Silence is golden

Silence by John Henry Fuseli

Secrecy is paramount.

The political stage has been corroded, over the years, by the general notion that there’s always someone ready to divulge everything that is heard or seen. There is nothing sadder (or more irresponsible) than belonging to a committee or a cabinet and then leak classified information to the press. However, I see a light at the end of the tunnel: the Obama Administration managed to successfully plan, organise, implement and control a military op in utter secrecy for 6 weeks.

I once heard someone saying that a secret known by two people was no longer a secret. Is this piece of wisdom that linear?

For a secret to exist, at least, two parts must be involved and it doesn’t necessarily imply a breach of secrecy. For instance: two adulterers have a secret that they share with no one; an individual changes its identity and although its mum knows it she remains silent; a neighbour is spotted killing a dog and burying it, two brothers witness it and keep it to themselves; someone transgresses and shares it with its priest, rabbi or therapist (who usually are bound by confidentiality); a group of men holds information on X individual, follows him closely, dictates how he is to live (or not), limits his movements, but tells no one of why this must happen (the secret perspires not outside the group)...the examples are endless.

A secret can exist beyond two people, beyond two parts, if and when the people involved are disciplined enough to keep it; if and when the parts involved are not prone to purposeless gossip; or even if and when there’s a specific purpose to protect such secret.

Silence is golden.

We are not to share our intents and intentions before we act. We are not to threaten others (giving them, thus, the blueprint of our strategy). We are not to brag about our ideas (before implementing them) lest someone steals and thrives upon them. We are not to offer too much explanation lest we leak apparently trivial information that will end up being more revealing than anything else.

The US’ latest intervention in Pakistan reminded me of the good old days when people knew how to shut their mouths and special forces could successfully do their job. It also reminded me of the glorious days when Israeli security forces operated smoothly to retrieve citizens in peril and to avenge persecution to their brothers and sisters.
Mazel tov to the US Navy Seals for their wonderful job: Osama Bin Laden has finally left “the building”.

I want to be able to congratulate a small yet grand nation when Gilad Shalit returns home.