When looking at critical reports, produced by the USG or its serviant agencies, we have to frequently look at the ramifications of these reports and their impact on the people who write them.
Two particularly interesting cases are POW-MIA Issues, Volumes I, II & III, by Dr. Paul Cole, and published by Rand corporation, and The Transfer of US Korean War POWs to the Soviet Union, primarily prepared by Peter Tsouras with Major Werner Saemler Hindrichs and MSG Danz F. H. Blasser.
Dr. Cole's exhaustive research and study on the Korean War, Cold War Era and Eastern Bloc interference, was originally published by Rand, in a very limited printing. The original 3 volume set was an amazing example of the wealth of information and intelligence available, and a tragic reminder that just because the intelligence exists, doesn't mean anyone will do anything about it or with it.
Immediately after the limited publication of POW-MIA Issues, Rand made the report 'unavailable.' They produced a spectrum of responses as to why it was unavailable, from galley problems, printing problems, to lawsuit... ad infinitum. Ultimately, it was printed and sold for $45.00, and upon comparing copies of the original work and the newer 'for public' version, there are differences.
Shortly afterwards, Dr. Cole, for reasons known only to him, severed his relationship with the think tank. Interesting.
An even more disturbing scenario can be found amidst the shadows of The Transfer Report or the "77 Page Report" as it is colloquially known. In 1993, it became known that The Joint Commission Support Branch, Research and Analysis Division, DPMO, had prepared a study on the transfer of US personnel from the Korean War zone to the Soviet Union. The 77 Page Report was accidentally made available, and it was a stunner. The very first page after the title, under Executive Summary stated in black and white... " U.S. Korean War POWs were transferred to the Soviet Union and never repatriated."
All hell broke loose. The Report was immediately re-classified. Extant copies were rare and a witch hunt was on. The families and activist community pounded DPMO, DOD and Congress to get this paper to the people. And, with much foot dragging and excuses, it finally became available again... however, the findings in this "new and improved" version, were diametrically different than the classified version.
Gone were the solid pronouncements, replaced by Washington double-speak like... may have, could be, we believe and possibly. The good old Hold Harmless. If the findings are too hot to handle, make someone else responsible. It was disgraceful. Like Dr. Paul Cole at Rand before him, Peter Tsouras, a highly respected researcher and analyst, for reasons of his own, severed his relationship with DPMO. Interesting.
As a classic example of just how far some folks will go to keep deep, dark secrets hidden, the example of the Oral Briefing before the Senate Select Committee on POW-MIA Affairs is one of the worst. On April 8, 1992, an intelligence briefing was presented to the SSC. The briefing, a closed door one at that, concentrated on various intelligence and imagery, as well as the 'clusters' of info and intel that had become noticeable. Immediately after the briefing, Ms. Francis Zwenig, was involved in a scandalous attempt to have the Congressional briefing copies destroyed. In an 11th hour repieve, men like John McCreary, protested most vocally and warned of the legal implications of document destruction. His admonishments prevailed, and the briefing survived. However, once again, an extant copy of the briefing survived and made its way out of the hallowed halls of Congress.
These are just a miniscule sampling of what has happened with respect to government sanctioned reports, that state that US personnel were captured and either were transferred to a third party country or survived in captivity, well beyond what we have been spoon-fed by the spin doctors in Washington.
The problem is... extant copies of all of these original critical reports exist. And people have seen them and as a result, they know what the USG is trying to hide... the Truth.