IS secrecy the best policy

             The truth is a very fickle thing, being when you tell someone the truth there could be two possible reactions: first the person is very happy that they were told; second, the person could be angry about the fact that you told them the truth, especially if the truth hurts. When it comes to the government being up front with the country, there is the same double-edged sword, will the people be grateful or will they be angry? However, during the past few years, letting the citizens of the United States know what their government has been doing has not been the policy. Most importantly, Bush administration's enthusiasm for classifying information-even from government officials-is not a good idea. President Bush and his administration need to enforce the policy of open government instead of suppressing it.
             Now in the past, presidents have classified information and they have done it for many reasons, whether it has been for the protection of the people or because he was trying to cover his own tracks. One example is President Richard Nixon, whose cover-up of the Watergate Scandal was as explosive as the fact that he did it. It was during this time that Rumsfeld, now Secretary of Defense, made an interesting point. That out of all the information that is leaked out to the public, three things are clear. The government cannot be trusted; the people cannot believe what the government says, and the people cannot rely on the government's judgment. The government needs to realize that they have a relationship with the country, and with any good relationship, one has to be up front about the things that are going on, or the partner will never be considered trustworthy.
             In the present, the Bush administration has taken the stand that classified information is good information. Not only have information concerning the war on terror, 9/11, and other policies-one example being the Vice President Cheney's Energy Task Force-th...

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IS secrecy the best policy. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 05:23, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/4337.html