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June 30, 2006

"Show Me The Money!"

By: Oliver North

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In the movie, "Jerry Maguire," Tom Cruise, playing a sports agent in the title role, euphorically shouts, "Show me the money!" Until this week, when the editors of the New York Times decided to reveal highly classified details about the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program, that's exactly what the U.S. government has been doing to Al Qaeda. In an effort to prevent another Sept. 11, the CIA and Department of the Treasury -- with the help of several U.S. and European financial institutions -- have been secretly mapping terrorist networks through the use of financial data. It's not a secret anymore.

The paper that boasts about delivering "all the news that's fit to print" defends its right to divulge state secrets by arrogantly claiming that "the public has the right to know." In the wake of publishing accounts on how the National Security Agency monitors overseas communications with suspected terrorists and the means by which the CIA has been tracking terrorist finances, the NYT, other media outlets and "civil libertarians" describe those in government who leaked this classified information as "whistleblowers," "patriots" and "watchdogs against government abuse of our right to privacy." They're not. They are traitors.

In 1985 John Walker, a U.S. Navy Petty Officer, was convicted of compromising U.S. military codesecrets to the Soviets in exchange for cash -- and placing an untold number of Americans in our Armed Forces in extraordinary jeopardy. In 1994, CIA officer Aldrich Ames was jailed for selling the names of people spying for the United States to his Soviet handlers. His perfidy enabled the KGB to eliminate more than 130 agents working for our CIA and at least 10 were executed. In 2002, FBI agent Robert Hanssen was sentenced to life in prison for selling classified information about U.S. counter-intelligence operations to the KGB and its successor, the FSB, and irreparably damaging U.S. national security. These men were not "whistleblowers." All were avaricious, treasonous men, filled with hubris. Their actions directly harmed the country they were sworn to protect.

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What's the difference between what Walker, Ames and Hanssen did -- and those who decided to "out" NSA and CIA efforts to track terrorist communications and financial data? Materially, there is no distinction. As in the earlier espionage cases, current and former U.S. government employees -- according to the NYT, "nearly 20" of them -- broke their oaths not to disclose classified information. Like Walker, Ames and Hanssen, "reporters," editors and publishers have hope that their exposes will result in substantial financial gain. Brutal adversaries with a proven penchant for killing innocent Americans have gained invaluable knowledge about our intelligence sources and methods. "Sources and methods." Remember those words. They are important.

In a candid letter to the editors of the New York Times, Treasury Secretary John Snow observed that the most recent revelations have "alerted terrorists to the methods and sources used to track their money trails." Vice President Cheney bluntly noted, "The New York Times has now made it more difficult for us to prevent attacks in the future. Publishing this highly classified information about our sources and methods for collecting intelligence will enable the terrorists to look for ways to defeat our efforts.""

The revelation of yet another super-secret operation to root out terrorists has prompted some in Congress to call for hauling editors of offending media outlets into court. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., has called on the Justice Department to prosecute the New York Times for "treasonous actions." As our FOX News "War Stories" documentary, "Deception In The Pacific" noted, that's what President Franklin Roosevelt wanted to do in June of 1942 when Robert McCormick's Chicago Tribune revealed that we had won the Battle of Midway because we had broken the Japanese JN-25 naval codes. Though the story did terrible damage, leading the Japanese to immediately change their codes, McCormick was never prosecuted -- in part because Admiral King, the Chief of Naval Operations, feared that a public trial would result in revelations about other ongoing intelligence operations.

That's just one reason why the "reporters," editors and publishers who repeatedly promulgate classified information will never be tried for treason. But that shouldn't be the case for the leakers. They clearly have broken the law -- and they need to be found, prosecuted, convicted and jailed -- for they are no different than Walker, Ames and Hanssen.

Defenders of what the NYT has done will claim that the press must "protect their sources" -- and not reveal the leakers. That too is wrong. The courts have the power to compel media moguls to reveal government employees who unlawfully divulge classified information about intelligence sources and methods during time of war -- or be jailed for contempt. If we fail to do so, we're accepting the premise that media "sources" are more valuable than the sources and methods used to protect the American people from those who seek to kill us. If that's the case, we might as well just fax all our secrets to our enemies.

Posted by redguy at June 30, 2006 06:42 AM

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Comments

“Show me the money” is right. How much did the NYT pay their source! This red blooded American gal is angry that our service men and women are being killed and maimed on my behalf and no one is prosecuting the traitors aiding the enemy. I listened to a retired analyst say that the leaks are not coming from the rank and file but from political appointees. To expose them would be politically embarrassing. Whether that is the case or not, we need to go after the traitors. We need to go after the reporters. We need to go after the NYT.

Posted by: pats7287 at June 30, 2006 09:01 AM

I keep trying to decipher the true reason and logic that the pussy-liberals have that makes treason okay. Is it the same attitude that makes criminal rights more important than the victims? Is it the same logic path that makes it okay for Ted Kennedy to murder (okay...manslaughter...) a woman, but Newt Gingrich is a Nazi...and they had to make stuff up and lie about him. Jane Fonda is revered and a true patriot like Ollie North is disparaged. Michael Moore can lie through his teeth and be called "documentary", but Ann Coulter using sarcasm with her facts is "brutal". If the leadership on the right doesn't grow some balls and a spine, the NY Times...and all the pussy-liberals like them...who truly seem to hate OUR America...will continue and even escalate their seditious, America-hating behavior. What are the liberals in the midst of committing? Listen to what they are screeching about "the Right" doing, and there you have it. Mis-direction. They are like "Who's Line Is It Anyway?, where everything is made up, and the truth don't matter."

Posted by: Ziggy Spaz at June 30, 2006 12:50 PM

Another thought about the traitorous NY Times. They won't be able to spew their treasonous, America-hating articles if their circulation is zero. Everyone who loves America should stop their subscription and stop buying their paper...and every paper like them. THAT will keep those rat-bag traitors from exposing national security interests. Oh...they should be in jail too...especially the leak...but hit them in their wallet, and hit them HARD in their wallet.

Posted by: Ziggy Spaz at June 30, 2006 12:59 PM

I'm confused - I thought that it was someone else that got thirty pieces of silver, guess I'll have to amend my memory to include The New York Times ( and perhaps a few others also). Treason isn't hard to understand - if someone sticks a knife in your back and/or takes you one step further into slavery against your will then ....... When I was growing up I was taught and, I taught my children, that it was important to do what is right not what is convenient or only self serving. Some, it would seem, have forgotten what it means to be honorable, truthful and live with character. Too bad that too many of them are in the leadership positions of some of the states in this country as well as in business. I have sons in the military and it disturbs me greatly that some in 'responsible positions' are only concerned with their own selfish power and ability to self agrandize. Too many Jane Fonda types that put 'country' behind all else. Side note- it also saddens me to see the lack of respect for the flag of the United States in display, treatment and now the rare sight of the hand over the heart and the hat off as the flag passes by. These things were taught in school when I was growing up and seems to be lacking in our 'politically correct' school atmosphere now.

Posted by: Grundy at June 30, 2006 04:16 PM

Everything has been pretty well said. here's what I asked Bill Keller of the NY Times:::
Read your statement on the financial surveillance fiasco.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/in-depth/why-we-published/2006/06/29/1151174312709.html

During times of war, it is reasonable to assume that there are SOME things needed to be kept in a secret status to help in keeping the enemy at bay and unawares. Aren't we trying to defeat the enemy, rather than helping it.???? Some things are better off being kept out of the public domain.

I can't help but wonder at the reason for your change in direction since your paper editorialized being 100% for the program shortly after 9-11, to freeze accounts and eliminate funds being sent overseas to propogate the enemy's campaign.

Would you have been of the same current opinion had Gore or Kerry - God forbid - been in office.???? = or what would you now say if one of the 9-11 planes had taken out the Times Plaza.????

Are you in reality, for us winning this war, or once again - as we have done since Korea - as some Senators want - do the "cut and run". That attitude puts us in a horrendous and dangerous situation worldwide, as is currently being experienced with Iran and N. Korea. That has replaced us as once being a World power to be reckoned with, to maintaining worldwide peace, into one that has become a weak-kneed appeaser with no backbone to worry about.

Posted by: Mack at June 30, 2006 06:57 PM

Posted by: Mack at June 30, 2006 07:00 PM

A couple of thoughts:

First, Congress should pass a law that makes leaking to the press anything about the conduct of a war the equivalent of selling classified information to an enemy state. In other words, declare the New York Times an enemy state.

Second, if the leaker is a political appointee, I'll bet it's a holdover from either the Carter or Clinton Administrations. If I'm wrong on that account, I'll bet it's a liberal who got passed the screening process.

Why not go after the political appointee? Alger Hiss was a traitor. So was the ones that Ollie gave above. So is John Kerry, Jane Fonda, John Murtha, and other liberals.

Posted by: Loser at June 30, 2006 11:03 PM

I would like to know who the owners of the New York Times are and what their home address is. I have a right to know.

Posted by: taxigringo at November 13, 2006 03:51 AM

June 30, 2006

"Show Me The Money!"

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