As the  news spread yesterday that the CIA destroyed 2 videotapes of “severe investigation techniques,” there was anger and outrage across the board.  Even the CIA’s own lawyer was unaware of it having happened, and Harriet Meiers, the Bush administration’s version of Monica Lewinsky, advised against it. 

Rarely does one find everybody in Washington on the same side of any issue, except for the Director of Videotape Destruction, Jose A. Rodriguez, Jr., and he wouldn’t comment.  So, what do the very important people that run our government plan to do about the fact that they are totally incapable of controlling the CIA?  They want to put on a play!

For those of you who don’t catch the reference, it’s from the “Our Gang” shows with the Little Rascals.  Whenever things got out of control (which was every episode, or else nobody would watch), their answer was to “put on a play.” 

So what does official Washington plan to do about this attack by the CIA on the sovereignty of the United States of America?  Representative Peter Hoekstra, the Michigan Republican who was chairman of the House Intelligence Committee from 2004 to 2006, when the tapes were destroyed, came up with this solution:

I think the intelligence committee needs to get all over this,” said Mr. Hoekstra, who has been a strong supporter of the C.I.A. detention and interrogation program. “This raises a red flag that needs to be looked at.”

Can you feel the palpable outrage in those harsh words, “needs to be looked at?”  But that’s not the end of it  Not by a long shot. 

The Senate Intelligence Committee announced Friday that it was starting an investigation into the destruction of the videotapes.  Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, the West Virginia Democrat who is chairman of the committee, said, “Whatever the intent, we must get to the bottom of it.”

Get to the bottom of what?  The CIA does not exist independently of the United States government.  It has no authority, under any circumstances, to do whatever the hell it pleases and spit in the face of the government that authorizes its existence, funds it and (is supposed) to oversee it.  The government gives the CIA a lot of power to do a lot of stuff “in the national interest” that would make your hair curl or your chest swell with pride, according to your personal political views.  But the one thing the CIA cannot do is act in direct conflict with the very government that legitimizes its existence. 

We learned something very important from this disclosure:  The CIA thinks it exists on its own, and can do as it pleases, without any of those silly suits in Washington having anything to say about it.  The CIA told Republican  Hoekstra and Democrat Rockefeller to take a hike. 

So here’s my problem:  Once you find out that a bunch of men and women who constitute a covert paramilitary force decide that they are no longer subject to the constraints of the government, and in fact operate any damn way they please, what do you do about?  What a pathetic reaction. 

Norm posts that we need to have a special prosecutor.  That Norm, what an idealist.  The idea of a special prosecutor would be great if there was a reason to believe that the CIA cared about what anyone else in government has to say.  So, they will hang out Rodriguez as the bad guy, hand over his head and all is well in the world again.  The CIA can go about its business in the shadows, and we can sleep secure in the knowledge that our system of government, which may not be perfect, has vindicated itself.  Sure.  We’ve righted the ship of state.  The CIA has bowed its head in shame and sworn to never again be a bad bunch of boys and girls.  Right.

Do we now have a new ruling junta in town, because clearly neither the executive nor the legislative branches of our government have any control over the CIA.  And if they don’t, do you think the CIA cares deeply about what the courts have to say?