We simply can not continue to allow government employees to leak classified information whenever they see fit.

Nearly 20 current and former government officials and industry executives discussed aspects of the Swift operation with The New York Times on condition of anonymity because the program remains classified.

As for the NY Times and other irresponsible newspapers, I don’t think there is much we can or should do in this case. Newspapers will publish stories when they find them. A story like this is hard to resist particularly for a paper diametrically opposed to the current administration, and who doesn’t believe we are in a war.
If they administration fails to prosecute the leakers then I have to assume this program is not as important as they say it is. If the program is important then people need to go to jail; period.
Others blogging: Hugh Hewitt wants to know:

Will he ever have the guts to grant an interview to any critic of his paper’s reckless practices?

Captain Ed is not happy with Mr. Keller or the Times:

Excuse me, but no one voted to put Bill Keller in charge of our national security, and the laws covering classification of materials does not have an option for journalists to invalidate their clearance level. The continuing arrogance of Keller and his two reporters has damaged our national security, and in this case on a ridiculously laughable story that tells us absolutely nothing we didn’t already know in concept. They keep pretending to offer news to their readers, but instead all they do is blow our national-security programs for profit.

I think Jeff Goldstein’s take is right one:

what is most ironic about these leak stories is that dubious decision-making by today’s “adversarial” media will doubtless create a climate in which it is far more likely that future administrations will take extraordinary measures to keep information secret. All because some in the press have forgotten that with access and freedom comes great responsibility. That the NYT is willing to trade that responsibility for a “scoop” it pretends is in the “public interest” is, frankly, embarrassing—and one of the reasons Americans are increasingly unhappy with the mainstream press.

Patterico has a great post that includes this question:

What exactly is in the public interest about revealing classified information that has been successful in tracking and apprehending murderous terrorists?

Digby doesn’t even believe the NYT when the story fails to support moonbat conspiracy theories.

Whew. Well, that’s reassuring. There’s really no potential for abuse. None. Just read the article.

I’m sure they have to obtain the proper warrants. And the outside firm that verifies there really is a good reason to examine the data has zero ties to the Republican party.

Look, it’s not as if there’s a systematic attempt on the part of the Bush administration to break down longstanding legal or institutional barriers to the government’s access to private information about Americans and others inside the United States.

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