It’s a whole lot different, though, when one’s private convos are aired. I may be diplomatic about my feelings toward someone but speak candidly to people I trust not to bruit that about. I agree something must be done about security of communications but I still think it’s heinous & treasonous to have deliberately undermined your own country that way – not just once to make a point but three times.
OMG, I think I mostly agree with jackal on the leaks, although this is going to make diplomacy and routine intelligence gathering more difficult and strain relations (though not irreparably). That doesn’t mean govt shouldn’t prosecute, although I think the most aggressive prosuction should be against the leaker (already in solitary, btw).
I mean seriously, there are zero foreign leaders who are “shocked! Shocked that there is gambling going on here.” They all send their own embarrassing wires.
The guy who released the info should be prosecuted (rule of law and all), but I don’t really have a big problem with it. If anything, it demonstrates how benign most of the stuff the government does actually is.
And it’s not like anyone seriously believes we’re the only people doing that kind of stuff.
There’s actually a value to everyone peeking inside the machine. I think the low quality of public debate these days can be blamed in part on widespread ignorance about how things actually work.
By daveinbedstuy on November 29, 2010 11:25 AM
I try to keep my sex life a secret.
Liar! Liar! Pants on fire!
I try to keep my sex life a secret.
It’s a whole lot different, though, when one’s private convos are aired. I may be diplomatic about my feelings toward someone but speak candidly to people I trust not to bruit that about. I agree something must be done about security of communications but I still think it’s heinous & treasonous to have deliberately undermined your own country that way – not just once to make a point but three times.
Regarding secrecy:
99% of the time it is used to hide weakness.
The rest of the time it is used to hide strength.
Have you ever noticed that people who ask you to keep secrets for them, or seem to have a lot of secrets they are keeping, are the least trustworthy?
In the world of business and law, I find that the strongest players keep few secrets.
Ack!!!!
Slopey!!!!
Arghhhh!
Shock! Horror!
i like leeks
OMG, I think I mostly agree with jackal on the leaks, although this is going to make diplomacy and routine intelligence gathering more difficult and strain relations (though not irreparably). That doesn’t mean govt shouldn’t prosecute, although I think the most aggressive prosuction should be against the leaker (already in solitary, btw).
Any good pics out there of Qaddafi’s “nurse”?
I mean seriously, there are zero foreign leaders who are “shocked! Shocked that there is gambling going on here.” They all send their own embarrassing wires.
The guy who released the info should be prosecuted (rule of law and all), but I don’t really have a big problem with it. If anything, it demonstrates how benign most of the stuff the government does actually is.
And it’s not like anyone seriously believes we’re the only people doing that kind of stuff.
There’s actually a value to everyone peeking inside the machine. I think the low quality of public debate these days can be blamed in part on widespread ignorance about how things actually work.