Security agencies can’t be trusted

It boggles the mind when security agencies attack president-elect Donald Trump’s temerity in daring to question the US intelligence establishment, and it is surprising that he did, given the agencies’ history of subterfuge and deliberate attempts to mislead the public.

It was even more shocking to hear director of national intelligence James Clapper pompously announcing the “evidence” that was supposed to be the “smoking gun” of the Russian interference that materially affected the outcome of the American election.

Isn’t he the same guy that was involved in the Iraq fiasco – that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction? After nothing was found during the prewar inspections and even after a more thorough search when the American forces occupied Iraq, his answer was that “if they were not found, doesn’t mean they do not exist”. Go figure!

It is disturbing that Clapper, under oath at a congressional committee in March 2013, said the National Security Agency did not collect data on Americans, which, of course, was a lie.

What is more pathetic though, is that at the end of their socalled proof that the Russians were involved, was the disclaimer that “The Department of Homeland Security does not provide any warranties regarding any information contained within”.

So, after you stir up a storm, throw in a disclaimer to cover your butt.

Now there is a question mark hanging over the legitimacy of Trump’s election.

Jean Michel

Bryanston

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Concerned teacher