The Washington Post reports today:

CIA counterterrorism officers have signed up in growing numbers for a government—reimbursed, private insurance plan that would pay their civil judgments and legal expenses if they are sued or charged with criminal wrongdoing, according to current and former intelligence officials and others with knowledge of the program.

The new enrollments reflect heightened anxiety at the CIA that officers may be vulnerable to accusations they were involved in abuse, torture, human rights violations and other misconduct, including wrongdoing related to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. They worry that they will not have Justice Department representation in court or congressional inquiries, the officials said.

Let's take this further. We know that Sandy Berger and the Clinton Administration in general feared legal liability more than the consequences of continued, unpunished, terrorist attacks.Why don't serious people everywhere simply purchase liability insurance for soldiers  fighting the enemy abroad and FBI field agents engaged in tracking terrorists so they won't feel constrained to call lawyers before acting?

With Libby's legal fees now reportedly in the seven million dollar range, why not extend this as well to  insurance against the  criminalizing of  politics, too?

Cover everybody and get on with it.

Clarice Feldman   9 11 06