Who Watches the Watchmen?

Book excerpt: "Who Watches the Watchmen?" could hardly be more timely as we debate the recent leaking of the largest trove of documents in American history. The "WikiLeaks" case drives home the need for what this book lays out: an approach to protecting classified information that goes beyond law enforcement. Gary Ross' application of Rational Choice Theory codifies, organizes, and extends what many of us have been trying to do instinctively when dealing with unauthorized disclosures. "Watchmen" attempts to answer two significant, timely questions: What is the extent of the threat to national security posed by the media's disclosure of classified information? What are a journalist's motivations and justifications for publishing this information? The author concludes that the dilemma between withholding information in the interest of national security and the constitutional guarantee of a free press cannot be "solved", but can be better understood and more intelligently managed.