military

Obama Using SEALs for Political Gain, Says One

Feb 13 2012

A Silver and Bronze Star former Navy SEAL has criticized the Obama administration for exploiting the SEALs for politcal aggrandisement, jeopardizing its operations in the process. In this piece in the Wall Street Journal, Lt. Leif Babin wrote that after the rescue of hostages in Somalia U.S. officials provided

...extensive details of who conducted the raid and how...Our special operators do not welcome this publicity. In fact, ...it's clear they are dismayed by it...If the enemy learns details and can anticipate the manner and timing of an attack, the likelihood of success is significantly reduced and the risk to our forces is significantly increased."

Last May, after the bin Laden raid, we had much the same reaction. In this post, titled "Did Obama's Rush to Boast Bin Laden's Killing Help Al Qaeda?", we reported that "We even blurted out to the al Qaeda underworld details of our operational methods as if there will be no further need for such missions". We were additionally stunned that we announced details of the intelligence cache found in bin Laden's lair, which told al Qaeda how much we had found out about their activities and plans.

Babin also also accused former SEALs and others with operational knowledge of violating their non-disclosure agreements.

But most invective was reserved for Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, whom he accused of endangering the life of a confidential Pakistani source, and Obama:

Do the president and his top political advisers understand what's at stake for the special-operations forces who carry out these dangerous operations, or the long-term strategic consequences of divulging information about our most highly classified military assets and intelligence capabilities? It is infuriating to see political gain put above the safety and security of our brave warriors.

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