US Military Threatens Soldiers Not to Read Wikileaks

[tekisui]

Source: The Raw Story

The US military in Iraq is warning soldiers not to access the documents released by WikiLeaks, informing them it could result in their computers being "sanitized."

An anonymous tipster told Gawker that "the Army's unclassified, NIPRNET network in Iraq has blocked every major news website because of the Wikileaks issue."

The US military denied the accusation, but said it is warning troops that it is illegal to access classified materials on an unclassified network.

" not blocked any news websites from being read," a spokesperson for US forces in Iraq said. "Because of the WikiLeaks release of secret documents and their easy availability on the web, USF-I has posted a warning page NIPRNet computers go to first."

"This page simply warns the user that the website they are about to view may contain classified documents and that such documents should not be viewed, downloaded, or distributed on NIPR computers. There is a button at the bottom of this warning page that then allows the user to go to the website."

Despite the fact that the documents released by WikiLeaks are easily available on the Internet, the information is still considered classified.

more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/military-warns-soldiers-view-wikileaks-documents/

[msongs]

1. Assange should just say he is a republican, then he will get what he wants lol nt

[Lucinda]

2. I really don't get the point of this.

The material is EVERYWHERE...seems insane to me to expect the military & fed employees to pretend it doesn't exsist.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. The military can make this a legal lawful order

since you, as even general upty squat, are not cleared to know.

The military works on a need to know basis. And there are things that even after my hubby retired he cannot talk about, or when watching a TV program which makes the information available, he cannot speak about it either.

Hell, there are things I will take to my grave as well and I was just a humanitarian worker.

I guess you have to be in such a situation to understand.

[Lucinda]

8. No...I understand the concept. But it's pointless in this case.

This information is all over the world now. They could easily access the information just watching the news...unless that is going to be "sanitized" too?

[Statistical]

9. There is a reason you just don't understand it. See my post below.

[Lucinda]

10. I'm acquainted with what you posted. That's not really the case here though is it?.

This is global news. There is almost no way to NOT be exposed to the information if an individual watches news at all.

[TwilightGardener]

12. I don't think the military is talking about what they can see on their off hours--

I think they're just making sure they don't go to prohibited websites on DoD computers.

[Lucinda]

16. They were the Fed employees

or that was the impression I got. I read it was because of some question that comes up asking them if they had ever read material they weren't classified to read. The implication was that it would prevent advancement. I didn't bookmark it, but it was posted here the past day or so...

[Statistical]

18. That goes to credibility.

Personnel with clearance often have the ability to access material beyond their "need to know". It requires self discipline to avoid the temptation to "sneak a peak". Someone with clearance accessing wikileaks is undermining their credibility. They have been trained, and they are accessing material without a need to know.

The govt will and should take that into consideration when making evaluations to expand clearance. It is a matter of trust. The clerance system is essentially all about trust. It is people the govt is taking a calculated risk by granting access to material which can cause material damage to US operations. There is a need for people to have information to do their job but the flip side is risk. Anyone who shows a higher than normal level of risk is denied clearance. Anyone who fails to exercise self discipline and follow regulations/orders to not access classified material without need to know is a risk.

Don't worry people with clearance are well compensated for that self discipline. Average Oracle DBA might be $60K-$70K. Oracle DBA TS/SCI can earn well north of $130K. If he/she values their high paying job they will continue to excercise self discipline. If they can't then likely that isn't the kind of person we want having access to that type of material is it?

[Statistical]

13. Being exposed isn't the issue...

"the Army's unclassified, NIPRNET network in Iraq has blocked every major news website because of the Wikileaks issue.""

"This page simply warns the user that the website they are about to view may contain classified documents and that such documents should not be viewed, downloaded, or distributed on NIPR computers.

The issue is keeping NIPRNET clean of wikileak junk. Failure to do so provides camouflage for other breaches. NIPRNET is a military computer network. Nobody has a freedom of press right to access any data source via NIPRNET. The blacklist for NIPRNET is couple hundred thousand websites long. You can't access DU from NIPRNET btw. The govt is restricting access FROM NIPRNET TO SITES which may have classified material to "contaminating" NIPRNET with classified material. This could be used to facilitate further breaches by hiding new classified material in among wikileak junk much like decoys can protect real target from a missile.

Having ANY classified material on NIPRNET degrades the military ability to detect and respond to further breaches.
What I posted is very relevant. It is the exact reason it is done.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Yes it does make a difference

the media is looking at less than 0.001% of the dump.


It comes down to can you handle into or not?

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Legal order, not cleared to know

a slew of issues...

And no, in the military you do not have the rights of civilians.. you give them up when you raise your arm and recite the oath.

[TexasObserver]

5. Soldiers, government workers and grad students.

This is becoming a test for the powers that be to impose self censorship.

How many in society will meekly obey their unseen masters?

Can you imagine this happening during the Pentagon Papers?

They were republished and read everywhere.

[Individualist]

11. Don't you just love fascism!

[TexasObserver]

22. Oh, it's definitely fascism. And some embrace it.

It's frightening to see people clamor to parrot the lines taught them by government goons.

[TwilightGardener]

6. There's websites they can't access on government computers already.

Nothing new here.

[Statistical]

7. There is a reason. I can provide some insight.

NIPRNET & SIPRNET provide a clear demarcation of between classified and unclassified material.

It is the line in the sand. If people start downloading classified material to NIPRNET it blurs that line. Then later say Sgt notices a classified file on a NIPRNET resource. Where did it come from? It shouldn't be there but if the govt says wikileaks stuff is ok on NIPRNET that creates a situation of confusion. Is THIS classified material from the leak? How can the Sgt confirm it? Does he need to read every single doc on wikileaks to confirm if this doc is part of the leak. Deleting classified material without clearance is prohibited (one can have clearance to view material but not destroy it except in situations where compromise is likely).

Imagine if he makes a mistake and assumes this was downloaded wikileak stuff and it actually is a new piece of classified material. He noticed and failed to contain a new security breach.

The line is very clear:
SIPRNET is for classified material. Accessing, transferring, downloading, or transmitting classified material outside NIPRNET is a crime. If the govt starts allowing it then it undermines their own law & case. A soldier can be punishable by court martial and receive prison time even if the breach leads to no information loss and no malfesence was intended.

Anyone with a clearance who notices classified material (this goes for govt employees & contractors) on NIPRNET is required to notify chain of command. Failure to report is a crime. If one believes chain of command is involved in the breach they should notify unit security officer. Failure to report complicit chain of command is a crime.

There is no need to blur the line and allow soldiers to access wikileaks just because it is "available". It undermines the classified system and undermines good order and discipline. Even those with a clearance still require a "need to know" if they have both (clearance and need to know) they can access it on SIPRNET. If they lack one or both they have no legitimate reason to access the data.

Lastly (and somewhat small) the govt has mainted plausible deniability. They haven't verified the authenticity of any of the documents. Having government agents accessing the material provides credibility.

If someone doesn't feel they can handle the responsibility of working with classified materials they can notify unit security officer and have their clearance revoked.

[girl gone mad]

17. Sounds like communism to me.

[Statistical]

19. How exactly does that describe "a theory or system of social organization based on the holding of "

Communism:
A theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.

I am confused.

[girl gone mad]

20. Ask the North Koreans.

[Statistical]

21. I think the word you are looking for is fascism or maybe totalitarianism.

Communism is merely a system of ownership.

Technically one could have a communist democracy with strong individual rights. Such a government has never been created but communism doesn't have anything to do with totalitarianism.

Still I don't see how fascism or totalitarianism describes a system designed to protect national secrets. 99%+ of jobs don't require a clearance. Nobody is forced to obtain a clearance. Don't want to deal with the "fascism" of security clearance then ...... don't get one.

Most people with a clearance job are very happy with them:
* pay is generally above average and can be very high is technical fields
* one never needs to worry about being outsourced (non citizens can't even apply for clearance job)
* if one hates the system they can always go to non-clearance job. Virtually all jobs with clearance have unclassified equivalents.
* job security is great. Clearance is expensive and time consuming. Employers tend to wish to retain cleared employees if for nothing more than to avoid having to process someone without clearance. Processing time for a Secret is about 9 months, TS is about 12-18 months. If you need an SCI you are talking 2 years easy.

[kgnu_fan]

15. Iraq Veteran Against the War supports Wikileaks..

[JCMach1]

23. Intelligence Fail!- Al Quaeda can read Wikileaks, GI Joe can't

:wtf:

They hate us for our freedoms? Which ones would these be? Do we have any left?

[MyNameGoesHere]

24. it's against ucmj for them to masturbate too.

just saying