Bread and (CIA) Circuses

Bread and (CIA) Circuses

The ancient Romans had a term for it: panem et circenses. This referred to the ancient tradition of party politicians mollifying the populace while stealing their wealth and rights. Bread and circuses—that'll keep them happy. Today, panem et circenses has a totally new application. The Obama administration is using bread and circuses to misdirect the American people.

After vowing to look forward and not back at the Bush administration, Obama has unleashed his attorney general to declare war on the CIA for activities undertaken during the Bush years. Officers who had been assured by the attorney general their interrogation techniques did not constitute torture now risk being charged with crimes and sentenced to prison. Yes, these officers who risked death every day while working in Afghanistan and Iraq are now being pilloried as common criminals. Look at these pitiful people, America; do not look at rising taxes, socialized medicine, 'death panels', unvetted White House czars and counselors, government takeover of private banking instuitutions and corporations. No, focus instead on these men and women, working in the most dangerous parts of the world seeking to learn the secret plans and intentions of our enemies. Only by knowing what our enemies are up to can we hope to keep the Homeland safe. Yes, these men and women, toiling on behalf of the American people, we now label criminals.

Leon Panetta, the CIA Director, is offering to pay for the costs of legal counsel in the event CIA officers are charged. But, only up to a point. These days lawyers charge by the clock. They earn in one hour what many Americans earn in a week. Accused CIA officers risk losing all their savings for retirement for their kids' college education, for family emergencies. I guess our president believes this is their just reward for government service.

You can't have it both ways. You can't castigate the CIA for being risk-averse and, at the same time, prosecute as criminals those officers who had been aggressive in their operational pursuits. You want operations officers to stick their necks out, to take calculated risks? Why should they, when this possibly can result in being brought up on criminal charges at a later date? And all this just to direct the minds and the eyes of the American people away from legislation the administration hopes to sneak past them.