Return-Path: <sentto-279987-4119-1009117802-fc=all.net@returns.groups.yahoo.com> Delivered-To: fc@all.net Received: from 204.181.12.215 [204.181.12.215] by localhost with POP3 (fetchmail-5.7.4) for fc@localhost (single-drop); Sun, 23 Dec 2001 06:31:09 -0800 (PST) Received: (qmail 32043 invoked by uid 510); 23 Dec 2001 14:30:23 -0000 Received: from n23.groups.yahoo.com (216.115.96.73) by all.net with SMTP; 23 Dec 2001 14:30:23 -0000 X-eGroups-Return: sentto-279987-4119-1009117802-fc=all.net@returns.groups.yahoo.com Received: from [216.115.97.162] by n23.groups.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 23 Dec 2001 14:30:03 -0000 X-Sender: fc@red.all.net X-Apparently-To: iwar@onelist.com Received: (EGP: mail-8_0_1_3); 23 Dec 2001 14:30:02 -0000 Received: (qmail 11306 invoked from network); 23 Dec 2001 14:30:02 -0000 Received: from unknown (216.115.97.172) by m8.grp.snv.yahoo.com with QMQP; 23 Dec 2001 14:30:02 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO red.all.net) (12.232.125.69) by mta2.grp.snv.yahoo.com with SMTP; 23 Dec 2001 14:30:02 -0000 Received: (from fc@localhost) by red.all.net (8.11.2/8.11.2) id fBNEUD020652 for iwar@onelist.com; Sun, 23 Dec 2001 06:30:13 -0800 Message-Id: <200112231430.fBNEUD020652@red.all.net> To: iwar@onelist.com (Information Warfare Mailing List) Organization: I'm not allowed to say X-Mailer: don't even ask X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.5 PL3] From: Fred Cohen <fc@all.net> X-Yahoo-Profile: fcallnet Mailing-List: list iwar@yahoogroups.com; contact iwar-owner@yahoogroups.com Delivered-To: mailing list iwar@yahoogroups.com Precedence: bulk List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:iwar-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com> Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2001 06:30:13 -0800 (PST) Subject: [iwar] [fc:Operation.Public.Lockout] Reply-To: iwar@yahoogroups.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Washington Post December 21, 2001 Operation Public Lockout By Bradley Peniston The coverage of the Afghanistan campaign has had its military-media disputes -- reporters and Pentagon officials sparring over access to troops and the public's right to know details of the operation. But closer to home, sweeping attempts to cut off defense-related information have gone relatively unnoticed. Since the Sept. 11 attacks, senior military officials have worked to prevent uniformed military personnel, Defense Department employees and even civilian contractors from talking to the press and to the public. On Oct. 2, Pentagon acquisition chief Edward "Pete" Aldridge sent a letter asking defense firms to use discretion in their official statements: "As we all know, even seemingly innocuous industrial information can reveal much about military activities and intentions to the trained intelligence collector," the defense undersecretary wrote. "Statistical, production, contracting and delivery information can convey a tremendous amount of information that hostile intelligence organizations might find relevant." Two days later Air Force officials went further in a letter to the service's procurement officers. "Effective immediately, I do not want anyone within the Air Force acquisition community discussing any of our programs with the media (on or off the record)," wrote Darleen Druyun, the Air Force secretary's principal deputy for acquisitions. Prodded for explanation, an Air Force spokesman first denied the Oct. 4 letter was a gag order, then said the no-talk policy applied only to programs connected with "current operations." Druyun soon retreated. "We will continue to respond to inquiries from the media. . . . We will also continue to issue announcements on major contracts," and to conduct news conferences on acquisition issues, she wrote in an Oct. 10 letter. But within a week, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz issued the broadest injunction yet. In a memo to military and civilian leaders, Wolfowitz forbade employees of the Department of Defense and "persons in other organizations that support DOD" to talk about their work in public spaces, on unsecure telephones, or via e-mail on commercial networks. After reminding recipients about existing regulations governing classified material, Wolfowitz's memo broke new ground by discouraging the public discussion of unclassified subjects as well. Unclassified material "can often be compiled to reveal sensitive conclusions," said the Oct. 18 memo, addressed to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, service secretaries and other senior DOD officials. "Much of the information we use to conduct DOD's operations must be withheld from public release because of its sensitivity. If in doubt, do not release or discuss official information except with other DOD personnel." The Pentagon's desire to control information in wartime is understandable, and all the more so in a battle against terrorists. Among the harsh lessons of Sept. 11: Public knowledge can be exploited in unexpected and deadly ways. But official duty includes accountability as well as security. The Defense Department will spend more than one-third of a trillion dollars in 2002. Even in wartime -- or at least shortly thereafter -- the public is entitled to know how well its money is being spent. Information policies that protect bureaucrats instead of national security are inappropriate in a democracy, even one locked in battle with terrorists. If Pentagon officials must extend the bounds of secrecy during this national emergency, accountability requires them to set clear limits. So does credibility, which is essential to public support. Military officials who would hamper public scrutiny of the Pentagon risk losing the faith of the citizens they are attempting to protect. "People will accept secrecy when the purpose is well-designed, but when there is any hint of self-serving, it'll be a disaster," says Steven Aftergood, an analyst with the Federation of American Scientists. The recent campaign to limit information is working, to some extent. Reporters who cover the military and the defense industry say some sources have clammed up; others have not. But no matter how long the war on terrorism lasts, the public's right to know will remain. Operation Enduring Freedom should not turn into Operation Public Lockout. The writer is deputy editor of Defense News. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Access Your PC from Anywhere - Full setup in 2 minutes - Free Download http://us.click.yahoo.com/StuHlD/E6eDAA/yigFAA/kgFolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> ------------------ http://all.net/ Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
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