I'm not sure how you conclude the office of the Prez has nothing to do with the intel agencies, since all policy originates there, they all answer to the Prez, not to mention cascades of historical events.
It is all part of the same large picture of activities, pieces of which are lodged in every branch of government, and which are the property of the People, not the People's servants.
Executive orders now still classified created NSA, for example. The little misunderstanding with the Contras and Oliver North found evidence in the White House and other places. Nixon's little shenanigans were there, which included mandates to the Treasury, FBI and CIA to do his dirty work.
The 68,000 items at issue here cover a broad range of perhaps wonderful and heroic, but also maybe not-so-wonderful activities from Reagan, George The First, and Clinton eras, and the order signed last night provides advance cover for any future hanky-panky that George The Second might want to get into.
Not good policy for a Republic whose administration works as servants to the People, but always with a tendency to get it the other way 'round. |
