[MTP Reggie]

New York Times journalist defends national security leaks
By Morgan Little
June 10, 2012
latimes.com

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Two stories published by the New York Times, which exposed the extent of U.S. involvement in cyber attacks against Iran and the White House’s secret 'Kill List,' have sparked scrutiny over the last week amid allegations that administration officials had leaked classified information for political gain.

The debate continued Sunday as Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) reiterated calls for a special prosecutor to take charge of leak investigations and as a reporter who wrote one of the stories said he doubted that any politically motivated leaks were involved.

David Sanger, chief Washington correspondent for the New York Times, appeared on CNN’s “Reliable Sources” to defend his reporting on U.S. involvement in deploying the Stuxnet computer virus against Iran.

Sanger said that during 18 months of reporting for his book “Confront and Conceal: Obama’s Secret Wars and Surprising Use of American Power,” he obtained information from the ground up. He said he had serious doubts as to whether there were any political motivations behind the leaks.

“Did I talk to a lot of people in the administration? Of course,” he said, as would be expected when writing a book about national security.

Sanger contended that how Obama conducts himself in the theater of international military action is key for the public to know, and is a necessary story for the media to report on, regardless of the secrecy associated with national security issues.

“Can we debate them out in the open? Of course,” he said.

(snip)

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This post has been edited by MTP Reggie: 11 June 2012 - 07:45 AM

[natural_selection]

MTP Reggie, on 11 June 2012 - 07:44 AM, said:

...and is a necessary story for the media to report on, regardless of the secrecy associated with national security issues.

Spoken like a true libtard.

[Taggart Transcontinental]

Quote

Sanger contended that how Obama conducts himself in the theater of international military action is key for the public to know, and is a necessary story for the media to report on, regardless of the secrecy associated with national security issues.

This is a craptastic answer. This is like telling the enemy how we are destroying his forces as we are doing it. This is stupidity squared.

[Crabby Appleton]

natural_selection, on 11 June 2012 - 09:53 AM, said:

Spoken like a true libtard.

Not just a libtard, but a dangerous, self-appointed elitist willing, like Obama, to put his own interests ahead of the security of the nation and those in its service.

[furrpiece]

Journalists, often called "The Fourth Estate", have an obligation under our system to be the Watchdogs over government. But, that NEVER includes the unauthorized release of secret national security information.


EVER!

Some in the media pulled this crap in Vietnam, gave aid and comfort to the enemy, and got GIs killed -- not to mention damaging the war effort.

But, in this case, the leaks are coming directly from Obama's White House. This is beyond disgusting; it's dangerous.