Ex-CIA Officials Set the Record Straight

From the archives of the unstoppable Josh Marshall, here is an open letter to Congress from eleven ex-intelligence officers responding to ignorant statements about the nature of intelligence work currently being circulated in the media. As an example of such statements, we have this gem from one of the bright lights of right-wing intellectual circles, Michael Medved, speaking on Larry King Live on July 12, 2005:

"And let's be honest about this. Mrs. Plame, Mrs. Wilson, had a desk job at Langley. She went back and forth every single day."

It is shocking that an intelligence community expert like Medved would display such a simplistic view of the nature of undercover work. After all, he's written reviews of such genre faves as Spy Kids and Spies Like Us. Armed with such knowledge, you'd think he'd give our Non-Official Cover agents a bit more credit.

Whatever. Let's get right to the point, shall we? Shorter letter: RNC talking points are complete BS.