-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 John wrote:
>Contrarily, one can argue, that anybody who has >access to classified material cannot be trusted for >their unclassified work. Actually, I agree: that's certainly the safe bet. But can you imagine what a different world we'd all be living in if Ellsberg had sent the Pentagon Papers to you instead. >David Kahn made such an argument when he refused >to sign a confidentiality agreement for NSA in order >to have access to classified archives. According to Kahn >he was the first to refuse that faustian arrangement >(pun intended, Faustine). Instead he sat at a desk >outside the classified archives and worked only >with material that did not require an NDA, doing so, >he said, in order to help assure reader trust of his >work. Spare us the cornball "trust me" hokum: it's not like he could have printed anything interesting from them anyway. Looks like a symbolic gesture to me. And if you really wanted to spread disinformation, what better way to do it than to get someone jumping through all the right "credibility hoops". In the end, there's no way around the fact that we see what we want to see and are blind to what we don't. >Kahn's right, and admirably so, for once you get access >to classified material you are doomed to be distrusted >outside the secret world. Too much lying has been done >by those who have access for anybody with access >to ever be trusted, which, no doubt, is the intention of >those who believe in privileged information. You are >either in or out, no mercy from either side, as Faust >knew. For what it's worth, this just made it more likely that any disinformation flowing your way will be coming through "trusted outsiders". As if being a lunatic or a greasy little antisec moneygrubber is any way to establish credibility! Just as I thought: the well-intentioned schmoe gets it coming and going. How considerate of you to make this perfectly explicit before any more of them bust their ass for you. >To be blunt, no official can be trusted, period, nor can >any of their contractors who have agreed to abide >the official rules. Which, as oft stated here, includes >all state-empowered and privilieged professionals, >from architects to lawyers to doctors to priests to >acupuncturists, and not least, journalists who may >pretend to authorize themselves but behave in >accord with the rules of their privileged publishers. OR: "Cryptome welcomes documents for publication that are prohibited by governments worldwide, in particular material on freedom of expression, privacy, cryptology, dual-use technologies, national security and intelligence -- open, secret and classified documents -- unless, of course, you've ever been in a position to really learn jack shit about anything." Bah. Oh, and I can't believe I almost forgot--I'm sure you'll be tickled pink to learn that ever having had anything to do with you can be the kiss of death as far as getting clearance is concerned. From the adjudication guidelines: http://www.dss.mil/training/adr/adjguid/adjguidF.htm "Conditions that could raise a security concern and may be disqualifying include: Any service, whether compensated, volunteer, or employment with: (...) d. Any foreign, domestic, or international organization or person engaged in analysis, discussion, or publication of material on intelligence, defense, foreign affairs, or protected technology." "Darwinian justice" indeed. ~~Faustine. *** He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself. - --Thomas Paine -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGPsdk version 1.7.1 (C) 1997-1999 Network Associates, Inc. and its affiliated companies. (Diffie-Helman/DSS-only version) iQA/AwUBPLC6jfg5Tuca7bfvEQJN7QCcCa9qhyn1i1VC5bChRhx0wnwZ9PIAoKd9 /MmFUWQYVJ3eNb69QKiV7hUV =wicA -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
