JN,
Im well aware of what democracy means, Ive spent years defending your right to have it.
I also do not believe in a blanket ban, I believe in going through the appropriate channels to find out information. If it is reasonable to discuss that information then it will be disclosed, if not then it wont be released.
How do you do decide what is innocent questioning by the way, without knowing all the facts about the topic you are going into. If you have questions by all means ask the MoD, if you get given a brush off then perhaps you should take it as meaning you have no need to know.
You have the right to ask, not always the right to know.