The American Spectator

Loose Canons

(Page 2 of 3)

br> Where Plague has spread his pinions br> Over Nations and Dominions br> Then will be work for a spy! /em> /p>

"So, Jed, we haven't spoken in quite a while," said the always meticulously groomed Mr. Reilly.

"My apologies, Sidney. I've been busy writing a book and have neglected many friends."

"It's no problem, really. I've been quite busy watching the CIA's descent into madness and fending off your Mr. Stimson, that Secretary of State of yours who said, 'Gentlemen don't read each others' mail.' He's anxious to recant that silliness, but he doesn't have a friend to talk to. Would you speak with him?"

"I did, a while back. He's a bore. What about the spying on the UN?"

Reilly smiled. "There are few places easier and better to spy than the UN. It's a gabbling gaggle of diplomats, each trying to make political points and hide his own country's intentions. About half of them don't even guard their communications. If the CIA and MI-6 weren't spying on them, they wouldn't be doing their jobs. Were I you, I'd be more concerned about Paul O'Neill and Clare Short."

"Sidney, you're pulling my leg again. Neither is more than a clown. What danger are they?"

"Neither is a danger any longer, because they will never again be privy to classified information. But you need to be more careful in selecting your ministers. You Americans even give highly classified information to your Congress. Like that fellow who leaked the fact that your people were monitoring bin Laden's cell phone. What was his name?"

"Well, we don't speak of that publicly, but the CIA is pretty sure it was Senator Shelby. I agree we need to keep better tabs on the Congress and the Cabinet. But what else should we be doing?"

"Strange you'd ask just now. I was sitting around with our little group when you called. You know, the regulars: Francis Walsingham, Allen Dulles, and Reinhard Gehlen. We all agreed there were a few things you have to do immediately."

I raised an eyebrow, and Reilly continued. "First, you have to get rid of Tenet. President Bush's loyalty to his people is admirable, but only as long as they perform well and are loyal in return. Tenet fails both tests. Next, you need to integrate the CIA with the NSA, the DIA, and all the other intelligence agencies, including the FBI and the intelligence arm of the State Department. To do that, you need to lift the legal barriers to their all operating together, not just sharing information."

topics:
Television, Constitution, Iraq, Iran, NATO