The American Spectator

Reader Mail

(Page 6 of 11)

br> Camp Lejeune, North Carolina /p>

Winston Churchill said that in war the truth had to be protected by a bodyguard of lies. His statement was put into practice with Operation Bodyguard which was designed (it worked very well) to protect the Normandy invasion by misleading the Germans to believe that the invasion force was heading for the Pas de Calais. Imagine a politician now saying the same thing as Churchill - he would be mauled to death by the media before his lips stopped moving. Not only is the use of misinformation decried, the media believes that its duty is to expose actual secrets.

p>Damaging your own cause by blurting out the truth used to be regarded as tactless, dangerous stupidity of the worst sort, but now it is seen as a sign of high intelligence and ethical purity, when it is neither. Terrorists don't imperil their operations and their lives by advertising their secrets on the front pages of newspapers, so why do we? Grossly muddled, false morality that excuses such irresponsible and reckless behavior is a real impediment to fighting terrorism and it is hopeless to expect success while it prevails. One of the most important leadership tasks is to expose dangerous practices and insist that people exercise responsibility, common sense and discipline -- like keeping your mouth shut about things that don't concern you. It's called adult behavior and adult behavior is essential for success in any task that is dangerous, demanding and risky. One of George W Bush's many failures is that he does not understand the need for responsibility and discipline and does not care to enforce it in his own administration, let alone the public at large. br> -- Christopher Holland br> Canberra, Australia /p> p> GRADING ON A CURB br> Re: Doug Bandow's Chuck Colson's Short Circuit and letters (under "Religious Left Behind") in Reader Mail's Giuliani Jitters :

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