Shouldn't the Secretary of State know what is and isn't classified and to what level?

TSgt Ryan Lee — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 11:12:57 -0500

Hillary Clinton dismissed a report that emails she sent on her private email server contained a high level of classified material. Even if her emails were not marked classified when they were sent or received, shouldn't the Sec. of State know what is and isn't classified and to what level? She recently said that now the emails she received on her server was nothing but newspaper articles.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jan 22 at 2016 11:16 AM

CPT Jack Durish — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 11:16:57 -0500

Why would she be in prison? Her purported crimes have never been investigated before. The previous "Congressional Hearings" were pure political theater that uncovered nothing despite the fact that there was plenty of evidence laying around waiting to be harvested. Look at all that Trey Gowdy's committee has uncovered in a relatively short time. Even the suggestion of wrong doing has been covered up by journalists who act as the propaganda arm of this Administration. No, her argument doesn't carry water, does it?

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Jan 22 at 2016 11:21 AM

Capt Tom Brown — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 11:21:29 -0500

I do not put much faith and belief in the 'reports' and 'charges' made against HC as most if not all appear to be politically motivated. At first the conservatives were out to discredit her on what happened at Benghazie as if she might have been in on the attack and set up the Americans, if not that then denying them any help or relief. Next it became about emails which it has not yet been determined if any laws have been broken, despite how hard the FBI and other 'intelligence' (spy) agencies are trying to poison the waters against her in the minds of the public/voters. She made hash of the House investigating committee and they have not been heard from since. One cannot reasonably expect someone in her position to be cognizant of every bit of classified information circulating about and there is no doubt such information was discussed by her everyday in the course of her duties. Imagine she had top secret clearances, etc. At any rate the jury is still out and if any wrongdoing is uncovered, it will be up to the Democratic Justice Dept to prosecute her.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 22 at 2016 11:23 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 11:23:20 -0500

TSgt Ryan Lee Then my reply would be, "Show us, Ma'am. Respectfully Ma'am your behavior regarding not turning over your server at first request and then withholding your "personal" emails later has done nothing but fuel suspicion and create distrust."

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Jan 22 at 2016 11:35 AM

LTC Stephen F. — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 11:35:56 -0500

The former Secretary of State who happens to be be married to former POTUS definitely knows what is highly classified and what isn't TSgt Ryan Lee. If she didn't she has no business running for the office of POTUS.
I doubt she will spend time in Prison because she would be pardoned quickly as the first spouse of a POTUS sent to prison.
I do hope that she is impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives so that she will go down in history as the first POTUS and spouse to be individually impeached in the history of this enation.

Response by SGT Francis Wright made Jan 22 at 2016 11:45 AM

SGT Francis Wright — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 11:45:25 -0500

You know, first she has to get arrested (if there is anyone brave enough to do that, fore it seems not). Because if it were one of us we would have been arrested, arraigned, held without bail, and fast tracked for trial.

Response by SSG Michael Scott made Jan 22 at 2016 12:13 PM

SSG Michael Scott — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 12:13:30 -0500

Hillary needs to be doing some hard time, in the pin.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 22 at 2016 12:29 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 12:29:57 -0500

I remember the first top secret document I ever read. I was expecting to finally learn the real deal about what was going on in the world, a chance to peek behind the curtain. It was quite the letdown. Almost all of what I read I had read before in unclassified articles. If I had been given that material unmarked I would have guessed in came from Time magazine and not a TS document. And I'm not talking about unclas paragraphs within a TS document, I'm talking about TS paragraphs.

So how can that be? It's because the info was developed through the use of classified sources or methods, which are not actually named in the document. But the fact is that a lot of that info is also developed from unclassified sources as well. So a great deal of classified material is indistinguishable from unclassified material. It's just not like every TS or SAP document refers to super secret stuff that as soon as you read it you would go "whoa! This is super secret stuff! ". That's the impression some of the pundits keep giving, but it's not like that.

The other thing to consider is that it is likely that the people who sent the classified info to Hillary in the first place didnt realize it was classified either. It would be extremely unlikely that someone would take a classified email, remove markings and then have to move the email off a classified system onto an unclass system and send it. So it appears from what info has actually been released by officials vs speculated on by pundits, is that the information being talked about is stuff that was classified retroactively after various agencies reviewed it, rather than documents that were already classified and sent in unclass channels anyway.

That doesn't make for such spectacular headlines, but so far nothing has been released to support anything else. It may be in time, but it hasn't yet.

Response by 1LT Aaron Barr made Jan 22 at 2016 12:30 PM

1LT Aaron Barr — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 12:30:21 -0500

She should but it's Hillary which makes your question sexist.

Response by PO2 Mark Saffell made Jan 22 at 2016 12:43 PM

PO2 Mark Saffell — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 12:43:57 -0500

No One will EVER convince me she didn't know what was classified. They will never convince me she didn't lie under oath and no one will ever convince me she didn't try and skirt the law and tried to make others skirt it. Sooner or later someone is going to spill the beans to keep there butt out of jail

Response by Sgt Kelli Mays made Jan 22 at 2016 12:54 PM

Sgt Kelli Mays — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 12:54:26 -0500

You would think so.

Response by Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin made Jan 22 at 2016 12:57 PM

Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 12:57:58 -0500

Yes.

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Jan 22 at 2016 1:10 PM

SrA Edward Vong — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 13:10:57 -0500

Yes, putting legalities aside, one can say this is considered an ethical problem. One should know not to do your work on personal servers.

Response by COL Ted Mc made Jan 22 at 2016 2:30 PM

COL Ted Mc — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 14:30:06 -0500

TSgt Ryan Lee - Sergeant; Just as it isn't necessary for a person to have a law degree to be one of the Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States of America, it isn't a requirement that a politician actually know what they are doing.

To advocate that only politicians that knew what their job was and how to do it correctly be allowed to hold elected/appointed offices would necessitate a wholesale change in the structure of the US government.

Response by Craig Hatch made Jan 22 at 2016 5:01 PM

Craig Hatch — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 17:01:32 -0500

This question is queer to me, because she was the Secretary of State. In my mind someone with such stature; should know what is classified and what is not. I cannot even begin to remotely conceive, how she did not know or pervades to answer why she did not keep a "tighter ship"; when she was Secretary of State. Like come on, if I was the head of the State Department, I would think it was my job and duty to monitor classified information. What is scary to conceive is she wants to be POTUS! If you cannot maintain your ship as Secretary of State, why the hell would I trust you to be the Head of State as President of the United States!

Response by MSG David Chappell made Jan 23 at 2016 10:49 AM

MSG David Chappell — Sat, 23 Jan 2016 10:49:21 -0500

Having not only read classified documents but being responsible for thier destruction Ivan tell you removing the classification cover sheet, marking at the top and bottom of all pages as well as the statements of classification in the message takes effort. So cut and paste of the body would remove this for email purposes. If you are in a position of dealing with classified material you get paranoid about the handling of these documents. You will error to the side of caution, is this secret or TS? Doesn't matter dies the person it's going to have need to know, yes confirm and rethink if you really need to share the info. Yes it is that worrisome. On the flip side if the document states use of drones over Baghdad a rack to take out members of terrorist organization jam will begin tomorrow at 1800 hrs. with the intent of eliminating these targets with missile fire. You know if you've read or handle anything like this before that specific targets times locations and actions are classified.

I refuse to believe as do many of my colleagues that anyone could read a document and not understand that the information is privileged classified or restricted and should not be shared. This simply shows negligence lack of concern and a belief that the rules do not apply to you.

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 23 at 2016 3:31 PM

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 Jan 2016 15:31:28 -0500

S/he should probably take Cyber Awareness too... especially the segment on portable electronic devices...

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 24 at 2016 1:11 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 01:11:09 -0500

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
1. (U) In my opinion, Ms Clinton is parsing every word to the letter and tense of the particular word, similar to how Slick Willy testified with the statement "...it depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is."

2. (U) Ms Clinton carefully scripted and memorized her statement to read "I never sent or received any material marked classified". Key word is 'classified'. Different from the word 'classification'. Let's say she received a document with portion markings such as (U), (C), (S), (TS) but nowhere on the document is the word 'classified'. She would argue the document is not marked 'classified'.

3. (U) I could be totally wrong and in fact she could be a pathological liar. Either way, I hope she likes the color orange.

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

Response by Sgt Tom Vaughn made Jan 24 at 2016 5:12 PM

Sgt Tom Vaughn — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 17:12:59 -0500

They do. And they know they can not use outside source for sending information, some just have no respect for this country , our laws and some believe they are above the law

Response by Sgt Tom Vaughn made Jan 24 at 2016 5:14 PM

Sgt Tom Vaughn — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 17:14:24 -0500

And those that violate these laws and rules need to be made an example of , Prison time and lots of it , no plea deals no parole

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2016 8:00 AM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 08:00:55 -0500

Right, then why she need to purposely wipe clean the drive?!? .... just to make sure it is clean for the FBI to look at?? how nice ...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2016 3:43 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 15:43:32 -0500

She knew, she just did not care. She has always felt entitled and above the law.