Earlier this week, Judicial Watch announced that it had won its battle with the Obama administration regarding its collusion with Hollywood producers to produce a movie about the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. The movie was originally slated for release in the weeks ahead of the presidential election, so its political import is obvious. It would remind voters about the raid, one of the very few bragging points President Obama can claim, as they consider re-electing or replacing him in November.
Among the bombshells Judicial Watch found in the documents, and there are several, is the fact that Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence Michael Vickers disclosed the true identity of SEAL Team 6′s commander to those Hollywood producers. Vickers even offered the heroic commander’s services as a consultant on the film.
The July 14, 2011, meeting transcript also reveals that the DOD provided the filmmakers with the identity of a “planner, SEAL Team 6 Operator and Commander.” (The name is blacked out in the document.) In proposing the arrangement, Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Michael Vickers said: “The only thing we ask is that you not reveal his name in any way as a consultant because . . . he shouldn’t be talking out of school.” Vickers went on to say during the meeting at the Pentagon: “This at least, this gives him one step removed and he knows what he can and can’t say, but this way at least he can be as open as he can with you and it ought to meet your needs.” Boal later responds, “You delivered.”
That is classified information. The military keeps such information closely guarded for multiple reasons, operational as well as for the safety of our special forces’ families. Once that information is in the hands of anyone outside the DoD, though, its potential to leak and end up in the hands of our enemies is very great. The damage that can be done to our national security with this information can be very grave.
Supposing Vickers was authorized to hand this highly sensitive information over to the movie producers, the authorization must have come from very high up, probably either the secretary of defense or the president. Congress must investigate who authorized handing this sensitive, classified information over to Hollywood producers. If Vickers’ disclosure was not authorized, then he must be prosecuted.
More: Flashback — the SEALs were not happy to be used as campaign props by the Obama campaign.
A serving SEAL Team member said: ‘Obama wasn’t in the field, at risk, carrying a gun. As president, at every turn he should be thanking the guys who put their lives on the line to do this. He does so in his official speeches because he speechwriters are smart.
‘But the more he tries to take the credit for it, the more the ground operators are saying, “Come on, man!” It really didn’t matter who was president. At the end of the day, they were going to go.’





And who was the culprit who first identified Seal Team 6 publicly as the unit that got Osama bin Laden? The answer is beside the point, unless….it is determined that the leak led within days to the terrorists downing a helicopter full of other Seal Team 6 members. No cause and effect? Has anyone determined the seeming consequence to be unrelated? Silence.
What are the lives of a few SEAL members worth against Dear Liar’s reelection?
So, if no one dies, no harm done….and how long has Valerie Plame been dead?
Vickers is about as likely to be prosecuted as was Richard Armitage of Valerie Plame fame….or is that infamy? The guys in the WH have no concept of the need to protect the identities or persons of any of our intelligence personnel. Just look at what happened to the “underwear bomber” in Saudi/Yemen or the Pakistani doctor. Nope, if these bozos think divulging intell will help Obozo’s re-election, anything goes.
Bryan, your naivete amazes me. Crimes in America are only crimes if the readership base typical of, say, New Yorker magazine think they are.
Your failure to understand why I’m raising the question the way I am amazes me. So, you know, we’re even.
He won’t be prosecuted for the same reason that nobody in the ATF or DOJ will be prosecuted for Fast & Furious. They both go to high up in the government.
This kind of crap makes me wonder why we haven’t had a mass of resignations from our intelligence services. And why anyone would voluntarily re-enlist to serve under this CIC. Well yea I do, patriotism and a deep love for what’s left of this country.
All enemies, foreign and domestic.
I guess Congress can see if Vickers is willing to fall on his sword (how long will he be in prison?). Bring him to a hearing. If he pleads the fifth, take him aside and offer immunity. If he takes it then bring him back in and ask him if he released the name. And if so, who told him. Then go up the chain. Vickers isn’t the one you want.
Un-effing-believable:
“Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Michael Vickers said: ‘The only thing we ask is that you not reveal his name in any way as a consultant because . . . he shouldn’t be talking out of school.’”
His own words prove that “intelligence” and “Michael Vickers” are oxymoronic. He should be prosecuted, but I won’t hold my breath waiting for that to happen.
Calling Partick Fitzgerald, where are you?
I am getting fed up with ignorance on display on blog sites of all political persuasions. You guys are a bunch of morons. An Under Secretary of Defense does not make this kind of decision on his own. He takes orders from above and those above him have the power to authorize the release or declassification of national security information (EO 13526).
In the past fringed with moss and cobwebs I was invited to view a classified motion picture script in order to bid. This meant I had to be cleared to the level of the document’s classification. The process of being “vetted” for security clearance, along with my company and partner(s), was a real education. Besides getting very specific instructions on the requirements for my personal actions, I had to draft a procedural manual for everyone in the company to account for handling classified documents and information from the arrival of materials, through all handling, production, packaging, and shipping via cleared and bonded delivery services.
Blah, Blah, Blah… The point is that there is NO WAY someone gets clearance without being FULLY INFORMED of the responsibilities and penalties for violation of the trust.
When I read about Clinton’s security advisor Sandy Berger “inadvertantly” carrying secret documents away from the National Archives, it makes me sick that anyone would let him style his actions as “accidental” or “careless” or ANYTHING other than deliberate criminal sabotage of the efforts of the 9-11 Commission, and a betrayal of his nation.
And Berger is just one of a crowd of Democrat apparatchiks who have conspicuously betrayed this country by leaking names and information for political advantage of their party, recklessly endangering both their country and specific individuals who deserve better.
What we are seeing is the age-old truth that from the earliest times, more citadels have fallen as a result of betrayal within than from military assault from without.
tdiinva has a point – there are folks higher up the chain who need to be identified and prosecuted. How ya gonna smoke’em out, if not by holding the smaller fry accountable, as leverage?
Mad guy:
Do you understand the concept of original classification authority and the authority to declassify information. Let me explain it to you. If the President authorizes the release and the SECDEF tells Mike Vickers to release the information no law has been broken. It was all on the up and up. Got thar?
I’m sure he does. So that’s why Vickers did it, cause the President told him too?
This is the result you get when the gullible among us elect a president whose nefarious past would prevent him from getting a security clearance to be a cook in the White House. But know he has the keys to the front door.
Nice going, America.
Regarding this propaganda film itself, I think it might soon be time for Operation Cinema Verite’, a letter writing campaign to the major theater companies informing them of the potential consequences of airing this film.