# The Glomar Response: State Secrets vs Public Transparency How a CIA submarine recovery operation birthed the 'neither confirm nor deny' culture. - **Source:** [Radiolab](https://brifing.si/source/beb64e40-92d0-4f54-ae49-68bafd2106e1) - **Published:** 2026-07-17 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/400fe410-29e1-49e0-adf5-04c2622ce205 ## Birth of a Covert Operation In the 1970s, CIA launched 'Project Azorian' to recover a sunken Soviet nuclear submarine from the Pacific depths. The mission aimed to study Soviet military tech, but things didn't go as planned. ## Media Leak Fallout When the operation leaked, CIA developed the 'Glomar Response' - a strategic ambiguity to protect national security while managing media pressure. This phrase became a template for government non-answers. ## Legal Accountability Crisis ACLU lawyer Jameel Jaffer argues the Glomar doctrine undermines democratic oversight. By neither confirming nor denying, agencies create informational black holes that hinder public scrutiny. ## Historical Whodunit The sinking of K-129 remains controversial. Russian naval historians blame collision with a US sub, while conspiracy theories suggest KGB involvement - showing how official silence breeds alternative narratives. ## Document Secrecy Battles Most Project Azorian files stayed classified for 40 years. Even retired CIA officer David Sharp faced a 3-year approval process to publish his memoir, showing the enduring power of state secrecy. ## Modern Implications Today, the Glomar Response remains a go-to tactic for avoiding sensitive disclosures. This enduring practice exemplifies the tension between public transparency and national security priorities. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.radiolab.org — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._