US intelligence partners’ fears are justified

Regarding the recent article “Panel chief: No evidence of TrumpRussia contact,” House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes said, “As of right now, I don’t have any evidence of any phone calls. It doesn’t mean they don’t exist . ... What I’ve been told by many folks is that there’s nothing there.”

This wimpy statement, in my opinion, justifies the fears of our intelligence partners, which are that the White House is too close to Moscow, and it is causing our close allies to limit espionage relationships with Washington. This in turn has serious implications for U.S. national security, particularly in counterterrorism intelligence sharing.

The American people should be aware of the awesome capabilities that our intelligence agencies have on our behalf, to bring credible intelligence information in support of an investigation of the Donald Trump campaign’s possible Russia contacts. The NSA’s multi-billion dollar signals intelligence systems are able to get both sides of any Trump campaignRussia conversation; and if indeed there were conversations, they are going to get caught. There is no escape for those involved.

And the sooner the better; for our national security and safety depend on clearing this matter. The next step is for the American people to turn on the power of our elected officials to start an independent and transparent investigation of just how close the Trump campaign was or was not to Moscow.

Col. George Ratner, USAF (Ret.), Lauderdale-by-the-Sea