Imagine if Edward Snowden had revealed this: [View all]

[BlueStreak]

1) We have the ability to monitor secret communications between various al Qaeda groups in the Middle East. Don't tell al Qaeda.

2) We have intercepted a specific communication between the highest remaining al Qaeda leader and his people in Yemen. Don't tell al Qaeda.

3) The message spells out in detail a major plot these guys are planning to carry out. We intercepted that message. We know what they are planning and it is huge. Don't tell al Qaeda.

4) They said they were going to do something on August 4, so we are going to give them a head fake by closing a couple dozen embassies in the region. That will outsmart them. They will go to blow us up and nobody will be there. Don't tell al Qaeda.

5) And if they don't do anything on August 4, here is a list of embassies we will keep closed the rest of August. But we will go back to normal on Sep 1. Don't tell al Qaeda.

I have been absolutely astounded about just how reckless the administration has been in releasing information that -- assuming they are actually telling us the truth -- could have devastating consequences. If nothing else, alerting the top al Qaeda leadership that we are able to tap their conversations is a disaster that puts thousands of people at risk. If Snowden had revealed that, I would be in favor of a public hanging at dawn without a trial.

But he didn't. What he revealed was evidence that our government is conducting illegal spying on American citizens. He did not release a single bit of information that compromised any legitimate overseas terror spying operations.

But somehow Snowden is a traitor and we don't even notice that what our own government just leaked is 1000 times worse. Can somebody please explain that?

Here's what it boils down to. It is completely implausible that if we truly had intercepted such vital messages, we would intentionally reveal them, compromising that anti-terror operation. We would NEVER do that intentionally. NEVER. Because if we really had intercepted such a message, we would do everything possible to keep that intercept channel working for us.

Therefore, the only possible conclusion is that the administration is lying to us about this whole thing. I'll say it. There never was an intercept such as they have leaked. We never had any specific knowledge of an attack planned for Aug 4. This is all a disinformation campaign to protect the security industrial complex.