I agree in general with what you're getting at but just so that I understand your point, let me ask you :
Were "Operation Snow White" and the Lisa MacPherson episode rogue operations or were they the logical result of church policy letters?
I always thought "operation snow white" was an anti IRS vandalism job akin to a bunch frat guys breaking into the dean office.
If it was more then that, I don't know.
I remember reading some of them got convicted for stealing copy paper.
To be honest, I think the whole COS is a joke, its hard for me to take them seriously, I've met a couple of them, other then their need to get a life, they seemed harmless.