I have known and served with many military intelligence officers. A handful of them were brilliant. The preponderance of them validated the adage that says military intelligence is to intelligence what military music is to music.

I have also known and worked with many Air Force officers, and every one of those bug lovers is dedicated to the Air Force's primary mission, which is to prevaricate its way into possession of the entire defense budget.

Since CIA director Michael V. Hayden is an Air Force intelligence officer and a Bush appointee to boot, anything he says tends to be standard issue effluvium, and what he's saying now about his agency's right to privacy stinks to high heaven.

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My country 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing...

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What happens when the checks and balances of our government are compromised, and justice is undermined?

What happens when the most criminally corrupt group of criminals rule with nearly complete control of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of government for nearly two full Administrations, and the media fails to oppose, to challenge and to expose them?

Criminal malfeasance. Negligence. Dereliction of duty. Failure -- multiple failures: failure to uphold the law, failure to act, failure to uphold the duty and responsibility of office.

Actively undermining the just due process of the law and Constitution. Actively interfering with the proper operation of government.

War crimes.

Eight years of crimes, unaccountable to anyone and protected by the entire Republican party -- and Joe Lieberman.

The scandal over the CIA torture tapes continues to spin. Over on DailyKos, several articles with good insights, particularly this one by gchaucer. Over here, clammyc's commentary and several by Jeff Huber lead the way, and emptywheel over at TheNextHurrah has some excellent stuff.

Here's a little more fuel for the fire -- an interview between an apparently defensive Bush and Matt Lauer.

Note how well Bush prevaricates, dissembles and obfuscates.

Just a little more after the jump.