... the real reason for all those tax-funded foreign political jaunts?
Security Certificate Victims: If Dechert can claim innocence when his risky actions are patently made public, how much more innocent then are people whose purported actions are kept secret even from themselves?Contributor: "YYC"
Memo to Bob Dechert
As the Canadian government moves to tighten ties to China, MPs should be told relationships with state news reporters are a serious breach of security, writes J. Michael ColeThe very authorship of the above article reveals yet another example of the much-denied government/media love affair: J. Michael Cole is a former CSIS "analyst" turned news chief for the Taipei Times.
And he is nothing if not humourous in his heavily-veiled reference to John Baird's gayness (something I'm sure makes CSIS spooks very antsy) when he says the Chinese would not target Baird with a "honey trap", but would instead focus on a well-placed underling like Dechert.
It's a bit sexist to suggest, however obliquely, that "honey traps" are always female, nor can Cole possibly be as naive as he seems when stressing the blackmailability of heterosexual married persons who commit indiscretions while ignoring that closeted gays are at least as vulnerable to blackmail.
To say that Dechert has committed a security breach, Cole serves his former employer in keeping alive the belief that there really is such a thing as "national security" beyond merely a wall behind which the dirty dealings of CSIS and government can hide, and a conscience-less excuse to wreck the lives of Muslim immigrants under the guise of fighting a "war on terrorism".
Too late, however, since by accepting Dechert's "apology", Harper has made it eminently clear that "national security" is of little or no importance.
And that alone ought to be argument enough to free the security certificate victims. If Dechert can claim innocence when his risky actions are patently made public, how much more innocent then are people whose purported actions are kept secret even from themselves?
Maybe somebody should look into the real reasons Harper was at least twice late for the group photo-ops while in foreign countries.
And maybe we should reconsider the true motives of politicians who spend inordinate amounts of taxpayer dollars in frequent foreign travel for seemingly no other purpose than to read prepared speeches they could have phoned in. Are they actually on free (for them) "sex vacations"?
Related: Baird stands by Tory MP despite amorous emails
Related on YYC: The word "innocent" has lost all meaning
... along with the word "apology".
11 comments:
Dear YYC,
As the author of the op-ed in question, I really must plead innocence on your claims that I placed "heavily veiled references" to Mr. Baird's "gayness." I have no idea whatsoever as to his sexual orientation (in fact, his "gayness" is news to me), and honestly, I couldn't care less. My point, if you'd read my article closely enough, is that PRC intelligence does NOT target senior officials, such as ministers, but rather mid-level ones. Whether Mr. Baird is gay or not has no incidence whatsoever in targeting decisions.
As to "honey traps" only involving female agents, you're absolutely right: Men, technically, could do it, too, though you'll struggle to find examples of successful ops involving male "honey traps."
Lastly, homosexuals in China are also not treated too kindly. Not too long ago, homosexuality there was treated as a mental illness and homesexuals were locked up. So I doubt they'd be employed by the Ministry of State Security or the PLA.
And for the record: I resigned from CSIS because I disagreed with its policies on Muslims and the Arab world in general. Not only that — I published a book about it.
All good wishes,
J. Michael Cole
Taipei, Taiwan
Mr. Cole:
Thank you for your comment, and your claim of "innocence" has been duly noted - but surely you noticed my lament that the word "innocent" has lost all meaning, along with the word "apology", thanks to the antics of politicians and their media apologists.
Government and media lies have taught me, and many others, to be very skeptical of anything published by them and that, unfortunately, includes your Memo to Dechert.
For all any of us knows, you could be a CSIS spy in Taiwan, especially since you've asserted that the Chinese use media people as spies.
It is hard to believe, however, that a former intelligence analyst would be unaware of the chatter about John Baird's sexual orientation, and one might wonder if you were actually fired from CSIS for faulty observation.
I don't mean to be insulting, but even your logic seems faulty. If China does disapprove of homosexuality, wouldn't a gay person be most easily blackmailed into "intelligence" service? It's reportedly done in the US all the time.
You expect us to take your word for it that higher level politicians would not be targeted by China, but one really has no way of knowing just how much "entertainment" to their liking is provided to people like Baird and Harper when visiting foreign countries on government business - that is until the next hacking leak occurs.
In the eyes of some you have accomplished two things: you've provided an explanation as to why Baird and Harper haven't yet been accused of similar behaviour, and you've reinforced the idea that "national security" is a term relevant to Canada.
Harper and Baird's willingness to overlook what you say is a security breach is suspicious to say the least.
Cole a mole big time. Good work YaYa maddy
Thanks, Maddy. He sure sounds like one.
I wonder if when he prefaces a statement with "honestly" he is unconsciously admitting that the rest of what he says is not honest.
Now we know CSIS monitors your blog. Keep up the great work yaya.
Seems you're right, Anon. That response from Cole was pretty darn quick.
I guess it was just Dechert's conservative animal magnetism that she could not resist. Someone should ask Baird about it.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/Journalist+pursued+email+claims/5404810/story.html
Thanks for the link, Anon.
Shi Rong; he Right. Ain't that always the way. :-)
Nice conspiracy theory, people. This shows you all have no bloody clue what you're talking about. Really. Grow up. Has any one among you ever left the comfortable little isolated corner of Canada you're from?
To clueless anonymous bloody big one.. We have..have you??? And if you have, better you hadn't, coz it's people like you who soil the globe whether at home, in corners, or abroad carrying the sicko minds and infesting the land of others..phew maddy
I find it quite humourous that the only argument people in denial can come up with is a media-driven buzz word.
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