November 13, 2010

Sec. Gates Orders Leak Probe
— Gabriel Malor

He wants to know just who leaked the findings of the DOD 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' report to the Washington Post.

Gates is angry that two unnamed officials cited in the Post article have “selectively revealed aspects of the draft findings” of the Pentagon’s Working Group, according to a statement released late Friday afternoon by Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell.

“The secretary strongly condemns the unauthorized release of information related to this report and has directed an investigation to establish who communicated with The Washington Post or any other news organization without authorization and in violation of department policy and his specific instruction.”

He's got a point. Whoever is leaking is trying to alter military policy while bypassing Gates, the service chiefs, and the President. Not to mention, Gates told Congress he'd conduct the working group study in a professional, nonpartisan, and unbiased manner.

The major surprise finding of the report, based on the leak anyway, is that the troops are basically okay with repeal, with the Marines expressing the most opposition (40%). But I was struck by this weaselly paragraph in the original WaPo story:

The source declined to state his position on whether to lift the ban, insisting it did not matter. He said he felt compelled to share the information out of concern that groups opposed to ending the ban would mischaracterize the findings. The long, detailed and nuanced report will almost certainly be used by opponents and supporters of repeal legislation to bolster their positions in what is likely to be a heated and partisan congressional debate.

The final sentence of that excerpt makes me think that this fellow might also be "mischaracterizing" the findings. Obviously the conclusions in the report are more complicated than just a thumbs up or a thumbs down on repeal. The report is due December 1, but Congress will be just wrapping up then (and likely to have other more important things on its mind, like the ObamaCare 1099 issue, the tax cuts, and the budget). So the leakers moved first.

Gates doesn't exactly have clean hands, though: Should have mentioned this above, this protest by Sec. Gates could just be pro forma to cover his own ass with Congress. As I wrote, he told Congress he'd wait on the results of the working group study. And yet, just last week it wasn't unnamed sources suggesting to major media that DADT should be repealed in the lame duck session. It was Gates.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 05:12 AM | Comments (38)
Post contains 421 words, total size 3 kb.

1 First?

Posted by: waiting at November 13, 2010 05:15 AM (YLqOu)

2 Meanwhile, the asteroid moves ever closer.

Posted by: eman at November 13, 2010 05:19 AM (sTdjn)

3 The Military has enough problems. Anything and I mean ANYTHING that further complicates the mission is wrong. DADT works in my opinion, leave it alone.

Posted by: nevergiveup at November 13, 2010 05:21 AM (0GFWk)

4 Gates does whatever his boss tells him to do.

Posted by: steevy at November 13, 2010 05:27 AM (vvvq5)

5 Hey, Malor, the end of the ONT needs a cleanup.  People who think the place ain't Stormfronty enough.

Posted by: nickless at November 13, 2010 05:34 AM (MMC8r)

6 More outrage at the top over this than they showed at the Ft Hood shooting.


Posted by: ef at November 13, 2010 05:35 AM (c7Pp2)

7 Great. How 'bout a probe of the National Security Estimate that said Iran no longer has a nuke research program? How 'bout a probe of where Wikileaks gets all those classified documents? How 'bout a probe of what Lurch Kerry REALLY did in Vietnam? How 'bout a probe of Obama's life documentation, from birth thru grad school???

Posted by: CoolCzech at November 13, 2010 05:38 AM (tJjm/)

8 Really? He's concerned about this but does nothing about the Wickileaks fiasco?

Posted by: Dennis at November 13, 2010 05:38 AM (YofWd)

9 More outrage at the top over this than they showed at the Ft Hood shooting. Posted by: ef at November 13, 2010 09:35 AM (c7Pp2) Well no hidden "Gays" were killed I guess?

Posted by: nevergiveup at November 13, 2010 05:39 AM (0GFWk)

10 As a great nation slowly kills itself.

Posted by: USS Diversity at November 13, 2010 05:40 AM (RWtqz)

11 How 'bout a probe of where Wikileaks gets all those classified documents? Well that was from a gay soldier who was "pissed off" and needed to make a statement?

Posted by: nevergiveup at November 13, 2010 05:40 AM (0GFWk)

12 “The secretary strongly condemns the unauthorized release of information related to this report..."

Of all the stupidass things to crack down on leakers over.  Where was this "strong condemnation" when real-life secrets were revealed?  We've been dealing with "unnamed sources" leaking shit for years, and this is the first time I remember seeing an immediate investigation like this.

Posted by: Bomber at November 13, 2010 05:41 AM (d88g9)

13 Ft. Hood revealed the Military is more afraid of PC than Russian ICBMs.

Posted by: eman at November 13, 2010 05:43 AM (sTdjn)

14 Well no hidden "Gays" were killed I guess?

With DADT they probably aren't allowed to inquire about that absolutely critical question.

Any doubt that if there was one closet LGBTQWERTY, Hasan would have been incessantly labeled as a gay-hating bigot?

Posted by: ef at November 13, 2010 05:45 AM (c7Pp2)

15 "Leaking" the DADT survey is bad? Sweet Jeebus, when compared to the serious national-security shit leaked by lefties, inside the Osama Obama regime or otherwise, this is nothing. Does all that Wikileaks stuff bother Gates? Does letting the enemiy know we're pulling out of their battlefields on or before a set time bother him?

In the meantime, "Poppin'[ Fresh," who runs a website where the word "revolution" is forbidden to commenters, is huffing and puffing in outrageous outrage about Ed Schultz's call for laws intended to shut down the speech of anyone who doesn't use the insults he uses, or subscribe to the same PC beliefs he claims to follow.

It's a weird, weird day. And it's still early.

Posted by: MrScribbler at November 13, 2010 05:45 AM (Ulu3i)

16 Thanks nickless, I'll check it out.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at November 13, 2010 05:45 AM (XVaFd)

17 In the meantime, "Poppin'[ Fresh," who runs a website where the word "revolution" is forbidden to commenters, is huffing and puffing in outrageous outrage about Ed Schultz's call for laws intended to shut down the speech of anyone who doesn't use the insults he uses, or subscribe to the same PC beliefs he claims to follow. It's a weird, weird day. And it's still early. Posted by: MrScribbler You still go there? That place is brain poison. Dumped it cold turkey months ago. Feel much better.

Posted by: eman at November 13, 2010 05:51 AM (sTdjn)

18 That place is brain poison.

Dumped it cold turkey months ago. Feel much better. Posted by: eman at November 13, 2010 09:51 AM

I'm trying to taper off....

It's the Huffington Pest for conservatives. As such, it holds a kind of watching-a-train-wreck fascination.

Posted by: MrScribbler at November 13, 2010 05:59 AM (Ulu3i)

19 Yeah, I tried that. Didn't work. Puff Baldy and Allahpullsit are just two mush-brained dictator wannabes.

Posted by: eman at November 13, 2010 06:06 AM (sTdjn)

20 OT, but my wife that just came back from Korea is showing all the gifts she received over there. I don't know why, but for some reason hawt Korean chicks like to buy very hawt, lacey skimpy revealing underwear for each other. I don't understand why, but I thoroughly approve.

Posted by: CoolCzech at November 13, 2010 06:20 AM (tJjm/)

21 I don't know why, but for some reason hawt Korean chicks like to buy very hawt, lacey skimpy revealing underwear for each other.

I was there a short while ago and was a bit bemused by the availability of matching underwear sets for couples. I'm not sure I can imagine myself coordinating the day's underwear choice with my wife.

Posted by: ef at November 13, 2010 06:25 AM (c7Pp2)

22 DADT leaks bad. Wiki Leaks ok?

Posted by: Barbarian at November 13, 2010 06:30 AM (EL+OC)

23

very hawt, lacey skimpy revealing underwear

Boy, that would make a terrific ONT handle. If only they had underalls.

My son served an AF training tour there last summer, and couldn't get over how "friendly" everyone was. Boy, is he ever going to hear about this. As if he didn't know already...

Posted by: comatus at November 13, 2010 06:32 AM (hrwMe)

24 23 I don't know why, but for some reason hawt Korean chicks like to buy very hawt, lacey skimpy revealing underwear for each other. I was there a short while ago and was a bit bemused by the availability of matching underwear sets for couples. I'm not sure I can imagine myself coordinating the day's underwear choice with my wife. Posted by: ef at November 13, 2010 10:25 AM They do the same thing with outerwear, for the whole family, actually - you often see an entire family in what amounts to uniform when they head out on an excursion. Same windbreakers, same hats, colors all match. And anyone that thinks that the Orient is more spiritual than materialistic Americans... forget about it! Koreans are SO brand conscious... even their freaking fillings have to be Pierre Cardin.

Posted by: CoolCzech at November 13, 2010 06:32 AM (tJjm/)

25 Why is everyone saying that Gates was cool with the Wikileaks...er, leaks? He lost his shit over that too.

And, of course, that private is getting court martialed over it too. Doubt anyone is gonna be court martialed for the DADT leak.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at November 13, 2010 06:35 AM (XVaFd)

26 All gay leaks must be probed!

Posted by: Free Government Cheese at November 13, 2010 06:38 AM (VXBR1)

27 28 All gay leaks must be probed! plugged (?)

Posted by: ef at November 13, 2010 06:45 AM (c7Pp2)

28 A "leak investigation" in Washington???? Hahahaha

During Republican term top secret shit gets leaked to the press to hurt the Republicans. Does anyone ever get prosecuted?

Apparently only if the leak is about a liberal.

Posted by: Vic at November 13, 2010 06:54 AM (/jbAw)

29 O/T, but the Westboro assholes are at it again.  Charles Lollar is organizing a 'counter protest' (well, really just a show of support for the fallen soldier's family) -- DC area morons might want to attend. 

From Charles Lollar's Facebook page

PLEASE join me @ 9 a.m. on Monday, November 15th in LaPlata, MD @ New Life Wesleyan Church to serve as "shelter" to the family of a fallen Marine, 19-year old Lance Cpl Terry Honeycutt, died in Helman province, Afghanistan (2nd Batt, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Div) is coming home to be laid to rest....
The VILE miscreants from We...stboro Baptist "church" will be there..this hero's family NEEDS us. (They plan to protest as this family will be laying their son to rest. We must be there for the family and for Lance Cpl Terry Honeycutt)
It is absolutely sick that there are people in our Country who reap the benefits of Patriots such as this young man and then do despicable acts like protesting at his funeral.
Stand with me and show unwavering support for him and his family.
The Patriot Guard Riders WILL be outside @ this young hero's funeral...

Mon., Nov. 15, at 9:30 a.m.
New Life Wesleyan Church
Shepherd's Creek Pl., La Plata, MD

Mon., Nov. 15, at 12:15 p.m.
Arlington National Cemetery
1 Memorial Drive, Arlington, VA

Posted by: Y-not at November 13, 2010 07:02 AM (UcOiF)

30 1) Wait until Afghanistan is done before doing this. That will only be a few years, as Obama's gonna pull Guerra Interuptus and pull out by 2011. With nobody really in harms way, it would be easier to implement. 2) Personally, I doubt gay servicemen would be a big deal. In front line units, I doubt anybody is really gettin' down while on patrol, and I would also bet that gay servicemen aren't infantry grunts. If they are, they would be so into that, they wouldn't fuck up the unit cohesion. The flagrant in-your-face gays will be in the rear, etc., and they won't be any more of a deal than the chicks who are already there getting pregnant on duty. Yes, there will be the shitbirds who join up just to sue, cause trouble, etc., but those guys already exist - like that asshat writer who claimed his unit in Iraq ran over dogs, etc. Get this shit settled and done with. The Israelis can deal with gays, so can we.

Posted by: sexypig at November 13, 2010 07:26 AM (aUECR)

31 What is the pathology of a nation whose leaders are obsessed with making anal sex "legal" normal, and acceptable, in the finest military force in the world?

The US Military was the last bastion of American heritage, exceptionalism and identity.

The communist vampires have sucked the lifeblood out of every other American institution and tradition, and this is their final conquest.




Posted by: pam at November 13, 2010 07:31 AM (h8R9p)

32 Speaking of leak probes:

From his bio:

On the night of President Obama’s historic election, Mr. Johnson received a telephone call from his brother. “Can you believe it?” Mr. Johnson kept telling his brother. “Four-and-half years ago no one knew him. Today everybody knows Barack.”

His brother smiled at the irony because in Prince George’s County, everybody knows “Jack.”

---

(NewsCore) - A top county official in Maryland and his wife were arrested Friday after attempting to hide or destroy bribe money received from a local developer, $76,000 of which was hidden in the womanÂ’s underwear, The Washington Post reported.

Prince GeorgeÂ’s County Executive Jack Johnson and wife Linda Johnson, who serves on the County Council, were charged in federal court with evidence tampering and destruction and falsification of records, the report said.

Federal officials arrived at the JohnsonÂ’s Mitchellville, Md., home outside of Washington, D.C., Friday morning as two agents were listening to a phone conversation between the couple.

During the call, Mr. Johnson told his wife to tear up a $100,000 check from a local developer who offered the money in return for his support of a project. Mrs. Johnson complied and then flushed the remnants down the toilet, agents said.

When Mrs. Johnson asked what to do with the cash in the house, her husband told her to stuff it in her bra.

Shortly after the couple was taken away in handcuffs, a plumber was summoned to the home by the FBI to search the toilet for the remainders of the check.

Posted by: Progressive Thunktank at November 13, 2010 08:37 AM (wpMA7)

33 Yeah, that makes sense. Leaks about intelligence gathering, leaks about locations of prisoners, leaks about how we know about terrorist attacks: no particular cause for alarm.

This leak? STOP THE PRESSES, CALL OUT THE MARINES!!!!

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at November 13, 2010 09:00 AM (61b7k)

34 All I'll tell you savages that the person who leaked has the most FABULOUS jazz-hands EVER!  

Toodles!

Posted by: Julian Assange at an Undisclosed Location and Running Low on Astroglide at November 13, 2010 09:50 AM (2PTT7)

35

32 I kinda agree with this -- maybe it could lead to stronger penalties against the shitbirds?  I can dream right?

There were already gays in the military (and some in frontline positions); if they're good troop, then they're good troop, and nobody should have a problem with them (just like with women); if they aren't worth a shit then get rid of them.  The only thing that bothers me is a bunch of jagoffs decide to make a "political statement" by joining, and then act like a bunch of, well, jagoffs (and then you can't kick them out because they are a new, protected class).

Posted by: unknown jane at November 13, 2010 10:26 AM (5/yRG)

36 *tears. Waaa...waaa...like this is an issue of national security. Am I required as a patriot to give a shit about this nonsense?

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Posted by: fsafs at November 14, 2010 03:42 PM (o5zIg)

38

Does Gates know were broke? We can't afford the service memebers we have let alone more of them or the new bathrooms and stuff for the wave of transgender troops, and I don't even want to think about how high the high rate of AIDS in the Navy will go. I insist that the US run a surplus before our military pays for gender reassignment surgery like Australia. Period.

Dear HLBT, Shut up! Enough already. You are less than 2% of the US population, and less than 1.5% of the UK population, while 5% of school children are considered gifted but we don't have any money to spend on gifted education because we are busy paying off you loud mouth gays. If you were as smart as you think you are, you would shut up and let us go back to giving funds to gifted education because those are the taxpayers who will pay for your broke AIDS ass in old age.

Posted by: FeFe at November 15, 2010 03:56 PM (TjlA2)

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