Article

2023-04-24 Home Front: WoT

Too many people have access to the US government’s closest secrets and a central entity should oversee the classification process

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Fred 2023-04-24 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11 views ] Top

#1 Limit access to most secret US documents, Senate intel panel head says

Posted by Skidmark 2023-04-24 06:11|| 2023-04-24 06:11|| Front Page Top

#2
If too many US-Gov. personnel have access to TS//SCI/VRK/UMBRA,type files. Then it stands to reason our enemies have the same level of access.

But with that said, many of us will attest to having worked with classified materials, that were publicly available for years on the Internet, or at the local library.

In short, too many documents and TB's of data needlessly still hold restrictive security labels and should have been declassified years ago.

Posted by NN2N1 2023-04-24 06:45|| 2023-04-24 06:45|| Front Page Top

#3 It's become another "credential" to be handed out to the dubiously anointed. Also, things like trash pickup schedules and fire extinguisher inspection records are "classified," because someone can.

Posted by M. Murcek 2023-04-24 07:15|| 2023-04-24 07:15|| Front Page Top

#4 Also, what better way to create an instant crime than to classify everything in sight, knowing it can't help but be mishandled.

Posted by M. Murcek 2023-04-24 07:17|| 2023-04-24 07:17|| Front Page Top

#5 If they are going to change the process, I recommend an additional classification that can be shortened to BS. In that the system momentum is to classify everything, this additional classification will absorb 99% of the intelligence product produced by various intelligence entities in our government.

Posted by Super Hose 2023-04-24 09:09|| 2023-04-24 09:09|| Front Page Top

#6 In the mid 1980's I was attending a Spotlight Conference at Arlington Hall Station as a part of an Assignment of a Special Security Officer designation in Army Intelligence. As a part of the training we spent some time at the Pentagon, in the big SCIF with the large briefing screen, looking at images from our surveillance systems to get a sense of capabilities and confidence in analysis products. All quite impressive and encouraging. As a part of the process we had EXTENSIVE briefings on protection of classified materials, especially those at the TS/SCI/SI-CODEWORD level as well as the punishments for violating such protections.

During the break for lunch I spent some time on the Shopping Mall/Metro level of the Pentagon Basement, and while browsing in the civilian bookstore, came across a book, "Deep Black" by William Burrows. In the center section was a collection of photos about satellite systems, including the exact photo I had just seen in the SCIF, Classified at the TS/SCI/CODEWORD level, and for which my sharing, acknowledging or copying would have rendered me liable for a $10,000 fine and up to 10 years in Leavenworth. Over classification, and disparities in enforcement were frequent even then. I recall one piece of advice from a long-serving CID investigator, which essentially said if you can't remember if you saw it in a classified briefing, or read it in the Washington Post, just keep your mouth shut and talk about the Redskins.

This was almost 40 years ago, and yes, I bought the book, but not until I was back home.

Posted by NoMoreBS 2023-04-24 12:03|| 2023-04-24 12:03|| Front Page Top

#7 Aviation Leak, err, Week & Space Technology was infamous for that.

Posted by magpie 2023-04-24 18:01|| 2023-04-24 18:01|| Front Page Top

#8 The problem is, every time they 'fix' an issue, they make it worse. It's F'd up because they like it that way. Note that no one up the ladder gets punished because they weren't watching things.

Posted by ed in texas 2023-04-24 19:33|| 2023-04-24 19:33|| Front Page Top

#9 Ref #6: A good SSO might have included an unauthorized viewing of highly classified imagery on his next PR. I assume you did.

Posted by Besoeker 2023-04-24 20:17|| 2023-04-24 20:17|| Front Page Top

23:09 SteveS
22:39 trailing wife
22:27 trailing wife
22:16 Raj
22:09 trailing wife
22:07 DooDahMan
21:57 trailing wife
20:17 Besoeker
19:54 Deacon Blues
19:48 Deacon Blues
19:44 Frank G
19:34 lord garth
19:33 ed in texas
18:56 Bobby
18:34 Bangkok Billy
18:31 badanov
18:11 Bangkok Billy
18:05 Rex Mundi
18:04 Abu Uluque
18:03 Rex Mundi
18:01 magpie
18:00 Rex Mundi
17:59 Abu Uluque
17:43 SteveS