U.S. Navy asserts "state secrets" in sonar case - Reuters

[Eugene]

U.S. Navy asserts "state secrets" in sonar case

By Kristin Roberts

1 hour, 7 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy on Tuesday said it had
asserted the "state secrets" privilege in a lawsuit by environmental
groups, a move to keep the military from being forced to disclose
information about the use of sonar believed to injure whales and
other animals.

Navy Secretary Donald Winter, in a court filing submitted on Monday,
said the information requested by plaintiffs was classified and its
disclosure "could reasonably be expected to cause exceptionally
grave damage to national security."

The state secrets privilege, if upheld, renders information unavailable
for litigation. It can be challenged, although the federal government
often succeeds in asserting the protection.

The Navy action is the latest in a string of Pentagon moves to derail
a lawsuit brought by environmental groups, including the Natural
Resources Defense Council, that say sonar used in routine training
and testing violates environmental laws.

-snip-

Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070320/pl_nm/usa_navy_whales_dc

[unhappycamper]

1. It appears the US Navy is causing exceptionally grave dmage to whales.

I guess whales are just another causality of Empire.

[fedupinBushcountry]

2. Well

my husband was a sonar tech (STGCS) for 20 years and this argument has been going on for decades.I have to go with what he says and will show him this article when he gets home.

[Zywiec]

3. Please ask your husband about this paragraph:

"Plaintiffs had requested information on the latitude, longitude, time and date, duration, and name of the exercise for every non-combat use of military sonar by the U.S. Navy anywhere in the world, according to the court filing."

I would be interested if this is even possible.

Thanks!

[fedupinBushcountry]

4. When my husband was in

there was no such thing as non-combat,when they were at sea they were always considered in combat for they were always tracking Soviet subs. He was in from '70-'90. He said there was a spy that was caught he thinks in the 80's he can't remember his name, but anyway that spy gave away many military secrets including sonar. After that happened sonar changed, the sonar he used went and new sonar was put in.

He said now, sonar is mainly used for listening and very rarely do they have to ping. They probably want that type of info for tracking of dead whales or dolphins, but as he said he doesn't think that the pinging of sonar happens very much anymore, it's more into listening.

[Zywiec]

5. I remember being in the Army during the '80's

I believe the spy was John Walker and a few members of his family that sold out the US. Just as your husband said, right after Walker was caught we turned off one of our Crypto machines and replaced it because it was completely compromised.

Even today, I'm sure the Navy would not want to give details of where the subs are.