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CIA Chief Says Wiretap Disclosure Damaging (Democrats nervous)
Associated Press ^ | 2 Feb 06 | KATHERINE SHRADER

Posted on 02/02/2006 10:50:14 AM PST by SkyPilot

WASHINGTON - CIA Director Porter Goss said Thursday that the disclosure of President Bush's eavesdropping-without-warrants program and other once-secret projects had undermined U.S. intelligence-gathering abilities.

"The damage has been very severe to our capabilities to carry out our mission," Goss told the Senate Intelligence Committee. He said a federal grand jury should be empaneled to determine "who is leaking this information."

His testimony came after National Intelligence Director John Negroponte, who directs all intelligence activities, strongly defended the program, calling it crucial for protecting the nation against its most menacing threat.

"This was not about domestic surveillance," Negroponte said.

Leaders of the nation's intelligence agencies appeared before the panel in a rare public session to give a rundown on threats facing the world.

Negroponte called al-Qaida and associated terror groups the "top concern" of the U.S. intelligence community, followed closely by the nuclear activities of Iran and North Korea.

Committee Democrats sought to change the focus to the president's decision to authorize the National Security Agency to eavesdrop — without first obtaining warrants — on communications to and from those in the United States and terror suspects abroad.

"The president has not only confirmed the existence of the program, he has spoken at length about it repeatedly," while keeping Congress in the dark, said Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, the panel's senior Democrat.

"The administration wants to have it both ways," said Sen. Carl Levin (news, bio, voting record), D-Mich.

Goss complained that leaks to the news media about the surveillance program and activities such as reported CIA secret prisons abroad had damaged his own agency's work.

CIA Director Porter Goss, and FBI Director Robert Mueller, right, talk as they prepare for the U.S. Select Committee on Intelligence hearing to examine the world threat, on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2006 in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Email Photo Print Photo

"I use the words `very severe' intentionally. And I think the evidence will show that," Goss said.

He said not only have these revelations made it harder for the CIA to gather information, but they have made intelligence agencies in other countries mistrustful of their U.S. counterparts.

"I'm stunned to the quick when I get questions from my professional counterparts saying, `Mr. Goss, can't you Americans keep a secret?'" he said.

Goss cited a "disruption to our plans, things that we have under way." Some CIA sources and "assets" had been rendered "no longer viable or usable, or less effective by a large degree," he said.

"I also believe that there has been an erosion of the culture of secrecy and we're trying to reinstall that," Goss said.

"I've called in the FBI, the Department of Justice. It is my aim and it is my hope that we will witness a grand jury investigation with reporters present, being asked to reveal who is leaking this information," he said.

Rockefeller suggested that the "leaks" Goss talked about most likely "came from the executive branch" of the government.

That brought a terse response from FBI Director Robert Mueller, who said, "It's not fair to point a finger as to the responsibility of the leak."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alqaeda; alqaida; cia; cialeak; democrats; enemywithin; espionage; fifthcolumn; intelligence; leaking; leaks; nationalsecurity; nsa; nsaleak; portergoss; rattreason; rattricks; rockerfeller; spying; topsecret; traitor; treason; unamerican; waronterror; waronterrorism; wiretapping; wot
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Comment #121 Removed by Moderator

To: SkyPilot

I pray this happens. This leak was traitorous and the person who did it should suffer the most extreme punishment.


122 posted on 02/02/2006 4:23:39 PM PST by pepperdog
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Comment #123 Removed by Moderator

Comment #124 Removed by Moderator

To: suppersready

ZOT


125 posted on 02/02/2006 4:28:13 PM PST by joseph20
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Comment #126 Removed by Moderator

To: American_Centurion; An.American.Expatriate; ASA.Ranger; ASA Vet; Atigun; Beckwith; ...

fyi


127 posted on 02/02/2006 4:31:59 PM PST by Grampa Dave (The NY Slimes has been committing treason and sedition for decades.)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Some traitor had to leak this highly classified info to the anti American MSM reporters. Of course they will stonewall when summoned to the Grand Jury, and the MSM will try to make Americans think that this is Bush's fault again.


128 posted on 02/02/2006 4:42:02 PM PST by Grampa Dave (The NY Slimes has been committing treason and sedition for decades.)
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Comment #129 Removed by Moderator

To: Admin Moderator; Jim Robertson; Darksheare; MikeinIraq; mhking

Clean up on aisle one.

One of Rockefeller's gay interns is posting here.


130 posted on 02/02/2006 4:50:16 PM PST by Grampa Dave (The NY Slimes has been committing treason and sedition for decades.)
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To: suppersready

why do idiot DU'ers feel the need to post the same trash multiple times?


131 posted on 02/02/2006 4:56:50 PM PST by MikefromOhio (Tread's #1 priority - getting you to read HIS trash. His second? Reread the first.)
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To: Peach; SkyPilot; prairiebreeze; Baynative; Dog; Coop; Cap Huff; Boot Hill
For some heavy reading of History in this area:

Has the New York Times Violated the Espionage Act?

132 posted on 02/02/2006 5:01:41 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach (History is soon Forgotten,)
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To: suppersready

Bugger off, troll.


133 posted on 02/02/2006 5:03:31 PM PST by Terabitten (The only time you can have too much ammunition is when you're swimming.)
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To: hipaatwo

Thanks....

For some history see link at #132,


134 posted on 02/02/2006 5:13:46 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach (History is soon Forgotten,)
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To: Dog

Leahy just got moved to another committee...


135 posted on 02/02/2006 5:14:24 PM PST by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is July 4th, DemocRATs believe every day is April 15th. - Reagan)
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To: SkyPilot
"I've called in the FBI, the Department of Justice. It is my aim and it is my hope that we will witness a grand jury investigation with reporters present, being asked to reveal who is leaking this information," he said. Rockefeller suggested that the "leaks" Goss talked about most likely "came from the executive branch" of the government. That brought a terse response from FBI Director Robert Mueller, who said, "It's not fair to point a finger as to the responsibility of the leak."

If I were Rocky I would be squirming!! The LLL think they have got the green light for impeachment with this story of "illegal domestic spying", and of course have the support of some squishy Repubs to boot. Rockefeller Implicated in Plot to Leak Secret War Intel

Justice Department Probing Durbin, Rockefeller CIA Leak

Rockefeller memo

136 posted on 02/02/2006 5:27:13 PM PST by p23185 (Why isn't attempting to take down a sitting Pres & his Admin during wartime considered Sedition?)
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To: SkyPilot
while keeping Congress in the dark, said Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia

He is a liar!

******

Jay Rockefeller, vice chairman of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

“The record needs to be set clear that the Administration never afforded members briefed on the program an opportunity to either approve or disapprove the NSA program. The limited members who were told of the program were prohibited by the Administration from sharing any information about it with our colleagues, including other members of the Intelligence Committees."

******

The members who were supposed to be briefed were!

137 posted on 02/02/2006 5:35:15 PM PST by kcvl
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Thanks for the info. I'm not going to be on the puter for long so might I suggest you put up a live thread for this? It was great to watch and some of the questions were unreal. Feinstein asked if any Al Queda in the U.S. were secretly killed. They looked at here like WTF!


138 posted on 02/02/2006 5:36:22 PM PST by hipaatwo
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To: OrioleFan
Leahy just got moved to another committee...

What?

139 posted on 02/02/2006 5:37:04 PM PST by Howlin (Why don't you just report the news, instead of what might be the news? - Donald Rumsfeld 1/25/2006)
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Comment #140 Removed by Moderator


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