August 11, 2004
[Have an opinion about this column? Visit the Secrecy
News discussion forum.]
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT ACTIVITY AT ALL TIME HIGH
The annual number of Freedom of Information Act requests to federal
government agencies exceeded three million for the first time last
year.
"The total number of Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act access
requests received by all federal departments and agencies during
Fiscal Year 2003 was 3,266,394," according to a new summary report
on FOIA activity from the Justice Department Office of Information
and Privacy.
"This is 863,456 more than the number of requests received during
Fiscal Year 2002, an increase of nearly 36%, and it marks the first
year in which the three-million-request level has been reached."
"It also stands as the greatest one-year increase ever in FOIA requests
received."
See "Summary of Annual FOIA Reports for Fiscal Year 2003":
http://www.usdoj.gov/oip/foiapost/2004foiapost22.htm
ANTI-MISSILE INTERCEPTOR: IN ONE ERA, OUT THE OTHER
The momentousness of the recent "deployment" of an anti-missile
interceptor in Fort Greely, Alaska was overstated in Secrecy
News (07/30/04).
The program director did declare that the move signified "the end
of an era," but he was exaggerating. The missile is not operational.
It is sitting in a hole in the ground. It provides zero defensive
capability.
Thanks to two well-informed readers.
© 2004, Federation of American Scientists.
All opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not
necessarily reflect those of Military.com.
|
