The Law is the Law: No one is above it.

Before people begin taking sides in the whole "failing to disclose to Congress" matter, perhaps we should examine the obligations imposed by law n the Executive Branch.

Specifically, 50 U.S.C. Section 413 reads in paragraph (a):

The President shall ensure that the congressional intelligence committees are kept fully and currently informed of the intelligence activities of the United States, including any significant anticipated intelligence activity as required by this subchapter.

I think the statute is pretty clear that the Executive Branch has an affirmative obligation to keep Congress informed.

I'm sure we can all agree that the Executive Branch is NOT above the law since it derives its power from said law.

For Dick Cheney to argue that his failure to disclose such activities was in furtherance of ostensibly protecting our national security is bullshit, plain and simple. This is an either/or situation: Either the Executive Branch followed the law OR they failed to do so. Where's the middle ground?

The Executive Branch lacks Constitutional and statutory authority to ignore this law. It does so at its peril to the law. Every good, law-abiding, citizen should demand prosecution for this illegal conduct.

Apparently, too many place party loyalty above the Constitution and the law, since they argue against prosecution.

Patriotism is not merely for our convenience.

AG Holder should prosecute.

Maybe it's time we outsmarted Iran instead of trying to out-piss them?

What I find entertaining about stories like this one in the Washington Post is the constant use of the adjectives like elaborate and complicated.

Let's be clear about this: This is a failing of U.S. intelligence and counter-terrorism.

This stuff isn't that complicated and elaborate.

Instead of actually doing their job and stopping stupid schemes like this, the government and more specifically the CIA, would rather bellyache about Leon Panetta.

Give me a damn break!

I could set up a scheme like this in about and hour, but I wouldn't do so because I actually give a crap about my country.

The best way to deal with this sort of bullshit is to make it too costly from a social standpoint on Iran. The old way of sanctions and embargoes has done wonders, so perhaps we should try something a little less muscular (like sanctions and military might) and more intelligent (like outsmarting them).

What I suggest is that we make their people love us so much that it become too politically costly for their politicians and leaders to mess with us. If we did something like that, we'd win.

We've tried the alternative, so now we should be reminded of Winston Churchill's chestnut about Americans: "You can always count on Americans to do the right thing after they've exhausted all other possibilities."

Well, we've tried and failed at the tough guy bit. Let's try actually talking to the bastards.