In defense of lawful secrecy

CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou is no hero

"My case was not about leaking - my case was about torture."
(Image credit: AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

Few would deny that scrutiny of government is a prerequisite for freedom. But while Julian Assange argues that total transparency offers the emancipation of society, the truth is more complex. The government must have some privacy, simply because covert intelligence action is often needed to support our democracy.

As a CIA officer, John Kiriakou betrayed that principle. And he deserves no reverence for doing so.

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Tom Rogan is a conservative writer who blogs at TomRoganThinks.com.