Ed Driscoll.com Ed Driscoll.com
Mr. Sandman
By Ed Driscoll · April 1, 2005 11:26 AM · War And Anti-War

As I noted yesterday, AP seemed to spend far more time condemning the reasons behind Sandy Burglar Berger's arrest rather than his actual crime.

In contrast, Glenn Reynolds, Jim Geraghty, and the fellows at Power Line have each written damning posts about Berger's crime. Power Line's John Hinderaker writes:

The idea that this was "an honest mistake," as Berger now claims, is ridiculous. Obviously, he was trying to destroy documents that showed the negligence of the Clinton administration--of which he was a key member--in dealing with the threat of terrorism. Key documents relating to our government's inadequate reaction to the threat of Islamic terrorism prior to Sept. 11 are now gone forever, successfully purged from the historical record by one of Bill Clinton's most loyal servants. This plea bargain appears, on its face, to be a disgrace.
As Jim Geraghty says, "Just what do you have to do to get your clearance pulled permanently?"

Update: Much more here.

Another Update: In a follow-up post, Hinderaker adds:

So Berger removed five copies of the Clarke report, carefully destroyed three of them "late one evening," and returned the other two to the Archives. Obviously he reviewed the notes on the five documents and destroyed the three that contained information damaging to the reputation of the Clinton administration. I do not find reassuring the Post's suggestion that these were "copies only" and that it "remains unclear whether Berger knew that." Obviously all five copies of the Clarke report were "copies." But they contained unique notes, and Berger certainly thought that they were the only "copies" of those notes in existence, or it would make no sense to destroy them. I have seen no evidence whatsoever that he was wrong.

One aspect of Berger's sentence that seems almost humorous is the fact that his security clearance is suspended for three years. He wasn't going to need it during President Bush's second term, in any event, and he'll have it back in time for the new Democratic administration that, he hopes, will begin in 2009. What a penalty for attempting, apparently successfully, to destroy a portion of the historical record relating to the anti-terror activities in the months leading up to September 11.


Since 2002, News, Technology and Pop Culture, 24 Hours a Day, Live and in Stereo!

(And every Wednesday on XM Satellite Radio.)

What They're Saying

"Ed Driscoll has written that Hollywood is now 'just another niche market' and this year’s Oscar nominees confirm that."--Mark Steyn, March 2006


Navigation
Weblog
Ed TV
Podcasts
Articles
Essays
Interviews
Links
About Me
FAQ
Photos

Home

Support the Site

Search



Archives
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
November 2003
October 2003
September 2003
August 2003
July 2003
June 2003
May 2003
April 2003
March 2003
February 2003
January 2003
December 2002
November 2002
October 2002
September 2002
August 2002
July 2002
June 2002
May 2002
April 2002
March 2002

Etcetera


Bookmark Me!

Blogroll Me!

Steal This Button!

Syndicate this site (XML)
Podcasts Feed

AddThis Feed Button

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Our Podcasts' Apple iTunes Page

Powered by
Movable Type 3.35

Site design by
Sekimori

Copyright © 2002-2008 Edward B. Driscoll, Jr. All Rights Reserved