http://www.salon.com/2012/08/14/secrecy_creep/That the Obama administration has waged an unprecedented war on whistleblowers is by now well-known and well-do ented, as is its general fixation on not just maintaining but increasing even the most extreme and absurd levels of secrecy. Unsurprisingly, this ethos — that the real criminals are those who expose government wrongdoing, not those who engage in that wrongdoing — now pervades lower levels of the Executive Branch as well.
Last night, McClatchy reported on a criminal investigation launched by the Inspector General (IG) of the National Reconnaissance Office, America’s secretive spy satellite agency, against the agency’s deputy director, Air Force Maj. Gen. Susan Mashiko. After Mashiko learned that four senior NRO officials whose iden ies she did not know reported to the IG “a series of allegations of malfeasant actions” by another NRO official relating to large contracts, Mashiko allegedly vowed: “I would like to find them and fire them.”
Moreover, after McClatchy published stories in June about the agency’s abusive and problematic use of polygraph tests to root out leakers, top agency officials made statements “taken as a threat that polygraphers who raise similar concerns about the agency’s practices — even to the inspector general — would be punished or criminally prosecuted as leakers.” As usual in today’s Washington, punishment is solely for those who expose high-level wrongdoing, and secrecy powers are primarily devoted to shielding the wrongdoers.
Sad state of affairs. By terrorizing whistleblowers, it will ensure that these organizations continue to conduct business the wrong way, possibly break laws, etc etc... a true leader would recognize that. People who are afraid that doing business the "right way" might hurt their timelines aren't true leaders.
We saw signes of this being the norm from very on in the presidency.
Remember the site created to report those who said anything bad about Obama?
nope. link?
I do remember how board righties and posters like you used to gang up on anyone who said anything bad about Bush or the war on terror, calling them traitors to the country and such.
not too long ago you used to be a secrecy apologist. now that a Republican no longer occupies the White House, you've pivoted 180 degrees.
if Romney wins in November, I'll be expecting another pivot.
"possibly break laws"
possibly? the clandestine services can be assumed to be out of control, oversight and breaking every law they want to. Petraeus, CIA are murdering people all over the planet in secret, committing acts of undeclared war.
Secrecy creep.
When has this administration ever been transparent? Except, of course, when it's leaking national security secrets.
hence the the scare quotes and the facetious trademark in the article.
you're not very good at this, Yoni.
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