WikiHype: Can You Keep a Secret?

I had access to classified documents when I worked for the government, and I can't even imagine leaking anything I read or carried.  Granted, my access was extremely limited (as it should have been), and I probably wouldn't have understood half of it, anyway.  Certainly none of it was on the order of magnitude of what Wikileaks has released with respect to the Iraq War and international diplomatic relations.

For the take on this most recent document dump -- which paints a pretty humiliating picture of American diplomacy, certainly -- here's the Washington Post take, and here is the New York Times take.  Talking Points Memo did a nice "Top Five" here.

I have to admit, I am somewhat torn a little bit on this issue.  First, I don't like the idea of leaking classified documents, period.  There's something to be said for the rule of law, whether you agree with the law or not.  There are simply things that must remain secret in order to work, and as frustrating as it can be, it's just not up to us everyday Americans to determine when we learn about those secrets.  More important, often things stay secret to protect lives.  Many people put their lives at risk in order to further the safety and security of the United States of America.  This strikes me as a noble, worthy thing.  It seems to me that it is not an understatement to say that this kind of release could well put lives at risk. 

Okay, that being said, I don't like the enormous culture of secrecy we've built within our government.  I was shocked and appalled when the fantastic Washington Post interactive piece was unveiled on "Top Secret America".  So many people, so many billions -- and it's all to support this almost inconceivably large culture around secrets. 

Secrets which, I guess, are supposed to protect us.  The last time secrets made headlines like this, they were contained in a memo entitled "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S."

I'm no expert on what should truly be secret and what shouldn't.  I'm only maybe a little bit better at interpreting bureaucracy.  But it seems to me it might be time to infuse some common sense into the world of intelligence.  Perhaps this is the real lesson of Wikileaks.  The argument of whether it is too high a price to pay will continue. 

Comments

[sarah - CO cuz]

Good comments and great links, B.

[Benjamin Kirby]

Thanks, Sarah! Hope you guys had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are ready for a great Christmas.