Top Secret America

Top Secret America

Robert Glass

SECR 5150 Terrorism and Extremist

Professor Thomas Bandy

July 29, 2010

The Buzz Word Top Secret America is the brain storm of Dana Priest and William M. Arkin, the Washington Post reporters behind a report titled "Top Secret America," may have done a disservice to this nation. Not because they published the story, or because they are somehow revealing information that will harm our nation, but because hysteria over this "Top Secret America" report only underscores the fact that anyone else with an Internet connection, blocked cell phone, and convincing tone of voice can extract secrets from our government employees.

Approximately 854,000 people, "nearly 1.5 times as many people as live in Washington D.C." have top-secret security clearances.

Buildings housing top-secret intelligence workers completed or under construction since 9/11 occupy 17 million square feet of space in Washington and surrounding areas, "the equivalent of almost three Pentagons."

"At least" 263 government organizations have been created or reorganized as a response to 9/11. In total, 1,271 government agencies work on counterterrorist, homeland security and intelligence programs in the U.S.

Around 1,931 private contractors work with government organizations on homeland security and counterterrorist programs — 484 companies alone work with the National Security Agency. Even the Coast Guard outsources work to as many as 44 private contractors.

The Post's investigation was based on government documents and contracts, job descriptions, property records, corporate and social networking websites, additional records, and hundreds of interviews with intelligence, military and corporate officials and former officials. Most requested anonymity either because they are prohibited from speaking publicly or because, they said, they feared retaliation at work for describing their concerns.

The investigation focused on top-secret work because...