BCT Editorial – 2/24/08

This page was last updated on February 24, 2008.

Keeping secrets; Editorial; Beaver County Times; February 24, 2008.

The subtitle of the editorial is “Administration’s lie about rendition flights is par for the course.”

As was “SOP,” this editorial is more evidence the Times editorial board suffers from Bush Derangement Syndrome. Seriously, does the Times really believe our enemies have the right to know where we transport our terrorist prisoners and the routes we use? Face it, war is a dirty business and not conducive to telling the truth in public when the truth will aid and comfort the enemy. Remember, we’re talking about terrorists captured on the battlefield.

Here’s my two cents. First, I suspect the Brits at some level knew all about this, but the U.S. chose to give them cover knowing the unjustified stink that could arise. Second, if we didn’t tell the Brits, it was likely to give them plausible deniability. Third, why on Earth would we make public the destinations and routes for terrorist prisoners? To do so would only generate new targets for terrorists to strike and put our allies at additional risk.

Idiotic positions like those in this editorial are one reason why many Americans don’t trust liberals when it comes to national security. The positions demonstrate either no understanding of national security or a willingness to engage in political partisanship at the expense of national security. Neither conclusion should give Americans a warm and fuzzy feeling. I wonder what the Times official position is/was on the secrecy surrounding the Manhattan Project, D-Day, et cetera.