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What I've noticed has been left out by most is the ability to defy disclosure of information and documents if in the interests of national security. This is from the National Security Act document itself.
The National Security Act of 1947 (Pub. L. No. 235, 80 Cong., 61 Stat. 495, 50 U.S.C. ch.15) was signed by United States President Harry S. Truman on July 26, 1947, and realigned and reorganized the U.S. Armed Forces, foreign policy, and Intelligence Community apparatus in the aftermath of World War II. The majority of the provisions of the Act took effect on September 18, 1947, the day after the Senate confirmed James Forrestal as the first Secretary of Defense. His power was extremely limited and it was difficult for him to exercise the authority to make his office effective. This was later changed in the amendment to the act in 1949, creating what was to be the Department of Defense.[1]
I make no assumptions on the validity of the emails released by Wikileaks, as I stated before time will take care of that issue. What I would like to draw to everyone's attention is the missed intention of the Act itself. The ability for the U.S. Government to hide information from not only its enemies but also its citizens. Therefore not exposing itself to criticism from it's own people. I know there are some who have come across this information, but I'm trying to point this out to people who may not know. We are beginning to see what could become an extremely messy situation for some who tried to stay clean in the public eye.
(2) to make recommendations to the National Security Council for the coordination of such intelligence activities of the departments and agencies of the Government as relate to the national security; (3) to correlate and evaluate intelligence relating to the national security, and provide for the appropriate dissemination of such intelligence within the Government using where appropriate existing agencies and facilities: PROVIDED, That the Agency shall have no police, subpoena, law-enforcement powers, or internal-security functions: PROVIDED FURTHER, That the departments and other agencies of the Government shall continue to collect, evaluate, correlate, and disseminate departmental intelligence: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That the Director of Central Intelligence shall be responsible for protecting intelligence sources and methods from unauthorized disclosure;