Why are the specifics of our war plans making it to the media, and why is the media publishing them?

I for one am getting quite sick of these leaks.

There are two groups to blame.

The first, or course, is the source of the leaks - the Congress and their staffers who can't keep their mouths' shut. In appropriate hypocritical fashion, Congress touts "National Security" as an excuse to push the bill-of-the-day, but broadcasts our secrets to the world under the table.

I don't know if they do it to push their agendas, or if they do it to stroke their egos, and frankly I don't care.

We pay their salaries. We provide their comfy offices. They need to do their job properly, or they need to resign.

Equally to blame is the media. They are the reason the leaks become leaks. They are the ones that spread our sensitive information to the world.

They should be ashamed of themselves. Every leak about Iraq that they publish can potentially put our troops lives at risk. This is unacceptable.

Our troops risk their lives to fight for our country and our freedom. I understand if the media doesn't like our government's battle plans, but there is no excuse to risk human life for a story. Not ratings. Not profit. Not anything.

We need to get our act together, and fast! Strategy sessions need to be guarded better. An investigation needs to be launched. The source of these leaks needs to be revealed. Arrests need to be made, and time needs to be served.

Congress and the Whitehouse also need to revoke the press credentials of any network or newspaper that publishes leaked sensitive information.

That's all I've got for now.

Mike

I think the leaking is evidence of the total decline in morality especially in our government. Those people who are leaking are not going to stop the war with Iraq from coming, they are just going to prepare Iraq, and possibly cause countless deaths.

This just showes that in todays world of polotics, your agenda is more important than the lives of our servicemen and women.

It is sickening

There is no argument that real leaks are bad. However, let us keep in mind that the dissemination of misinformation is crucial to any successful military campaign. While I have no facts to support my belief, I think that congress is being leaked misinformation. I get the impression that the administration sees congress as a means to this end and uses them. If I were the President, Mr. Rumsfeld or of similiar rank I would never trust national security secrets with the biggest group of gas-bags in the nation. I would use them for the only purpose for which they are useful - confusing the enemy.

Very good point, i do belive the President and his Administration is much too smart to leak to congress, but alot of the leaks come from the Defence Department...

Rumsfeld is looking into his own department... that is scary if we can't trust the people in charge of our defence to do what they need to do regardless of political views.