In one hand, of course all those story fragments are alarming and revolting.

On the other hand, each time such a thing surfaces the most surprising is always that it seems to have surfaced due to this automatic declassification mechanism that I've never heard of an equivalent anywhere else in the world. In most places, including many modern and wealthy democracies, I believe you would just expose yourself to troubles if you asked for some clarifications about any ancient classified material.

I wonder if there is any recommended source to learn more about how this law/practice came to be?

could you point me to how this story was exposed through declassification?

True, in that case the press started it, and then the family sued.

If your country doesn't have an intel agency doing this or similar congratulations you are too small to matter.

Not all societies are built around a culture of paranoia, and not all societies manifest this with an autonomous intelligence agency

this dark current should be excised from society as the declassifications show they more often undermine our security from domestic and foreign sources

Right some countries are Iceland, a rich place floating in the middle of nowhere with no military intel needs.

And some countries have interests to protect.

That's the difference. It's not morality, it's whether or not you have anything to lose.

That doesn't make it right.

No but that doesn't make irrelevant countries any more moral, it just means they don't have any skin in the game.