CIA Memo On Stopping Leaks To Reporters Is Promptly Leaked To Reporters

from the let's-go-back-to-step-one dept

Sometimes these kinds of stories write themselves. With all of the leaks coming out of the NSA lately, the CIA, complete with new director John Brennan, has announced a program to stop leaks to reporters from within the CIA. And, wouldn't you know it, the program was almost immediately leaked to the Associated Press:
In a memo to the CIA workforce this week, Brennan says the "Honor the Oath," campaign is intended to "reinforce our corporate culture of secrecy" through education and training. The Associated Press obtained the memo Wednesday, marked unclassified and for official use only.

Brennan writes that the campaign stems from a review of CIA security launched last summer by former director David Petraeus, following what Brennan calls "several high-profile anonymous leaks and publications by former senior officers."
I have this picture of John Brennan doing a facepalm upon seeing this, and starting his next memo: "Let's return to step one..."
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Filed Under: cia, john brennan, journalism, leaks, memo


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  1. icon
    Akari Mizunashi (profile), 28 Jun 2013 @ 10:34am

    Ah, the Domino Effect.

    Can't wait to see what news stories I wake up to tomorrow.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. icon
    That One Guy (profile), 28 Jun 2013 @ 10:42am

    "Honor the Oath"

    Funny choice of words there, don't most government employees, or at least the ones in the alphabet agencies take an oath to, I dunno, defend the Constitution among other things? You'd think that one would take precedence over any other oaths they'd make after.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. icon
    ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 28 Jun 2013 @ 12:00pm

    Re: "Honor the Oath"

    They may be a bit too literal about that. The Constitution is safe within the Archive building, after all.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2013 @ 12:03pm

    Re: "Honor the Oath"

    The government is on an irony roll lately.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2013 @ 12:08pm

    Re: "Honor the Oath"

    Nah. They obviously think laws concerning National Security and granting Sovereign Immunity take precedence over Constitutional law so why would they think an oath to defend the Constitution would take precedence over any other oaths they would take?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    Ben, 28 Jun 2013 @ 12:10pm

    That's hilarious.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2013 @ 12:23pm

    Re: Re: "Honor the Oath"

    So does that mean in order to prevent that absurd interpretation we need to destroy the original copy of the Constitution. Without that they'll be forced to defend what it says. Ah crap, we need to destroy the Constituion to save it. That never ends well.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. icon
    Zakida Paul (profile), 28 Jun 2013 @ 12:24pm

    Did they really not see this coming?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  9. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2013 @ 12:26pm

    Re:

    They're taking one for the "Look! We're ALL stupid!" team.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  10. identicon
    wec, 28 Jun 2013 @ 12:47pm

    You can't fix stupid....

    link to this | view in thread ]

  11. icon
    Zakida Paul (profile), 28 Jun 2013 @ 12:52pm

    Re: Re:

    Just one?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  12. identicon
    rasz, 28 Jun 2013 @ 12:58pm

    >review of CIA security launched last summer by former
    >director David Petraeus

    So THIS is why he got character assassinated with CIA digging up dirt on his Gmail account?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  13. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2013 @ 1:05pm

    I cannot believe this "reinforce our corporate culture of secrecy" You set up something that at its philosophical core "corporate culture" is solely about the individual motivated to their own ends.

    To all of us it is evident that the "culture" needs to change and the corporation in government needs to be thrown out.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  14. identicon
    bob, 28 Jun 2013 @ 1:27pm

    honoring the oath

    how about honoring the oath to uphold and protect the constitution?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  15. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2013 @ 1:30pm

    Re:

    ...but hey you can promote it.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  16. icon
    I_am_so_smrt (profile), 28 Jun 2013 @ 1:47pm

    Honor the Oaf

    'nuff said

    link to this | view in thread ]

  17. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2013 @ 1:56pm

    Re:

    Actually, the person leaking this, has a lot of humour!

    Leaking the level of hypocricy is an amazing way to keep the secret services to respecting at least some civil rights instead of just doubling down on the "we shoot traitors" as the hair put it.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  18. icon
    The Groove Tiger (profile), 2 Jul 2013 @ 7:56am

    Having a little phun with photoshop.

    http://i.imgur.com/zDFAvpG.jpg

    Brennan can't catch a break.

    link to this | view in thread ]


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