From: robichau@lambda.msfc.nasa.gov (Paul Robichaux)
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 93 11:41:33 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: FWEE!: F-117A post considered harmful
Message-ID: <9303091453.AA11794@lambda.msfc.nasa.gov.msfc.nasa.gov>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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[ disclaimer: I don't work on classified projects anymore. My experience
  as an aircraft mechanic is with helicopters. I read a lot. ]

I believe that the recent anonymous "whistle" purporting to reveal
information about the F-117A aircraft:

	a) didn't reveal any "real" information, and in fact
	contained several factual errors. For example, the 
	Tacit Rainbow program has been cancelled for some time.
	Flight characteristics of the F-117A are very similar to
	the A-7, which is markedly subsonic.

	b) created the appearance of distributing classified
	information. Whistleblowing on fraud/waste/abuse is one
	thing. Disclosing classified information, however-
	especially when it's not relevant to revealing fraud,
	waste, or abuse- is probably not a good way to keep
	the whisteblower group safe from the Three-Letter Gang.

	c) created the appearance that the whistleblowers group
	is for posting anything too "sensitive" for normal,
	attributed posting. I didn't think it was; from reading
	this list, I thought it was for blowing the whistle- not
	blowing smoke.

Perhaps a charter for alt.whistleblowers was posted, and I missed it.
If not, I submit that we should try to develop one.

Regards,
-Paul

-- 
Paul Robichaux, KD4JZG              | May explode if disposed of improperly.
Mission Software Development Div.   | I'm not white- I'm Euro-American.
New Technology, Inc.		    | RIPEM key on request.