Blasts 'Partisan Obfuscation', 'Ruthless Attacks' on Joe Wilson at Joint House/Senate Hearings!
Says 'Politics in This Country Trumps National Security'
By Brad Friedman on 7/22/2005, 1:21pm PT  

FLASH UPDATE: Jim Marcinkowski just added to guest list for tomorrow night's BRAD SHOW!

Jim Marcinkowski, former CIA case officer, gave some remarkable testimony at today's Joint Democratic House/Senate Hearings on Karl Rove's TreasonGate. He described the leak about Valerie Plame's identity and its subsequent coverup by the White House as "a disservice to our country," resulting in an "increase in the risk to the people of the United States."

Blasting those attempting to protect themselves with attacks on Ambassador Joe Wilson and others trying to sound the alarm bell about what this Administration has done, Marcinkowski said those who would "shine up your American Flag lapel pin and fix your patriotism to your sleeve, [should] think about what impact your actions are gonna have on the security of the American people."

The resulting message he says is sent around the world: "Politics in this country does indeed trump National Security."

Crooks and Liars has the video of his testimony.

ConyersBlog has more details on today's proceedings.

Here are a few of the stunning key passages from Marcinkowski's testimony:

Each time the leader of a political party opens his mouth in public to deflect responsibility, the word overseas is loud and clear: Politics in this country does indeed trump National Security.

Each time a distinguished ambassador is ruthlessly attacked for the information he provides, a foreign asset will contemplate why he should risk his life when his information will not be taken seriously.

Each time there is perceived a "political success" in deflecting responsibility by debating or re-debating some minutiae involved in this case, such actions are equally effective in undermining the ability of this country to protect itself against its enemies because the two are indeed related.

Each time the political machine, made up of primetime patriots and partisan ninnies display their ignorance by deriding Valerie Plame as a mere "paper pusher" or belittling the varying degrees of cover used to protect our officers or continuing to play partisan politics with our national security, it's a disservice to this country.
...
So may fool the American public by distracting minutiae, but your not doing it for people overseas. They know better.

Those who would advocate the "I'm okay, you're okay" politics of non-responsibility should think about the impact of those actions on our foreign agents.

Non-responsibility means: "We don't care." Not caring means a loss of security. A loss of security means the loss of an agent. The loss of an agent, means the loss of information. The loss of information means an increase in the risk to the people of the United States.

There's a very simple message here: Before you shine up your American Flag lapel pin and fix your patriotism to your sleeve, think about what impact your actions are gonna have on the security of the American people.

Think about whether your partisan obfuscation is creating confidence in the United States in general and in the CIA in particular. If not, a true patriot would just simply shut up.

Those who take pride in their political ability to divert the issue from the fundamental truth, ought to be prepared to take their share of responsibility for the continuing damage done to our national security.

When this unprecedented act first occurred, the President could have immediately demanded the resignation of all persons even tangentially involved. Or at a minimum he could have suspended the security clearances of those persons and placed them on administrative leave. Such methods are routine across the country in every police department in every American citizen understands that.

That would have at least sent the right message around the globe that we take the security of those risking their lives on behalf of the United States seriously.

Instead, we have flooded the foreign airwaves with two years of inaction, political rhetoric, ignorance and partisan bickering.

That's the wrong message.

In doing so, we have not lessened, but increased the threat to the security and safety of the people of the United States. And we've done since the time of this first breach of trust.

I thank you.

UPDATE: Looks like David Corn also has both the transcript and additional info and thoughts on today's hearings.

RAW STORY has the testimony from Valerie Plame's CIA colleague Larry C. Johnson who sets out to "correct a malicious and disingenuous smear campaign that has been executed against a friend and former colleague, Valerie (Plame) Wilson."

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