[Goose]

As others have pointed out, our system is badly broken and it needs to be fixed, but that will require people at the top to be willing to admit the system is broken.  I don't understand "not of great consequence" to be any sort of admission that there is a big problem that needs repair. I am sure some careers will be ruined and someone will have to pay a price just so it can be said action is being taken, but I seriously doubt those actions will include trying to fix the problem.
Somewhere, some place, a man or woman on the ground who does the dirty work, is going to suddenly find things more difficult.  Intelligence collection is not all about the NSA, communication intercepts and the like. HUMINT is still part of the game and sometimes a critical part.  If we can't keep our mouths shut, the HUMINT take will drop drastically.

I wonder what James Jesus Angleton would think about all this.

Couldn't agree more, on all counts. The eroding security environment has been going on for many years. It didn't happen overnight. It could however be fixed relatively quickly. It will require the people at the top to become "true believers" and enforce the existing rules at all levels, without exception or compromise. I see no evidence that is going to happen, and that we will indeed continue to damage our HUMINT capabilities, sometimes literally fatally.

It has and will continue to damage our ability to obtain information from other nations, because they simply won't trust us. That may be even worse. Many of our close allies do not have goals that are identical to the US. They have in the past not been totally "straight" with us for that reason. Events like the recent one give them even more reason to withhold information, fearing compromise of their methods and sources. It also encourages countries like China to attempt espionage in the US, given a high probability of success.

[Goose]

As others have pointed out, our system is badly broken and it needs to be fixed, but that will require people at the top to be willing to admit the system is broken.  I don't understand "not of great consequence" to be any sort of admission that there is a big problem that needs repair. I am sure some careers will be ruined and someone will have to pay a price just so it can be said action is being taken, but I seriously doubt those actions will include trying to fix the problem.
Somewhere, some place, a man or woman on the ground who does the dirty work, is going to suddenly find things more difficult.  Intelligence collection is not all about the NSA, communication intercepts and the like. HUMINT is still part of the game and sometimes a critical part.  If we can't keep our mouths shut, the HUMINT take will drop drastically.

I wonder what James Jesus Angleton would think about all this.

Couldn't agree more, on all counts. The eroding security environment has been going on for many years. It didn't happen overnight. It could however be fixed relatively quickly. It will require the people at the top to become "true believers" and enforce the existing rules at all levels, without exception or compromise. I see no evidence that is going to happen, and that we will indeed continue to damage our HUMINT capabilities, sometimes literally fatally.

It has and will continue to damage our ability to obtain information from other nations, because they simply won't trust us. That may be even worse. Many of our close allies do not have goals that are identical to the US. They have in the past not been totally "straight" with us for that reason. Events like the recent one give them even more reason to withhold information, fearing compromise of their methods and sources. It also encourages countries like China to attempt espionage in the US, given a high probability of success.