Best Defense
Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

And what the hell is Gen. Hayden doing, joking about killing Edward Snowden?

Not funny. And poor judgment to say it in public. More broadly, the comment seems to reflect an atmosphere of lawlessness in the U.S. intelligence community nowadays, that legal is what their lawyers say is legal. And in recent years, more intelligence officials have gone to jail for leaking than for torturing. That’s some sick ...

Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Not funny. And poor judgment to say it in public.

Not funny. And poor judgment to say it in public.

More broadly, the comment seems to reflect an atmosphere of lawlessness in the U.S. intelligence community nowadays, that legal is what their lawyers say is legal.

And in recent years, more intelligence officials have gone to jail for leaking than for torturing. That’s some sick shit. 

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

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