Salon's Secret

Secrecy, like openness, remains an essential prerequisite of American self-governance. To be effective, even many of the most mundane aspects of democratic rule, from the development of policy alternatives to the selection of personnel, must often take place behind closed doors. To proceed always under the glare of the public would cripple deliberation and render government impotent. Yet leaks of even the most sensitive national security secrets have been a perennial problem, one with many undesirable effects, especially when our plans and capabilities are telegraphed to mortal adversaries like al Qaeda.