Not All Leaks Are Created Equal
The article distinguishes between principled whistleblowing and politically motivated leaks, arguing that the latter can resemble espionage when they expose sensitive military information. Author Peter Van Buren, a former State Department whistleblower, expresses concern over anonymous officials leaking U.S. military vulnerabilities, potentially aiding adversaries. He questions the motives behind such disclosures and warns of the dangers when leaks serve political agendas rather than public accountability.
- ▪Peter Van Buren was a State Department whistleblower who exposed failures in Iraq's reconstruction.
- ▪He argues that anonymous leaks about U.S. military shortcomings, such as low munitions supplies, can benefit adversaries like China and Russia.
- ▪The article questions the credibility and intent of media reports based on unnamed sources claiming operational weaknesses in the U.S. military and government.
- ▪Van Buren warns that leaks driven by political motives blur the line between whistleblowing and espionage.
- ▪He criticizes major media outlets for republishing unverified claims from anonymous sources and social media platforms.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Politics Not All Leaks Are Created Equal Anonymized political hits are a different beast from principled whistleblowing. (Photo by James Manning/PA Images via Getty Images) <div class="o-image__issue-wrapper"> <img class="o-image__image" srcset="https://tac.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/petervanburen_headshot_final.jpg?auto=format&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=32 32w, https://tac.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/petervanburen_headshot_final.jpg?auto=format&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=32 32w, https://tac.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/petervanburen_headshot_final.jpg?auto=format&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=32 32w,…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The American Conservative.
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