Thursday, May 19, 2011

Rob Gates, Mike Mullen To Leakers "Stop Talking", May 19 2011

David Wood
Huffington Post
Gossip and unauthorized leaks from U.S. officials, politicians and retired military officers about the highly classified raid to kill Osama bin Laden have jeopardized the ability of special forces to carry out similar operations in the future, said Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

“Too many people in too many places are talking too much about this operation,” Gates said, adding that the level of disclosures and blabbing violates an agreement reached in the White House Situation Room on May 8 to keep details of the raid private.

“That lasted about 15 hours,” Gates said sourly.

The cascade of details surfacing about the highly classified event makes similar operations in the future “that much more difficult and riskier,” Gates told reporters at a Pentagon briefing Wednesday.

“It is time to stop talking,” agreed Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In a pointed directive to officials, politicians and the retired military officers often featured on cable news programs, he added, “Get off the net.”

Full article here

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