'Loyalty to the Nation all the time, loyalty to the Government when it deserves it'  Mark Twain ( American author 1835-1910)

For months, if not years we have been exposed to words of questionable truths. The American world has been turned upside down, not just for a few people but millions and not only because of the pandemic. Unprepared and totally mismanaged we now are standing in front of deep loss; we are seeing the loss of lives but also of many other values. A world we have owned for centuries has crashed.

The idea that the institutions for our safety and security we have relied upon are all being undermined or distrusted. Institutions that protect us, the FBI, CIA, NSA, DOJ, and others are being diminished. Every day the erosion has excelled in our country, which has stood for values, admired and envied around the globe.

The many books being published on this subject, just to name a few are RAGE by Bob Woodward, A HIGHER LOYALTY by James Comey, DISLOYAL by Michael Cohen, tell the reader of the erosion of the trust Americans have had in their government throughout life. There is one book that gives the reader a clear picture of the intricate workings of our institutions we rely upon and trust.

This is a book by Peter Strzok titled COMPROMISED; in this story, the author draws on lessons from a long career, from exposing Russian illegals posing as students; it inspired The Americans film ( Period Drama of KGB spies) to his service of more than 20 years and then as a lead FBI Agent in the Robert Mueller investigation; it constructs a devastating account of foreign influence at the highest level of our government. And he grapples with a question that should concern every U.S. citizen: When a president appears to favor personal and foreign, in this case also Russian interests over those of our nation, has this president become a national security threat?

In his book, he clearly defines the mission of analytical and defining research being accomplished by our institutions and upon which we rely. We are protected by these men and women, dedicated to the rule of law. Unfiltered clear understanding to protect America’s citizens and their lives.

Peter Strzok writes: "As an FBI employee, I was prohibited from commenting to the media, even on nonsense. So ordinarily my answer to such requests from any publication would have been NO. Ordinarily, a career spent in counterintelligence requires a stoic "No Comment". That commitment of public silence pervades every level of our world, from the individual employees to the FBI to the intelligence community as a whole.

Every agent is accustomed to the fact that commentary may take issue with the conduct or outcome of his or her investigations. But it is insidiously different when it is coming from the president of the United States.

Growing up in troubled countries abroad, I had always believed that I could recognize the symptoms of internal deterioration, of how the middle collapses without the strong spine of democratic institutions. And now I was seeing something else that I had experienced overseas when governance fails. Authoritarian leaders and tin-pot dictators don’t tolerate dissent or criticism, and when they hear it, they smear their critics in outlandish terms, as traitors, as enemies of the people, as saboteurs or spies.

Like everyone else, FBI agents have personal beliefs, but we check them at the door every day when we walk into work. That is our code of conduct, what we hold each other to every minute of every day. There was one more thing I wanted to say. My colleagues at the Bureau would not tolerate any improper behavior in me anymore than I would tolerate it in them. That is who we are as the FBI."

All these before mentioned books are wake-up calls and we should not ignore them or their messages, if we do it will be at our own peril and the demise of our Democracy. Each one is a warning sign! Many negative forces are pulling us apart and the corrosion in the leadership of this Nation is on daily display. It is a compelling time and everyone who believes in this Great American Vision and American Ideals needs to be aware of it…for once this American vision is lost, it will take years to recapture it…if ever!

'With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts' Eleanor Roosevelt (First Lady and Activist 1884-1962)  

Tags: Christa Dowling, Global Cultural Advisor

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