Then go live somewhere else.

No way deserter...

In this country we get to be appalled by the corrupt actions of our government...like starting two unjust wars of aggression...if you don't like that...good welcome to the land of the free

Zionazis? Do you have any conception how stupid that remark is? Did you leave your entire iq at the breakfast table or just not have one to begin with?

Hey, Obama promised us Change and Transparency so other than any classified documents that put our military or this country at risk what is his problem? It would appear(for the most part) that the Obama Administration, has the same problem with Wiki that they do with the State of Arizona. Both have left Obama with egg on his fact because he is both not doing his job and not keeping his promise.

For our corrupt government officials, life was much simpler before the Internet. Then most of us didn't know anything that they did not want us to know and those who did know were sworn to keep it a secret. Now, more and more our top government officials are being caught basically taking bribes and telling lies and instead of cleaning up their act (the Obama Administration especially) is looking toward some one else to throw under the bus for THEIR actions.

So what if a few civilians are killed in Afghanistan or Pakistan when we go after terrorists that they are hiding. That is war and if we are going to let our military fight the "war on terrorism" then we need to accept that there will be some collateral damage. We should try to avoid unnecessary collateral damage, but bad things happen, when wars are fought and people who knowingly harbor terrorists are a part of the problem and know or should know that they also may be killed.

Bottom line to Obama is this: "IF" what Wiki has leaked to the world is fact, then good or bad admit it and move on and quit trying to cover up things that are not a matter of national security. Terrorists are cowards, they will use any and all available cover/places to hide. Our intell is not always 100% accurate. When we bomb a village and or specific hut to take out a bunch of terrorists and they are either hiding behind a few civilians or are forcing a few civilians to hide them under threat of death, that is not our fault or concern. If we did our best to limit or eliminate civilian casualties and a few get killed anyway, move on the the next objective and put that one behind us. Most of these people know nothing but war anyway and have no intentions of being our friend. I would be willing to bet that if it were not for our military presence there the Aghan government would want us gone so they could get back to business as usual.

Maybe you could try living in Mexico they are looking for some prison guards!!!

All these people screaming how this is treason should know that telling the truth is what a democracy is really about

Doesn't anyone care about these 'news' organizations publishing these documents? So it's alright to publish confidential & secret documents because you claim to be a 'news' organization (NY Times, Der Speil, UK)? Or even republishing them (MSNBC)?

Call me old fashion, but are they not helping leak? It's alright if to open the value to full if the oil is just leaking a little. Same train of thought. Let's make a bad situation worst. Anything for a story, huh 'news' organizations? Guess western media is going the ways of Al-Jazeera 'news.'

What going after these 'news' agencies that are publishing (or republishing) confidential & secret documents?

How in the hell can some group get hold of this much secret documents? It appears our intelligence (or lack of) agencies are asleep at the switch; after 9/11 you would think we would have learned; these documents are so explosive as to warrant a grand jury investigation; if we are killing that many non-combatant persons, then something is very wrong with our conduct of the war!

Stop making a mountain out of a mole hill, and stop trying to divert the attention from the real problem here. Government, War, Politics, OIL!

desertrat-1996386,

No why dont we fix it! The government is corrupt - it has been for decades. Time we return it to the people.

Another commenter who has never heard of the Haavara agreement the Zionists made with Hitler. A person who believes the history written only by the winners of wars is brainwashed. How did a Van Gogh painter wana be who wrote an unintelligible book like Mien Kompf become leader of Germany? The only answer is money and it was Zionist money that put Hitler in power. The supreme race and the "chosen people" are the same elitist theory. The money from the common middle class Jews and Polish Christians, gays and handicapped people that were murdered went into Swiss bank accounts where the inbred bad spawn siblings still hold money secretly to this day.

no no, are u serious??? dude we are now in a "standing up an army" stage so we can roll. There is no real reason-unless the paki's stand up-to be there any longer. Guarding dope? Wow thats crazy

Leaking classified information to the public about government affairs is a polarized issue. The way I see it, on one hand if informnation was divulged that would lead to compromise of American military strategy, it would be detrimental to our progress, and quite possibly cost American blood in the process.

On the other hand, I feel it is necessary to have transparency of our actions, given specific conditions that do not exacerbate the aforementioned risks. When our military acts out of line, or commits some grave affliction or illegality, the perpetrators ought to be held accountable. When our government is caught lying or misrepresenting true American interests (of the people, not the corporations), then we ought to know about it and allow justice to prevail. That's the way it is supposed to be.

For clarification, (because I know the flamers will emerge on this one), please understand that I am not advocating NY Times divulging military technology or strategies, or Fox "news" spinning the rationale for more war......there are times when secrets need to be secret and our government needs margin to conduct its affairs away from the public eye. But let's not forget that WE are supposed to be the good duys....WE are supposed to be the world example of righteousness and justice, the "shining city upon a hill" as it was once said...

When a fallacy of military conduct occurs, such as Abu Ghraib, or the chopper attack on innocent Iraqi citizens (I forget the details, found on Wikileaks), our government needs to own up to the scrutinization. The lack of proper transparency and admission is precisely what causes the global community to lose respect for American affairs.

No American expects our government to divulge important information that protects our civilian and military populations. But we deserve to know when our government is making decisions that affect our security, economic interests, social advancement, global affairs, internal policy, etc. It is not the secrets that help us, but the secrets that hurt us, that Americans wish to have our government reveal.

Now, I realize after reviewing my post that I may have combined some "apples and oranges" in this letter, but transparency and accountability are two sides of the same coin; namely we expect our government to act with responsibility and professionalism.

The answers, of course, as to the "truth" of all that one is exposed to, are hard to come by. But in the run-up to the next war, presumably Iran, please start thinking and asking questions. Do not believe everything you read! Question where our government and the media receive their information. Ask if it makes sense! Ask WHY things are done in the manner they have been, and for WHOM does it benefit???

The leaked information in Wikileaks, for example, often answers the very questions that concerned individuals have, but are not receiving, from those who are elected to do our bidding.

This is pitiful. The United States is either naive or stupid. The Wall Street Bailout Boys think if they just show-up with a wad of cash, they can overide centuries of traditional Islamic Culture. Pakistan is Islamic. Afghanistan is Islamic. Why would Pakistan truly side with American infidels? This is against everything Muslims believe in.

Please give us some thinking people, actual strategists, instead of fat, cigar-chomping Rush Limbaugh types. Why do we choose these folks as decision makers - because they shout louder? Sheesh....

One question unanswered; who was able to get hold of over 100 thousand classified documents; an inside job is the only answer, question who authorized it!

RebelYell- the Afghans were growing about 10% of the world's opium harvest for heroin BEFORE the Americans came....now they are producing about 90% of the world's supply. You do the math.

Using illegal drugs and/or making them is against Islamic law, especially the Sharia-style laws that the Taliban implemented. The Talibani government fought hard to destroy the opium fields. Now that they are out of power, the occupying forces have the burden of destroying the poppy fields. But, one can argue, that with as large a military as we have, would finding and removing the opium production be that difficult? If our local policing authorities can fly over your backyard and find a few pot plants, then how would finding massive poppy fields be elusive? Think about it.

As for the increase in the amount grown, it most likely is due to the lack of effective employment and opportunities for the average Afghani. Or, some might consider, our CIA is once again stirring things up. I have no real data to support this conjecture, but it makes a lot more sense given the history.....

So what makes us so sure, that this was not selective /embellisment reporting from the documents?

Trust the media?

I wonder if we were really serious, would we say to the Pak gov to get rid of Tal by X time or we will bomb your country back to the stone age ?

"This is old bad news at a new bad time," he added.

I fear we will be hearing this quite a lot :(

The real problem is there are many stakeholders involved in this war whose interest is to continue the war, rather than end and win it. There are many extremists on both sides, and there are many parties which often cross the fence to fight the side they were supporting just weeks ago. Governments, militaries, intelligence agencies, corporations, private securities, tribal groups, militants, and of course media - they are all in for power, money and resources. Long gone are the days when wars were fought for the right morals and virtues.

I am just surprised that no one in any governments (be it US, Afghan or Pakistan, etc.) has a clear undertsanding of the scope of the problem or what might be the right solution to win the war. The first thing to realize it is that Afghanistan, based on its geo-political and cultural aspects, can never have a succesful central govenrment. It never had one before. The only way Afghanistan can be politically stable is to have local/regional governments based on local ethnicity/tribals with control and accountability for their areas.

From what I gathered from NPR, it is believed that the leak came from a soldier in Afghanistan who was recently arrested for leaking information. If true, we know he leaked it to Wikileaks.

Please be aware that this is low level intelligence, and much of what is reported may not be factual at all.

Regardless, we have to decide to stay in and try and win the hearts and minds of the people of Afghanistan or leave and let the taliban take over once again. We've been there almost 10 years now.

Can we afford to stay in Afghanistan?

desertrat (how about just rat for short?,

Why, when someone states that they don't trust the US government, is your first response that they should get out of the country? If you don't value honesty and freedom of speech (and frankly, if you believe any of the swill that our government serves up lately), maybe you would be the one whom we are better off without, but even so, I'm not about to presume to show you the door. You don't have to agree with me to be an American, a fact which is all too often lost on posters here.

Gullibility is not synonymous with patriotism, and I'm puzzled as to how it ever came to be viewed in that way. There are numerous flawed arguments floating around as to why US citizens should simply do as their government tells them, but I don't see how anyone could believe that would ever result in better governance. If the government wants my faith and cooperation to be more forthcoming, then I'd say that they need to earn that trust, which their actions of the past few decades (I'm being generous here) have not done.

I'll agree that citizens have certain duties to the state, but it does not follow from that concept that I have an irrevocable obligation to swallow whatever crap they put forward out of a warped sense of convenience and entitlement. In all honesty, this Afghan matter stinks so badly that I'd say we're close to the point where I feel a general strike should be called by US citizens to bring an end to it. Our service members are dying in support of a web of lies, and not in defense of our country as they bravely volunteered to do. They are in no position to renegotiate their situations, but we are.

Of course Pakistan is our enemy, their country is filled with, and is governed by Islamic jihadist scum. Now the US is sending aid to Pakistan while they provide help to our enemies in Afghanistan! We are financing the war against ourselves! What fools we must appear to be in the eyes of our enemies! Indeed. Vote the democrats out or we will pay a high price before long folks.

The whole idea that this stuff puts our soldiers at further risk seems like a bit of a stretch. Documents exposing the fact that we have been blowing up civilians is probably not news to Afghan CIVILIANS.

We dropped the ball back in 2003 when we pulled back to attack Iraq. We are now just making the situation worse it is time to withdraw.

Right=wrong,

Are you kidding, the idea that this is the fault of the dems is the most ridiculous BS I have ever heard.

Cheney and Bush dropped the ball when they diverted troops to attack Iraq. If we were going to have any chance at making this work we needed to have been fully engaged in Infrastructure building and the training of Afghan Police forces starting in 2003. However there was not enough money in those operations for Haliburton and Blackwater.

GMOsucks - Two unjust wars? Do you remember what happened on 9/11/2001? Now just suppose that happens again. What would your solution be?

Dennis, what did Saddam have to do with 9/11?

Just a coincidence that this comes out just as McChrystal steps down in some disgrace?

McChrystal was reportedly known for saying and thinking what other military leaders were afraid to.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_McChrystal

Looking more like the end stage of the Viet Nam war all the time.

spg. The Bush administration did not give our enemies money to finance the fight against us as our current bumbling administration is doing. The people of Afghanistan don't want our help or they would stop shooting our troops in the back. You are the one who believes in BS.

Uh, yes he did. He most DEFINITELY did. Quite enthusiastically, too.

rightvswrong, we have been giving pakistan money for a long time, where have you been? We even paid the Iraqi forces that had been bombing our soldiers money to stop. I am not saying either was right or wrong but the axe you are grinding is dull.

It remains a truth no matter how dull and noone seems to care and all the while our soilders die.

I've been here, watching in disbelief.

right=wrong,

You really need to read more!

The Bush administration fed Billions into Pakistan this idea that some how Obama is following a different path is simply ridiculous. He is following the same foolish path laid out by the Bush Admin and it is going to bite them(and US) on the ass.

We need to get the hell out now!

Heck of a job, Bush!

Unfortunately President Obama is now saddled with Bush's Vietnam.

We need to get out, now!

It's apparent where the leak came from. Somewhere inside our military intelligence apparatus. When we talk about security of the country we really have so many factions doing this it's become like the former Soviet Complex, ie KGB, GRU, STAVKA, MVD etc. We have the Department of Homeland Security which was "Suppose" to take over security operations from many different and sometimes rival intelligence entities. But really they are responsible for domestic and international leading to domestic threats. Then you have NSA, they have intel on EVERYONE! Read the puzzle palace. My brother was stationed there after a tour on the border of East Germany in a listening post. He still can't say what he did for NSA. Then you have the Embassy services, which go into other countries and get HVI's like Khalid Shaikh Mohammed who was taken into custody in Pakistan. Then there's the good ole' CIA. These are the folks that are still doing what they have done since the days of Vietnam. They dress plain carry submachine pistols and are providing and getting boots on the ground intel. Oh, and they also have the cool new Predator from which their intel allows them to give HVI's a big kiss from Mr. Hellfire. There are several others but the only two entities that control initial intelligence, battlefield intelligence, is the military intelligence apparatus and CIA and the latter sometimes isn't privy to the former. How was this info leaked. Heres one possible scenario, a middle management officer, say a captain, was on General McChrystals staff. He's downright pissed because he admired his boss and couldn't believe he was fired for telling the truth. So, through secure channels, which there are no more secure channels than a military truck packed with commo gear, sends these reports to show what his boss was talking about all along. Trust me, if this captain is good or has a seargant that is a friend and works in the truck, you won't find where the info was transmitted from. Trust me on this one, my kid brother was the seargant in the back of one of those trucks and was able to make VOIP calls home from the field untraceably all the time. Not that he would ever commit treason he wouldn't but this is my point of reference. So there it is. Billions of dollars in intelligence services and no way to guard the guards. As I said in my post before, I hope they find the leak, court martial his butt and put him in front of the rifles.

DENNIS...

19 of the 20 terrorists on 9/11 were from......wait for it......SAUDI ARABIA...not Afghanistan...so yeah 2 unjust wars.

Oh and my solution would not be to be a scared little baby like the righties and start wars out of revenge (preemption is for the fearful) ... there is a reason we have the CIA and Special Ops.

Screw turning tail and running like cowards. We need to make a graveyard of the middle east and put all the arabs in the hole.

Ok you have spouted off the wrong way to do things, how about the right way?

How about we give the Islamic jihadists a hug? It would be great if that would work. However, we must kill them because that will not work. They do not want peace and their religion allows for no peace treaties.

Hmmmmmmm !!!!!!!!!

Killing civilians during War---Is this somehow a surprise to any of you ???

Let's move on ! This War is worthless, just as the Iraqi War was worthless once we confirmed that there were no WMDs. We will never get Bin Laden, if he is evern alvie, as long as we keep troops over there. Leave and get him when he comes out into the open.

As some of you have commented in the past, it is time to bring our troops home from all over the World not just Afghanistan. We have troops in over 130 countries and the cost is probably very close to a Trillion dollars. How can I say that----very easy. We are paying all these countries Bribes, Kickbacks, payoffs and "Free Trade" deals to keep our troops there. It is a Monumental Waste unheard of in the History of this country---maybe the World. We are supporting a great empire not a Freedom Loving Nation. We have been duped into believing all this overseas adventurism is needed. That's C--P !! Our Country is being pulled down by the shear load of all this WASTE ! Please use your brain. Do we really need to race down the tracks just so we can become totally bankrupt and a has been Third World country ?

Remember the Third Great Lie! "Hi, I'm from the government and I'm here to help you."

no we shoudnt be there,yes the gov. is corrupt,anything our boys do there to stay alive is justified first rule of combat is anything worth shooting once is worth shootin twice ammo is cheep lives are expensive I SUPPOSE THE WEEPING HEARTS of americia would prefer our guys used nerf bullets.I SERVED didnt like some things ordered to do but what needs to be understood is freedom has a flavor the protected never tast and no matter what political issues are top story its been worse now we have the web more info gets out the good ole days just translates into you didnt know we still live in the greatest nation on the planet if you dont think so move out after all so many have died to give you that right

I am OCONUS as I right.
Personally I think to leak 92,000 Pages that covered a 5 year span is more than a single person to do. This to me appears to be the a Government leak, a OBAMA government leak. To take everyone eyes of the other hand (what he has failed at) and reinstigate the hatred of the US armed forces that the GOP backs. It is truly sad when an American Administration is willing to leak information that will have massive ramifications for us and our allies on the GWOT. It is funny how it is released 4 month before elections and now will provide the dems with talking points for up coming debated and finger pointing.

Don't forget they attacked us and killed 3,000 people while they were not afghanies they were reciveing money from training bases and people over here.

If these issues would have been reported on nothing would have changed. Obama new about it and he did nothing but redify the ROE. War is not candycanes and lolly pops. It is expensive and hazardous and we are doing our best to stand Afghanistan up so that they my have a chance when O pulles the plug. We have already accomplished so much here. Stuff happen and when you put it all together in one document it appears to some people that it happens all the time which is not true at all. If I put a 92,000 page document together about all the underhanded crap that goes on here in the US with government officals and through in some murders and drugs it would look very bad to.

This was a very crafted ploy to discredit the GWOT for the american and allied public that is all. But again It gives the Dems a platform to stand on in Novemeber and will over shadow the falt that the dems have had since they took power. Just a case of look over here and not over there. What we are doing is not easy by anystretch of the imagination and this Crap (because that what it is) is CHI-town politics. We (you soldiers) have talking abou this all day. and have all come to the realization that it is one of to things

1 A ploy for the dems against the GOP and the administration leaked it. So everyone gets of the Racisim soap box and Obama and the dems have something creitable to stand on in NOV.

or

2 The Obama administration leaked it to get the independant voter fired up as well as the rest of the country to have them put pressure on the administration to pull out of afghanistan. which they have been looking for a reason.

Anyway you cut it 92,000 pages just don't go missing from a threater of operations without someone not knowing about it. So there for it would either have to be made up in some cases or a very big group of people who are looking to stay where they are in November got together to put on a very good show.

Either way the release of these document is the highest form of treason and have hurt the US infrastuctor and may end up killing more American and allies in the future. All of the Arabic TV station are running it and thowing thier own spin on it. And now as im watching they are calling on more brothers and sisters to come to the aid of the so-called innocent.

This is the worst back stab in american history. I'm going to bed its 0142 and i;m tied. Great job folks, great Job.

Ladies and Gentlemen who read this,

I submit to you that I agree with Screaming. This is far to big to be a single person. Lets look at the facts for a moment:

1. The Obama administration has FAILED miserable to deliver anything. Obama has given plenty of mesmerizing speaches about nothing, but has delivered us just as much.

2. Healthcare Reform? So we're going to put small business out of business because the little guy, who is struggling his ass off right now (I know from personal experience), has to pay for his employees to have healthcare. This dispite they have a hard time paying for the space they rent to run thier business. And they did this for who? The gay community? I see that the Obama administration really has the interest of all Americans at heart...or is it just special interest?

3. Let's take a look at the time frame covered by these documents. From 2004-2009? So we're working under an administration that had bold ideas and yet failed miserably in the execution. Trying to turn our country back into a true Free Market system was a good idea George W., but not unlike Reganomics didn't you forget to factor Greed into your equation? So much for Harvard Economics. Maybe they should teach human nature with that degree program

4. The Demecrats are about to take a pounding in the poles come November. They will more then likely lose the senate because they produced no results. Basically, they're about to go to Trump's board room and hear those famous words. YOU'RE ALL FIRED, GET OUT!!

Realistically, this is just another Washington ploy to shift the focus and make yourselves look just a little better then the other guy, isn't it Democrats. But let's face it, the Republican party just looks like a dung heap in these files. I say vote for your favorite cab driver or waitress in November ladies and gentlemen, they couldn't do a worse job and might actually make some real (not halucinated from a mezmorizing speach) change.

My earlier comment implicating General McChrystal was very misguided.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrest_of_Bradley_Manning

Here's an article about the release of documents from the WS (World Socialist) website:

Leaked documents expose imperialist war in Afghanistan

By Alex Lantier
27 July 2010

On Sunday, the WikiLeaks web site posted 91,731 American military documents on the US-NATO occupation of Afghanistan, covering the period from January 2004 to December 2009. The release was timed to coincide with articles on these revelations in the New York Times, the British Guardian and the German weekly magazine Der Spiegel, all of which had received the documents several weeks ago.

The documents make clear that the occupation of Afghanistan is a filthy imperialist war. Popular resistance and protest demonstrations are drowned in blood, US death squads operate at will under a media blackout, and Washington and NATO collaborate with a narrow elite of corrupt warlords and Afghan officers.

The documents were released as the Afghan government confirmed that NATO rocket fire last week killed more than 50 civilians, largely women and children, in the Sangin district of Helmand Province. The attack was one of the worst since the May 2009 Gerani air strike, in neighboring Farah province, which killed 140 civilians, including 93 children and 28 women.

The WikiLeaks documents confirm the massive scale of US-NATO repression. By the American military’s own classification, which downplays the role of US and NATO troops, the release includes 13,734 reports of “friendly action” by US-NATO forces. The number of Afghan attacks—there are 27,078 reports of “enemy action” and 23,082 of “explosive hazards”—shatters claims that the Afghan resistance is the product of a few Al Qaeda terrorists. There are 237 reports of popular demonstrations against the US occupation or US-controlled Afghan authorities....

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/jul2010/afgh-j27.shtml

While Americans were still reeling from the WTC 9/11 and the crashing US

economy which wiped out $5 TRILLION of American's life savings, Cheney

and his buddies at World Bank were ALREADY busy writing the Afghan

Hydrocarbon and Minerals Laws, in English, for the orderly extraction of

the $1 TRILLION in Afghan resources, for the lowest royalties on Earth,

and with no environmental protection or remediation, just a corrupted

Inspectorate like the American M&MS which brought US the Gulf blowout.

While you were sobbing over 9/11, Cheney was rollicking off to his bank,

fixin' to out Valerie Plame, an active CIA agent in charge of Iraqi WMD intel,

and now we have an active CIA/NSA domestic PSYOP operation on all of US!

WikiLeaks ain't the half of it!

SmokeSellers.com

AfghanistanPetroleum.com

http://www.scribd.com/doc/33086321/Diminution-and-Development-by-Peter-Torbay

Herman,

you are making their heads explode with Cheney info! Love it. Post your info away. Good fact-backing always chases the Jingoes away.

Peace and CYA

This is a similar story re: the Iranian Nuclear Scientist who came here supposedly giving the US Intelligence Dept. Iranian classifed nuke secrets.. We still don't know the truth of why he was here. Kidnapped?. Was he a double agent, or did he get more classified information from our pleasing all US Government and Intelligence Agencies,, also? The US is in a weakened position for another attack on our soil, or our military in harms way..

Wilileaks is a similar operation in that there are more people gaining classified information for the benefit of destroying our Military/our country, our people while we are trying to gain hold on Afghanistan, over a 9 year period of time. There are groups out there who want to destroy the US.

This now is the second time within a month, we've had problems with our National Security secrets being siezed or released... How is it, that Classified Information is so easily available?

It is the responsibility of people working within our Government, and the Pentagon to see that this never happens. What are they doing with their "time" while working.

Military/Defense Companies such as Aerospace Divisions (Boeing) have a "black box"; where this kind of information never can be released or hacked into to. Background checks are done on all employees. How about security locks on all computers. Does our Government keep track of updating these, and checking for hackers.

Who is sleeping at the "wheel" in Washington, D.C.?.

America's code can be 'cracked" open. Shameful.

At a news conference in London on Monday, Mr. Assange defended the release of the documents. “I’d like to see this material taken seriously and investigated, and new policies, if not prosecutions, result from it,” he said.

Here's an idea. If 'Mr' Assange would like to see "prosecutions" then give them to him. Are these documents not US Government property? Did he receive these documents illegally? I'm not a lawyer but to me that sounds like knowingly receiving stolen property not to mention any other laws broke to due security & release of these documents.

Australia does have an extradition treaty with the US. Bring his sorry Aussie butt to the US for prosecution.

Among them was Mr. Assange’s assertion, “I enjoy crushing bastards.”

And I can only hope that the US does too, you POS!

This arrogant Aussie Mr. ASShinge will get his just desserts whether it's as a result of this or someone else he pisses off. Piss off Putin and your next meal might just be your last,dip$h*t!!

Just another link in the chain so the government can take control of the news media.

If theis guy can think the UK will protect him he is very wrong. he has infact violated multiple treaties and placed his own contrymen at risk as they are also part of the ISAF. Now if Obama would only do something about it...Which I bet he won't because Again, I belive that this was an inside job. MAcrystal was warning everyone about the the Obam picked Embassitor to Afghanistan. This is way to big to be a one man operation. EVEN if the kids had ans TS/SCI he is comparmentalized for need to know only. It would take someone very high up to compile all of this information and get it under the radar of IMO, DOIM, Counter-Intel. and the other various folk incharge of OPSEC. Only the ISAF commander would have the access required to gather the information leaked and He is not the type of guy that would put his men and jepordize his career for this. I have served with our commander for may years and general "P" is as trust worthy as they come. So that leaves him out. However the embassitor has all of the same information as the Commander because "O" wants someone n his team to know everything as well. So having only a handful of people that could get this information that spanned this length of time, the volume of information and finally the differant topics of theinformation One can come to the conclusion that it would need to be a source that could have his hand in any cooky jar in country without any body questioning him. A PVT or even a 3 star General does not have the neccessary need-to-know priviliage that this would take to pull of. Just look at all of the area that these documents cover. You have topics related to AIR, Politics, Civil affairs, Infantry, CSS, INTEL, Pakastani.

I can only think of oone person that could pull it off and a reason why.

As I have stated up top the dems have no platform to speak on. They need money to help the budget. They are against the war (even though that this is ware the plan came from and training took place). They hate Karazi and Pakistan.

This will give them a Platform of how bad the Repubs turned attention away fron AFG during the bush year.

If this get the people mad they will demad "O" pull the troops out and that then would free up the money of a war and allow "O" to decrease the defense budget as he wants to and Mr. Gates tells him he can't do during a time of active war.

They get to bring home the troops.

They get to turn their back on Karizi and the afghan government (by stopping the flow of money).

And finally they don't have to work with Pak.

All it take is one Ambassistor. And not one thing can change my mind even if some PVT cliams to be the traitor. Look at Robert Hanson from the FBI who was caught and convicted he himself, Could only get out specific information that was in his job sector. He even could not supply the russian with this amount of Intel. of a 15 year period.

To me and the rest of the soldier who we are talking all about this belive it is a total and direct attack from some high up within our own government.

They (The Defense agencies) need to dig deep and hard and not focus on one PVT but need to look at what to evidence has revieled.

If pvt manning did indeed leak this information he should get the death penalty, this is treason and the only acceptable penalty is death...I was in the army for 10 years and if we had one of ours do this crap, he would have had a serious accident up and down the stairs 20 or 30 times,,,

Mr.Assange sent these document to a number of Major American News Outlets and gave them a significant amount of time to process the info before the publication. He did this right. He acted as a fair whistle blower. The US Government and War Inc(Haliburton) may not like it but he is simply showing the US public a few more reasons to get the hell out of Afghanistan!

IF one afghani dies from this treasonist act I would only wish that the current administration would nail him to the first poll they find.

But we have a softer genteer country where this is OK and the administration has no intestianl foritude to call upon the Austailian government to act.

If this would have been 30 years ago and the Tech would have been around Americas white Hackers would have crushed the site.

Including knowing everything is wrong? (^:

You must have been high on somehting, because "they" been sying this since 1776.

When it comes to war, the actual situation is ALWAYS worse that portrayed by the government. There is nothing new here.

Well certainly intelligence reports aren't always accurate. So read this stuff with that in mind. Also, the leaks don't have any "top secret" information included.

Maybe we should thoroughly investigate the past of the leaders of wikileaks and post that.

Yeah, shoot the messenger...

I heard that Gen. McChrystal was mad that he got fired by Pres. Obama and leaked these himself.

Long live WikiLeaks.

http://wikileaks.org/

WikiLeaks sucks!!! All of you freedom of information types who seem to think it's okay to leak Classified and Secret information let me ask why?? You claim that we target/kill civilians,well guess what,smart guys (and gals)?? This information is going to get Afghan and Pakistani civilians killed by ISLAMISTS. Are you guys okay with that?? The next batch of TALIBAN attack deaths is going to be the FAULT of Mr. ASShinge and PFC (not a) Manning!!

I repeat--------Just another link in the chain so the government can take control of the news media.

Leaking anything that puts our soldiers at greater risk should be off limits. That will result in people getting maimed and killed. Otherwise, yes - the American people, the world, needs to know about Pakistan's support of terrorism is. We are desperate for some type of foothold with them, so we don't treat them as a rogue nation like Iran or North Korea.

What they need is international sanctions, not bribe money from America they don't earn. How about no money from any source and starve them out? How about international sanctions?

India has been saying that Pakhistan has been supporting terrorism for a long time. We never wanted to listen.

No kidding, this guy needs to be charged with compromising national security or something. Those documents are secret for a REASON.

Unreported civilian deaths should not be kept secret. What is wrong with you people?

This guy should be prosecuted for treason. Posting those leaks will cause harm and death to our troops and put our sources of information in danger as well. No one said war was a clean business and that there wouldn't be civilian deaths as a result. But of course this liberal news organization would rather us do nothing to prevent the spread of terrorism. It's far better to cut the head off the snake over there before the violence comes to our shores.

Bush, Cheney, Wolfowitz, Kissinger, and defense contractor CEOs who made billions off of the pet goat mosad false flag wars to get Iraqi Oil to Haifa on the bodies of dead US soldiers, and innocent Iraqi and Afghan, woman and children is who compromised US national security. When the truth compromises security only the liars are secure. Wake up tea party conservatives you all have been lied to and your loyalty has been used agianst you by chicken hawk war profiteers.

What evidence Vegnawar do you have that Obama is a "globalist puppet".

Obama is doing his job despite your beliefs. Two wars are winding down, we have 3 consecutive quarters of economic growth, and jobs are finally starting to be added with manufacturing leading the way.

Recovery from a recession is slow, if Reagan were alive he would tell you that.

Reagan did the one thing Obama can't do: cut and run.

It appears that the same people that support the violation of our Fourth Amendment by suggesting that only those with something to hide should be concerned, are the very ones that support government secrecy. Combine a populous preconditioned for servility and then manipulate them with constant propaganda, the result is well documented in some of these postings. What a collection of god-dammed fools.

Eighteen months latter,"It wasnt me Mommy,it was Georgie",and he cant cut and run? That's all the pathetic jerk knows how to do!

I don't understand how leaking these puts the troops at risk. The officers in charge of the troops already know the info, as do the Taliban. Therefore leaking this info has no major effect on what is actually happening on the ground, it just lets us know about it.

How does this put our troops at (further) risk. 1) If the Taliban/al-Qaeda see evidence that the U.S. is growing war weary by a bunch of anti-war stories they will step up attacks,just like in Iraq in 2006. 2) Any information about civilian casualties may tip the Afghan villagers against us,although unlike Iraq they are much less connected to the outside world 3) Secret information that includes dates and doesn't mean much to us, may allow some terrorist to figure out the timeline of a defeat and possibly who cooperated or worse who he THINKS cooperated. That won't get troops killed,it will get civilians killed. Isn't that what we're supposed to be avoiding??

I repeat--------Just another link in the chain so the government can take control of the news media.

So the government can take control of the news media?? Are you kidding ?? Why would they want to do that?? The news media are the biggest cheerleaders they have. Why would they risk screwing that up??

Fred---because they have to have control of "ALL" of the media as cheerleaders have been know to turn when things get really bad. They have to silence anyone that can tell what they are really doing. They are already going after the Internet and now this link in the chain is starting on the regular media. Here's a list.

1. Take over big businesses (example GM).

2. Remove power of all of Wall Street and control what CEO's can earn.

3. Health care and insurance co. and believe me you will soon see government run health care. They are already taking over long term care.

4. Working on taking control of the oil industry close to home--shuting down the Gulf of Mexico so jobs are being lost and companies leaving.

5. Number 4 above will make it much easier to push though the Cap and Trade agenda they have planned out.

6. Starting to work on taking over and getting the power to shut down the Internet.

7. This news leaking over from the Internet to the main media will be a good excuse to take control of that to (Yeah right) protect us. It has already started as the media is being told not to print some things to protect our service men and women which is a joke since it hasn't been that long since they were hauling them into court to prosecute them for doing their job.

All of Washington has become one big cess pool that needs to be flushed and cleaned out. Main problem is that it is so big at this point that will be very hard to do. Really hard to get rid of a system that votes on their own jobs, salaries and what they can do etc.

So much easier to turn Fred off than to try to reason with him. He just comes up as (Ignoring Author).

Done a long time ago

Gee, care to cite a source on that one, Veg?

Yeah Veg, I'd like to know that too!

Well, it's clearly a rectum-derived statement. Probably a lie inspired by FOX News, one that since he is so deranged against this president that he probably even believes is true.

Why not mention the Bush that started this mess, you know the second one with his brainless head up his ass to save the oil business and embold our enemies like the Saudis who contributed to the beginning of all this on 9-11-01.

peple tend to forget how and WHO put us in this spot. Bush was a disaster, how can anyone vote for big bizness repukes? THEN he used FEAR to "Swift Boat" his way to term 2. WE, as a nation, we been HAD. DesertRat ur right.

Bush started it?

I thought it is a response to Muslim subhumans murdering 3000 innocent people without justification

And the illegal war in Iraq that diverted resources from Afghanistan? Whose fault was that?

Bri,you are the first one to get it right. The 3,000 innocent humans slaughtered that day,not to mention the thousands injured,were CIVILLIANS.

That despicable attack is justification for WAR. War as described by Gen.Geo Patton is the process of "killing people and breaking things,until the enemy surrenders--unconditionally."

When a CIC sends other peoples sons,daughters,mothers,fathers,etc.into harms way,he must issue one and only one "rule of engagement" WIN,he must provide the very best weapons that we posess and allow the Generals to prosecute the battle(s) at all times.

The only thing I see wrong about the Special Operations reported on this morning is (1) that they were not nearly as extensive as they should have been,and (2) that a dirtbag should have been able to obtain classified info so easily.

What you seem to forget is that the Afgan war was ignored so Cheney could start a second war based on lies to steal the oil in Iraq and pull Halliburton out of bankruptcy.

What all the douche bag Bush blamers seem to forget is that congress had to ok the wars in both cases. So why does only Bush get the blame for these wars? You people need to grow up, we get it you didn't like Bush. That doesn't mean he was responsible for everything that is wrong in this nation. Just like I don't like Oblahblah, however I am smart enough to know that he is not responsible for everything either. These leaks are a good thing our military keeps to many secrets and civilians being slaughtered is not a good thing.

This current situation isn't about an "R" or a "D" it's about the unauthorized disclosure of Classified information. That is always wrong no matter what the circumstances, or who's jersey hangs in the White House!!

I repeat--------Just another link in the chain so the government can take control of the news media.

Grenade troll much Gmainco??

Right on man! Vietnam era vet here and I cant believe we are so stupid as to make the same mistakes twice in my lifetime!!

What we should have learned also goes back to the very beginning of our intervention in Afghanistan. We had Osama cornered at Tora Bora. We planned an assault with Afghan alleged "allies." We depended heavily on their intel. They helped to set up an attack. We sent in a unit that was ambush. We had the decision to go after saving the troops or go after Osama escaping over the border. We saved the troops.

Vietnam and Korea were two of our primary lessons about international intervention. The borders between countries have always been the issue with the enemy going back and forth. Not having front lines and conventional warfare is the most primary element. Once it is a war of insurgent ambushes, the enemy doesn't have to win, it just needs to not lose and then wait us out.

We owe it to our troops to have no more quagmires.

mountainmike - good post! The other issue is tribal clans - they do not get along with each other as one is typically more powerful than the other - you must pay off the tribal leaders, but which ones?

Democracy is not an option here!

yes, and those "allies" turned thier guns on our guys. Its TRUE. Why were the requests of the commanding officer on the ground DENIED? So OBL got away, they used that fear to blind us. 18 hrs wheels up...the RDF would be there.

MountainMike- You must have watched the same documentary the other night that I did! However, that facts surrounding that situation were that 3 American SF units were being held under fire from the insurgency in the Tora Bora region, right under Osama's nose!

But honestly, and here is where I constantly opine about thinking for one's self.....Do you honestly believe our government gives a hoot about the lives of 3 soldiers when the most wanted man in America is about to escape??? We have sacrificed nearly 5,000 brave soldiers between these two wars of aggression, and some here believe our government knowingly let him escape for the sake of 3 soldiers? No, it isn't that simple, my friends.

Besides, there is questionable evidence that OBL died in December 2001 just after we toppled the Talibani government. He did, afterall, have severe kidney disease that required frequent dialysis. Check with middle eastern papers around that time period for more info. If you think about it, if OBL died in 2001, then there wasn't any reason to invade Iraq, or continue these wars, right??? Right???

Indy "Patriot" maybe you should keep yourself informed of the current situation in Afghanistan and not worry so much about the mistakes we've made that led to it. I wasn't in ToraBora and neither were you but I'm fairly certain that NO one "allowed" OBL to escape,ESPECIALLY 3 MONTHS AFTER 9/11). He may well be dead but so what. al-Qaeda is alive and well with their latest two atrocities being bombing soccer fans in Uganda (through their al-Shabab affiliate) and MURDERING a 78 year old French aid worker in Africa.

As for that current ground situation, we've at least stopped the Taliban's progress in re-taking Afghanistan which combined with Pakistan's attacks on them mean they're having a pretty $h*tty year!! We simply can't just pack up and leave until we've ensured they aren't going to be in a position to re-take Afghanistan or FAR WORSE, overthrow NUCLEAR ARMED Pakistan!!!

I didn't think our side trip to Iraq was wise because I believed it would distract us from completing the mission in Afghanistan. But I've always believed we had every right to remove the Taliban and Hunt al-Qaeda. I believe we have every right to keep the Taliban from re-taking Afghanistan or overthrowing Pakistan and we should continue to hunt al-Qaeda.

This info was most likely leaked from within the military. Just like the previous leak of soldiers killing civilians was leaked by an Army member. Once leaked, it went to Wikileaks (Swedish) which is run by Assange (an Australian). The person who leaked the info may be tried for treason, but it's more complicated than "did you leak this?" "Yes? You're guilty." There are elements that need to be met all of which are listed in the US Constitution (the only crime so defined). However, Assange and Wikileaks are not American entities and treason is against one's own nation. They cannot be tried for treason against the US.

A true patriot is always on duty against enemies foreign and domestic. When people transform our government into a plutocracy owned by war profiteers who have voided the US Constitution I wish some people who post here would realize that exposing secrets exposes liars and the treasonous war profiteers. Exposing war prfiteereing liars and theives will protect our soldiers far more than lies and secrets designed to keep the money flowing into ZioNazi pockets.

Here is who and what US soldiers in Iraq and Afgahnistan are dying for:

Vance Coffman of Lockheed martin made 150 million, John Walsh of GE made 122million, L.B. Raymond of Exon made 114 million, Michel Dell made 500 million, Davis Cote of TRW made 44 million, George David of United Technologies made 280 million, DHB David Brooks made 250 million in one year including wages, bonuses, benefits and stock options

Perennial top-ranking defense contractor Lockheed Martin took in $32.1 billion from the federal government in 2006, most of it from the Pentagon. These taxpayer dollars made up more than 80 percent of the aerospace giant’s total revenues.

In 2007, Lockheed Martin CEO Robert Stevens (right) took home more than $24 million

787 times the annual pay of a typical U.S. worker ($30,617). That placed the company far over the 100-to-1 standard for good corporate citizenship the pending Patriot Corporations Act proposes. To make matters worse, at the same time CEO Stevens and his fellow executives were lining his pockets with taxpayer dollars, government auditors were accusing the aerospace firm of more than $8 billion in cost overruns on weapons development projects.

Just like they did to Saddam Hussien, the chicken hawk war profiteer schmucks continue selling weapons to enemies of freedom liberty and justice:

The United States accounted for more than two-thirds of foreign weapons sales in 2008, a year in which global sales were at a three-year low, The New York Times reported on Sunday. Citing a congressional study released on Friday, the Times said the United States was involved in 68.4 percent of the global sales of arms.

U.S. weapons sales jumped nearly 50 percent in 2008 despite the global economic recession to $37.8 billion from $25.4 billion the year before. The jump defied worldwide trends as global arms sales fell 7.6 percent to $55.2 billion in 2008, the report said. Global weapons agreements were at their lowest level since 2005. Italy, the second ranked country, amassed only $3.7 billion in arms sales, while Russia ranked third with sales falling to $3.5 billion in 2008, down from $10.8 billion in 2007.

The report attributed the increase in U.S. sales to "major new orders from clients in the Near East and in Asia" as well as to continued contracts for equipment and support services with globally based U.S. clients, the Times said. The United States also led in arms sales to the developing world, signing 70.1 percent of these weapons agreements at a value of $29.6 billion in 2008, the report said.

I am with you man.

Well then maybe you liberals will go make all the needed weapons to protect ourself for free.

If you liberals will not make the weapons for free, then you lost your right to bitch about companies that give people good jobs to do it.

Great facts thank you. Add to that all the employees (2 members of my family included) who can not see past their paychecks (From Locheed). How are they going to vote? You're kidding right? It is a dangerous world out there but we can only exacerbate the situation by continuing on our present course. We need to take care of our business here at home. Great nations have fallen as the result of doing exacty what our G is doing now. Getting too spread out.

The decline of the Roman Empire refers to the societal collapse encompassing both the gradual disintegration of the political, economic, military, and other social institutions of Rome and the barbarian invasions that were its final doom.

Bring the troops home and let the rest of the world decide their own fate.

Or suffer the consequences.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_the_roman_empire

Bri, the scientists and engineers that are making the weapons probably already are liberals. The conservatives are too busy putting lift kits on their trucks and shooting squirrels to go to college and get PhD's. (also don't get all huffy puffy, I'm just being sarcastic)

I think the true consequences we'll suffer will be if we puss out like in Nam (thanks to our politicians,not our soldiers). If Pakistan's nukes fall into the hands of the Taliban we'll see a much darker day than 9/11. It doesn't have to be a nuclear detonation that gets us,several dirty bombs would have at least the same effect. These "leaks" are all about trying to make those who support our efforts lose their resolve and they may well work, but rest assured anything other than finishing the dirty job in Afghanistan and Pakistan will result in a situation much worse than the current one. The JIHADISTS have declared war on the U.S. and civilization and they did it way before 9/11. We should have been kicking their a$$es after the Marine barracks bombing in 1983 but there was no way to foresee the 1988 Pan Am bombing ,the 1993 and 2001 World Trade Center attacks then.

Uh, yeah. We have a command for every part of the world. What's the big deal?

Last I checked we are the worlds superpower, through both economic and military means. I would be pissed if we didn't have an African command.

We actually have six (6) unified regional commands and four (4) functional commands. Six regional commands is up from the five that existed until 2007, but down from the seven that were initially established by Harry Truman in 1946. These six commands are the actual command elements of the working military, not the Joint Chiefs who are actually advisers to the President. Although the President and Secretary of Defense may issues orders through the Joint Chiefs, and the Chiefs may actually set policy and regulations for their entire branch of service, the Joint Chiefs have no control over any of these commands. The establishment of AFRICOM is actually a good development as it reduces the operational control and responsibility of EUCOM and CENTCOM. As for the four functional commands, they control specific operations within the whole of the military such as transportation or special operations.

The fact that these ten total commands exist really changes nothing. The US Military reports to the President, the Commander and Chief of the Military of the United States of America. I guess that means your fears are simply a product of misinformation or too little information. I hope this helps.

Excellent reply!! Vietnam era vet here.. seen all this crap before but never imagined we would see it again!!

I am a v-area vet too. We lost miserably for being a 1st world superpower and the vets glorify it like we had. Mai Li was just another tid bit of what we did to them and now its on the the Afganis'. Snap out of it, we lost this present war from the very beginning, when Bush II started it and the CIA f*&>ed it up.

The last legal and declared war we have been involved in was World War II. Yet we are always meddling around "nation building". Eisenhower was absolutely correct about the military industrial complex. Our nations economy is based on an absolute NEED for war. We can get out of this vicious circle but we have to elect people who are willing to make the tough decisions. Where are you when we need you, Harry Truman?

"Legal and declared war" - that's a good point. The war powers process should be abolished. That made it possible for congress to give the president the authority alone to go to war. No checks and balances, and no three branches of government.

Lyndon Johnson wanted to expand our minimal involvement in Vietnam to a full scale war. Any random accident that the Gulf of Tonkin incident happened? It was portrayed as an attack on a US vessel in international waters, and that was the lie that gave us the Vietnam War. Then Bush and Cheney lied their butts off to give us the Iraq War. They manipulated the intel reports to support their propaganda and the first people to be whistleblowers were the intel professionals that wrote the original reports.

We need to abolish the war powers process. Congress needs to vote for or against a full formal declaration of war, as was stated in our original Constitution.

Mike, I think you want Congress to enforce the War Powers Resolution. The WPR said the president could go to war-in an emergency-but for no longer than 60 days with a 30 day withdrawal extension unless Congress declared war. However, in 2002 Congress passed two Authorizations to Use Military Force (AUMF). One is against Iraq and the other against Terrorists. They basically mean the president can go to war with anyone he believes to be associated with Iraq or Terrorists and technically it's not war so Congress doesn't have to declare war.

It's all bull, really. First of all, I believe the AUMF to be an illegal delegation of duty by Congress. INS v. Chadha. Second, the War Powers Clause in the Constitution is there for a reason. It was to make going to war hard. It was supposed to make us think twice, or thrice, about going to war. The AUMFs and keeping the wars off the US budget made it too easy. The president does what he wants and then just tells us so we don't have to think about war. Keeping it off the budge and just borrowing all the money allows us to not have to pay for the wars (Bush kept the wars off the budget to not inflate the visible debt but Obama has put it back on).

Bah, Eisenhower was just a commie liberal :)

Obama inherited this fiasco created by the right wing flag waving morans who sent somebody else's children to fight in the name of freedom for someother country. Use drones and missles. And send some to Pakistan, too.

read the article-classified articles were leaked by an Army specialist now under arrest. Spying plain and simple. Stop blaming Obama for something he did not do. maybe then you won't be perceived as being so pathetic.

Do you believe Obama could not have stopped the "top secret" information from being disseminated?

Isn't there more in the pipeline? What is the Eric Holder House doing about that?

OH WAIT THIS IS MOSTLY BUSH ERA INFORMATION SO IT IS OK TO BASH IT (coincidence?).

At least Obama is consistent if nothing else.

Madison. What are you smoking? there's some guy at a computer with access to documents and he downloads them to Wiki. Next time, try stopping your spouse or kid from looking at porn on the internet. It's that easy. I'm emabarrassed for your naivete and feeble attempt at trying to appear informed or participate in a mature discussion .

Amen, if anyone else had been running for president a known consorter of muslims would never have been able to keep a video out of the news!

Damn people first of all do some research. Shouldn't take more than 2 minutes. Wikileaks is owned and operated by an Australian IN Australia. The info was given over to them by someone in our military intelligence. Second all those calling for trials for treason just how do we justify trying an Australian for treason against america? Should the Afghans and Iraqis try dumba** bush for treason and war crimes????

What and Where are you coming from?

Gee, that sounds just like the bastion of Jeffersonian democracy the founders had in mind...

It is not the place of the military to visit one man. That is why we have a CIA. Furthermore, it is not the place of the CIA to assassinate a citizen of an ally and partner nation. I seem to recall Aussie troops in theater. This is why a security clearance is absolute BS. All of this intelligence is supposed to be restricted, need to know access only, no matter what clearance you hold. The entire situation reflects an absolute breakdown in the chain of command, total disregard for OPSEC, and is absolutely inexcusable. The mole and their entire chain of command should be held accountable to UCMJ actions.

BsinbS Could it be that replacing General McChrystal a week ago was exactly what you are calling for here?

The mole and their entire chain of command should be held accountable to UCMJ actions.

Here is the leak. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrest_of_Bradley_Manning

Although I was saddened that the boss was removed and that Gen Petraeus was essentially demoted to fill his post, he was in a position that required his resignation. He never should have accepted that command, former SF officers seldom do well in extremely high profile positions. That, however, does not mean the leak by PFC Manning had anything to do with him. In fact, it should be ARCENT KUWAIT being held accountable, as Manning was in the Iraqi Theater, and CENTCOM replacing its general staff there.

The young man should face a General Courts-Martial, UCMJ Article 18. His direct chain of command, his Platoon Leader and Company Commander, should receive written reprimands, their OER's should reflect this reprimand and also reflect their poor command abilities; they should be relieved of their command positions and reassigned CONUS. They should be replaced with seasoned officers from outside the command. The Soldier's NCO's should receive written counselings and have their poor performance noted in their NCOER's. The squad leader should be investigated and potentially receive a Field Grade Article 15, non-judicial punishment, with possible reduction in grade (although his career would not be over he would likely never make E-7 and become a senior NCO). A new Squad leader should be assigned from another platoon within the company, if possible. The 1SG should be relieved and replaced by a Senior NCO from outside the company but within the command.

Intelligence leaks are no small crime. This is a serious matter that must be handled with the most severe punishment authorized, which should be what I listed above, unless they have become a kinder, gentler Army since I went on terminal leave.

I agree that our mission to kill or capture the Al Qaeda leadership was thoroughly justified after 9/11. But it should not have been an invasion to take over than then reconstruct Afghanistan. That was what can be called "mission drift" which usually happens at the cost of soldiers' lives.

Very profitable however for a lot of people.

Was Timothy McVae a muslim? How about that idiot who flew a plane into the IRS? By the way, I'm not muslim. I was born in the USA, volunteered in the name of patriotism and served my time in the USAF during Vietnam. For a while, my job was to delivery body bags of men from my era. I still pray for their souls to this day.

Dear Raju,

Could you provide or refer to any proof that "19 Muslims" were on the planes that did 9/11 and those 19 Muslims carried out the attacks? That proof could be as simple as passenger manifists! My appreciation to you doing this favor would be beyond your imagination!

Many thanks desertrat. It is always good to know that people with sanity still exist.

Raju,

You have a lot of pent up anger. Your categorization of all Muslims being told by God to kill others shows you really don't know much about the topic.

Suggestions:

1) exercise and let off some of that steam

2) comment only on things you know something about

? Is there something you are trying to express?

Would someone please check on Grandma and make sure that she is OK, many thanks in advance! She is sounding very much like Dubbia! Is he calling himself Grandma these days?!

It's our own fault, anytime someone questions the military budget, they are branded weak on national defense. The safer course of action is to just give them what they ask for, otherwise the other side will use it to tar and feather you into losing the next election.

We, as voters and taxpayers, need to do our own homework and not be led around by the nose by those that profit from needless wars.

Look at the both wars we have going on now:

Afghans were given stingers to use against the USSR, now that and the training we gave them is being used against us.

Saddam was given poison gas and money to fight Iran all the while we were giving Iran spy reports of Iraqi troop movements.

We took over the government of Iran and reinstalled the Shah, whom the people hated, as leader. Thus we had the Islamic revolution.

Not to mention that most career soldiers are small minded idiots that live in a fantasy world where right is determined by rank.

When I was in Viet Nam the majority of the lifers were heavy drinkers with mood swings and disfunctional personalities.

The military is the only job source that rewards drunks. Private business usually fires their asses.

The brass could not even defend it's own building and it takes five men to satisfy a woman. I am making the assumption that she was satisfied!! Does anyone know if she was?!

Please, exercise your right of speech with a little more taste. Please, do not make blanket statements about the military or members of the military. Please, do not think that we have not worked very hard to purge our ranks of the "drunks" and "small minded idiots" that are found equally outside the military.

I can only speak from my personal experiences, but the men I served directly with were the most professional you will ever find in a uniform, although quite different from what most people think of when they think of the Army.

You can't control the path of a bullet or an explosion. You are fooling yourself if you think war does not have collateral consequences. Do you think General Patton didn't kill innocent people in his quest to defeat Hitler? Do you think General Douglass McArthur didn't kill innocent people when those battle ships bombed the coast line.

War is the business of killing the enemy. If the innocent think that a bullet will stop in mid-flight and say, "Excuse me, I am traveling toward the head of that enemy behind that door and you are in my way. Can you just bend down so I don't strike you and kill you but instead kill the intended target." That is how stupid you anti-Obama, clean war minded, ignorant people are when it comes to war. War is messy. Innocent people get killed. This is why smart people leave the area and run with as much of their belongings as they can handle. Get over it.

The only reason why the Afgan war is not a declared war is because many Democrats are on the side of Bin Laden and will not vote to have it declared officially.

Yes Bri he is hiding out at the Smithsonian acting as a tour guide. We thought he would be safer there.

The reason we originally sent only Special Operations Forces and Special Forces (trust me, there is a difference) is that it is far easier for the operator to select the correct target than it is for the Hellfire missile. Missiles kill indiscriminately where as that operator carefully selects their targets, when the situation permits of course.

Get'em

I don't know about anyone else's thoughts but any persons leaking this type of information should be shot for treason. I promise you that in times of war in wwII or wwI you would be hung or shot. This country has gotten soft and better muster up or we are done and people like this will be our down fall as far as a superpower.

Oh boy.....after all these years of fighting these wars, some people still believe we are the right side of history.

Jasonhad- Islam is actually a peaceful religion, too. There are radicals in every religion, including Christianity, not just the Muslims. Second, the reason most Muslims hate us is because of our blind support of Israel, and the numerous decades of US-government meddling in foreign affairs. The only way to truly make us safer is to reduce our global exposure, pull back our ever-expanding empire, and leave others alone. A dog generally doesn't bite so long as you do not poke it with a stick! Besides, Iran will not "wipe Israel off the map", even if they came close to obtaining a nuclear bomb, the Israelis will annihilate them first.........so do not worry....

J Hammons- Sadly, our country has already peaked in its power and influence. These wars of aggression are partly to blame for our economic woes. It is very expensive to maintain global military hegemony, and that, my friend, has led to the downfall of many past empires, including the Holy Roman Empire, the British Commonwealth, the Persians, Assyrians, Mongolians, etc.

IndyPatriot - Finally! An intelligent post!

How does Israel , get placed in this picture ? " nuclear bomb, the Israelis will annihilate them first.........so do not worry...." What is this quote . """ .Second, the reason most Muslims hate us is because of our blind support of Israel. """

Your quotes , What your quote have to do with article is beyond me .

However , it sound like Arab propoganda . As to Israel annihilating any other state or especially Iran , it is the foolishness of Washington and Jews in other nations , not saying to Israel , that Israel , should do exactly this , now . It is not Washington that is at fault but the laws of Jews aka known as our T-rah that prohibits an attack on Iran . Iran you omit from your arab pont of view , declared war now for almost 10 years now . Washington has bad mouthed Israel , and made Israel sit down with those who intend to murder them . This is Washington agenda that Israel is following - not one of T_rah . In T-rah , the position is that once a country delacare war again you , you do not sit at the peace table with them ,except for one time . This one time is a joke on Israel made by the Obama and Bush administration . Israel learned in the first Gulf war of Iraq that their ally the US let all kinds of V2 rocket kill Israel's citizens and although they requested that the US take care of these rocket attacks , the US did not do so until Israell threatened todo this on their own . Israel is more a puppet of the US than the other way around. Israel at one point in the ancient world was a vassel state of Iran . It not only existed but paid money tribute to Iran and the King of Iran . This is not what is taught in Arab schools . This certainly is not the view of a government in Iran or any Arab who states than Israel has no right to exist . When all of Persia was conquered by Alexanda , he can to Jerusalem , and was met by the head rabbi , and was told that Israel had no army to oppose Alexander as they paid tribute to Persia as vassel State . Alexander was offered a tribute by this Rabbi that Jews name their children after Alexander which was done , and is continued to be done to this day. Isreal should have wipped out the nuclear capacity or Iran a long time ago , and IT IS JUST THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU STATED . IT IS THE US THAT IS STOPPING ISRAEL FROM ATTACKING THE NUCLEAR CAPACITY OF IRAN , NOT ISRAEL. To be frank , Jews have laws that are better than any Christian or Arab laws per the T-rah . They should follow thes Laws , and not the political crap of the United States . When they don't and they seek peace from those who have declared war against them , they are not following the Tor-ah . They are following the dicates of those who all ready in the first Gulf war betrayed them and killed it citizen while they had to count bodies to wait on the US. I don't think this is proper on the part of the government of Israel , due to Jews being murdered to prove a point to the world . As to proper , the US like the rest of the world especially the those west of Israel has had ancient attitute of destruction of Jews and Israel. Why, to prove their religion is superior and or to prove they are superior to themselves . I personally do not like explaining my religion . The quote above showing that Arabs are peaceful and this is the focus of the religion and that the author want to call x or y , the exception to their idea of terror and then flings in the attitutes of Arabs to Jews , shows he has either is lying about the intentions of terror , as the intentions of all arab nations now is show a lack of support towards their neighbor Israel . They are not in favor of Israel , they tolerate Israel at best and at worst they , like Iran , are either at war with Israel or declare the same if there is any choice in an armed conflict . With this in mind , maybe it is proper to hear the evil voices in Washington as this pretended friend is better than no pretended friends at all .

You really have an over active imagination. There should be some pills for that. call your doctor....