Better yet, how about a CIA labor union, seeing to the rights, working conditions, training and severance arrangements for all agents, assets and sub-contractor peons that work for the CIA and its various tentacles?

Ha!

i think I'm onto something: Union-made black ops!

Actually, I'm serious. Why not? I can't think of anybody with fewer rights except the "cannon fodder" that the Pentagon keeps throwing at its resource wars. CIA operatives are high-energy, high IQ throwaway people. Their lives are forfeit. They have zero free speech and they can be given cement shoes at any time with complete immunity for their murderers. I know some of them have done rotten things, but, hey, maybe they wouldn't, if they had a union. Maybe they would balk at torture and assassination and drone bombings and overturning democracies. They'd have backing! They'd have bargaining power. They couldn't so easily be pushed into behavior that violates their consciences. They would have recourse. They would have advocates. They would have workplace rules!

Huh. It's never occurred to me before that they should have a union. What a thought!

As for Alan Gross, I don't know. I suppose it's possible that the Bushwhacks sent an amateur to Cuba. They sent a whole bunch of them to Iraq. I tend to think he knew exactly what he was doing--spying--but I don't know for sure that he had adequate training for it. The Cubans are pretty savvy. They've protected their island for half a century, against the hatred and endless threats, spying, dirty ops, black ops, terrorist acts, and plotting of the behemoth to the north--and so much of it has been exposed--real awful stuff like the CIA bombing of the Cuban airliner--that you'd think the CIA would be more cautious. But then the Bush Junta was at war with the CIA and probably had assholes running the cover agency, the USAID and the private looters like DAI. So his wife's point is possible--but can you sue the CIA for that--for poor training? I dunno. We'll find out, I guess.

The U.S. government could release the Cuban Five and get Alan Gross back at any time. It's a good question whether they want him back. Again, CIA operatives have no rights.

And the Jewish element worms its way into the fundie's hearts agin' the gawdless commynists. And perfect for Ms Ros.

actions. Its safe to say he knew the risks of what he was doing. However, the US govt. is obligated to do what it takes to free him, so hopefully this lawsuit results in them abandoning their hardheadedness on this issue and finally begin negotiating with Cuba.