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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Government Refuses to Prove Snowden Damaged National Security (Gizmodo/Vice)
https://news.vice.com/article/official-reports-on-the-damage-caused-by-edward-snowdens-leaks-are-totally-redactedOfficial Reports on the Damage Caused by Edward Snowden's Leaks Are Totally Redacted
But explicit details about the alleged damage Snowden caused, identified in the 39-page report as "grave," were omitted from that document as well. In fact, the existence of the DIA's report had been unknown until the White House secretly authorized the declassification of select portions of it so two Republican lawmakers could undercut the media narrative painting Snowden as a heroic whistleblower.
http://gizmodo.com/the-government-refuses-to-prove-snowden-damaged-nationa-1688033925
The Government Refuses to Prove Snowden Damaged National Security
Kate Knibbs
Today 3:54pm
Did Edward Snowden actually damage national security? There's no way in hell to tell from official documents released to the pressthey've been thoroughly redacted to the point of uselessness.
- snip -
The idea that Snowden has jeopardized national security and the lives of troops is the linchpin for arguments that the ex-NSA contractor is a treasonous villain, not a whistleblower. That's why Vice sought out proof of this jeopardy in government documents:
In response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) recently released to VICE News more than 100 pages of internal reports prepared by a task force made up of two dozen DIA analysts that examined the alleged damage to national security resulting from Snowden's leaks.
The pages are largely blanked out (save for the Vice watermark slapped on to let everyone know that Vice knows how to file an FOIA). They reveal nothing about the impact of Edward Snowden's decision to reveal information about widespread state surveillance programs targeting wide swathes of the population or than the fact that there were internal documents about it.
- snip -
The only ways these documents could be more redacted is if they were simply not released.
If the Snowden leaks have caused grave damage to national security, it'd make sense if the government wanted proof of the damage in the public view, to back up its assessment that Snowden should be punished for his crimes, to back up the assessment that his actions were treasonous. The party line here is that the government can't reveal more because any additional information will screw up national security even further. (Yet it selectively leaked parts of a report to Congress to shore up anti-Snowden sentiment.)
Here's another option: The government isn't revealing more because doing so would run counter to the narrative that Snowden's decision hurt Americans more than it helped them. It is awfully strange that absolutely none of the specific ways that Snowden has damaged national security can even be summarized without fueling terrorists. Obviously ongoing threats need to be treated with sensitivity, but the breadth of this No Explanation edict is hard to swallow.
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riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)gcomeau
(5,764 posts)"Government refuses to do more damage by releasing more sensitive information to satisfy the desires of random Snowden fans."
Meanwhile, back in reality, it is undisputed Snowden leaked to the Chinese the IP addresses the NSA was targeting there. Also known as taking action that damaged national security... and something that does not under any stretch of the imagination fall under the category of being a "whistleblower".
uhnope
(6,419 posts)gcomeau
(5,764 posts)At least, I haven't seen much indication they ever were.
randome
(34,845 posts)[hr][font color="blue"][center]TECT in the name of the Representative approves of this post.[/center][/font][hr]
joshcryer
(62,276 posts)...it would show that absolute secrecy under FISA is unnecessary. The Ending Secret Law act would allow for summaries of various bits of cases.
Blacking out everything is just laziness and protectionism. They don't want to have to give out minor details. If it's known that Snowden gave out IP addresses of targets, then that could've been unblanked in the report.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)gcomeau
(5,764 posts)You do understand that it is illegal to steal massive amounts of classified material and then publicize them... right???
So, ummm, there's the crime.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)Real harm, not theoretical harm.
gcomeau
(5,764 posts)What part of *sensitive classified material* do you not understand?
You are not the jury in his trial. They do not have to prove a damn thing to you.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)Of course, Snowden isn't "detained", but I suspect he would be if the NSA could get their hands on him.
gcomeau
(5,764 posts)"Of course, Snowden isn't "detained""
Why no, he isn't! So what the fuck was your entire post about and why did you feel compelled to post it in my general direction just so you could conclude it with a statement that it was pointless and didn't actually apply to this situation????
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)"Sensitive information" as decided by the NSA. But, they chose not to reveal what harm was supposedly done by the "sensitive information" because doing so would reveal the "sensitive information" that was already released.
Kinda like telling the cops to arrest somebody for stealing something but refusing to tell the cops what was stolen.
gcomeau
(5,764 posts)And seeing as it's classified data, guess why Captain Perceptive?
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)The underclasses? The common herd? We The People?
gcomeau
(5,764 posts)Hissyspit
(45,788 posts)Our government has too many secrets.
If you have to redact EVERYTHING, something is fucked up.
gcomeau
(5,764 posts)But they did not REDACT EVERYTHING. They redacted a document that was sent specifically to request details of what harm may have been done to highly classsified national security concerns. Expecting that document to come back NOT heavily redacted is childish.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)If Snowden snatched a million or more highly classified files, then why *wouldn't* the damage assessment report discussing highly classified programs also be heavily redacted?? Every other internal report discussing the case has been heavily redacted as well...
I'd have thought it was common sense to everyone but the author?
joshcryer
(62,276 posts)Since as far as we know the only data that has been released has been released publicly.
Much of the "damage" probably relates to revamping NSA internal security protocol (which was absurd that they would allow a low level IT guy admin access with the ability to escalate privileges on himself).
Redacting everything is just their not wanting to give up any sense of necessary secrecy. In reality the damage has probably been minimal and if anything it allowed the NSA to clean house and strengthen the operational protocols.
Heartbleed is a far more damaging thing to US security than anything Snowden did.
Rex
(65,616 posts)BRILLIANT!
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)the areas which were compromised?
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)elias49
(4,259 posts)Not surprised.
Seems to me the government has no case.
randome
(34,845 posts)...after adding gas to the tank, then no crime has been committed? There is no case to be made. Snowden stole stuff.
He gave millions of classified documents to corporate media offices across the globe. Any way you look at it, that's a crime.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You should never stop having childhood dreams.[/center][/font][hr]
elias49
(4,259 posts)There are a number of people on these boards that see everything in black and white...I call them Boy Scouts.
(And so as not to offend - Girl Scouts)
Laws, like 'rules', are meant to be broken from time to time IMO. Else nothing changes. Nothing is improved upon.
I've yet to hear of one single bit of 'damage' to nat'l security that is a result of Snowden's revelations. Unless you call embarrassment damage.
Shame on 'justice' for its zealotry in destroying a man's life in spite.
Ichingcarpenter
(36,988 posts)With China
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026280973
With Europe
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026265344
randome
(34,845 posts)...that damaged any trade issues.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You should never stop having childhood dreams.[/center][/font][hr]