"It is better to be silent and thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." Proverbs
There exist many pundits that wish to demonstrate just how smart they are by telling the world about the latest secret or obscure fact they've learned. Sometimes, they really do know something about the subject they enlighten the world on. Sometimes, they know little about it. Sometimes, it was a secret told them in trust. Sometimes, they are right and sometimes they are wrong.
"Loose Lips Sink Ships" WWII OPSEC Slogan
Words can kill. Underestimating the enemy can kill. There is a direct, provable relationship to the false allegations printed in Time Magazine regarding the actions of Marines in Haditha, the resulting protests across the Islamic world, and the deaths caused by those protests. There is a direct,
Words printed in an obscure portion of Newsweek had a similar effect, though it took longer for it to result in the same outrage and was just as false.
Some in the online community simultaneously like to take credit for changing US Policies while claiming to be too small to be noticed by the enemy. Some like to believe that the enemy is too backwards to notice their words on the internet.
NEWSFLASH: the enemy is very adept at using the internet.
The head of the Al-Qaeda Propaganda wing is an ex-American, Adam Gadahn, of where else but California. As-Sahab is not an unknown production. It is not old casette tapes and 8mm film. Many AQ websites originate inside US borders. Others, are world wide operations.
Bloggers & Journalists should realize and consider that their words will be read by the enemy. Before they push the publish button, they should ask themselves: "How would I use this information if I were the enemy?" "Would this allow the enemy to target US Troops?" "Would this information allow the enemy to avoid detection or capture?" "Will these words incite more Muslims to join the ranks of terrorists?" or will it cause them to question the cause of violence?
"Suicide is haram," a cardinal sin, unforgiveable by Allah which sends the suicide bomber straight to hell, without question. This does not change the threat from islamists, but it should make true Muslims realize that AQ and Hezbollah are anti-islamic.
"I'm bored to tears, waiting on a patrol to return from XXX." Well, guess what, you just put the patrol in jeopardy and decreased the chance they'll be successful. Let me tell you this, if I were on that patrol, you'd be very unlucky if I found out about it.
"We only have two re-supply routes and they are X & Y." WTF? Are you trying to get our people killed?
"The way we overcome IED's is ZZZ" Great, now we'll have to find a new way. Thanks for sharing the way that won't work next week.
"These AAA attacks are devastating. We can't figure out how they're doing it." Wonderful, you just gave them a battle damage report.
"The BBB Helicopter can be taken down with one AK-47 round to the CCC." Thanks for telling the enemy.
Seriously folks, think before you hit the publish button and if a bona-fide member of the Military tells you that you've hit on sensitive information, take the information down. If you think this post is directed at you, then take it to heart, but the inspiration for this post is not found on my list. The post in question, along with a previous post of question are not spotlighted here, and won't be. I cannot confirm if the information is correct, is current, or is factual, but I won't take the chance that it is.
If your ego is so big or your need to be considered important that crucial to you, that you will put our Troops in danger to prove how smart you are, you don't need any help from me. If you care so little for our Troops and their lives, I don't want any associations from you. But if you are a Troop on the frontline that finds something on this page, that shouldn't be there, something that jeopardizes your Mission or your life, do not hesitate to point it out.
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