**CIA**ABC demonstrating blind hatred for this administration and hurting the country

[6SpeedTA95]

The CIA has received secret presidential approval to mount a covert "black" operation to destabilize the Iranian government, current and former officials in the intelligence community tell the Blotter on ABCNews.com.

The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject, say President Bush has signed a "nonlethal presidential finding" that puts into motion a CIA plan that reportedly includes a coordinated campaign of propaganda, disinformation and manipulation of Iran's currency and international financial transactions.

"I can't confirm or deny whether such a program exists or whether the president signed it, but it would be consistent with an overall American approach trying to find ways to put pressure on the regime," said Bruce Riedel, a recently retired CIA senior official who dealt with Iran and other countries in the region.

A National Security Council spokesperson, Gordon Johndroe, said, "The White House does not comment on intelligence matters." A CIA spokesperson said, "As a matter of course, we do not comment on allegations of covert activity."

The sources say the CIA developed the covert plan over the last year and received approval from White House officials and other officials in the intelligence community.

Officials say the covert plan is designed to pressure Iran to stop its nuclear enrichment program and end aid to insurgents in Iraq.

"There are some channels where the United States government may want to do things without its hand showing, and legally, therefore, the administration would, if it's doing that, need an intelligence finding and would need to tell the Congress," said ABC News consultant Richard Clarke, a former White House counterterrorism official.

Current and former intelligence officials say the approval of the covert action means the Bush administration, for the time being, has decided not to pursue a military option against Iran.

"Vice President Cheney helped to lead the side favoring a military strike," said former CIA official Riedel, "but I think they have come to the conclusion that a military strike has more downsides than upsides."

The covert action plan comes as U.S. officials have confirmed Iran had dramatically increased its ability to produce nuclear weapons material, at a pace that experts said would give them the ability to build a nuclear bomb in two years.

Riedel says economic pressure on Iran may be the most effective tool available to the CIA, particularly in going after secret accounts used to fund the nuclear program.

"The kind of dealings that the Iranian Revolution Guards are going to do, in terms of purchasing nuclear and missile components, are likely to be extremely secret, and you're going to have to work very, very hard to find them, and that's exactly the kind of thing the CIA's nonproliferation center and others would be expert at trying to look into," Riedel said.

Under the law, the CIA needs an official presidential finding to carry out such covert actions. The CIA is permitted to mount covert "collection" operations without a presidential finding.

"Presidential findings" are kept secret but reported to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and other key congressional leaders.

The "nonlethal" aspect of the presidential finding means CIA officers may not use deadly force in carrying out the secret operations against Iran.

Still, some fear that even a nonlethal covert CIA program carries great risks.

"I think everybody in the region knows that there is a proxy war already afoot with the United States supporting anti-Iranian elements in the region as well as opposition groups within Iran," said Vali Nasr, adjunct senior fellow for Mideast studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

"And this covert action is now being escalated by the new U.S. directive, and that can very quickly lead to Iranian retaliation and a cycle of escalation can follow," Nasr said.

Other "lethal" findings have authorized CIA covert actions against al Qaeda, terrorism and nuclear proliferation.

Also briefed on the CIA proposal, according to intelligence sources, were National Security Advisor Steve Hadley and Deputy National Security Advisor Elliott Abrams.

"The entire plan has been blessed by Abrams, in particular," said one intelligence source familiar with the plan. "And Hadley had to put his chop on it."

Abrams' last involvement with attempting to destabilize a foreign government led to criminal charges.

He pleaded guilty in October 1991 to two misdemeanor counts of withholding information from Congress about the Reagan administration's ill-fated efforts to destabilize the Nicaraguan Sandinista government in Central America, known as the Iran-Contra affair. Abrams was later pardoned by President George H. W. Bush in December 1992.

In June 2001, Abrams was named by then National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice to head the National Security Council's office for democracy, human rights and international operations. On Feb. 2, 2005, National Security Advisor Hadley appointed Abrams deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor for global democracy strategy, one of the nation's most senior national security positions.

As earlier reported on the Blotter on ABCNews.com, the United States has supported and encouraged an Iranian militant group, Jundullah, that has conducted deadly raids inside Iran from bases on the rugged Iran-Pakistan-Afghanistan "tri-border region."

U.S. officials deny any "direct funding" of Jundullah groups but say the leader of Jundullah was in regular contact with U.S. officials.

American intelligence sources say Jundullah has received money and weapons through the Afghanistan and Pakistan military and Pakistan's intelligence service. Pakistan has officially denied any connection.

A report broadcast on Iranian TV last Sunday said Iranian authorities had captured 10 men crossing the border with $500,000 in cash along with "maps of sensitive areas" and "modern spy equipment."

A senior Pakistani official told ABCNews.com the 10 men were members of Jundullah.

The leader of the Jundullah group, according to the Pakistani official, has been recruiting and training "hundreds of men" for "unspecified missions" across the border in Iran.

The Blotter




How on earth any responsible news organization could go forward with this information is beyond me. It is almost as if ABC wants us to invade Iran to make Bush look even worse. So they can say "see I told you so". ABC and a couple other news outlets have repeatedly undermined the US military and our CIA/FBI/Anti Terror operations from the beginning.

This is the kind of crap that really damages this country. Many have known for a long time that Iranian people like the US that they want government reform and that an all out invasion would simply turn those people against the US. Instead we try to aid inside rebel forces to perhaps build enough opposition to overthrow the government and what happens? One of the programs via the CIA is outted by the media. So much for making a secret operation secret. It looks as if the media will undermine this country whenever they get the chance. So much for watching ABC

I think any current members of our government that leaked this should be brought up on treason charges.

[Stylerod]

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

The Blotter




How on earth any responsible news organization could go forward with this information is beyond me. It is almost as if ABC wants us to invade Iran to make Bush look even worse. So they can say "see I told you so". ABC and a couple other news outlets have repeatedly undermined the US military and our CIA/FBI/Anti Terror operations from the beginning.

This is the kind of crap that really damages this country. Many have known for a long time that Iranian people like the US that they want government reform and that an all out invasion would simply turn those people against the US. Instead we try to aid inside rebel forces to perhaps build enough opposition to overthrow the government and what happens? One of the programs via the CIA is outted by the media. So much for making a secret operation secret. It looks as if the media will undermine this country whenever they get the chance. So much for watching ABC

I think any current members of our government that leaked this should be brought up on treason charges.

There are people that want anything Bush does to be a failure. And they will do anything to do it. This story goes along those lines.

[kinggovernor]

i cannot believe they ran that story

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

I think any current members of our government that leaked this should be brought up on treason charges.

Originally Posted by Stylerod

There are people that want anything Bush does to be a failure. And they will do anything to do it. This story goes along those lines.

I think you guys both hit the nail on the head. Although I don't consider ABC on par with a NY Times. I think the NY Times does these things out of vengence of sorts, while ABC probably did it mostly out of ignorance and ratings with complete disregard. I think Iran needs to be pressured diplomatically and legally. If we use up all options and Iran gets the nuclear weapon there's a very good chance it will be used on Israel or Israel will launch an attack to destroy nuclear facilities which will punch off a war in the middle east that we will undoubtedly be involved in. If the media, in their hatred for Bush, keep doing what they're doing they'll move us closer to that end result.

[kinggovernor]

those "sources" should shot

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

those "sources" should shot

... in the head and aired on CNN.

[Linzyhop]

how can any plan for success in the ME be successful if the media gives a heads up to the enemy????

[Phantom]

hmm, even if the story is false, I would think this is one they would choose not to run

[Ardentfrost]

I hate to rain on y'all's parade, but did you ever think that whoever the sources are told ABC because what the prez&co are doing is wrong?

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by Ardentfrost

I hate to rain on y'all's parade, but did you ever think that whoever the sources are told ABC because what the prez&co are doing is wrong?

It's legal. It's not up to the sources to decide where their politics on the issue lay and violate the law and put our national security at risk. Classified means you keep your mouth shut. This is just how ABC released it, I can't imagine what the middle east media is saying...

[Ardentfrost]

Originally Posted by JaJae

It's legal. It's not up to the sources to decide where their politics on the issue lay and violate the law and put our national security at risk. Classified means you keep your mouth shut.

Legality doesn't mean "right." Otherwise we'd still be ruled by England.

[Publius]

I'm curious how you would all feel if it was discovered that a foreign nation was tinkering with international markets to hurt the United States economy. While it might be "legal" for the president to sign off on this plan with confidentiality, that doesn't in any way make it right.

I'd rather use the military in this instance, if the options have truly come down to a military strike or fucking with the economy of an entire nation.

[6SpeedTA95]

Originally Posted by Ardentfrost

I hate to rain on y'all's parade, but did you ever think that whoever the sources are told ABC because what the prez&co are doing is wrong?

It wasn't a violation of the US constitution. It wasn't against international law. If it is classified keep your mouth shut. How can you defend this?

[Publius]

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

It wasn't a violation of the US constitution. It wasn't against international law. If it is classified keep your mouth shut. How can you defend this?

while i don't think ABC should've run the story, I don't think the plan is right either (even if it doesn't break any laws). The right thing and the legal thing aren't always one-in-the-same.

[DosEquis]

I am not so sure that ABC can be blamed in the entirety for this. ABC and those 'sources' share equal blame in my opinion.


Oh, and we removed a leader from Iran before... seems to have turned out well

The plan is stupid.

[6SpeedTA95]

Originally Posted by Publius

I'm curious how you would all feel if it was discovered that a foreign nation was tinkering with international markets to hurt the United States economy. While it might be "legal" for the president to sign off on this plan with confidentiality, that doesn't in any way make it right.

I'd rather use the military in this instance, if the options have truly come down to a military strike or fucking with the economy of an entire nation.

What do you think sanctions are?

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by Publius

I'd rather use the military in this instance, if the options have truly come down to a military strike or fucking with the economy of an entire nation.

Pre-emptive use of force?

[Publius]

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

What do you think sanctions are?

and i don't agree with economic sanctions, either.