Comments on: The man the State Dept. wants silenced http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/ Sat, 18 May 2013 06:42:55 -0400 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: retread http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4172271 retread Wed, 18 Apr 2012 22:04:22 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4172271 <p>This is the second book I've bought for my Kindle in the last month thanks to US govt. attempts at censorship and prosecution of authors - it's great reverse advertising! I am in the process of reading this man's book, and just finished reading former CIA analyst John Kiriakou's book "The Reluctant Spy: My Secret Life in the CIA's War on Terror". Excellent read, as is proving to be the case with Mr. Van Buren. Neither of these books have done anything but confirm what is general knowledge to folks who have been paying attention the last 20 years with a modicum of intelligence. The only "security leak" problem is that high officials are embarrassed to be exposed in their incompetence and corruption.</p> This is the second book I’ve bought for my Kindle in the last month thanks to US govt. attempts at censorship and prosecution of authors – it’s great reverse advertising! I am in the process of reading this man’s book, and just finished reading former CIA analyst John Kiriakou’s book “The Reluctant Spy: My Secret Life in the CIA’s War on Terror”. Excellent read, as is proving to be the case with Mr. Van Buren. Neither of these books have done anything but confirm what is general knowledge to folks who have been paying attention the last 20 years with a modicum of intelligence. The only “security leak” problem is that high officials are embarrassed to be exposed in their incompetence and corruption.

]]> By: Joseph Zernik http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4108891 Joseph Zernik Sat, 14 Apr 2012 11:30:55 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4108891 <p>Nothing new... The monitoring and censorship are so pervasive now... Here is a recent example:<br /> <b>Battle of Athens, Tennessee (August 1-2, 1946) - landmark event in Human Rights and constitutional history of the United States - censored on Wikipedia</b><br /> The Battle of Athens, where WWII veterans successfully conducted an armed rebellion against corrupt coutny government, is relevant to conditions across the United States today for numerous reasons. Wikipedia's censorship of the entry is not a unique case at all...<br /> http://inproperinla.blogspot.com/2012/04/12-04-13-battle-of-athens-tn-1946.html</p> Nothing new… The monitoring and censorship are so pervasive now… Here is a recent example:
Battle of Athens, Tennessee (August 1-2, 1946) – landmark event in Human Rights and constitutional history of the United States – censored on Wikipedia
The Battle of Athens, where WWII veterans successfully conducted an armed rebellion against corrupt coutny government, is relevant to conditions across the United States today for numerous reasons. Wikipedia’s censorship of the entry is not a unique case at all…
http://inproperinla.blogspot.com/2012/04/12-04-13-battle-of-athens-tn-1946.html

]]> By: robert lewis http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4105191 robert lewis Fri, 13 Apr 2012 22:27:10 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4105191 <p>If you worked for our fucking government in Iraq and Afghanistan - then you're part of the problem - not part of the solution. As for State Dept permission - their own rules say they review in 30 days. They screwed up. Too bad, so sad.</p> If you worked for our fucking government in Iraq and Afghanistan – then you’re part of the problem – not part of the solution. As for State Dept permission – their own rules say they review in 30 days. They screwed up. Too bad, so sad.

]]> By: Panther Modern http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4100111 Panther Modern Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:19:02 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4100111 <p>I have a unique perspective on this issue since I am a former civilian contractor and sub-contractor for the U.S. Army and U.S. State Department. I've worked either under direct or sub-contract for both agencies in Iraq and Afghanistan. </p> <p>Mr. Van Buren, while in the employ of the State Department, is subject to the same contractual obligations that I was: restriction from publishing works about my experiences, jobs, colleagues or situations relating to such matters. In my employment contract, I agreed to not publish any books or make any media appearances for 3 years after my contract expired, unless approved by both my employing agency and the U.S Army (or State Department, which ever applicable). </p> <p>I'm guessing the same restrictions were in the employee agreement, confidentiality agreement, employment contract and other agreements he signed before and during his tenure with the State Department. </p> <p>While my political leanings are probably best described as anti-authoritarian "left", I must partially side with the State Department on this one. Mr. Van Buren should have pursued legal action against the State Department for taking longer than 30 days to approve his book for release. He should not have violated his agreements by publishing the book without State Department permission. </p> <p>Is this government censorship? No. It would be censorship if Mr. Van Buren wrote a book about the State Department while never having been an employee and had never signed any agreements that legally bind him to (or against) certain courses of action. </p> <p>As much as I dislike government censorship, this is not an example of it. The State Department didn't say "You may not publish any work ever and we will prosecute you for doing so." They said "You are contractually required to vet materials for publication through us first."</p> I have a unique perspective on this issue since I am a former civilian contractor and sub-contractor for the U.S. Army and U.S. State Department. I’ve worked either under direct or sub-contract for both agencies in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr. Van Buren, while in the employ of the State Department, is subject to the same contractual obligations that I was: restriction from publishing works about my experiences, jobs, colleagues or situations relating to such matters. In my employment contract, I agreed to not publish any books or make any media appearances for 3 years after my contract expired, unless approved by both my employing agency and the U.S Army (or State Department, which ever applicable).

I’m guessing the same restrictions were in the employee agreement, confidentiality agreement, employment contract and other agreements he signed before and during his tenure with the State Department.

While my political leanings are probably best described as anti-authoritarian “left”, I must partially side with the State Department on this one. Mr. Van Buren should have pursued legal action against the State Department for taking longer than 30 days to approve his book for release. He should not have violated his agreements by publishing the book without State Department permission.

Is this government censorship? No. It would be censorship if Mr. Van Buren wrote a book about the State Department while never having been an employee and had never signed any agreements that legally bind him to (or against) certain courses of action.

As much as I dislike government censorship, this is not an example of it. The State Department didn’t say “You may not publish any work ever and we will prosecute you for doing so.” They said “You are contractually required to vet materials for publication through us first.”

]]> By: Seminole Sky http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4098161 Seminole Sky Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:55:38 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4098161 <p>It seems that joining the US State Department requires abandoning your critical mind and human freedom, except that you are always free to think and act in a way consistent with being a tool of the State. </p> <p>I guess you can’t simultaneously be fully human and comply with the corporate state machine’s demand that you give yourself fully to it. </p> <p>You must choose. It’s encouraging to see people like Jesselyn Radack and Peter Van Buren choose to remain human and not become a state tool, but it’s tough to see the price those people must pay.</p> It seems that joining the US State Department requires abandoning your critical mind and human freedom, except that you are always free to think and act in a way consistent with being a tool of the State.

I guess you can’t simultaneously be fully human and comply with the corporate state machine’s demand that you give yourself fully to it.

You must choose. It’s encouraging to see people like Jesselyn Radack and Peter Van Buren choose to remain human and not become a state tool, but it’s tough to see the price those people must pay.

]]> By: Bodhi http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4098091 Bodhi Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:52:42 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4098091 <blockquote><p>"This is disparate treatment because numerous Foreign Service Officers maintain blogs and post Facebook updates about matters of official concern without pre-clearance."</p></blockquote> <p>The author provides no proof for this assertion. I agree with ThomasPaine that they shouldn't be harassing him, but some of the examples of "harassment" aren't actually harassment.</p>

“This is disparate treatment because numerous Foreign Service Officers maintain blogs and post Facebook updates about matters of official concern without pre-clearance.”

The author provides no proof for this assertion. I agree with ThomasPaine that they shouldn’t be harassing him, but some of the examples of “harassment” aren’t actually harassment.

]]> By: jschultz http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4094401 jschultz Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:32:01 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4094401 <p>"Even more disturbingly, the State Department admits that it is actively monitoring Mr. Van Buren’s blogs, Tweets and Facebook updates that he posts during his private time on his personal home computer."</p> <p>And?</p> <p>That doesn't strike me as crazy at all. If he is actively, publicly commenting on State Dept. activities while a member of the foreign service, then he is using his inside access and knowledge and putting semi-official views out there.</p> <p>There are all sorts of jobs, both public and private, where if you publicly comment on privileged information you glean from doing your job, then you will face censure.</p> “Even more disturbingly, the State Department admits that it is actively monitoring Mr. Van Buren’s blogs, Tweets and Facebook updates that he posts during his private time on his personal home computer.”

And?

That doesn’t strike me as crazy at all. If he is actively, publicly commenting on State Dept. activities while a member of the foreign service, then he is using his inside access and knowledge and putting semi-official views out there.

There are all sorts of jobs, both public and private, where if you publicly comment on privileged information you glean from doing your job, then you will face censure.

]]> By: Inverness http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4093401 Inverness Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:58:31 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4093401 <p>@Amity: Wow. Your boss wouldn't emphasize in an official memo that he's reading your twitter feed and blog because he's a fan. It's because he's trying to threaten you. Why is that so hard to grasp?</p> @Amity: Wow. Your boss wouldn’t emphasize in an official memo that he’s reading your twitter feed and blog because he’s a fan. It’s because he’s trying to threaten you. Why is that so hard to grasp?

]]> By: Inverness http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4093291 Inverness Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:52:19 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4093291 <p>Sounds like you support authoritarian governments, not democracy. In a democracy, there is some transparency. The government represents the people, who have the right to know what is going on. Authoritarian regimes go on and on about why so much needs to be kept secret, for national security's sake. Van Buren sounds like a consummate professional: the kind of civil servant who wants to do an excellent job. He exposed fraud. Or would it be better to just have yes-men who are okay with breaking the laws?</p> Sounds like you support authoritarian governments, not democracy. In a democracy, there is some transparency. The government represents the people, who have the right to know what is going on. Authoritarian regimes go on and on about why so much needs to be kept secret, for national security’s sake. Van Buren sounds like a consummate professional: the kind of civil servant who wants to do an excellent job. He exposed fraud. Or would it be better to just have yes-men who are okay with breaking the laws?

]]> By: suave http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4093251 suave Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:50:22 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4093251 <p>.. furthering the erosion of our constitution' (re: <em>separation of church and state..</em>)</p> .. furthering the erosion of our constitution’ (re: separation of church and state..)

]]> By: Montecarlo http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4093171 Montecarlo Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:45:04 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4093171 <p>My definition of harassment is not tied to any legal definition. So all you are saying is that you have a higher threshold of tolerance than I do.</p> My definition of harassment is not tied to any legal definition. So all you are saying is that you have a higher threshold of tolerance than I do.

]]> By: Inverness http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4093131 Inverness Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:41:56 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4093131 <p>@ MikeSulzer: It should be a relief there are still people like Van Buren in the State Dept! People interested in actually doing a good job, by protecting American citizens from government mistakes which could put lives in danger. Are we such a culture of conformists that we only want goosesteppers in government? No wonder Bush could "find reasons for invading Iraq." He had much of the CIA in the palm of his hand.</p> @ MikeSulzer: It should be a relief there are still people like Van Buren in the State Dept! People interested in actually doing a good job, by protecting American citizens from government mistakes which could put lives in danger. Are we such a culture of conformists that we only want goosesteppers in government? No wonder Bush could “find reasons for invading Iraq.” He had much of the CIA in the palm of his hand.

]]> By: Inverness http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4093071 Inverness Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:36:16 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4093071 <p>Even your typical American employee is afraid to speak openly in the workplace. Imagine what it's like to do so, if you work for the US intelligence. In the US, we pay lip service to individualism, but love nothing more than conformity. http://thenewinquiry.com/features/excerpt-the-passion-of-bradley-manning/</p> Even your typical American employee is afraid to speak openly in the workplace. Imagine what it’s like to do so, if you work for the US intelligence. In the US, we pay lip service to individualism, but love nothing more than conformity. http://thenewinquiry.com/features/excerpt-the-passion-of-bradley-manning/

]]> By: Inverness http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4093031 Inverness Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:30:57 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4093031 <p>It takes courage to speak out against your own employer, especially when that employer is the State Department. And publishing is a way of spreading the word. If said author makes something close to a living wage while doing so, (although given the puny book advances authors get these days, I wouldn't jump to those conclusions), all the better. Mr. Van Buren may well lose his retirement, after speaking out. I salute that courage.</p> It takes courage to speak out against your own employer, especially when that employer is the State Department. And publishing is a way of spreading the word. If said author makes something close to a living wage while doing so, (although given the puny book advances authors get these days, I wouldn’t jump to those conclusions), all the better. Mr. Van Buren may well lose his retirement, after speaking out. I salute that courage.

]]> By: robert lewis http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4092681 robert lewis Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:21:56 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4092681 <p>For someone calling himself/herself <i>Amity</i>, you sure are an obnoxious asshole. And...uh...tweets certainly ARE utterances, as utterances may be either oral or written.</p> For someone calling himself/herself Amity, you sure are an obnoxious asshole. And…uh…tweets certainly ARE utterances, as utterances may be either oral or written.

]]> By: robert lewis http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4092641 robert lewis Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:13:38 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4092641 <p>A fish rots from the head...</p> A fish rots from the head…

]]> By: robert lewis http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4092621 robert lewis Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:12:39 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4092621 <p>Hard to understand why the State Department wants to hide the jewel in their crown, i.e., the triumph of diplomacy that is US involvement in Iraq, under a basket. So, Hillary, how's that billion dollar embassy coming?</p> Hard to understand why the State Department wants to hide the jewel in their crown, i.e., the triumph of diplomacy that is US involvement in Iraq, under a basket. So, Hillary, how’s that billion dollar embassy coming?

]]> By: avocat http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4092331 avocat Fri, 13 Apr 2012 08:40:53 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4092331 <p>We live under an oligarchy and Hilary is one of the top and meanest garchs. Don't f*ck with her.</p> We live under an oligarchy and Hilary is one of the top and meanest garchs. Don’t f*ck with her.

]]> By: Abbybwood http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4091531 Abbybwood Fri, 13 Apr 2012 06:18:20 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4091531 <p>Whistleblower Sybil Edmonds, "Kill the Messenger":</p> <p>http://vodpod.com/watch/947188-sibel-edmonds-documentary-kill-the-messenger</p> Whistleblower Sybil Edmonds, “Kill the Messenger”:

http://vodpod.com/watch/947188-sibel-edmonds-documentary-kill-the-messenger

]]> By: gc_wall http://www.salon.com/2012/04/12/the_man_the_state_dept_wants_silenced/#comment-4090821 gc_wall Fri, 13 Apr 2012 05:30:39 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=12856691#comment-4090821 <p>The government is forcing Americans to be complicit in its malfeasance, incompetence and crimes. The government should keep secret what it does right, but using secrecy to hide what it does wrong is a disgrace. While other nations may do this all of the time, the question is who is leading whom.</p> The government is forcing Americans to be complicit in its malfeasance, incompetence and crimes. The government should keep secret what it does right, but using secrecy to hide what it does wrong is a disgrace. While other nations may do this all of the time, the question is who is leading whom.

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