June 29, 2006

12 Down: Top Secret War Plans, 36 Across: Treason

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By: Ann Coulter

When is the New York Times going to get around to uncovering an al-Qaida secret program?

In the latest of a long list of formerly top-secret government anti-terrorism operations that have been revealed by the Times, last week the paper printed the details of a government program tracking terrorists' financial transactions that has already led to the capture of major terrorists and their handmaidens in the U.S.

In response, the Bush administration is sounding very cross – and doing nothing. Bush wouldn't want to get the press mad at him! Yeah, let's keep the media on our good side like they are now. Otherwise, they might do something crazy – like leak a classified government program monitoring terrorist financing.

National Review has boldly called for the revocation of the Times' White House press pass! If the Times starts publishing troop movements, National Review will go whole hog and demand that the paper's water cooler privileges be revoked. Then there's always the "nuclear option": disinviting Maureen Dowd from the next White House Correspondents' Dinner.

Meanwhile, the one congressman who has called for any sort of criminal investigation is being treated like a nut. Don't get me wrong: Rep. Peter King is nuttier than squirrel droppings – but he's right on this.

Unless, that is, the country has simply abolished the concept of treason. We've got a lot of liberals who hate the country and are itching to aid the enemy, so what are you going to do? Indict the entire editorial board of the New York Times? (Actually, that wouldn't be a bad place to start, now that I ask.)

Maybe treason ended during the Vietnam War when Jane Fonda sat laughing and clapping on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun used to shoot down American pilots. She came home and resumed her work as a big movie star without the slightest fear of facing any sort of legal sanction.

Fast forward to today, when New York Times publisher "Pinch" Sulzberger has just been named al-Qaida's "Employee of the Month" for the 12th straight month.

Before the Vietnam War, this country took treason seriously.

But now we're told newspapers have a right to commit treason because of "freedom of the press." Liberals invoke "freedom of the press" like some talismanic formulation that requires us all to fall prostrate in religious ecstasy. On liberals' theory of the First Amendment, the safest place for Osama bin Laden isn't in Afghanistan or Pakistan; it's in the New York Times building.

Freedom of the press means the government generally cannot place a prior restraint on speech before publication.

But freedom of the press does not mean the government cannot prosecute reporters and editors for treason – or for any other crime. The First Amendment does not mean Times editor Bill Keller could kidnap a child and issue his ransom demands from the New York Times editorial page. He could not order a contract killing on the op-ed page. Nor can he take out a contract killing on Americans with a Page One story on a secret government program being used to track terrorists who are trying to kill Americans.

What if, instead of passing information from the government's secret nuclear program at Los Alamos directly to Soviet agents, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg had printed those same secrets in a newsletter? Would they have skated away scot-free instead of being tried for espionage and sent to the death chamber?

Ezra Pound, Mildred Gillars ("Axis Sally") and Iva Toguri D'Aquino ("Tokyo Rose") were all charged with treason for radio broadcasts intended to demoralize the troops during World War II. Their broadcasts were sort of like Janeane Garofalo and Randi Rhodes on Air America Radio – except Tokyo Rose was actually witty, and Axis Sally is said to have used a fact-checker.

Tokyo Rose was convicted of treason for a single remark she made on air: "Orphans of the Pacific, you really are orphans now. How will you get home now that your ships are sunk?" For that statement alone, D'Aquino spent six years in prison and was fined $10,000 (more than $80,000 in today's dollars).

Axis Sally was convicted of treason for broadcasts from Germany and sentenced to 12 years in prison. Pound avoided a treason trial for his radio broadcasts by getting himself committed to an insane asylum instead (which I take it is Randi Rhodes' "Plan B" in the event that she ever acquires enough listeners to be charged with treason).

There was no evidence that in any of these cases the treasonable broadcasts ever put a single American life in danger. The law on treason doesn't require it.

The federal statute on treason, 18 USC 2381, provides in relevant part: "Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States ... adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000."

Thanks to the New York Times, the easiest job in the world right now is: "Head of Counterintelligence – al-Qaida." You just have to read the New York Times over morning coffee, and you're done by 10 a.m.

The greatest threat to the war on terrorism isn't the Islamic insurgency – our military can handle the savages. It's traitorous liberals trying to lose the war at home. And the greatest threat at home isn't traitorous liberals – it's patriotic Americans, also known as "Republicans," tut-tutting the quaint idea that we should take treason seriously.

Posted by redguy at June 29, 2006 07:13 AM

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Comments

Ann, honey, sweetie, baby-doll:

Almost spot on.

With respect to preferring charges of treason (hmmmm… a good name for a book perhaps?) on the New York Times, to me it seems like a swell idea. They can be charter members of the “33 Club”, referencing Article III, Section 3 of the Constitution. They, along with the LA Times, WSJ and other expanded Pennysavers ought to be brought to bear for their actions.

I would add further that as the criminal, sorry, editorial boards of the Times appeared to have acted in concert with others I am sure that the enforcement of the RICO Act might be appropriate as well. One can only hope that the link with the ACLU is exposed soon so both of these fine organizations can have their assets liquidated in a fire sale.

Your reference to Randi Rhodes was spot on and perfect! In a fit on masochism I will on occasion listen to Skare Amerika until the urge to park my car into an embankment at 70 MPH arises. Other than some folks who are currently under physicians care I have not heard more lies, misstatements, invective, slants, apologies, slander and the like since the Clinton administration. She is truly an embodiment of the hate of the left with her ability to adamantly refuse to be swayed by the truth in most cases. In fact, I am reasonably sure at this point she is french. As far as having “Jeanane Garofalo” and “witty” in the same sentence is about as oxymoronic of a statement as one can imagine.

Now, a comeuppance. I do not understand the slam on Rep. Pete King, who just happens to be my congressman. If nothing else, he tells it like it is, politics be damned. I am sure that some out there will castigate him for certain actions (voting against Clinton’s impeachment is a favorite for many of his detractors) but here is someone who has taken on all comers. Pete is not running a popularity contest, unlike many in Congress. Unlike many in Congress, he is responsive to his constituents. If you contact him not only will you most likely get a response, many times it is not in the form of a bed-bug letter, the kind that most Democrabs send out when their Muse strikes. You can be assured that Pete’s view is not easily changed and he will do you the courtesy of telling you why he disagrees with you. (A pleasant contrast to the “Senator So-and-so appreciates and values your comments…” sort of reply that is the patella reflex of most politicos.)

If we had more men and women serving in Congress like Pete King this would be a much better place to live. And, as a bonus, the Times would be reduced to a crossword puzzle and listings for summer rentals in the Hamptons.

Keep your powder dry, babe.

God Bless and God Speed

John

Posted by: Jaksavin [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 29, 2006 08:23 AM

I wonder why the Press is so worried about the "Chilling Effect" it claims the talk of treason may have on its "Freedom of Expression" and yet is oblivious (indifferent?) to the "Killing Effect" its revelations might ultimately have on our troops or citizens...

Posted by: peteyboy [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 29, 2006 08:33 AM

Merrily we go along. The old Gray lady swings about the May pole and he editors relish in their creative writing in their sky offices, aided and abetted by the government haters of GW Bush. We should send the co-conspirators, cases of Pampers as they get called to the trial for treason. They will and should weep for what they have done to this country. The American people have a right to know the truth, the whole truth,and nothing but the truth. Not the New York times truth, the Washington Post or LATimes truth, but the real truth. We can handle it,vern

Posted by: Verno [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 29, 2006 08:48 AM

Bush and namby-pamby Republicans are as guilty of treason as the New York Times. If they do not pursue punishment (a non binding censure won’t do the trick). Kick them out of the White House. Go after the reporter. Find the leak. Prosecute them. I am tired of our service men and women dying or being maimed on my behalf as the enemy is being aided.

Posted by: pats7287 [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 29, 2006 09:15 AM

Ann Coulter is a true patriot and a God-send to our country...that too many Americans don't deserve. Until the Republicans, theoretically representing the conservatives in our country, grow a spine and some testicles, the pussy-liberals will continue to get away with all the lies and endangerment of our country. They are like "Who's Line is it Anyway...where everything is made up and the truth don't matter!". There is such an abysmal lack of true leadership in our government, it is truly pathetic. Oh, there's plenty of chest-thumping and "harumph-harumphing", but no decisive action. Combine that with the socialist-liberal left actually TRYING to destroy our country, and you get what we have today. The NY Times...and all their ilk...should absolutely have SOME kind of action taken against them...but the purse-chihuahua Republicans probably won't do a thing...as usual. I want Ann Coulter in control of the country. She won't take any crap, and is smart enough to surround herself with equally smart people for various functions of government. I thought we were getting a cowboy for president...and we ended up with just another lesser of two evils...but thank God we have him. John Kerry or Al Gore would have already had us surrendered to the terrorists, with more dates like 9/11 in our vocabulary. And would Ted Kennedy just hurry up and die? It appears it's the only way we'll be rid of that blustering murderer.

Posted by: Ziggy Spaz [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 29, 2006 10:47 AM

I tell you leaking classified info is a crime. Distributing known classified info is a crime. I have held TS Clearance and fully understand the responsibilities attached to it. Quibble if they will & regardless of how a befuddled president a spineless congresss a stupid senate and a quaking in his boots attorney general handle this, a crime has been committed and we the people deserve a day in court.

Posted by: Diego [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 29, 2006 11:23 AM

Ann's article strongly suggests that we no longer have the morality or the intelligence to survive as a nation

Posted by: Reprobate [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 29, 2006 02:54 PM

I do not remember hearing anyone else bring this up, but if my memory serves me correctly, this is not the first war that the NY Times has leaked classified information to the enemy in this matter.

During WWII, shortly after we broke Japan's codes, the Times printed it on the front page.

This family hates America plain and simple, they need to be tried for treason and if by some miracle the conviction makes it past the Supreme Oligarchy they should be punished accordingly and on the front page.....

Posted by: rabiddogg [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 29, 2006 04:38 PM

Someone (it might have been Ollie North's column or his commentators) suggested that the
leaker(s) were political appointees. Exposing their identities would end their careers (I forgot that the "news" programs would elevate these individuals to hero or whistle-blower status) and we could all call them what they really are--traitors.

I wrote that I would not be surprised if the traitors who leaked the info to the NYT were Carter or Clinton appointees. Possibly some other forms of liberals, but not likely. Bush should have kicked out all of those old Clintonistas from whatever positions they held. We cannot afford such traitors in government any longer, whether they are Alger Hiss types, John Kerry types, or Madeleine Albright types.

For those who graduated from public school without getting an education: Alger Hiss was a Communist in the State Department; John Kerry is a US Senator who lied about his alleged war experiences and falsely accused others of war crimes; Madeleine Albright was appointed by WJB Clinton as Secretary of State who opposed US's lone superpower status.

For those of you who got a real education--regardless of source: I apologize for not giving better examples. I got my education from the public schools.

Posted by: Loser [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 1, 2006 12:39 AM

Happy 4th of July//

Even though the Supreme Court thinks we ought to/
Give all the terrorists million dollar civil trials/
Even though the New York Slime reveals/
Money tracking operations with an idiot smile//

Happy 4th of July//

Because there are young men still in the field/
Still getting dirty dusty and hot beyond belief/
Still putting on their gear facing their fear/
And going out to possibly suffer sudden grief/

Happy 4th of July//

Because this is my country and not some illegals/
Because this is my country and not some crybaby’s/
Because this is my country and it’s worth fighting for/
And that doesn’t come with some hedge my bets maybe/

Happy 4th of July//

Because I can remember the good that has gone before/
Because I can still see the beauty of my homeland/
Because when push comes to shove on what I love/
I can and will take a meaningful hard line hard core stand//

Because I can still celebrate the morning sun coming up/
Because I still have room in my heart for friends/
Because I still see and hear the real deal heart and intelligence/
Of those in my larger family my fellow United States citizens/


//
Neils
11:07 am
07/01/2006
*
transcribed this time
11:40 am
07/01/2006

//
N.....again

Posted by: neilsthepoet [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 1, 2006 12:47 PM

Well now I know//

I don't have to put those slashes/
In because it does print out in form//

Neils
11:50 am
07/01/2006
*
mstakes........what can you do?

N....again

Posted by: neilsthepoet [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 1, 2006 12:55 PM

Ann baby, love your book...now, on to today's column...

If you really want to stop this sort of treason from becoming even more common place, root out the leaker, bring them up on charges of treason, aiding and abetting the enemy in a time of war, jaywalking, public indecency...what ever you can make stick, then EXECUTE THE BASTARD!!!

The first time someone gets several thousand volts sent through their system for running their mouths, it will send a message to the rest of the wanna-be's...KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT OR YOU'RE NEXT!!!

Let's see the Times/Pravda cover that....

Posted by: LSUChris [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 1, 2006 06:28 PM

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