[Infowarrior] - DOD issues rules on how to discuss SEAL’s book

[Richard Forno]

Yaaaawwwwwwn.    ---rick

Pentagon issues rules on how to discuss SEAL’s book
By Rowan Scarborough-The Washington TimesTuesday, September 25, 2012

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/sep/25/pentagon-issues-rules-how-discuss-seals-book/print/

The Pentagon's top intelligence official has issued guidance on how to read and discuss "No Easy Day," a former Navy SEAL's unauthorized account of the raid that killed terrorist Osama bin Laden.

Pentagon employees may buy "No Easy Day," but have to be guarded with whom they discuss the book’s contents.

"On 04 September 2012, the assistant secretary defense for public affairs noted that the Department believes the recently published book 'No Easy Day' (NED) contains classified and sensitive unclassified information," begins the guidance, a copy of which was provided to The Washington Times. "As has been reported in the press, the author did not submit this book for pre-publication review that is required by non-disclosure agreements he signed."

The Sept. 20 memo is titled "Official DoD Guidance Concerning the Book, 'No Easy Day.'"

It is signed by Timothy A. Davis, director of security for the undersecretary of defense for intelligence, Michael Vickers.

The Pentagon has accused author Matt Bissonnette, one of the leaders of the May 2011 SEAL mission in Abbottabad, Pakistan, of divulging classified information. Some officials have threatened him with criminal prosecution. His lawyer denies the charge.

The security memo sets out five guidelines.

Employees may buy the book and do not have to store it in special containers for classified information.

Workers "shall not discuss potentially classified and sensitive unclassified information with persons who do not have an official need to know and an appropriate security clearance."

People with first-hand knowledge of the raid "shall not publicly speculate or discuss potentially classified or sensitive unclassified information outside official U.S. Government channels."

And, finally, employees "are prohibited from using unclassified government computer systems to discuss potentially classified or sensitive contents of NED, and must not engage in online discussions via social networking or media sites regarding potentially classified or sensitive unclassified information that may be contained in NED."

Supporters of Mr. Bissonnette say that, well before the book was published earlier this month, the Obama administration leaked rich details of the mission to reporters, book authors and at least one filmmaker.

Mr. Obama has made bin Laden's killing a focal point of his re-election campaign.

< -  >



---
Just because i'm near the punchbowl doesn't mean I'm also drinking from it.