Next WaPost Pulitzer Nominee in This Morning's Paper

Dana Priest and William Arkin of the Washington Post have produced this year's Pulitizer nominee in investigative reporting---a multi-part, multi-media, investigation of the extent of classified spending, research and activity in the US.

I heard about this effort a few months ago, and then again last week once the folks in DC began to get nervous.  There was talk of an interactive map on their website that would allow folks to pinpoint the location of facilities where classified work was performed (Top-Secret; Secret was just too hard to track). 

I had some concerns about such a map, as I figured the bad guys would know how to read the WaPost website too; when I clicked the map this morning, it is indeed an impressive thing, with the broad reach of these facilities evident.  But to their credit, the WaPost put a "governor" on the google map, only allowing one to zoom in to a level at which it appears impossible to gain any real targeting information.  I surely hope that means that the computer geeks working for the bad guys won't be able to jimmy the works and zoom in farther (further?), but for now, I'll guess they can't.

This story is kind of a double dip for Priest, as she's already written a book about the rise of the military "CINCS" (Commanders in Chief--a term Mr. Rumsfeld got rid of--they now call themselves COCOMS--Combatant Commanders) and their broad influence in the across military and political matters worldwide.

Ms. Priest is a good reporter, and it is obvious she has an interest in the growing size and reach of government, military and intelligence agency power and influence.  Would that the WaPost had a reporter this dogged on the waste in government social programs beat....

The Next Guy To Lose His Job.....

....will be ADM Denny Blair as the Director of National Intelligence. His fight with CIA Director Panetta over who will appoint "Chiefs of Station" at our embassies worldwide was his first mistake--and his testimony before the Senate recently is number 2. If someone's going to take a fall over the Skivvy Bomber, it's going to be Blair.