NEWS MEDIA CROSSES THE LINE

Thursday this week the Washington Post ran an article by Walter Pincus titled “Ex-Iraqi Official Unveiled as Spy”. This article states that Naji Sabri, Saddam Hussein’s foreign minister, was a spy for France and the CIA. The second paragraph is what caught my eye. The retired officials who provided the information to the writer of this article refused to be identified because the information provided is classified.

Mr. Pincus and the officials who provided information about Naji Sabri and what had taken place are guilty of releasing classified information. It is my understanding that this is against the law. When I was in the U.S. Navy, and when I worked in private industry on government contracts involved with classified material, it was very clear that sharing classified information with anyone, including family, was illegal. Those who release or publish classified information should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

I do not understand how the Washington Post feels it is justified in publishing such information. It’s high time the government starts prosecuting these people. They should be fined and put in jail for the maximum time allowable under the law. The government should also stop paying any retirement benefits to these people.

The liberal press seems to feel that the laws of our country are only guidelines that can be broken when they feel like it. The law only applies to others and not the press or liberal media. A member of our armed forces who releases classified information is subject to court martial, jail time, and a dishonorable discharge. It appears to me that we have a double standard that allows government officials and the media to break the law and not be punished.