Puzzling

In his post Elephants in the Press Room, The Heretik references a story by Jim Miklaszewski on Miller’s perplexing security clearance which contains the following:

While embedded reporters are often granted access to classified briefings with the proviso that the information can only be used as background and cannot be reported, Pentagon officials say no military commander or officer has the individual authority to grant a security clearance.

I find this statement, specifically the first part of it, blasé though it may appear, rather alarming. I understand the concept of background, and that reporters, embedded or otherwise, are routinely given off-the-record background information that may help with contextualization but cannot be directly reported. But it seems rather shocking that reporters are “often” granted access to classified information, for any reason. Considering there was recently a spy uncovered working in Cheney’s office, who was also a marine, it also seems quite foolish.

I also understand that much classified information isn’t necessarily all that controversial, but is simply classified as a matter of course, but particularly when the information is useful to embedded reporters, it seems there is an increased likelihood of that information being classified for good cause. So what’s worth the risk of disseminating such information to reporters?

It stinks of an attempt to coerce reporters that the administration’s version of events is the truth. “Lookee here—we’ve got something special for you to see. Just don’t print it, okay?” Is it any wonder that the media seems to parrot the administration’s positions, when the background they get is classified documentation cherry-picked by the administration?

It’s this kind of nonsense, combined with the detestable plague of “anonymous” sources who seek anonymity only so they may propagandize without detection, that has gotten us into the predicament in which we now find ourselves—led into a war based on lies and run by a group of criminals who will do anything to stay in power, where the bottom line is “Do whatever it takes—just don’t get caught.” Transparency has been replaced with the semblance of mysterious cloak-and-daggerism, but it’s hardly Deep Throat; the unreferenced deep background and anonymous sources are just a cover for printing what the administration wants printed, without direct attribution, so everyone—source and reporter alike—can maintain a guise of objectivity.

And meanwhile, we’re left to try to find the truth buried somewhere in the jigsaw puzzle that passes for journalism.