Yes, These Disclosures Do Kill People
The New York Times (yes, the New York Times) reports:
KATHARINE GRAHAM, the publisher of The Washington Post who died in 2001, backed her editors through tense battles during the Watergate era. But in a 1986 speech, she warned that the media sometimes made “tragic” mistakes.
Her example was the disclosure, after the bombing of the American embassy in Beirut in 1983, that American intelligence was reading coded radio traffic between terrorist plotters in Syria and their overseers in Iran. The communications stopped, and five months later they struck again, destroying the Marine barracks in Beirut and killing 241 Americans.
“This kind of result, albeit unintentional, points up the necessity for full cooperation wherever possible between the media and the authorities,” Ms. Graham said.
What? Disclosure of counterterror operations hurts our counterterror efforts?? And people get killed as a result? Really??
Surely the terrorists must have known we were listening in on them. That’s what our spy agencies do, after all.
The Founding Fathers would have wanted the Post to publish this. Thomas Jefferson said: “If I had to choose between a government that can keep secrets about effective, legal counterterror programs, and one that has such secrets published, such that American servicemen are killed by the hundreds, I’d choose the latter.”
So as the Fourth of July approaches, be proud that we live in a country where newspapers can make stupid decisions that can get us all killed.
Seems to me the survivors had grounds for a civil suit.
Jane (5a66ce) — 7/3/2006 @ 11:49 amIdiots, putting those marines there, with no defense.
actus (ebc508) — 7/3/2006 @ 11:53 amThank God for a free press. I think the NYT, in general, stinks on ice; however, in this case kudos to them. This government lies all the time, and has permanently compromised the financial records of all of us. We have a right to know what they have done.
RJN (a2dff1) — 7/3/2006 @ 12:00 pmI know this quote well. TJ said it shortly after he said, “Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.”
JVW (d667c9) — 7/3/2006 @ 12:05 pmJVW, you’re bursting my bubble. What are you going to say next, that Benjamin Franklin never really said “Those who would put up with the slightest limitations on liberty, in exchange for any amount of security whatsoever, are a bunch of big bad meanies who deserve neither, and I hope they die?”
Xrlq (924f21) — 7/3/2006 @ 1:07 pm[…] Maybe if Keller is ever interviewed by a non-MSM media source he can give the American people his answer? […]
FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog » Global War on Terror Watch: Washington Post Editor Admitted Newspaper Published “LEAK” Cost American Lives (baa0b4) — 7/3/2006 @ 1:14 pmThere’s no course in j-school on NOT disclosing govt. secrets.
sharon (03e82c) — 7/3/2006 @ 1:18 pmI think there needs to be an investigation into the direct connection between leaking and the death of servicemen and civilians. When this is established empirically, if possible, then that should help grieving mothers, fathers, and family members obtain proper compensation from abusive companies such as the New York Times. Additionally, it will put them out of business, which would serve as an example to others who might follow in their footsteps. I encourage all to write to their congressmen demanding such an inquiry. Freedom of speech is to be protected, but we also need to be protected from corporate irresponsiblity in disclosing the very secrets that keep us safe. Freedom without a sense of responsibility to public security was probably not in the minds of the founding fathers. I am pretty sure that George Washington himself kept his plans for battle against the British secret during the revolutionary war. Roosevelt did the same during World War II, and we need to do it now. Any argument to the contrary is a waste of an intelligent person’s time. Such an argument against secrecy in military affairs is made by those who would undermine our very existense, or by those who are duped by the enemy to do so in the name of their idealism. Sometimes I wonder if there is such thing as “loyal opposition.” If there is, then I hope they come to their senses soon so that we can come together and defeat the enemy for once, and for all.
sam stolzoff (80c6f5) — 7/3/2006 @ 1:45 pmLoose Lips, Sinking Ships, and the Fourth Estate…
I can’t seem to write short posts anymore like normal bloggers. What’s going on? Once I get started…
La Shawn Barber's Corner (1b383c) — 7/3/2006 @ 1:46 pmThe man on the left is Thomas Paine, an American Revolution-era political philosopher, journalist, and pamphleteer who openly ad…
Who was it said, “Treason in defense of Lefty dogma is no vice.”
Or, “I have not yet begun to dissemble.”
Or, “Damn the voters, we know best and the little people just better get used to it.”
Or, “All the news Al Qaeda approves!”
Black Jack (d8da01) — 7/3/2006 @ 2:17 pmI think David Horowitz’s citing of Tokyo Rose during WW2, calculated to misinform us, undermine our resolve and discourage our toops is right on the mark. The NYT and the LA are performing the same role in this war, and their noses should be rubbed it it by every blogger and columnist on te right. It could be the ralying theme that brings them down.
stuart williiamson (4a8c87) — 7/3/2006 @ 2:36 pm