk-aversion of intelligence officers and the broader Intelligence Community.
A quote from George Orwell, posted on the website is instructive:
We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.
It is a very dangerous world, but it seems that many in the Obama administration and the Congress have forgotten this basic truth and are operating under a September 10th mindset.
President Obama can only play the Bush card for so long (See Krauthammer in today’s Washington Post today…http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/29/AR2009102903920.html) . To have any chance of a re-election in 2012, he would need to quit playing the politics of Washington and make the difficult but truly courageous decision to either: 1) fully provide the resources required to succeed, or 2) drawdown into a purely counter-terrorism operation ala George Will. Anything in-between (McChrystal-lite) would betray the American electorate and result in the comeback of the Republican party come 2012.