…of Michael Scheuer. But I think his bottom line in this piece about how CIA operatives tend to get scapegoated when the political climate happens shifts against some particular hard-nosed tactic–in this case, renditions–rings true:
All Americans owe a debt of gratitude to the men and women of the agency who executed these presidentially requested and approved operations, often at the risk of their lives. Unfortunately, rather than receiving thanks, the C.I.A. officers are again learning the usual lesson: to follow orders, make America safer and prepare to be abandoned and prosecuted when the policy makers refuse to defend their own decisions.