General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: We now know exactly what happened. NSA will have the tapes. [View all]OldRedneck
(1,397 posts)The recent articles about US intelligence hearing Russian officials talking about interfering with the US election are important in another respect, beyond the content of the articles.
I'm an old soldier, having served 28 years in the Army -- several years in the infantry, including tours in Vietnam. Because my physical performance was limited by wounds, I transferred to the Military Intelligence branch and served several interesting tours in which I was involved in both collecting and analyzing intelligence from human sources, signals intelligence, and imagery intell.
The details of what we know and how we know it are some of the most highly protected national secrets. Yet, now, someone is leaking to several reporters the content of highly-sensitive intelligence that was collected by our most secret operations.
These leaks are coming either from: (1) inside the intelligence agencies who collect the information; or, (2) from either Senate, House, or FBI investigators (or all three). Regardless, the people who are leaking these reports most likely are intell professionals who are aware of the gravity of revealing sensitive operations.
Remember all those times Trump slammed the intelligence agencies? Remember all those times he told us he didn't need to listen to intell briefings because he "knows more than the generals." Remember that time Trump went to the CIA, stood in front of the wall covered in stars, each of which represents a CIA officer who died in the line of duty, and strutted around, bragging about his election victory? Remember all that? Well, folks, let me tell you: People in the intell community remember.
Trump has pissed off the wrong people. He has pissed off the people who understand the threat to the US from Russia. He has pissed off the people who understand that Trump is the real threat. He has demonstrated that he has no intention of retaining America's leadership role in the world.
And now it's time for the professionals to protect this nation, as they are sworn to do.