Write or wrong?

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Where there's smoke, there's fire.

That is a phrase routinely used by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security to support the suspension and revocation of security clearances of Foreign Service Officers, based on unsubstantiated allegations, in violation of government-wide guidelines.

We hate that phrase. And usually, it is untrue.

So we really get unhappy when someone decides to try to prove it true. As appears to be happening now.

We have been following with interest the blogs and descriptions of the case of Peter Van Buren's book, and we must say, we are becoming increasingly disappointed.

When the case first arose, it seemed open and shut. Mr. Van Buren had written a book, sought Department of State approval, complied with the written procedures, then, after there was no objection during the mandatory time period, submitted it for publication. Months later, after the book was published, the State Department had decided to object, and had contacted the publisher behind Mr. Van Buren's back to accuse him of wrongdoing and ask that the book be recalled.

The State Department clearly looked to be in the wrong. The case raised a number of important issues about how the system worked - or did not. Van Buren looked like a person who had been wronged, and against whom there was a risk of illegal retaliation.

Had the story ended there, and his clearance been suspended, there would have been no doubt. He would have clearly been the victim of retaliation. Which is why, had the matter ended there, there would have been little likelihood of his clearance being pulled, or even, really, a serious disciplinary action.

Since the story broke, however, Mr. Van Buren has been blogging up a storm, using the media exposure to flog his book. And seizing, it would appear, every opportunity to, at the very least, push further the edge of the already-bursting envelope.

In doing so, he has raised real questions about his behavior and suitability, that have nothing to do with his book.

He has blogged, for example, about his improper refusal to participate fully in the investigation of which he is the subject, and about his refusal to identify his contacts - a requirement of all holders of government clearances.

And he has, apparently knowingly, published links to information which the government, for smart reasons or stupid ones, has told employees not to access.

And about how, now that his clearance is suspended (temporarily - while under investigation), he is will be frequenting that and other sites that publish classified materials.

He's like Lindsay friggin Lohan, with fewer redeeming qualities.

In short, he has taken what could have been a clear-cut case of write and wrong (get it?) and turned it into a really good case for the supporters of DS rule-breaking to use to say: "Where there's smoke there's fire." With him fanning his own fires as a means to sell a book.

We may have meant well, in Iraq, but we are not at all sure that Mr. Van Buren means well. And his posturing does not help those of us who are trying to fix systems that truly are broken, in the way DS handles security clearances.