U.S. Government Releases Locations of Nuclear Stockpiles

**TXCharlie** · 06-03-09, 01:49 PM

Slip-Up Makes Secret U.S. Nuke Sites Public: Paper - Defense News

Slip-Up Makes Secret U.S. Nuke Sites Public: Paper

By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Published: 3 Jun 2009 08:22 Print | Email

WASHINGTON - The U.S. government accidentally made public a secret report detailing its nuclear sites, programs and even exact locations of nuclear stockpiles, The New York Times reported June 3.

"The federal government mistakenly made public (the) 266-page report", The Times reported noting that the blunder was revealed June 1 in an online newsletter about federal secrecy.

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"That set off a debate among nuclear experts about what dangers, if any, the disclosures posed. It also prompted a flurry of investigations in Washington into why the document had been made public," the Times noted, saying that by late Tuesday "after inquiries from The New York Times, the document was withdrawn from a Government Printing Office Web site."

Several analysts said the security breach was not devastating "given that the general outlines of the most sensitive information were already known publicly," the report said.

"General Outlines" are not the same as exact locations, asshats!!!

"These screw-ups happen," the Times quoted John Deutch, a former director of central intelligence now a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as saying. "It's going further than I would have gone but doesn't look like a serious breach."

The information was described as "confidential but not classified," the Times added.
WTF are they talking about? Confidential means that it's classified as Confidential, which is a step below Secret

David Albright, of the Institute for Science and International Security here, told the paper however that making the locations of nuclear material available "can provide thieves or terrorists inside information that can help them seize the material, which is why that kind of data is not given out." Finally a true statement!!!

**MacLean** · 06-03-09, 02:21 PM

Confidential, as far as classifications go, is pretty slim.

It's a mistake, but not as egregious as you would believe. These are not places where terrorists can waltz in and pick up a nuke.

**TXCharlie** · 06-03-09, 04:54 PM

It's combining that information with other info that make it serious.

I'm sure they would have a hard time taking anything on that information alone, but Confidential means that releasing it can cause some type of damage to national security if used in a certain way (esp, in combination with other Confidential information).

For example, now that they know where the stockpiles are, they can use human intellegence to find out more, even infiltrate some of the less secure areas using civilian contractors perhaps.

True it's not nearly as serious as Secret (Secret can cause "grave damage" by itself), but in combination with other information, Confidential information can also cause grave damage.

**MacLean** · 06-03-09, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by TXCharlie

It's combining that information with other info that make it serious.

I'm sure they would have a hard time taking anything on that information alone, but Confidential means that releasing it can cause some type of damage to national security if used in a certain way (esp, in combination with other Confidential information).

For example, now that they know where the stockpiles are, they can use human intellegence to find out more, even infiltrate some of the less secure areas using civilian contractors perhaps.

True it's not nearly as serious as Secret (Secret can cause "grave damage" by itself), but in combination with other information, Confidential information can also cause grave damage.

I'm actually pretty up to speed on the classifications Charlie - I possess a couple.

There are no "less secure" WSA's - and as 213 can assure you, civilians don't go wandering around behind the red line alone.

**TXCharlie** · 06-03-09, 05:45 PM

I've had both Confidential and Secret clearances too, although I've never visited a nuclear weapons facility, just outside the reactor of a power plant.

The closest to the red line I got was walking through one of the hanger decks in the JFK & Ike aircraft carriers under escort. There were guys there with machine guns who didn't seem to be the humerous type, for sure.

I don't even know how close I got to the weapons themselves, or even whether any nukes were loaded on the ship at that time, but I have no doubt that those guys were there to make sure nobody found out.

**MacLean** · 06-03-09, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by TXCharlie

I've had both Confidential and Secret clearances too, although I've never visited a nuclear weapons facility, just outside the reactor of a power plant.

The closest to the red line I got was walking through one of the hanger decks in the JFK & Ike aircraft carriers under escort. There were guys there with machine guns who didn't seem to be the humerous type, for sure.

I don't even know how close I got to the weapons themselves, or even whether any nukes were loaded on the ship at that time, but I have no doubt that those guys were there to make sure nobody found out.

I was one of those guys with machine guns, only for the Air Force.

So was 213th.

To get a Confidential clearance, you pretty much have to be American, and breathing.

This is a SNAFU, but it isn't as big a deal as you might think. Someone talented with Google could have figured it out.

**TXCharlie** · 06-03-09, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by maclean

I was one of those guys with machine guns, only for the Air Force.

So was 213th.

**Xiphos** · 06-03-09, 07:14 PM

It really wouldn't be hard to figure out. Any AF base with long range bombers is a good start. And don't forget the giant holes in the ground in Wyoming.

Knowing where they are, and getting your hands on them are two very different things.

**213th** · 06-03-09, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by maclean

I'm actually pretty up to speed on the classifications Charlie - I possess a couple.

There are no "less secure" WSA's - and as 213 can assure you, civilians don't go wandering around behind the red line alone.

lol. no one does in a no lone zone

**213th** · 06-03-09, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by maclean

I was one of those guys with machine guns, only for the Air Force.

So was 213th.

To get a Confidential clearance, you pretty much have to be American, and breathing.

This is a SNAFU, but it isn't as big a deal as you might think. Someone talented with Google could have figured it out.

More then once, I've seen classified "Secret" information on CNN before I got briefed and with more detail then my briefing...which is why among some circles CNN=Classified News Network. I've known Marines who found out their classified destination after watching CNN.

**213th** · 06-03-09, 07:26 PM

and among recent Nuclear gaffs (such as losing 6 warheads and finding them 2000 miles away at a dif air base, nuclear fuses found on a foreign base after several years, and the same base who lost the 6 nuclear weapons then failing their next THREE consecutive Nuclear Security Inspections (after losing the nukes that is), all of which happened or was discovered within the LAST YEAR) I'd say this ranks kinda low. Should it and will it be blown off? No and hopefully not. But it's not the most major thing to have happened recently. However, to me, it's a scary trend I'm seeing in the over all protection of our nuclear weapons

**Jenna** · 06-03-09, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by TXCharlie

The closest to the red line I got was walking through one of the hanger decks in the JFK & Ike aircraft carriers under escort. There were guys there with machine guns who didn't seem to be the humerous type, for sure.

Originally Posted by maclean

I was one of those guys with machine guns, only for the Air Force.

So was 213th.

Sounds like there were some humorous types behind those machine guns after all!