Erik wrote:
Bullshit. Sure the secrecy Nazi's may want you to sew your lip shut and never talk again, but in reality, they can't stop you as long as you don't reveal secret information, and it is certainly possible to write a short email without having any possibility of revealing secrets.
Jane's Fighting Ships has listings for parameters such as flank speed, weapons capabilities, submarine test depths, etc. But this is information that has not been made public by the Navy or any other government agencies. If I have a clearance and know the actual numbers, discussing the numbers published in Jane's may serve to confirm or deny them.
When you receive a clearance and are briefed they tell you that discussing such parameters is off limits except for very vague references such as saying "greater than 500 ft" for test depth. In fact, as a sonar technician, and knowledgeable about soviet subs, I was told that discussing Soviet capabilities was off limits as well.
I'm not sure what the legal ramifications are if you violate these rules, but you _do_ sign away your rights and are subject to the UCMJ when you enlist or are commissioned into the armed services.
On the other hand, it makes people feel very important to think that they and their job is so important that they have to be restricted from talking about things that everyone else can, so it is easy for people to be convinced that that is the case. They WANT to believe it.
You know, Gautam and I have had our differences on the list, but I kind of doubt he has any need to feel important here or anywhere else.
You also wrote:
By the way, Doug, do you consider yourself more inept than Bush? I think he holds a security clearance, and I seem to remember him commenting on some issues from time to time...
I'm not sure what ineptitude has to do with it, but I doubt whatever agreement I signed when I had a clearance resembles the restrictions that the president is subject to.
-- Doug _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
