Let Slip the Blogs of War

Just in time for this week's "milblogger" conference in D.C., the Army has issued new regulations for active duty blogger-soldiers: basically, stop. All blog updates must be okayed, and personal emails will be subject to scrutiny. This seems like a mistake to me, as milbloggers are generally advocates for their operation and their word means a hell of a lot more to skeptics than whatever drivel's being broadcast by the Fighting 101st Chairborne. Says Blackfive (via Wired's Danger Room):

The soldiers who will attempt to fly under the radar and post negative items about the military, mission, and commanders will continue to do so under the new regs. The soldiers who've been playing ball the last few years, the vast, VAST, majority will be reduced. In my mind, this reg will accomplish the exact opposite of its intent. The good guys are restricted and the bad continue on...

Operational Security is of paramount importance. But we are losing the Information War on all fronts. Fanatic-like adherence to OPSEC will do us little good if we lose the few honest voices that tell the truth about The Long War.

It's soldiers, by the way, who can really attest to whether or not the Democrats' position on the supplemental is really "hurting the troops." Wouldn't the administration want to keep their voices amplified? Oh, wait...