Declassification of Government Docs

[CF DolFan]

This shouldn't become political but I'm curious to know others thoughts on this. Is this a good thing, bad thing, or a non issue to you?

"On November 18, 1997 a document was made public by the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Review Board, a federal agency that oversaw the release of documents related to JFK's assassination. Code-named Operation Northwoods, this top-secret plot proposed enacting terrorism on US cities in a what is known as a 'false flag operation', before blaming Cuba in order to fool the Americans into supporting war efforts to oust communist Fidel Castro.

'We could develop a Communist Cuban terror campaign in the Miami area, in other Florida cities and even in Washington,' the document states, among dozens of other violent ideas of how to incite American hostility against the island nation.  

This top-secret collection of draft memorandum was written by the Department of Defense (DoD) and JCS and presented to then Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara in 1962.

'A series of well coordinated incidents will be planned to take place in and around Guantanamo to give genuine appearance of behind done by hostile Cuban forces,' reads the document.

'The following portions provide 'incidents to establish a credible attack (not in chronological order).'

The plan included everything from starting rumors to 'landing friendly Cubans in uniform to stage acts on military bases and blowing up ammunition inside facilities.

The list also featured a plant to 'burn aircraft on air base' and sink a ship near the harbor entrance of an unspecified base and then 'conduct funerals for mock-victims.'



I'm not sure why this didn't concern more people about our Secret Government in 1997, but it apparently blew over after being released.  The 12-page proposal has recently resurfaced on Reddit and is now stirring some people.

Link to Documents https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/news/20010430/northwoods.pdf

Now Trump has ordered the release of documents surrounding the 1960s assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I'm curious what you guys are thinking?

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

While I am generally a fan that democracy functions best when transparent. 

In general the reason for classifying something is not for the information itself but because revealing the information lets the others side know your capabilities and methods. 

Hypothetical.....there is info in the file that convinces the Cuban government that the USA has bugged the Cuban embassy in Nairobi.  This then results in 1. Cuba destroying said bug, 2. Being aware that everything ever said in the Nairobi embassy is known by the USA.  This would be a bad thing for US intelligence. 

While I am certain that more stuff is classified than need be, declassifying things without make sure it won't reveal methods and procedures can do a lot of damage.

 

[Phishfan]

I've always had interest in the Kennedy assassinations. I would love some more information.

[Fau Teixeira]

That's what the pentagon does, it has plans on top of plans for any situation. I saw a report of a pentagon plan for the invasion of canada that was declassified. I'm sure we have one of those drawn up for every country in the world, friend or foe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Plan_Red

[Dave Gray]

It's hard to answer, because I don't know what I don't know.

In general, more info to the public is better.  But also, you don't want to expose your secrets (like how you got certain information) so that you don't blow covers, let your enemy learn about your methods, etc.

So, not knowing what's at risk, I don't know if it's good or not.

However, since it's been so long, I imagine it's all safe since we probably aren't utilizing the same tools.  I also think that most of this stuff is overblown and there most likely isn't super interesting stuff in there anyway.

[masterfins]

The Dept of Defense has a secret computer, called the Wopr, that is constantly running war simulations, and what the US response should be.

[Phishfan]

The Dept of Defense has a secret computer, called the Wopr, that is constantly running war simulations, and what the US response should be.

I saw that movie

[Sibster]

I saw that movie

David, machines don't call people.

[CF DolFan]

The Dept of Defense has a secret computer, called the Wopr, that is constantly running war simulations, and what the US response should be.

Let's play Global Thermonuclear War!


I agree we don't need to reveal security secrets ... but the fact we had a plan to kill Americans just to frame Cuba doesn't seem look a good thing. If we do find out the CIA did in fact kill the Kennedys and/or MLK then I think there needs to be a change in oversight. It's hard to justify secretly killing Americans as a good thing for the country no matter how I look at it.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Any senior decision maker at the CIA when JFK was killed is long since dead.  And the CIA has been overhauled multiple times since then.

[CF DolFan]

Any senior decision maker at the CIA when JFK was killed is long since dead.  And the CIA has been overhauled multiple times since then.

Are you saying it's not worth investigating or just saying it isn't like we can hold anyone accountable? To me if it is true, then there needs to be a review to see how to keep this from happening again. If safeguards are already in place then that part is a non issue. Either way  ... the American people need to know if their government is corrupt against them which if you're killing citizens that would be the case.