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July 3, 2010 10:25 AM Subscribe
Robert Gates Tightens Rules For Military And The Media Following Rolling Stone's McChrystal Profile via HuffingtonPost
This post was deleted for the following reason: Single short huffpo link is pretty thin stuff, maybe put this in the recent thread if it's not there already. -- cortex
How To Manage A Federal Program In Crisis -
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posted by basilwhite at 10:53 AM on July 3, 2010 [2 favorites]
http://207.58.181.130/images/HowToManageAFederalProgramInCrisis.gif
posted by basilwhite at 10:53 AM on July 3, 2010 [2 favorites]
A bit misleading: the rules were being drafted long before the McChrystal situation, but were released afterwards.
I was going to disagree with you, but then I read a couple of interesting things in trochanter's NYT article link:
To that end:
On the other hand, the McChrystal incident was an authorized interview where officers said things they shouldn't have. So it's still covered by the memo, but the memo isn't restricted to that incident. Note that it's only been nine days since the Rolling Stone story broke.
posted by zarq at 11:24 AM on July 3, 2010
I was going to disagree with you, but then I read a couple of interesting things in trochanter's NYT article link:
Officials involved in drafting Mr. Gates’s memo cited several recent developments as central to his thinking. They included disclosure of the internal debate during the administration’s effort to develop a new policy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, similar public exposure of internal deliberations over the Pentagon budget and weapons procurement, and, among others, an article in The Times describing a memorandum on Iran policy written by Mr. Gates and sent to a small circle of national security aides.I'd have to go back and review them, but I'm pretty sure those were all unauthorized disclosures to the media -- meaning the officials releasing the information would have been aware that they were not authorized to do so. The release of this memo to the Times was also (ironically) unauthorized. So we have a situation where people within the military and intelligence hierarchy are deliberately, steadily leaking materials to the press.
To that end:
Mr. Gates’s memo also orders senior civilian and military leaders to coordinate their release of official Defense Department information that may have national or international implications, and to ensure that their staff members have the experience and perspective “to responsibly fulfill the obligations of coordinating media engagements.”That's clearly aimed at preventing leaks. Interesting.
On the other hand, the McChrystal incident was an authorized interview where officers said things they shouldn't have. So it's still covered by the memo, but the memo isn't restricted to that incident. Note that it's only been nine days since the Rolling Stone story broke.
posted by zarq at 11:24 AM on July 3, 2010
Wasn't McChrystal doing some creative leaking of his own earlier, too?
I have to say that this appears to be more about controlling the military themselves than controlling the press, which is what I first thought.
posted by Trochanter at 11:32 AM on July 3, 2010
I have to say that this appears to be more about controlling the military themselves than controlling the press, which is what I first thought.
posted by Trochanter at 11:32 AM on July 3, 2010
elected officials come and but bureaucrats (especially those hired during 8 of the most reckless years of US government) stay forever. that's basically what this is all about.
posted by liza at 12:02 PM on July 3, 2010
posted by liza at 12:02 PM on July 3, 2010
Hmm. A senior military man whose never given big interviews before, decides to give one to... Rolling Stone?
In which he "bashes" Obama, even though he "admired" and "voted" for Obama?
Sounds to me like he was leaving anyway, decided to go out with enough of a bang that everyone would know who he was when he decided to run for Congress.
If you see him barefoot in People Magazine then it means I was right.
posted by TheLastPsychiatrist at 12:12 PM on July 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
In which he "bashes" Obama, even though he "admired" and "voted" for Obama?
Sounds to me like he was leaving anyway, decided to go out with enough of a bang that everyone would know who he was when he decided to run for Congress.
If you see him barefoot in People Magazine then it means I was right.
posted by TheLastPsychiatrist at 12:12 PM on July 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
You're Doing It Wrong! yup. This is a single link to HuffPo. The Related posts at the bottom of the page has Loose lips sink ships, and careers, too as the top link. Thin stuff.
posted by adamvasco at 12:18 PM on July 3, 2010
posted by adamvasco at 12:18 PM on July 3, 2010
Associated Press has this on it.
adamvasco, I know it was thin. I hope it can stimulate some good chatter.
posted by Trochanter at 12:35 PM on July 3, 2010
adamvasco, I know it was thin. I hope it can stimulate some good chatter.
posted by Trochanter at 12:35 PM on July 3, 2010
You shouldn't post thin links hoping to stimulate good chatter. You should at least put some effort into it so it's a good post, which will usually create a discussion on its own.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:46 PM on July 3, 2010
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:46 PM on July 3, 2010
Speaking of the media and doing it wrong, the Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government has a new report out on how the New York Times stopped referring to waterboarding as "torture" after we started doing it:
Torture at Times: Waterboarding in the Media (PDF)
Andrew Sullivan: The NYT: We Changed Reality Because Cheney Wanted Us To
Glenn Greenwald: Bill Keller's self-defense on "torture"
posted by homunculus at 12:55 PM on July 3, 2010
Torture at Times: Waterboarding in the Media (PDF)
Andrew Sullivan: The NYT: We Changed Reality Because Cheney Wanted Us To
Glenn Greenwald: Bill Keller's self-defense on "torture"
posted by homunculus at 12:55 PM on July 3, 2010
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posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 10:37 AM on July 3, 2010