Lack of Military Service by republicans = security compromise

[BOSSHOG]

In my years in the Navy, I often handled and controlled Secret information, documents, messages, etc. There are protocols for handling such information. The Navy has a school one has to go to ensure Classified documents are controlled and not compromised. (I'm sure the other services have similar schools.) And there is a steep price to pay in the military if your actions lead to compromise, intentional or accidental. Obviously the chickenhawks in the bush white house have no desire to maintain secret documents or punish those who don't.

Even if one had a clearance equal to that given a certain document you had to have a "need to know" before you could view such a document. A person up the chain of command would determine whether you had a "need to know." Too bad cheney had other priorities and the only exit strategy that worked for bush was the one that got him out of Vietnam.

What will they and their supporters do tomorrow to damage our country further?

[Ezlivin]

1. If an enlisted guy can do what's right, no one else has an excuse

My wife and I were both enlisted (Petty Officers) in the Navy. She had a clearance way higher than mine and handled very sensitive stuff all the time. I saw less than she did (I was out to sea on a submarine; she was at command headquarters).

Both of us were well aware of the penalties for mishandling secure documents.

The "folks" in the White House are simply liars and should not even possess security clearances.

[BOSSHOG]

3. Roger that Shipmate

A YNSA fresh from Home and "A" School has more appreciation for classified documents then the heroes of the religious right.

[acmejack]

2. Wasn't there an annual security briefing?

You had to sign that you had read the information. And a civilian contractor with the access is subject to onerous inspections of handling, personnel and storage. Oh and the record keeping of the use and control of the information.

[BOSSHOG]

4. Yes Sir

Muster all hands in the ready room. Security Officer annual briefing. Ensure you sign the muster sheet; which was maintained by the Security Officer (or top secret control officer) and which would be inspected by echelon three or four depending on your position in the food chain. And each secret document had a control sheet and every person who viewed/handled had to sign the control sheet, which itself was a controlled document. You reckon that's the way they do it in the white house?

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. Dang but I wish GreenLantern could still post here. He could

join in this thread, too. :)

[Alcibiades]

6. Huge double standard

Like everything else, there's a huge double standard with regard to secrecy--one for politicians, and one for public servants and military. I grew up in a military family, and my stepdad was in signals intellegence. He wasn't even allowed to talk to us about what he specifically did, and I don't know much about it to this day. It was the same for all the children of the diplomats (i.e. CIA) we went to school with.

You know damn well that any enlisted person who leaked something this big would be in Leavenworth by now. Rove was talking about shit you're not supposed to tell your own family, let alone a member of the press corps. What is surprising to me is all this stuff you see in the media with these republican talking heads saying stuff like "He may not have committed a crime becaue he didn't actually say her name," which is sheer and utter crap, and there are millions of folks who have had security clearances and whose family members have had security clearances who know it. We need more ex-military/civil service types speaking out on this issue.

[BOSSHOG]

7. Welcome Alcibiades

and thank you for your two cents worth. Surely, the white house has a security officer position to tend to such affairs. Surely, I gest with this pack of goons.

Are you a Duke Fan? I saw Chris Duhon play High School Basketball about 30 miles south of here in Slidell, Louisiana a few years back. Good kid!

[Alcibiades]

8. Duke

I don't follow college sports, but I am a Duke fan. I use their library. I like it very much, as it is large, and has many old books. The university itself is supposed by many to have high academic standards, but I wonder--could it just be that this is the south, and that Duke seems to be better than it is because this region includes places such as Bob Jones University? Can any school with such a good basketball program really be a top-notch university? Usually, the two are inversely related.

[BOSSHOG]

9. Isn't Duke a private institution?

That may answer your question. Maybe all the smart basketball players congregate there. Their football team is a classic egghead production though.