CIA Blogger Fired for Criticizing Torture Policy

PetManimal writes "A contract software developer for the CIA who had a blog on the CIA intranet was fired after criticizing torture in an entry. The title of the post: something along the lines of 'Waterboarding is Torture and Torture is Wrong.' The Washington Post reports Christine Axsmith is not the only CIA blogger -- the spy agency uses blogs to let agents and other workers share information and ideas." From the article: "Hundreds of blog posts appear on Intelink. The CIA says blogs and other electronic tools are used by people working on the same issue to exchange information and ideas. CIA spokesman Paul Gimigliano declined to comment on Axsmith's case but said the policy on blogs is that 'postings should relate directly to the official business of the author and readers of the site, and that managers should be informed of online projects that use government resources. CIA expects contractors to do the work they are paid to do.'"

Comments

So does anything go in YRO now??

[BBlinkk]

Im I the only one wondering what the hell this has to do with our online rights?? It was on a private INTRANET for god sakes...

Re:Two things:

[rainman_bc]

Charming thing for a civilized country to be practicing & defending.

Who claimed the US was a civilized country??? That's pretty subjective, and the perception about the US from within her walls are a lot different than the perception outside her walls.

Re:Two things:

[ArmyOfFun]

I guess we should just say please and thank you instead to get the info we need?

I guess if we torture someone (maybe to death) who actually doesn't have any info we need and/or isn't actually an enemy we just say "oops"?

Re:Wrong all around

[cinnamoninja]

Dammit, "I don't like this" is not a sufficient reason for violating classification.

Err, yes it is.

Should she have been fired for breaking security? Yes.

Should she have done it anyway? Yes.

This is a classic case for civil disobedience. There come times when following the law violates your own integrity as a person, and the dual virtues of loyalty and compassion conflict. At that point, you must showcase you humanity and be willing to take the punishment for it.

Might I have the strength to choose as wisely.

Re:The US is absolutely civilized.

[tomhudson]

I can't speak for those "other countries", but the Canadian constitutional applies to everyone, citizen and non-citizen alike, just like the rest of the laws.

It's also why we're reluctant to extradite death-penalty cases unless we get assurances that the death penalty won't apply. Once they're here, they have the same right not to be put to death for a crime as anyone else.

It must work - our murder rate is 1/3 the US rate.