The Circle of Trust

Document classification nearly doubled during President Bush's first term, says Information Security Oversight Office Director William Leonard.

Based upon information furnished our office, the total number of classification decisions increased from 9 million in FY 2001 to 11 million in FY 2002, 14 million in FY 2003 and 16 million in FY 2004.

Comments

[Evan Williams]

Oh, please. Remember, "transparent, accountable government"! Judge the Bush administration's rhetoric, not its actions.

Plus, as everyone should know by now, every evil thing the government does is somehow justified by the War on Terra, and the fact that it's a "Post-9/11 World?".

[Gary Gunnels]

You mean the circle jerk I think. 🙂

[Mike H.]

I wonder if this is an out-of-the-ordinary occurance when the US is embroiled in conflict? Especially one that (very probably?) relies a lot on covert operations...?

...Or maybe it's yet more evidence of the Bushitler's regime and penchant for (buggery) secrecy?

[smacky]

You mean the circle jerk I think. 🙂

You said what I was gonna say!

[Jack Byrnes]

Have I explained the circle of trust to you? Because once you're out, you're out. There's no getting back in...

[The Terrorists Are Coming!]

Secrescy is the key, dammit! Do you have any idea how long the Terrorists have been infiltrating key positions in the US Government, weakening it, quietly whispering seductive rhetoric into the ears of millions of patriotic bureaucrats? Why, any day now, we will read about Al-Jerhiss, who is passing documents to the enemy! Mark my words, once them Commie -- uh, I mean Muslim (sorry, I lost track) -- know about our secret plans, the massed might of the Soviet -- uh, I mean terrorist! -- army will pour through the Fulda Gap -- uh, I mean the... the... the Tikriti Gap (yeah, that's the ticket!) -- and then where will we be?

It's one thing to have secrets when there is an enemy *capable* of destroying you, an enemy that has a huge network of spys and moles looking for any weakness or hint of plan. It's another thing entirely when the enemy has none of these capabilities.

Al-Qaida and its like-minded allies are not the Soviets. They don't deserve a Soviet-like response. WE don't deserve a Soviet-like response.

[Provocateur]

Al-Qaida and its like-minded allies are not the Soviets. They don't deserve a Soviet-like response. WE don't deserve a Soviet-like response.

That's exactly what a terrorist would say.

[Bon Vivant]

New guys in the middle.

[js]

I'd figure it has less to do with a conflict than with growing secrecy in goverment in general, which isn't exclusively a bush thing. But does anyone have any stats tracking this kind of thing?