Obama Delaying Release of Secret Military Docs

Fighting among spy agencies is the cause, say officials
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 29, 2009 7:48 AM CST
Obama Delaying Release of Secret Military Docs
Obama's delaying the release of millions of pages of documents.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

Obama may want to strike "be more transparent" from his list of New Year's resolutions: He's decided not to release millions of pages of military documents on Dec. 31, as was previously scheduled. Officials say the delay is due to problems between the administration and various spy agencies, who say they need more time to review the material—which dates from World War II to the early '80s—to determine if releasing it would compromise national security.

It puts Obama in an awkward position, notes the Boston Globe, as he's been forced to grant an extension of what could be years to the agencies, a move that only adds to the backlog of classified documents that need to be reviewed. But it's hardly the first time the deadline has been moved: Clinton granted an extension in 2000 and Bush granted one in 2003. (More President Obama stories.)

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