Interesting Quote: Sunshine

Recently Japan released its annual defense report, which featured both China and North Korea prominently. No suprises there really.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Tomhiko Taniguchi says openness from Beijing would help dispel concerns about China's military modernization. China has rapidly increased military spending in the past decade.

"Sunshine is the best disinfectant and you have to be very much transparent," he said. "The Defense Agency and the Foreign Ministry, as well, are requesting China reveal everything that is going on in terms of defense buildup and the amount of defense budget and what sort of equipment and weaponry the Chinese military is using."

Take Mr. Taniguchi's quote out of the military context and it still very powerful.

"Sunshine is the best disinfectant..."

These five simple words say so much.

It can be compared to many other sayings about completely different subjects:

• "Truth can set you free..."
• "Knowing is half the battle..."
• Art of War by Sun Tsu - "So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle."
• The famous Linus's Law, "given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow"
• The vulnerability full disclosure theory - details of a security vulnerability are disclosed to the public, including details of the vulnerability and how to detect and exploit it
• etc, etc, etc

All of these are saying one thing.....Information is power.

So true. But this also means that Mis-information is power....something to remember.