We need to somehow draw a line between secrets that truly have national security implications an secrets that have policy implications. And we need for our State Secrets regime to explicitly state that making documents secret on a false basis of National Security when the real reason is policy implications or political embarrassment or difficulty is illegal. AND, we have to get a lot more merciless about telling the truth.

Anytime the idea that if the American people knew “X” they would… ANYTHING, that should be a critical flag that the American people mist have access to that information.

At the same time we as Americans need to toughen our skins about our willingness to sometimes do business with people we know are crooks and murderers. The Pakistani intelligence service comes to mind. They need to know that if out government thinks it is aiding the Taliban that the American people are going to know if thinks they are aiding the Taliban. Doesn’t mean we can’t work with them if the government feels it should, but it needs to become unconscionable that the government would withhold it’s opinion on the basis of whether the American people would continue to support the effort if they knew that we’re paying millions of dollars over here that is being funneled to the people we’re paying millions of dollars to shoot over there.

The government is not a person. It has no fifth amendment rights. When officials behaves as if it does, for any purpose that isn’t explicitly and solely for critical national security reasons, they need to be held accountable for their role in eroding our democracy.