http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45733048/ns/world_news-the_new_york_times/#.TvArizWLssI

It seems to me that America’s intelligence operations have failed or been compromised in very, very significant ways over the years.

Walker compromised military communications and capabilities for years.  The US had no idea, even after Walker was turned in by his wife.  She was ignored.

Aldrich Ames compromised the Soviet desk of the CIA for years.  No idea.  The Soviets had a clear window into everything the CIA was doing in their area.  Not an operation, but everything, for years.  We would have been better off without any Soviet activities.  All agents were rolled up, yet nothing suspected.

Robert Hanssen compromised the Soviet desk of the FBI for years.  No idea, caught by accident.  The Soviets had a clear window into everything the FBI was doing in their area.  Not one incident, everything for years. We would have been better off without a Soviet desk.

The intelligence agencies and the NSA missed a very, very complex attack on the WTC on 9-11 involving hijacking 3 domestic flights, foreign money transfers and foreign nationals.  They had all the information they needed, no one put it together.  How much money was wasted?

The CIA was caught by surprise re Pakistan nukes.  Detonated 5 of them in close proximity.  The CIA – “What was THAT?  And that and that and that and that?  WTF!!!”

The CIA had no accurate information regarding Iraq’s WMD, in spite of having spies on the UN inspection teams.  Completely blew it.  Cost the US thousands of deaths and at least $1 trillion.  At least we have an idea as to that cost.

Not only isolated failures, but failures of entire systems for years and years.  SOSUS – a waste of money.  Tunnel under the Berlin Wall, tapping into a main communications cable.  Compromised even before it got to the cable.  Touted as a wild success in the US, the Soviets knew about it all along.  Tunnel under the Soviet Embassy in DC.  Same story.  Not a total waste, though, as the Soviets should have guessed.

I’m not saying that intelligence shouldn’t be collected.  I’m saying there should be accountability, and if an agency cannot perform it be dismantled and something with a chance of working be instituted.

But let’s not be fooled.  The Soviets, among others, have received our money’s worth for a long, long time.  More than we’ve gotten, that’s for sure.

And we don’t need the “experienced” folks who fail any more than the banks need the “experienced” failures to whom they are giving bonuses.