Predictable Failure Update

Justin Rood points to this Observer article which supports two of my past speculations.

But I suspect he may be misreading theadministration’s dominant impulse with regards to information. Roodargues that because the administration hates leaks, the leak musteither have been sanctioned or just something the administrationmissed.

Most likely, the leak was sanctioned. Alternatively, it was originally unsanctioned but aided the administration’s goals, so they let it slide.

ButI would argue–and (as Rood himself admits) you can ask Valerie Plameabout this–that the administration doesn’t so much hate leaks. Itsprimary motivating impulse is that it hates losing control of the information. If leaks serve its immediate political purpose, they’re all well and good, according to the administration.

Observer, 8/21

Anti-terror police in Britain have made an angry request to their UScounterparts asking them to stop leaking details of this month’ssuspected bomb plot over fears that it could jeopardise the chances ofa successful prosecution and hamper the gathering of evidence.

TheBritish security services, MI5 and MI6, are understood to be dismayedthat a number of sensitive details surrounding the alleged plot -including an FBI estimate that as many as 50 people were involved -were leaked to the media.