You can't read this if

That's right,  you can't read this if you work for the government, or you think you'd like to work for the government.

If Americans don't see it, read it and pretend they don't know about, it won't matter, seems to be the Administration's strangest tactic in the WikiLeaks Cyber War.  It's a straightforward tactic, even if it's completely unrealistic;  The Government is telling Federal Employees if they read the WikiLeaked documents they are in violation of the law and placing their jobs at risk. This from the Office of Management and Budget in the White House 

The recent disclosure of U.S. Government documents by WikiLeaks has resulted in damage to our national security. Federal agencies collectively, and each federal employee and contractor individually, are obligated to protect classified information pursuant to all applicable laws, as well as to protect the integrity of government information technology systems. It is a function of agency leadership to establish a vigilant climate that underscores the critical importance of the existing prohibitions, restrictions, and requirements regarding the safeguarding of the classified information.

Accordingly, agencies are requested immediately to send a notice to all agency employees and contractors reminding them of their obligations to safeguard classified information. A model notice, for use or adaptation by each agency, is attached to this memorandum. Agencies are responsible for communicating this notice promptly to their employees and contractors.

If an agency has a legitimate need for personnel to access classified information on publicly available websites, the agency head shall ensure that such access is managed in a manner that minimizes risk to government information technology systems and adheres to established requirements.

Thank you for your cooperation and assistance.

I wonder if that means that Government Employees can't watch the news on TV or read the newspapers or listen to the conversations around them after work while they're having a drink at their favorite tavern.  This might come as a shock to the White House but people all over the world..are following the story.... If a person owns a radio, TV, Computer or reads a newspaper, they know about the story and what the leaked documents say...


Although now the State Department is denying it, from appearances it seems the State Department may have made an "unofficial" attempt to prevent college students from reading the documents, . This is a release from Columbia University on November 30th;

From: Office of Career Services

Date: Tue, Nov 30, 2010 at 3:26 PM

Subject: Wikileaks - Advice from an alum

To: "Office of Career Services (OCS)"

Hi students,

We received a call today from a SIPA alumnus who is working at the State Department. He asked us to pass along the following information to anyone who will be applying for jobs in the federal government, since all would require a background investigation and in some instances a security clearance.

The documents released during the past few months through Wikileaks are still considered classified documents. He recommends that you DO NOT post links to these documents nor make comments on social media sites such as Facebook or through Twitter. Engaging in these activities would call into question your ability to deal with confidential information, which is part of most positions with the federal government.

Regards,

Office of Career Services

In spite of the State Department denials according to a CNN article this morning titled Will reading WikiLeaks cost students jobs with the federal government? colleges are warning students that posting comments about the WikiLeaks releases could jeopardize their chance for being hired by the government,

In short the warning is..If you want a career in government trying to figure out what the rest of the world is thinking... they won't be eligible for the jobs if they make the mistake of reading what the rest of the world is reading.  I guess it makes perfect sense if you're part of the "Most Transparent Administration in History"  An Administration that daily leaks information with a disclaimer

"The information was released by a White House spokesperson who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak on the subject." 

This is a no win situation for everyone.

What Wikileaks has done is endanger the ability of the United States to engage in the behind the scenes negotiations and conversations that make cooperation between governments possible,  No one including governments confide in people who can't keep a secret. 

The information has been released and published.  The Administration is acting like a small town, one church minister the town gossip caught cheating of his wife.  "If you listen to what she's saying about me you'll burn in Hell".  Hoping people are more afraid hell than the gossip.  If he hadn't been cheating, it wouldn't matter.  If the Administration had protected our secrets, WikiLeaks wouldn't matter.