Intelligence 101: There is a reason for secrecy and security clearances!

The real world of intelligence is not like a James Bond movie. Most of it nowadays is electronic, but the "hands on" in-the-field type stuff is carried out by hundreds or thousands of people, who are trying to look as normal as possible . . . and generally are instructed to not violate any laws within the country, where they are living.

I am well aware that several public releases of classified information in recent years exposed corruption in elected officials and questionable activities by US government agencies. HOWEVER, when Wikileaks and other entities indiscriminately throw vast amounts of confidential data into public view, they are also putting squeaky clean intelligence operatives and assets in extreme danger. That is NOT journalism . . . that is playing the "big shot." These mass publications of confidential information have been compared to the "Pentagon Papers." No it is not the same thing. The "Pentagon Papers" did not list the names and locations of covert intelligence operatives overseas.

I was supposed to be a Navy SeaBee officer after graduation from Georgia Tech. However, I was informed by my battalion commander that they no longer needed Seabee officers and my aptitude tests showed that I would be a ideal Naval Intelligence officer. The Navy offered me a contract to pay for a PhD in International Affairs, after which I would have to make a 10 year commitment. I declined because I would never become an architect. 

In lieu of that, I was asked if I would remain a reserve officer then the US Navy would arrange "opportunities" overseas for me in return for me being an "asset" at locations in several countries. I agreed. In most of these situations, I had to sign 20 year non-disclosure agreements, so no one ever knew . . . except Jimmy Carter (a former Naval officer) somehow knew what I had been doing, when I got back from Scandinavia. I was a former student intern of his, so maybe he recommended me. Who knows? It's a spooky world out there! The floor plan above was handed to me over the Atlantic in a British Airways 747 - a scene straight out of "Mission Impossible."  

As it was, the only time that I was in serious danger was during the first two days in Mexico and later, deep within the jungles of Guatemala. However, if someone like Wikileaks had listed my name and location, while I was in Scandinavia, I would have been up the proverbial creek. The information would also have compromised Danish Naval Intelligence and the Assistant Swedish Naval Attache' in Copenhagen. Sweden was not a member of NATO, but its military and the King of Sweden were cooperating with NATO without Socialist Prime Minister, Olav Palme knowing it. The Swedish Navy and Coast Guard knew I was there and were happy about it, but the Swedish Internal Security Police (RPS/SAK ) was at time was heavily infested with Soviet agents, who were actively assisting Islamic terrorists.

I should make it also understood that I know very well what is like to be a victim of illegal electronic surveillance and grossly illegal law enforcement activities. I have been talking with other Southeastern Native Americans with Special Ops or Military Intelligence backgrounds. We all have horror stories to tell about government or law enforcement personnel interfering with our personal lives or careers. We finally decided that someone, somewhere decided that Creeks, Seminoles, Choctaws and Chicksaws would not make good Nazi's. LOL

About 20 years ago, many Caucasian law enforcement officers here in northern Georgia somehow deluded themselves into thinking that it was their "Christian duty" as good Southern Baptists to do anything necessary to create a Republican Party dictatorship in the United States. You would just not believe the things that they have gotten away with because they also control the judicial, executive and legislative branches. However, two wrongs don't make a right. If I behaved as they do, I would be just as guilty as they are. What we need to return to is a bi-partisan system of checks and balances in which constitutional law is respected by all parties concerned.

So . . . be very wary of efforts by some journalists to make a hero out of Julian Assange (Wikileaks). He is not. His motivations were clearly ego driven. If he had really wanted to make the world a better place, he would have focused Wikileaks' efforts on drug dealers, organized crime, the international weapons cartel, terrorist organizations, banksters, etc. As it was, he merely created a mess and discredited real journalists.