As I read two news stories, I was disgusted by the obvious double standard under which the Obama administration is operating -- a double standard which does plain violence to the rule of law.
The first, by the Associated Press, March 23, tells us that “Seven hackers tied to the Iranian government were [indicted] Thursday in a series of punishing cyberattacks on dozens of banks and a small dam outside New York City, intrusions that reached into America’s infrastructure and disrupted the financial system.”
Attorney General Loretta Lynch said, “The attacks were relentless, systematic and widespread. They threatened our economic well-being and our ability to compete fairly in the global marketplace, both of which are directly linked to our national security.
“The seven accused hackers worked for a pair of Iranian computer companies linked to the Iranian government, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ...”
“One of the ... hackers is accused of repeatedly gaining access to the control system of the Bowman Avenue Dam, a small flood-control structure ... about 20 miles north of New York City ... The hacker would have been able to operate the sluice gate ... but the gate had been disconnected for maintenance.”
The second, a Jan. 19 NBC News piece, captioned “Hillary Clinton emails held info beyond top secret: IG” said:
“Emails from Hillary Clinton’s home server contained information classified at levels ... meant to protect some of the most sensitive U.S. intelligence ...
“In a letter to lawmakers, the intelligence community’s internal watchdog says some of Clinton’s emails contained information classified ‘Top Secret/Special Access Program,’ a secrecy designation that includes some of the most closely held U.S. intelligence matters.
“Two American intelligence officials tell NBC News these are not the same two emails from Clinton’s server that have long been reported as containing information deemed Top Secret.
“Clinton ... has repeatedly said that none of the information she sent or received while Secretary of State was marked ‘classified,’ ... But it’s become clear that classified information bled into the emails, which were sent over unencrypted channels open to interception by foreign intelligence agencies.
“Charles McCulllough, the intelligence community’s Inspector General, said in a letter to the chairmen of the Senate Intelligence and Foreign Affairs Committees that he has received sworn declarations ... [which] cover several dozen emails containing classified information determined by the IG element to be at the CONFIDENTIAL, SECRET and TOP SECRET/SAP [SPECIAL ACCESS PROGRAM] information.
“The special access program in question was so sensitive that McCullough ... had to receive clearance ... before viewing the sworn declaration about the Clinton emails.”
Why am I disgusted? What’s the double standard? Why is it criminal for Iranian spies to hack our economic secrets, while at the same time, our secretary of state acts with abject stupidity and utter recklessness sends/receives confidential, secret, top secret and special access program information” “over unencrypted channels open to interception by foreign intelligence agencies?”
Mrs. Clinton tells an all-too gullible American public that none of the information she sent or received on her personal server while secretary of state was marked “classified.” But that is not the test.
Whether a document is classified doesn’t depend on whether it is stamped or marked “classified.” It is determined by the degree of damage its disclosure would cause our national security. Additionally, classified information is released only on a need-to-know basis; not to everybody with an appropriate security clearance.
When Hillary sent or received emails on her private server she had a non-delegable duty to determine whether disclosure of the information could damage our national security. The Information Security Oversight Office of the National Archives put it this way:
“In all cases, it is the sensitivity of the information that determines classification. An unmarked, handwritten page can just as easily contain classified national security information as a document containing classification markings. When in doubt, treat handwritten notes concerning intelligence, military, diplomatic, or emergency planning matters as classified national security information.”
It makes no sense to indict Iranians for espionage/hacking while our own secretary of state sends/receives our nation’s top secrets” information in unencrypted emails.
Posted: April 2, 2016. QCOnline.com
Copyright 2016,
John Donald O'Shea
No comments:
Post a Comment