State Department Fun and Games

[whell]

"CBS News has uncovered documents that show the State Department may have covered up allegations of illegal and inappropriate behavior within their ranks."

"CBS News' John Miller reports that according to an internal State Department Inspector General's memo, several recent investigations were influenced, manipulated, or simply called off. The memo obtained by CBS News cited eight specific examples. Among them: allegations that a State Department security official in Beirut "engaged in sexual assaults" on foreign nationals hired as embassy guards and the charge and that members of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's security detail "engaged prostitutes while on official trips in foreign countries" -- a problem the report says was "endemic.""

"Aurelia Fedenisn, a former investigator with the State Department's internal watchdog agency, the Inspector General, told Miller, "We also uncovered several allegations of criminal wrongdoing in cases, some of which never became cases.""

In such cases, DSS agents told the Inspector General's investigators that senior State Department officials told them to back off, a charge that Fedenisn says is "very" upsetting.

Fedenisn says "hostile intelligence services" allow such behavior to continue. "I would be very surprised if some of those entities were not aware of the activities," she said. "So yes, it presents a serious risk to the United States government."

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_1...investigations

[finnbow]

I wish I could say I was surprised by such allegations, but I'm not in the least. This sort of stuff has being going on in the State Department and Secret Service (and other agencies) for decades. Given their choice, the agencies will never make such things public. But they happen all the time.

[bobabode]

So, how is this Hillary's fault, Mike?

[whell]

Originally Posted by finnbow

I wish I could say I was surprised by such allegations, but I'm not in the least. This sort of stuff has being going on in the State Department and Secret Service (and other agencies) for decades. Given their choice, the agencies will never make such things public. But they happen all the time.

The activities are likely more common that is reported. But the effort to squelch an internal investigation? It looks a bit unsavory, if true.

[whell]

Originally Posted by bobabode

So, how is this Hillary's fault, Mike?

What, Bob? Is it all about Hillary with you?

[BlueStreak]

Hey Mike! "The Troops" engage whores in foreign ports and around foreign and domestic bases all the time. And always have.

Do you want to bring the DoD down, now?

Dave

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by whell

The activities are likely more common that is reported. But the effort to squelch an internal investigation? It looks a bit unsavory, if true.

Oh, I'm certain they are. I'm certain a LOT of "activities" are far more common than the sheltered, or willfully blind, conservative mind realizes. Even among conservatives.

Dave

[whell]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

Hey Mike! "The Troops" engage whores in foreign ports and around foreign and domestic bases all the time. And always have.

Do you want to bring the DoD down, now?

Dave

Really? Wow! Who would'a think it!

I suspect, Dave, that the troops engage whores while on leave, or at the very least not while they're at their posts. Doesn't look like we can say the same for some state department folks.

I suspect if the troops " 'engaged in sexual assaults' with foreign nationals hired as embassy guards", they'd be brought up on charges, especially after those sexual harassment hearings on the Hill last week. Don't you think so, Dave? Why have internal investigations into that behavior by State Dept officials been squashed?

If the troops were found to have been engaged in a drug ring, they'd faces charges, right Dave?

Sheesh!

[BlueStreak]

Don't be so sure about any of that.

Sometimes, even the military holds "dog and pony" shows and offers up scapegoats.

Dave

[whell]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

Sometimes, even the military holds "dog and pony" shows and offers up scapegoats.

Doesn't look like the State Department is interested in that tactic.