Pentagon destroys former intelligence officer's memoir

[unhappycamper]

Pentagon destroys former intelligence officer's memoir
By Brian Bennett, Tribune Washington Bureau
October 9, 2010|9:44 p.m.

Reporting from Washington — The author of an Afghanistan war memoir bought and shredded under the supervision of the Pentagon says his free speech rights have been violated.

Former military intelligence officer Anthony Shaffer said that all of the information the military claimed was classified — and therefore barred from being published in his book — also is available in unclassified and open-source documents.

Pentagon officials oversaw the destruction of the first edition of the book on Sept. 20 after telling Shaffer and his publisher, St. Martin's Press, that the version contained more than 250 examples of classified information.

A revised edition of "Operation Dark Heart: Spycraft and Special Ops on the Frontlines of Afghanistan — and the Path to Victory" was published Sept. 27 with large sections blacked out by Department of Defense censors. Shaffer contends the redactions were unnecessary and only were ordered to silence him.

~snip~

Shaffer wants the Pentagon to allow him to publish a version of the book with the text in the blacked-out sections restored. He says he is mulling his legal options because he believes the Pentagon stepped in to silence him.

[Ian David]

1. After what they did to Valerie Plame's book, I don't take them on their word about this. n/t

[KG]

2. another reminder of how the military protects our freedoms.

:eyes: