Comment by zacharycohn
14 years ago
The reason for so many different levels of classification isn't "this is more sensitive than Top Secret, and this is more sensitive than that, and THIS is even MORE sensitive, etc etc."
It's about compartmentalization - a guy who works intel in Iraq doesn't need to know about North Korean intel collection techniques, so it's classified differently and compartmentalized.
Is that a good example?
You may not need to know about the data collected in another compartment/agency but it would be useful to at least know how they are collecting data because you can then refine your own techniques.
Actually no. There is a trade-off there. Compartmentalization implies duplication of work and waste but it protects against one compromised person leaking a whole lot of information.
Imagine that North Koreans promised $2m to the Korean Intel Dept. employee to reveal their secrets. If the secrets and methodology is the same and shared as he Iraq Intel methodology that one person can cripple our the whole intelligence apparatus worldwide.
The flip side of that is that if a hostile power penetrates your network in one context and finds that you employ global clearance standards, the antagonist can roll up or contaminate your intelligence networks on a global scale.