There is no plausible theory under which the record of the Pentagon Papers can be interpreted as relating to the national defense.
Noam ChomskyRead
When Rumsfeld gets up on television and says we have definitive intelligence that al Qaeda is working with Iraq, how is an ordinary citizen supposed to react? They won't tell you the evidence, and when anyone asks, they say, 'Well, you know: It's secret.'
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the challenge of trusting government claims without transparency.
Noam Chomsky's quote reflects on the difficulties faced by ordinary citizens when presented with government assertions, particularly regarding serious accusations like those involving national security. It underscores the frustration that arises when evidence is withheld under the pretext of secrecy, leaving the public to navigate complex narratives without the necessary information to critically assess the truth behind such claims.
Themes
GovernmentTransparencyTrustIntelligenceCitizenSecrecy
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about government accountability at a town hall meeting.
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There is still much debate about whether torture has been effective in eliciting information - the assumption being, apparently, that if it is effective, then it may be justified.
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