In 1971 the Rand Corporation analyst, Daniel Ellsberg, leaked a vast quantity of classified documents to the New York Times, Washington Post, and other publications, which came to be known as the "Pentagon Papers". The documents exposed U.S. Government secrets in the "sausage-making process" of U.S. Government policy formulation and execution regarding the prosecution of the Vietnam War. As we all know, even those who are big sausage fans may change their minds about that epicurean delight if they bear witness to the process by which it is made. In 1973, Ellsberg was charged with violation of the Espionage Act of 1917 and other criminal statutes for which he could have served 115 years in prison. All charges were dropped allegedly due to prosecutorial misconduct in the gathering of evidence in the case. While evidentiary imperfections in the case may have been a part of that reason, it is likely that the Government did not want to go to trial given that a full public airing of the trial would have been radically embarrassing and perhaps criminally threatening to many US government officials at every level. Given the national zeitgeist and evolving nature of the protest culture in America, Ellsberg became the most celebrated whistleblower in American history.
Ellsberg, in many ways, had the intellectual and experiential gravitas to have a certain credibility of motive that hasn't existed in the "leak cases" since. Ellsberg served as a Marine Corps Infantry Officer and was highly educated, formally having earned a PhD in National Security from MIT, and committed his criminal acts seemingly with some higher-minded purpose. To my mind, Ellsberg still should have done prison time; however, at least his high-level security clearance to access national security documents was understandable considering his level of employment at the Rand Corporation.
Fast forward 52 years to the case of Private First Class Jack Teixeira of the Massachusetts Air National Guard. Teixeira was caught stealing and publishing highly classified documents that required a high level of National Security Clearance for access, which, as a low-level member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, he was given.
At this juncture, the fog of actual facts surrounding Teixeira's case has not revealed the truth as to why he was granted such high-level security clearance, except the general message conveyed by the American Pravda that “the security clearance was necessary and not atypical for someone with Teixeira’s job description.” While the American Pravda has seemingly reached consensus in its criticism of Teixeira and cheering for his punishment, their enthusiasm and near-anonymity in doing so fail to address the larger issues regarding the institutional rot of the Military and our National Security establishment.
Just like most, if not all of America's governing institutions, whose bureaucratic performances now constitute what has been labeled the "Deep State", a low-level Private in the Massachusetts Air National Guard will be enthusiastically prosecuted, which he should be, while our high-level National Security bureaucrats (by way of example) - The 50 former Top National Security Officials - called the Hunter Biden laptop story likely the product of "Russian Disinformation" and the Chinese Spy Balloons flying unsettled through U.S. airspace.
Personal accountability should flow freely through every level of our government, from high to low and every nook and cranny in between, so that our institutions function in the manner that they were purportedly designed and constructed for: To serve and protect the American people. By way of example, Admiral Husband Kimmel, the man charged with commanding the Pacific fleet on December 7, 1941, was fired (court-martialed) for his failures and dereliction of duty on that fateful day.
In today's America, personal responsibility is a character trait that is rarely recognized, practiced, or admired. Of course, Teixeira should be prosecuted for his crimes. However, those in charge of our National Security and Military command structure, if found guilty of dereliction of duty, should also suffer the fate of Admiral Kimmel.
We now live in an America where high-level failure is rewarded with profit, promotion, and without accountability. As for my friend who asked me to comment on certain "conservative" elected officials calling Teixeira a “hero”, they are way off base…
Gamer/National Guard Private Teixeira was not walking the high wire when he stole and published classified National Security documents. This was a low-wire act by a low-level service member which the National Security Ring Masters should make their priority to prevent from happening again.
-Emes
What ever happened to this once great country
I remembered? Shame on all of us.