Classified Information

Let's go over what the term "classified information" means.

Classified information is sensitive data that is meant to be kept secret, for a variety of reasons. Governments do not disclose classified information for national security reasons; possibly other reasons. Corporations do not disclose their classified information to avoid loss of trade secrets, as they are called.

The Associated Press, a news source I once trusted, is using the guise of the "Freedom of Information Act" to demand classified information from an operation that killed Osama Bin Laden. If it weren't for this highly valued target, we would have never heard about this mission. AP argues that the people have a right to know this sensitive military information, and that it infringes on their rights.

The Freedom of Information Act was meant to allow citizens to request domestic records on non-military government compositions, spending, etc. The FOIA was not meant as a gateway for sensational [attractive] media outlets to binge on a story that will make them money.

The United States Navy SEALs are an elite squadron of professionals who have conducted missions that the public will very rarely hear about. Some missions have been declassified and read by those interested in knowing the details, and many operations will remain classified. The Bin Laden issue has been so popular with Americans that media wants anything it can get its grubby mitts on to make money. The President announced the death of Bin Laden, and naturally, there are many skeptics. The media picked up on this news craze and swept it into the mainstream.

"Government secrets are popular. If people want to find out about secrets, it is in our interest to disclose this information for profit. Everyone wants to know a secret; why is it being kept a secret? Secrets secrets secrets! So sensational, so topical, so profitable ."

Despite the obvious answer from the US government, and the judicial system, it is a national security issue to disclose the operations of US special forces, and the American people have no need to know this sensitive information when this very issue is put at risk. The AP should know better that they will not receive the information, and I will be very surprised if they do get it. Perhaps it was a symbolic move on the part of the AP. Elaborating on the machine that the media is today will require an in depth analysis. People feel so attached to stories that are being relayed that they refuse to think critically about the situation, sometimes adopting the expressed views of the news station; that something is "bad" or "good". Why think hard about something "important" when the news did it for us? (I just squirmed)

I like the Chicago Tribune: local news is a lot better.