Plame Speaking

We've finally heard from a certain former (outed) CIA agent, a Ms. Valerie Plame Wilson, on Edward Snowden.  She says we all owe him thanks but "he will be abused."   Also, suggests firing Clapper.   And can't believe Cheney of all people calling Snowden a traitor, given what he did to her.

"I don't think [Snowden's] a hero, I don't condone what he did. At the same time he's certainly not a traitor as he was called by Dick Cheney,' Plame told HuffPost Live host Mike Sacks. "In a way, we as U.S. citizens owe Edward Snowden a thank you for having brought this issue to the forefront and so that we can begin to have a serious and genuine conversation about these issues."

Plame also rolled her eyes at Cheney labeling Snowden a traitor given the Bush administration's involvement in leaking her identity to columnist Robert Novak.
"The irony of people like Dick Cheney or Karl Rove whining and bemoaning the fact of the leak of intelligence, given my history and certainly Dick Cheney's intimate involvement with the betrayal of my CIA identity is really something," she said.

Plame called for the resignation of Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, saying that "as a former intelligence offer" she finds it "astounding" that upwards of 60-70% of the United States' intelligence budget is spent on private contractors.

"One question might be: why hasn't the Director of National Intelligence Clapper resigned?" He is ultimately responsible for the safeguarding of these secrets," she said. "How do you propose to keep secrets if you have that high a contracting force? Where is their loyalty? It's not necessarily going to be to their country, to the United States, it's going to be to the person writing their paycheck."

Plame same she has "great respect" for journalist Glenn Greenwald, who broke the Snowden story, saying "he has written eloquently for years on these issues in a very serious, sustained manner."