A Long History of Untruthiness by U.S. Intelligence

[xchrom]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-03/a-long-history-of-untruthiness-by-u-s-intelligence.html

America’s chief intelligence officers have a longstanding history of untruthiness -- testifying falsely and fearlessly.

They are caught in a dilemma -- sworn to secrecy yet sworn to tell the truth. Sometimes they get their facts wrong; that’s human error. But sometimes their untruths are conscious. Soldiers can die as a consequence.

This practice can slowly corrode a cornerstone of democracy, the rule of law.

The latest episode involves the testimony of the director of national intelligence, James Clapper, in March on the National Security Agency’s eavesdropping on Americans. The question to Clapper from the Senate Intelligence Committee was straightforward: “Does the NSA collect any type of data at all on millions or hundreds of millions of Americans?” Clapper simply answered: “No.”

[dipsydoodle]

1. Untruthiness

What a lovely word.

[xchrom]

4. right?

[cali]

2. It's what they do. You have to be a fool to believe them.

on anything. anytime. anywhere.

[Boomerproud]

17. Not only are they in the business of lying-they get paid to do it.

The hard part is finding out their true benefactors-they aren't working to keep us safe that's for certain.

[idwiyo]

3. K&R

[leveymg]

5. Not much deterrence. Only one CIA Director has ever been prosecuted, and he spent no days in jail.

Richard Helms

[MisterP]

6. I recall the presiding cleric's eulogy was quite a doozy for that one... n/t

[WinkyDink]

7. And another conveeeniently became incapacitated the night before testifying: Wm Casey.

http://suspiciousdeaths.blogspot.com/2010/08/william-casey.html

[leveymg]

10. The whole Reagan-Bush Administration was mentally incapacitated at key moments.

"I do not recall that, Senator" or "that meeting isn't in my memory, Congressman - I would need to check my schedule" was the mantra.

[Kurovski]

8. I still have yet to read "Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA "

I asked for it for Christmas one year. I can't bring myself to do it yet.

But for Christmas? Why? what was I thinking?

[xchrom]

9. Ok - you need to turn in your Gay Card.

Everyone knows you ask for a new pair of Prada shoes.

[Kurovski]

14. Oh!

I have a pair of those from an old boyfriend! You remember the Pope? The Polish one?

I'm sure you understand that you will only take my Gay Card from my cold, dead Weleda-moisturized hands.

Oh, but I now see that you stated "new" pair of Pradas.

Never mind.

[leveymg]

11. I was disappointed by that book.

There wasn't anything original or new in there, that I could find. But, then again, I've been reading everything I can lay my hands on about the CIA and the spook world since my father bought me that issue of "Ramparts" magazine in 1967.

[Kurovski]

12. Is it good for someone who is not up on CIA history?

Because that would be me! I'd like to have a general background broader than the vagaries that now inhabit my memory.

[leveymg]

15. It's a not bad introduction to the subject. Here are some classics of the genre:

CIA and the Cult of Intelligence - (first tell-all book by a CIA leaker, free on-line) - http://www.questia.com/library/77686858/the-cia-and-the-cult-of-intelligence

Cold Warrior: James Jesus Angleton - (story of the CIA's notorious long-time head of security, and one of the most paranoid, dangerous men who ever lived - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/393980.Cold_Warrior

How Wall Street Created a Nation (story about the astonishing 19th and early 20th Century activities of the Wall Street law firm, Sullivan & Cromwell, that was the CIA before there was a CIA, book review) - http://www.commondreams.org/views01/1027-03.htm

[Kurovski]

16. That's very thoughtful of you, thank you for taking the time!

& Free is PERFECT!

I've got that one bookmarked.

Happy 4th, leveymg!

[leveymg]

20. Happy 4th.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. He should have taken the 5th like any self respecting criminal.

[Duckwraps]

18. And our current

And past politicians are way above lying or telling half truths.

[Octafish]

19. Helms said it was his duty to lie under oath.

The CIA's Long History of Lying to Congress

[we can do it]

21. I think all countries spy on each other and their people. I am not surprised.

I don't like it, just have pretty much always known it was going on.