Thread by @qjurecic

I wrote about these papers when they came out in 2015; there's some interesting stuff there, but I wouldn't describe them as a "revelation," as this story does. The material added useful details and confirmation. tinyurl.com/f94fwfd6

https://twitter.com/NYMag/status/1417424305521152017

This is of course separate from the question of how we should think about prosecutions of people who leak classified materials to journalists, which is a lot of what the NYMag piece is about

But I don't think flourishes like this (from NYMag) are particularly helpful. Suggesting that QAnon believers might be on to something in thinking that the NSA is tapping your phone? Seriously?

There are so many heavy things to consider when it comes to targeted killings by drone—morally, legally. The traumatizing of drone operators described by this pice is absolutely real and should be taken more seriously. Civilian casualties should be taken seriously.

Part of taking those things seriously, though, is making sure that we're careful and accurate in describing what's happening.

(This is also true, by the way, of investigating the origins of covid-19, and why I found Nicholson Baker's bizarre feature hypothesizing a lab leak based on no information—also in NYMag!—both silly and insulting)