Is the New York Times is revealing National Security secrets to spur sales of books written by its reporters? A troubling coincidence does not yet make a pattern, but the record raises concern.

The latest SWIFT disclosure coincides with the June 20th release of the new book, The One Percent Doctrine, by New York Times reporter (and Bush critic) Ron Suskind , which relays the story of how Israel and America cooperated with Western Union in tracking financial transfers to terror groups, an investigation that led to the destruction of terror cells in the West Bank .

Just as the NSA telephone monitoring revelations coincided with the publication of State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration, by James Risen, their own lead reporter on the subject. The paper had held the story for months and coincidentally decided it was worth front—page coverage when Risen's book was released to bookstores. 

The synergistic effect of the resulting public brouhaha will spur sales of the books, that no doubt will be glowingly profiled in the New York Times. The Times will be able to boast that they have best—selling authors in their stable of reporters, the type of star power that leads to greater entree to power and thus to valuable news stories and exclusive interviews.

The Times has justified its disclosures on micro—thin civil libertarian grounds or because they were in the nebulous (and Times—defined) "public interest." It poses as serving the public, but a look at what it does, as opposed to what it says, argues that less noble self—interest is involved.

Ed Lasky   6 24 06