James Risen Cashes In on His Own Treachery

NYT "NSA Phonetap" Reporter Pounces Early

In a move that surprises no one, reporter James Risen has decided to publish his book, State of War: The Secret History of the C.I.A. and the Bush Administration, today - ahead of its scheduled release which was set for later this month.

Risen is no stranger to contrived timing of releases. Both he and his employer, the New York Times, sat on the story of so-called "domestic spying" for over a year - only to ignore national security interests and publish it the same week of Iraq's Constitutional Election and the senate vote on continuance of The Patriot Act.

As mentioned in Michelle Malkin's article Let the Shilling Begin, it is also no surpise to find the likes of the Today Show's perky host, Katie Couric, stepping up for that first book interview.

Not only did this revelation (intentionally) crowd out the good news from Iraq, slow the President's climbing approval ratings and negatively effect the senate vote, but now in an apparent strategy of self enrichment and opportunism, James Risen is riding the media wave he created with the early release of his book.

These are not just any old domestic wire-taps, as the liberal talking heads would have you believe. This program specifically targets international calls of suspected al-Qaieda members. Would that this type of intelligence had been gathered prior to 9-11? Mohammed Atta and his gang of hijackers may well have been caught.

In what is perhaps the strangest twist in events, public outrage has been directed (by Main-Stream Media) at the Bush Adminstration for taking steps to prevent another terrorist attack. He is accused of breaking the law - although the President has a strong argument for having the constitutional authority for his actions (under the War Powers provision), which were taken with the knowledge of Congressional oversight committee members and the last two Attorneys General.

Speaking of breaking the law, the final insult - there is no question that the law was broken and national security compromised by the government informant who leaked this highly classified information to Risen and his employers at the Times. After over one year, the Justice Department has finally opened an investigation.

According to USA TODAY in an article entitled Justice officials to investigate leak of domestic spying work, an investigation has finally been opened to determine who might have divulged such information.

Given the uproar over the thouroughly hyped Valerie Plame "outing," there is but a comparative trickle coming from the media concerning this truly disastrous breach of national security. But will James Risen, like his former colleague Judith Miller, have to endure jail-time for protecting his sources? Given the severity of this truly horrible crime and blatant treachery, I can only hope it is much, much longer than 85 days.