The new CIA — now, dissent-free:
The CIA has imposed new and tighter restrictions on the books, articles, and opinion pieces published by former employees. . . According to several former CIA officials affected by the new policy, the rules are intended to suppress criticism of the Bush administration and of the CIA. The officials say the restrictions amount to an unprecedented political “appropriateness” test. . .
The CIA acknowledged for the first time last week that the Publications Review Board subjects former officials under contract to a two-part test. “First, material submitted for publication cannot contain classified information,” CIA spokesman Paul Gimigliano wrote in an e-mail. “Second, it cannot impair the individual’s ability to do his or her job or the CIA’s ability to conduct its mission as a nonpartisan, nonpolicy agency of the executive branch.”
What? Agency officials are being forced to hew to the administration line? I thought that didn’t happen.
