Dishonorable Disclosures

"Walls have ears", Note the Wallpaper, Bastogne

During World War II there was widespread understanding that discretion in wartime was vitally important.   Everyone knew that "loose lips sink ships."  Consider the poster (above) which I found upon my recent trip to Bastogne.  "Don't forget that walls have ears," it implores us.

Today, however, there is evidence of a reckless disregard for operational security and it comes from the White House.

Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein has called for a congressional hearing due to the disclosures to the press about the use of the Stuxnet worm (http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/06/stuxnet-leak-investigation/).  Senator John McCain has accused the Obama administration of leaking intelligence information for political purposes.http://news.techworld.com/security/3362243/stuxnet-details-leaked-to-boost-obama-alleges-mccain/.  McCain said, "They're intentionally leaking information to enhance President Obama's image as a tough guy for the elections. That is unconscionable."

Patrick Buchanan, with whom I do not often agree, asks whether "heads will roll over Stuxnet"http://original.antiwar.com/buchanan/2012/06/11/will-heads-roll-for-the-stuxnet-leak/.

Have you perhaps seen the Dishonorable Disclosures video?  Warning: it is 22 minutes in length.  In case you have missed it here it is...

This video has offended some of my liberal friends due to its "partisan stance".

Does it make use of ominous sounding music and selective editing?  Yes, it does.

Are its charges on the whole credible?  I think that they are.  The left likes to honor those "who speak truth to power."  Isn't that exactly what the courageous military and intelligence professionals featured on this video have done?

What seems to really offend the left is the fact that the people on this video have the guts to challenge Obama about the behavior that followed the killing of Osama Bin Laden.

"Obama got Osama" is the Orwellian Big Lie that lies at the heart of current political discussions for the past two years.  It is endlessly repeated by the administration and by their allies in the media and entertainment world;  yet it is false.  Does Obama deserve credit for ordering the attack on Osama?  yes, he does. But it was America and her military (Seal team six) and intelligence services working assiduously over the course of more than ten years and through two administrations that "got Osama".

Did Truman immediately go onto live radio to announce the death of Adolf Hitler 24 hours after he had  learned of it?  He did not.  He knew 1) that there was still a war to won in the Pacific against Japan and 2) that even the war in Europe was not over with the death of Hitler -- that would require the surrender of Admiral Donitz.*   Did Truman attempt to take credit for Hitler's suicide in order to help win re-election in 1948?  No, that would be absurd!  Precisely, my point.  The parallel is nearly exact.

President Truman acted with discretion and circumspection, qualities that are sadly lacking in the White House today.  Has the administration's disclosure on the use of the Stuxnet worm helped or harmed American interests in the middle east?  Does it serve for our enemies to know that the President of the United States has a "kill list"?  Commander Kelly thinks not.

I hope that these issues will surface in the upcoming debates, including tonight's showdown between Ryan and Biden.

As the liberals love to say, "If you are not outraged, then you must not be paying attention."



* Poor Admiral Donitz was wearing 8 pair of underwear due to his weak bladder when he surrendered to the allies.  He could be described as a "bed-wetting fascist".