ABC News Reports CIA Cleared to Mess With Iran; Readers Call Them Traitors

ABC News's The Blotter reported that President Bush signed an order clearing the CIA to conduct covert, but non-lethal, destablization operations in Iran, a fairly obvious piece of news, but readers and Republican Presidential contender Mitt Romney are condemning the act of journalism as jeopardizing the nation's security. Evidently Iran's leaders were under the mistaken imporession that the U.S. and Iran were buddies.

Mitt Romney also suggested that news outlets begin censoring themselves, according to CNN:

Also citing the New York Times reporting last year about the NSA's electronic eavesdropping program, Romney added, "I think its time for leadership in the media to consider and adopt voluntary rules of responsible reporting with regards to matters of national security. Of course we have a First Amendment which we cherish and value. It provides for freedom of the press. But with this freedom goes the responsibility of the press."

My personal favorite is the first comment at The Blotter accusing ABC of being a "trader." Actually, it's Halliburton, Vice President Dick Cheney's alma mater, that "trades" with Iran.

Photo: Jeff Hitchcock