The
insidious practice of overclassifying sensitive documents is a ticking time
bomb that threatens to detonate at any moment, as it involves recklessly
branding information as classified, even when it doesn't warrant such extreme
secrecy. This dangerous game of secrecy can lead to dire consequences, putting
national security at risk and undermining the public's right to know.
Overclassification restricts access to
important information and poses a threat to national security by creating a
false sense of security- truly vital intelligence becomes lost in a sea of
trivial documents marked as classified.
Imagine a team of CIA analysts trying to
protect national security by gathering intelligence on terrorist groups, but
the CIA receives a high volume of reports on a daily basis, ranging from trivial
matters like the purchase of suspicious chemicals by a hobbyist to more
critical information about planned terrorist attacks.
If the CIA were to overclassify all these reports
as "top secret" without proper consideration of their actual level of
sensitivity, the CIA analytical team would be bogged down trying to find truly
critical information about planned terrorist attacks that was lost in a sea of
trivial reports. It would take them more time and effort to identify and
respond to real threats, which would place all of us in harm’s way.
Secondly, it can lead to a lack of
transparency, undermining public trust in government institutions. The public
has a right to access information that pertains to issues that affect them. Overclassification
undermines the public's right to know, and when documents that should be
available to them are hidden behind a veil of secrecy, it makes it harder for
citizens to hold their government accountable and participate in democratic
decision-making.
Finally, overclassification can be used to
hide government misconduct or mistakes, leading to a lack of accountability. One
specific instance of this was the My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War. The
incident involved the killing of hundreds of unarmed civilians, including women
and children, by U.S. soldiers in 1968.
Despite initial reports of the massacre,
the U.S. government classified the incident, preventing it from becoming public
knowledge for over a year. This prevented accountability for those involved in
the massacre and highlights how the classification of information can be used
to hide government misconduct and mistakes.
In a world where information is power,
overclassification of sensitive documents has become a grave concern. By
restricting access to important information, overclassification can put
national security at risk, undermine public trust in government institutions,
and even conceal government misconduct or mistakes. It's time to recognize the
dangers of overclassification and take action to ensure that classified
documents are only marked as such when absolutely necessary.
In the MISSION
OF VENGEANCE spy thriller, CIA spymaster Corey Pearson understands this
all too well. As he oversaw the intelligence gathering that led up to the
successful raids on Spetsnaz sleeper cells in the Dominican Republic, he was
acutely aware of the need to maintain the balance between national security
with the public's right to know.
In one scene, Pearson explained to U.S.
President Rhinehart, "There is much highly classified information that led
up to these raids, which I cannot reveal, for the sources and methods must
remain secret for reasons of national security."
As the saying goes, "knowledge is
power," but in the wrong hands, overclassification can turn that power
into a dangerous weapon. Corey Pearson and his team understand the importance
of responsible handling of sensitive information. In MISSION
OF VENGEANCE, his careful balance between national security and the
public's right to know ultimately leads to the successful raids on Spetsnaz
sleeper cells, and many American lives were saved. After the raids were
completed, the classified files that led up to it were released to the public.
But in the real world, overclassification can pose a grave threat to this delicate balance and could have far-reaching implications. It's time to learn from Pearson's example and promote transparency, accountability, and responsible handling of sensitive information. Let's defuse the ticking time bomb of overclassification before it's too late, for the good of our nation and the world.
Robert
Morton is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO)
and enjoys writing about the U.S. Intelligence Community. He authors the Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster
series. Check out his latest spy thrillers: MISSION
OF VENGEANCE.
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