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The April arrest of Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira produced a flurry of editorials and op-eds seeking to explain the problems and possible solutions tied up in protecting national security information.
These ranged from complaints about the issue of rampant overclassification and awarding of security clearances, leadership mistakes, missed red flags, and mental health screening. And while most of those points are true, it's eerily similar to past prescriptive discussions that yielded few solutions.
It's often easier and reassuring to blame a flawed individual, but addressing institutional and systemic failings can produce better solutions. Details about Teixeira's past suggesting social isolation are tragically familiar. That narrative lacks an understanding of recent cultural shifts and environmental factors of the social media, post-pandemic generation representative of America's young adults.
Two aspects of the Teixeira leak case distinguish themselves from previous high-profile classified leaks by Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning and Reality Winner. The first is the influence of an unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. The second: Teixeira's alleged motive.
A comprehensive…
