Overall, Be Careful about Which Intelligence-Related Bloggers You Trust
There's a thread today warning about a couple of bloggers who write about intelligence community issues. One blogger warning about other bloggers. Here's the thing:
Bloggers write blogs. Some have outstanding credentials, while others are writing out of their nether sphincters. Most bloggers who have a lot of followers write rather well and sound authoritative and well-informed. However, writing style and appearances are not a great way to judge a blogger's information.
In the last few years, we've seen bloggers and so-called journalists come and go in popularity on DU and other political discussion forums. Some we have more or less trusted have proven not to be what they claimed to be. I won't name names, because that's not my point here. Many will suss out of whom I speak.
While political bloggers can be useful sources of information, it's a mistake to trust them completely, regardless of what they claim to know. It's very easy to write as though you're an expert with exclusive sources, even if you're writing nonsense you pulled out of your underwear.
I suggest that everyone should take every blogger with a large cubic crystal of sodium chloride. Former intelligence analysts and military strategists are just that - FORMER. Past employment an alphabet intelligence agency does not necessarily mean current access to those agencies, even though a writer might know how to convince people that they have some sort of inside information.
I used to work at the NSA, myself. That was many years ago. I no longer work there, nor do I actually know anyone any longer who works there. I can write about the NSA in general terms, but have no particular expertise on what that agency is doing now. I once knew people from other intelligence agencies, as well. I do not know any now. So, although I can write intelligently about intelligence agencies and their operations, I cannot tell you a damned thing about the state of those agencies and their operations at this time.
Be very careful when reading stuff by these FORMER people. You cannot know what they actually had access to when they were there, but you can be sure they no longer have such access. You do not know why they no longer work there, either. Such people are interesting and can provide glimpses into the operation of such agencies, but are not valid sources for current information. They are no longer there, and those who are are not talking to them about what is going on.
It's interesting to read that stuff, but not necessarily accurately informative. Some bloggers have specific axes to grind, too. They may be telling you things they want you to read, and not telling you things you should know. Always look askance at whatever some FORMER person who worked in the military or intelligence apparatus tells you about current events. They rarely actually know what's going on right now. They're guessing, just as I do sometimes, based on what I used to know or have observed in the past.
Exercise caution. That's all I'm saying. You should do that with things I write, too, about such areas. What I write is based on my understanding as a FORMER intelligence analyst, just like all those bloggers. I'm happy to admit that, and try only to provide general insights, because I have no freaking idea exactly what's going on inside those closed walls.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Are they supposed to talk and write books and blogs? Can a former employee be recalled to service?
Incidentally, your screen name fits right into this topic, unless you are a collector of semi-precious gems.
you know. That's typical of most writers and bloggers. 
