Topic: James Risen

During his National Press Club appearance, Eric Holder questioned whether journalists should always disclose sensitive information, even if they have the ability to do so. He used the Manhattan Project as an extreme example, asking if it would have been in the public interest to reveal the atomic bomb's development during World War II. Critics argue this analogy is flawed and ignores the potential lives that could have been saved by thwarting the project.

New York Times journalist James Risen appeared on PBS to discuss his new book, "Pay Any Price," which examines the financial costs of the War on Terror. Risen argues that the conflict has evolved into a "Homeland Security Industrial Complex," a multi-trillion dollar sector of the economy built on secrecy and greed. The book details how the search for justice after 9/11 transitioned into a permanent hunt for cash and power.

A report from the Washington Post, which allegedly disappeared shortly after publication, claimed the CIA and NSA have pre-publication control over *Inspire* magazine. The report suggests intelligence agencies intentionally allow certain issues, including those with bomb-making instructions, to reach the public for monitoring purposes. This is linked to the James Risen case, where a journalist was ordered to testify about sources involved in revealing botched intelligence operations in Iran.

Journalist James Risen is facing legal pressure to reveal sources for his book "State of War." The hosts suggest reverse-engineering Amazon reviews of the book to identify "professional stooges" who post one-star reviews to discredit whistleblowers. They argue that modern journalism is now limited to analyzing the public record since insiders are too afraid to leak.