tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22165230.post726875372493772381..comments2023-12-16T16:50:25.810-08:00Comments on The Heart of the Matter: Servility and SourpussesBarry Eislerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17785333622697500192noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22165230.post-38013588871851276512014-05-23T09:53:03.582-07:002014-05-23T09:53:03.582-07:00Here is something the USG does as far as pre-clear...Here is something the USG does as far as pre-clearance that I find ridiculous: The USG wants to approve any and all publications from anyone who ever held an upper level clearance. <br /><br />I mean they want to pre-clear your books (every topic with the exceptions of cook books and gardening), your blog posts, your resumes, interviews, etc. <br /><br />Does this strike anyone else as absurd? For the rest of my life, (I was a military intelligence officer in the Army) the USG has veto authority over all my free speech that isn't related to baking snicker doodles. <br /><br />The genesis behind all this is probably that "No Easy Day" book written by a SEAL that helped off UBL. That guy didn't pre-clear and the Pentagon lost its mind. I got an e-mail saying "That book may contain classified material" and I shouldn't comment on it publically. <br /><br />As a marketing move, skipping the pre-clearance was brilliant. <br /><br />Having the USG sign off on non-fiction spy guy stuff is one thing, but waiting for some GS schlub to bless off on my historical war novel about the Red Baron is ludicrous. <br /><br />Barry, do you still bother with pre-clearance?<br /><br />I don't.<br />NWAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08889345003803943962noreply@blogger.com