TPMDC
Defense Sec. Gates 'Appalled' By Leaks On Afghanistan And Threatens Firings
Christina Bellantoni | November 12, 2009, 3:11PM
Share
Send to a friend!
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has threatened to fire Pentagon employees who are leaking details of President Obama's deliberations on whether to send more troops to Afghanistan.
Gates addressed the leaks today in a press briefing while flying to Wisconsin, according to an article in the Pentagon's own American Forces Press Service.
"I am appalled by the amount of leaking that has been going on," he said.
From the article:
Gates said he has little doubt that some of those leaks have come from within the Defense Department. "If I found out who" was involved, he said, "it would probably be a career ender."
The official line from the White House and Pentagon is that Obama remains undecided on how many troops to send.
He also condemned leaks on the Ft. Hood shootings, saying: "Everybody out there with their own little piece of the action" doesn't understand how it fits into the big picture.
"Everybody out there ought to just shut up."
Other Stories Featured at TPMDC
Join the Conversation!
Leave a comment
Follow us!
PollTracker
Most Popular
- How Clemmons Went From Prisoner To Alleged Cop Killer -- And Why It Matters For Mike Huckabee
- High-End Grifters
- Another Huckabee Pardon
- Bachmann: Just Over A Year Ago, The Private Economy Was 100% Private
- Why Are Dem Voters Now Less Motivated Than Republicans?
- CBO: Health Care Reform Will Lower Out-Of-Pocket Burden For Most Consumers
- Rep. Hinchey: Bush Purposely Let Bin Laden Escape To Justify Iraq War
- Radio Host Bill Press: Glenn Beck Is A 'Ticking Time Bomb' Who Will 'Explode In The Face Of Roger Ailes'
- Family Guy Mocks Chris Matthews' Inflated Ego
- Latest High-Flying Accused Ponzi Schemer Has Ties To Indiana Guv
- Obama Issues New Orders On Afghanistan
- Why Are Dem Voters Now Less Motivated Than Republicans?
- Dems Add Entitlement Reform To Packed Agenda Ahead of 2010 Elections
- Huckabee Cites System's 'Failures' In Response To Washington Police Killings
- How Clemmons Went From Prisoner To Alleged Cop Killer -- And Why It Matters For Mike Huckabee
- Gibbs: Social Office Not Problem With Dinner Crashers
- Rep. Hinchey: Bush Purposely Let Bin Laden Escape To Justify Iraq War
- Bachmann: Just Over A Year Ago, The Private Economy Was 100% Private
- Radio Host Bill Press: Glenn Beck Is A 'Ticking Time Bomb' Who Will 'Explode In The Face Of Roger Ailes'
- The Dubai panic "nonsense": What is GD river's angle?
- Why Have We Subjugated Ourselves?
- Obstructionism Trumps Transparency
- Progressives (and Obama) are Doing Better Than We Think -- and We Won't Know What We've Got 'Til It's Gone
- Jeff Goldberg Faults Obama For Suggesting Settlement Expansion Leads To Violence
- A Dime In My Pocket
- Great Moments in CNN Journalism
- Return to Sender: Feigning Indifference & Losing My Religion
- The Pivot
- Basic Investment Advice
- Authoritarianism and Polarization in American Politics
TPM Stories Now Surging on Digg.com
TPM Top News
© 2009 TPM Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Obama1st
November 12, 2009 3:17 PM
look no further than Rahm and you will find the all-pro leaker of all time!
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
hinterlandharry
November 12, 2009 3:49 PM in reply to Obama1st
How do you know this? Wasn't McChrystal's report leaked before the WH even go hold of it?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
happycozy
November 12, 2009 4:05 PM in reply to hinterlandharry
Because Rahm is the evil Jew behind everything that is wrong with the world
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
mJJ
November 12, 2009 4:51 PM in reply to happycozy
When you added "the Jew" we all quit paying attention. We know better than to do that because it is obvious you are noth9ing more than a racist.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
CT Voter
November 12, 2009 5:11 PM in reply to mJJ
I think there's some snark in that comment...
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Stroszek
November 12, 2009 3:57 PM in reply to Obama1st
Rahm also invented cancer and blew up the Hindenburg. Bastard!
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
cwnidog
November 12, 2009 8:38 PM in reply to Stroszek
He'd only be a bastard if he killed Timmy.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
lousgirl84
November 12, 2009 4:20 PM
Where is all this blaming of Emauel coming from?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Why oh why
November 12, 2009 6:53 PM in reply to lousgirl84
Some people are prejudiced against corporate whores.
As for Gates, he liked the leaks just fine when they were all about we-need-more-troops-forever?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
PeakRo
November 12, 2009 4:28 PM
What's up with the Jew comment? Are you suggesting that being a Jew somehow predisposes him to evil behavior?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
JohnW1141
November 12, 2009 5:40 PM in reply to PeakRo
PeakRo,
you know their drill, "Da jews did it"
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
PeakRo
November 12, 2009 4:32 PM
Couldn't these leaks undermine national security? I seem to remember hearing a while back that telegraphing our intentions emboldens the enemy. Where's the neo-con outrage?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
WaitWut?
November 12, 2009 5:30 PM
What does being Jewish have to do with leakage? Did I miss something? And, Rahm is hot for an oldish guy, but Jon Stewart is still "our most important Jew".
@PeakRo...this is what I've been thinking all along. I don't understand how these leakers (Jewish or not) can have so little respect for the information that they may be privvy to. If we were to send more troops, they'll be target practice because of all the exposure.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
VivaAmerica!
November 12, 2009 6:00 PM in reply to WaitWut?
Did you miss something? yes, I think the Jew comment was snark - there's a lot of Rahm bashing going on for everything.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
EH
November 12, 2009 5:34 PM
I don't understand how these leakers (Jewish or not) can have so little respect for the information that they may be privvy to.
it's a little thing called "politics."
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Michael A
November 12, 2009 5:39 PM
I always liked gates. Heads will roll if he finds out who is the leaker, doesn't matter who it is. This guy is no nonsense and a great defense secretary. I am so glad that obama kept him on. Very smart move.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
EH
November 12, 2009 6:45 PM in reply to Michael A
yeah? well he's threatening firing a leaker who has derailed a what was almost-done troop increase by revealing opinions that say that will make things worse. that is, the leaker is throwing a wrench in making the war worse. i'm thinking of it more in terms of whistleblowing.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Michael A
November 12, 2009 6:51 PM in reply to EH
See, I don't see it that way. I don't like the fact that this stuff is being leaked either. It is giving repukes the talking point that obama is dithering and that he should "listen to the generals", which is bullsh*t. They should not be discussing this stuff at all in public. It makes obama look bad.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
EH
November 12, 2009 9:42 PM in reply to Michael A
when it's about escalating a stupid and unwinnable war, he should look bad.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
JohnW1141
November 12, 2009 5:42 PM
What religion is Repug Congressman Peter Hoekstra, you know, the guy that just told a radical cleric in Yemen that US Intelligence is reading his e-mails.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?