Larry Johnson interviews Valerie Plame Wilson

[DemReadingDU]

Fixing Intelligence–Larry Interviews Val
By George Kenney on October 23, 2007 at 6:00 AM


With Electric Politics providing some technical assistance, Larry Johnson interviews his former CIA classmate Valerie Plame Wilson, author of Fair Game. Total runtime thirty five minutes. This is an audio file.

It’s a fascinating conversation between two seasoned intelligence professionals, highly regarded by their peers, full of insight and humor.

To pick up on a point that both Larry and Valerie make: Following WWII, politicization of the U.S. administrative branch of government has run in one direction: it just gets worse. It’s been a serious problem at the State Department for decades, where successive administrations place political appointees at increasingly lower levels. With increasingly stupid policy outcomes. At the Defense Department, costs of useless but politically valuable weapons systems are legendary — indeed, the only natural correction there may be national bankruptcy. Now, it seems, the intelligence community is headed down the same path. Particularly at CIA with Mike Hayden. What we tend to forget is that the people who organized or re-organized our national security institutions after WWII had the discipline to be able to impose certain constraints on political influence. And while the institutions can perpetuate that ethos, and have done, in and of themselves they can’t regenerate it. Stand-alone reforms ain’t the answer. The big picture strongly suggests the need for government-wide overhaul, and imaginative proposals salted with the wisdom of our experience.

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/10/23/fixing-intelligence/

[Virginia Dare]

1. The politicization of the U.S. administrative branch..

I couldn't agree more with their comments, and it's a problem in every agency, but I suppose the implications are far greater at the State Department for example. It's a downright frightening prospect at the CIA.

Yes, we do need a complete overhaul of the way the federal government is run. It's inept and corrupt, and not because of the bureaucrats who are doing the real work, it's because of the political appointees who use them.

[asjr]

4. Every agency in this government

is in and floundering in a cesspool. With so many unqualified people at the top it is no wonder we keep going under.

[ellenfl]

2. kick for later eom

[H2O Man]

3. Is there

a transcript available?

[DemReadingDU]

5. I have not seen one yet

It is a fascinating interview. I will send an email to his blog and see if there is a way to get a transcript.

[H2O Man]

6. Thank you.

I appreciate that.

[DemReadingDU]

7. Larry replies: Not yet

He hasn't had a chance to find someone to do it.

[DemReadingDU]

8. NPR: Valerie uses the treason word

10/22/07 Former CIA Agent Chronicles Her Side of Leak Case
All Things Considered

This is an 8 minute audio interview. At about 5 minutes, Valerie says...
'I had no idea that senior government officials would commit treason, by leaking my name to a variety of media sources'.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15528736


edit to add: there is an excerpt from Chapter 1 of her book, Fair Game, at this link also.

[havocmom]

9. Good! Good. Get that word out there, spoken by someone the people can get behind.

Excellent! Thanks for the link.

[DemReadingDU]

10. Forward the link!

I just forwarded to my family, we have become addicted to all things Valerie!

[Blue_Roses]

11. Just listened to it

Awesome interview and Valerie Plame is a class act. It is so infuriating how this administration has lied to the American people and continue to get away with it...

[DemReadingDU]

12. NPR: Valerie Plame on Fresh Air Tuesday

audio will be posted appx 5pm


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15553270


edit to add: Terry Gross asks some great questions. Check the link later to listen to the audio.

[DemReadingDU]

13. audio link is posted now

Excellent interview!

[Disturbed]

14. It seems that the Wilsons are sticking to the story that she was

outed because the Busholini Regime wanted to discredit Joe & stifle any dissent. They are not talking about Brewster Jennings & Assoc. & why that covert Op. was also exposed.

[DemReadingDU]

15. I noticed that too

Maybe Valerie is trying to prevent further damage to Brewster-Jennings? Or maybe it is too difficult to discuss her job and career being outed by the Bush administration? Has anyone asked her about Brewster-Jennings?