This is even sillier than it sounds. I have this data if anyone wants it because this is simply what was in general desktop encyclopedias sold in bookstores and even supermarkets available for $4.95(?) at the time.
ADDED - Here is the original report in the Washington Post.
"It would be difficult to find more dramatic examples of unjustifiable secrecy than these decisions to classify the numbers of U.S. strategic weapons," wrote William Burr, a senior analyst at the archive who compiled the report. " . . . The Pentagon is now trying to keep secret numbers of strategic weapons that have never been classified before."NO, IT DOESN'T.
Bryan Wilkes, a spokesman for the National Nuclear Security Administration, a part of the Energy Department, said the Pentagon excised the missile numbers.
"It's not our call to do missile data," Wilkes said. "There's no question that current classified nuclear weapons data was out there that we had to take back," he added. "And in today's environment, where there is a great deal of concern about rogue nations or terrorist groups getting access to nuclear weapons, this makes a lot of sense."
I've noticed that Bryan Wilkes is often put out as the spokesperson when the White House has to make a statement on some security matter that cannot rationally be defended.
How stupid is this? Tell you what. I am going to make you a partner in my crime. I have a lot of this secret information.
The reclassified secrets include the number of strategic weapons the United States had, even though they were not classified at the time.
In 1973 the United States had 30 strategic bomber squadrons, 1000 Minuteman ICBMs, and 54 Titan ICBMs. I can provide more details if you wish but that there is already passing now secret information.
By the court case last week just for receiving this information you can now be charged with a felon - receiving national security information.
This information I picked up from a general paperback desktop encyclopedia I bought in 1974 at Kroger's for I think $4.95.
Are you going to go turn yourself in? Do you think al-Qaeda wants that information?
Edit - Updated reference book price. You can also get nuclear weapons numbers, current and historical, for free over the internet from a number of sources. Is Google now classified?
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