Somewhat Less Serious

OK, Couldn't resist. Scroll down for the on-topic photoshops.

Of course these posters are from a different time, and they had a different purpose. They were needed to remind people of something they already agreed with, i.e., you don't help the enemy. And the poster was there to remind you that your carelessness could inadvertently do your country harm.

Today it's still true that information in the wrong hands can cost lives. You don't want terrorists to know what security checks are in place for buyers of large quantities of ammonium nitrate, or where the security cameras are in the employee level of the airport. You don't want them to know how to make an electronic timer, or know how to modify a cell phone. And we have a window of opportunity when the bad guys gather the information and material needed to do terror. Every place along the line they run the risk of flagging themselves as bad guys. Their financial transactions, and phone communications, give us a chance to find some of them.

Sure, some of them. Not all. And the smartest and most sophisticated terrorists may be able to avoid detection. But they don't all avoid detection. And if you're Bill Keller, and you know that you're damaging these tools we use to find terrorists, you have to believe that these tools will never be of use.

And I don't think Bill Keller is stupid. I don't think he believes these tools to be worthless. He must know that some terrorists are not sophisticated -- look at Richard Reid. And he must have the imagination to see how flagging a financial transaction halfway around the world could save the life of a six year old girl from Elgin, Ohio. But I don't think he, or anyone on the left frames this as a liberty/security issue. I think for him it's a Bush/Bush issue. And he has to go out of his way to not think about the implications of publishing this information. He has to think of this as his chance to hurt Bush because he doesn't dare admit to himself who the real victim is -- the six year old from Elgin.

George Bush isn't even up for election, Mr Keller. So here's your updated poster. You'll notice George Bush isn't there.