NYT: Because we can!

Bill Keller, executive editor of the Tehran New York Times, has published a miserable excuse of an excuse for "outing" the perfectly legal terrorist-funds-tracing program that we used to (gasp) catch terrorists.

Many, many, many others have fisked out Keller's vapidly arrogant and condescending proclamation, so I'll mostly give it a miss, save for one bit. (UPDATE: Gateway Pundit is compiling the avalanche of criticism. Nice graphic.)

It’s not our job to pass judgment on whether this program is legal or effective.

So, Mr. Keller, what is your job? Precisely what standard does the NYT apply in deciding to "out" utterly legal and effective classified national security programs? Exactly how do you weigh decisions to feloniously put our nation and its citizens and armed forces at greater risk? What standards, if any, are employed by the NYT editorial staff in weighing such decisions? Are those standards financial (of course not) or political--or "other"? If other, please define.

The categorical answer, to judge by Mr. Keller's self-aggrandizing non-apologia, appears to be "Because we can!"

But hey, they support the troops!