April 20, 2009
What Releasing the CIA Memos is Really About
By Lee Cary
American Thinker
Excerpt:

It's realistic, not cynical, to assume political entities generally act out of their own self-interests. And political self-interests are what the CIA memos are really about.

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The explanations for, and consequences of, publishing the documents spin in two directions.

David Axelrod says is all about Obama respecting the law and being transparent. He called releasing the documents a "weighty decision" that took Obama weeks to make as he balanced two principles. "One is ... the sanctity of covert operations ... and keeping faith with the people who do them, and the impact on national security, on the one hand. And the other was the law and his belief in transparency." ("A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests." Niccolo Machiavelli)

The Beltway use of "transparent" is similar to "robust." Just saying the word is intended to summon the reality of its meaning. A self-actualizing language event.

Political opponents say releasing the documents threatens national security. Any enemy now knows the protocol and self-imposed limits of our most aggressive interrogation methods and can train against them. The documents offer a ready-made outline for an Interrogation Resistance Class.

But it's been over seven years since 9/11. Each day since without a homeland attack brings us closer to complacent. The national defense argument won't get the traction it deserves.

Self-described neutral pundits (e.g., FOX's Bill O'Reilly) say Obama is playing to the Leftwing of his base. But Obama has no need to do that now. Grumble as they might, they're firmly entrenched in his camp and aren't likely to shift their support to, say, Ron Paul.

So all the yin yang to date hasn't told us what this is about. Here's another option:

It's about controlling the news cycle, putting opponents on the defensive, and diverting attention away from other, more-timely battles underway. We recently witnessed a similar tactic.

The release of the Department of Homeland Security's "rightwing extremism" report, dated April 7, offered the MSM a counterpoint to frame their minimum coverage of the April 15 Tea Parties. The protesters were portrayed as non-violent expressions of rightwing extremism. The transparent intent behind releasing the DHS report a week before the protests was to preemptively diminish their impact.

Today, inside the Beltway, there are serious debates involving trillions of dollars and federal programs that will effect America for generations. Oxygen that might fuel coverage of those debates is being diverted to topics like the use of dietary manipulation in interrogating al-Qaida operatives, years ago.

It's all about misdirection of public attention, and all sides of the media are conscious, or unconscious, facilitators of the ploy choreographed from inside the Obama administration. (Including me herein.)

Most Americans won't take the time to download the CIA material and wade through it. If they did, many would say, "So this is what all the commotion is about?"

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