Our nations security
Our nations security does affect our health. The following letter was sent out by Scott Jennings, White House Office of Political Affairs. I am pretty sure it won’t get printed in too many newspapers.
Letter to the Editors of The New York Times
by Treasury Secretary John W. Snow
Mr. Bill Keller, Managing Editor
The New York Times
229 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
Dear Mr. Keller:
The New York Times' decision to disclose the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program, a robust and classified effort to map terrorist networks through the use of financial data, was irresponsible and harmful to the security of Americans and freedom-loving people worldwide. In choosing to expose this program, despite repeated pleas from high-level officials on both sides of the aisle, including myself, the Times undermined a highly successful counter-terrorism program and alerted terrorists to the methods and sources used to track their money trails.
Your charge that our efforts to convince The New York Times not to publish were "half-hearted" is incorrect and offensive. Nothing could be further from the truth. Over the past two months, Treasury has engaged in a vigorous dialogue with the Times - from the reporters writing the story to the D.C. Bureau Chief and all the way up to you.
It should also be noted that the co-chairmen of the bipartisan 9-11 Commission, Governor Tom Kean and Congressman Lee Hamilton, met in person or placed calls to the very highest levels of the Times urging the paper not to publish the story. Members of Congress, senior U.S.
Government officials and well-respected legal authorities from both sides of the aisle also asked the paper not to publish or supported the legality and validity of the program.
Indeed, I invited you to my office for the explicit purpose of talking you out of publishing this story. And there was nothing "half-hearted"
about that effort. I told you about the true value of the program in defeating terrorism and sought to impress upon you the harm that would occur from its disclosure. I stressed that the program is grounded on solid legal footing, had many built-in safeguards, and has been extremely valuable in the war against terror. Additionally, Treasury Under Secretary Stuart Levey met with the reporters and your senior editors to answer countless questions, laying out the legal framework and diligently outlining the multiple safeguards and protections that are in place.
You have defended your decision to compromise this program by asserting that "terror financiers know" our methods for tracking their funds and have already moved to other methods to send money. The fact that your editors believe themselves to be qualified to assess how terrorists are moving money betrays a breathtaking arrogance and a deep misunderstanding of this program and how it works. While terrorists are relying more heavily than before on cumbersome methods to move money, such as cash couriers, we have continued to see them using the formal financial system, which has made this particular program incredibly valuable.
Lastly, justifying this disclosure by citing the "public interest" in knowing information about this program means the paper has given itself free license to expose any covert activity that it happens to learn of - even those that are legally grounded, responsibly administered, independently overseen, and highly effective. Indeed, you have done so here.
What you've seemed to overlook is that it is also a matter of public interest that we use all means available - lawfully and responsibly - to help protect the American people from the deadly threats of terrorists.
I am deeply disappointed in the New York Times.
Sincerely,
[signed]
John W. Snow, Secretary
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Letter to the Editors of The New York Times
by Treasury Secretary John W. Snow
Mr. Bill Keller, Managing Editor
The New York Times
229 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
Dear Mr. Keller:
The New York Times' decision to disclose the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program, a robust and classified effort to map terrorist networks through the use of financial data, was irresponsible and harmful to the security of Americans and freedom-loving people worldwide. In choosing to expose this program, despite repeated pleas from high-level officials on both sides of the aisle, including myself, the Times undermined a highly successful counter-terrorism program and alerted terrorists to the methods and sources used to track their money trails.
Your charge that our efforts to convince The New York Times not to publish were "half-hearted" is incorrect and offensive. Nothing could be further from the truth. Over the past two months, Treasury has engaged in a vigorous dialogue with the Times - from the reporters writing the story to the D.C. Bureau Chief and all the way up to you.
It should also be noted that the co-chairmen of the bipartisan 9-11 Commission, Governor Tom Kean and Congressman Lee Hamilton, met in person or placed calls to the very highest levels of the Times urging the paper not to publish the story. Members of Congress, senior U.S.
Government officials and well-respected legal authorities from both sides of the aisle also asked the paper not to publish or supported the legality and validity of the program.
Indeed, I invited you to my office for the explicit purpose of talking you out of publishing this story. And there was nothing "half-hearted"
about that effort. I told you about the true value of the program in defeating terrorism and sought to impress upon you the harm that would occur from its disclosure. I stressed that the program is grounded on solid legal footing, had many built-in safeguards, and has been extremely valuable in the war against terror. Additionally, Treasury Under Secretary Stuart Levey met with the reporters and your senior editors to answer countless questions, laying out the legal framework and diligently outlining the multiple safeguards and protections that are in place.
You have defended your decision to compromise this program by asserting that "terror financiers know" our methods for tracking their funds and have already moved to other methods to send money. The fact that your editors believe themselves to be qualified to assess how terrorists are moving money betrays a breathtaking arrogance and a deep misunderstanding of this program and how it works. While terrorists are relying more heavily than before on cumbersome methods to move money, such as cash couriers, we have continued to see them using the formal financial system, which has made this particular program incredibly valuable.
Lastly, justifying this disclosure by citing the "public interest" in knowing information about this program means the paper has given itself free license to expose any covert activity that it happens to learn of - even those that are legally grounded, responsibly administered, independently overseen, and highly effective. Indeed, you have done so here.
What you've seemed to overlook is that it is also a matter of public interest that we use all means available - lawfully and responsibly - to help protect the American people from the deadly threats of terrorists.
I am deeply disappointed in the New York Times.
Sincerely,
[signed]
John W. Snow, Secretary
U.S. Department of the Treasury
posted by Anonymous at 6:15 AM
8 Comments:
"we use all means available - lawfully and responsibly -" John Snow
That's the sticking point for me - I don't trust the Bush Admin. after 6 years of lies and power grabbing...I don't think they are lawful or responsible and I appreciate the Times running their story.
While I agree with G. Coyle in general, and support a free press, I will acknowledge that a free press comes with a set of responsibilities. One responsibility is to be truthful, another is to be forthcoming to the people, yet another is not to endanger or comprimise the safety of those same people. So, is it possible that the "Times" disclosed too much? Yes, it's possible, but it's always going to be a close call if a press is truly free.
Roz Tate
What is freedom of press?
Where do we draw the line?
I believe the Times crossed the line. Do the American People really need to know about the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program? Is that information going to change how we live our day to day lives, NO.
We as Americans think we have a right to know every move our military is making. The Terrorist's have access to the same information we receive from the media. It would not be in our best interest to know the strategic moves of our government against the war on terror.
I don't think the Times was truthful and that was the point of John Snow's letter. I beleive the media has a liberal bias and they twist stories to fix their agenda.
NOTE: The VAST majority of all written and broadcast media in the USA are owned by a few, staunchly conservative companies, headed almost exclusively by conservative CEOs.
Also, another question: If the info disclosed by the "Times" is as "classified" as stated, how then, did the press gain access to it in the first place? I.E. who's being irresponsible with our country's vital secrets?
Thirdly, as stated, much of what is in the article is, and has been, known to most terrorists for a while now, though admittedly, probably not all of the small-timers, who still could be dangerous.
Like I said, without authoritarian censorship of the press, it's gonna be a close call/fine line many times.
Roz
Anon 2:02,
Just what is this "agenda" the media has?
Hmmm...I was unaware of that. In my opinion they are not conservative enough. I just wish some people didn't take information they receive from the media, internet, etc. as absolute truth.
Great point! Whoever was irresponsible with our country's vital information should be held accountable. I also believe the people reporting the information need to be held accountable too. I can understand why they report the story, people want to know and that is their job. It's a great story, but we would be wise not to publish everything we know.
I am grateful we do not have authoritarian censorship, but lets not give up our freedom to the terriorists because of our freedom.
iamhoosier,
Sorry if I hit a hot button.
In my opinion some of the media only reports the side of the story they want heard.
Got to go. I have enjoyed the discussion!
Remember a guy by the name of Scooter LIbby? The Times was attacked for NOT fully disclosing what they knew in a timely fashion when that leak to the press was uncovered as originating with the administration. People endanger other people all the time in the press. The fundamental idea of letting the truth out to the people, so the people can make their own judgements, is the essence of a free press. In the case of the Times revealing the TFTP...or the illegal wiretapping of so many Americans...well, that's their job and democracy would not really function without it? Look at what has happened to NA without a decent press over the years/
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