dishonorable disclosures
( we can support them by spreading the link to the dishonorable disclosures. )
more information about opsec and news about the release of “dishonorable disclosures” can be found at urltoken .
dishonorable disclosures; and barack obama handles some tough interview questions › 2. 0: the blogmocracy
we’d love your help. let us know what’s wrong with this preview of dishonorable disclosures by scott taylor .
charlie rose in a clip from “dishonorable disclosures, ” a 22 - minute video produced by former special operations and c. i. a. officers .
see supra §
jeffrey sterling, cia disclosures to new york times reporter james risen .
… obama’s slip in an interview with ksdk in st louis, missouri when he was asked about the new 22 - minute film ‘dishonorable disclosures’ by a group of former special forces troops and intelligence operatives .
that' s the claim made by a group of former military and c. i. a. officers in the
dishonorable disclosures
video above, which aired on tv and has been viewed over 800, 000 times on youtube .
the special operations opsec education fund inc, argues that high level obama administration’s leaks are damaging u. s. security. they make their case in a very well done documentary - style video called “dishonorable disclosures: how leaks and politics threaten national security. ”
the campaign will begin with the release of “dishonorable disclosures, ” a documentary short film that views the impact of the increasing number of leaks on intelligence and special operations missions, tradecraft, tactics and capabilities from the perspective of those who have relied on these tools to carryout similar missions and protect themselves and those they served alongside. the film will be shown at events in key states across the country over the next several months, including virginia, florida, ohio, colorado, north carolina and nevada. “dishonorable disclosures” can be seen here .
in a new documentary titled, “ dishonorable disclosures, ” former special forces personnel tell viewers that “countless leaks, decisions, and interviews by the obama administration and other government officials have undermined the success of…intelligence and special operations forces and put future missions and personnel at risk. ”
in light of the ongoing manipulation and twisting of news that permeates far too much of the media – e. g. , the washington post and the new york times – this 2012 shocking piece entitled
dishonorable disclosures
needs to be viewed by every american who is concerned about the security of this country .
q4. is the institution in compliance with 34 cfr 668. 165 (a) and 674. 16 (a) (1) if it directs its students to a secure web site that contains the required notifications and disclosures, rather than providing the required notifications and disclosures directly to the students ?
although there is no single statute that provides criminal penalties for all types of unauthorized disclosures of classified information, unauthorized disclosures of classified information fall within the scope of various current statutory criminal prohibitions. it must be acknowledged that there is no comprehensive statute that provides criminal penalties for the unauthorized disclosure of classified information irrespective of the type of information or recipient involved. given the nature of unauthorized disclosures of classified information that have occurred, however, i conclude that current statutes provide a legal basis to prosecute those who engage in unauthorized disclosures, if they can be identified. it may be that carefully drafted legislation specifically tailored to unauthorized disclosures of classified information generally, rather than to espionage, could enhance our investigative efforts. the extent to which such a provision would yield any practical additional benefits to the government in terms of improving our ability to identify those who engage in unauthorized disclosures of classified information or deterring such activity is unclear, however. 268
1. the individual is subsequently discharged but the period of service was not voided; and 2. the character of service for that limited period of time was other than dishonorable .
a4. yes. since we have eliminated the distinction between providing notices and disclosures with hard copy materials or electronically, an institution is in compliance with 34 cfr 668. 165 (a) and 674. 16 (a) (1) if it directs students to a secure web site that contains the required notifications and disclosures .
a15. if the veteran is released from service under conditions other than dishonorable, active duty service that was terminated because of misrepresentation of age qualifies the person as a veteran for title iv purposes .
the new group, called the special operations opsec education fund, using shorthand for “operational security, ” describes itself as nonpartisan, but some of its leaders have been involved in republican campaigns and tea party groups. a 22 - minute video called “dishonorable disclosures” featured on its web site appears to be aimed squarely at the president, echoing charges made previously by mitt romney and other republicans .
he will continue to promote his great “heroism” in taking out osama bin laden but may well execute a rumored “october surprise” (possibly in the middle east, or a contrived event at home, all to try and snatch the election). our opsec “ dishonorable disclosures ” documentary has been very effective in getting out the word about national security leaks coming out of his administration and placing american lives in jeopardy .
so a bunch of special operators and intelligence professionals got together to protest against the obama administration’s irresponsibility. the result is this video, titled “dishonorable disclosure. ” it is dynamite: the production values are excellent, and the message is overpowering. the video is 22 minutes long, but trust me: it is riveting, and goes fast. you should watch the whole thing, to appreciate how dishonorable the obama administration is when it comes to national security .
editor’s note – with all the furor over the “ dishonorable disclosures ” video created by urltoken, a new book is due for release on september 11, 2012 that purports to tell the inside story of the osama bin laden raid. we do not know the tenor of the book but leaks of classified material have really caused a lot of harm to date, and americans of all stripes are ‘piping hot’ mad, especially over the politicization of the events .
when the florida national guard is not in the active service of the united states, a sentence of dismissal from the service or dishonorable discharge from the service, imposed by court - martial, may not be executed until approved by the governor .
former cia and special operations members are announcing the creation of opsec, a new nationwide public campaign to combat the spike in leaks and politicization of intelligence and special operations missions that threaten their effectiveness and the safety of americans who conduct them. opsec – short for operational security, meaning to eliminate or reduce the exploitation of critical information — will begin with the release of “dishonorable disclosures, ” a new documentary short film highlighting the problem from the perspective of those who have served in these critical positions. the film will also serve as the basis for a tv and online advertising effort .
the former navy seal who penned a firsthand account of the mission to kill osama bin laden did so without the permission of the u. s. government, officials said, and is now at the center of an ongoing controversy within the secretive special operations community over unauthorized disclosures .
before an institution disburses title iv, higher education act of 1965, as amended (hea), program funds for an award year (including crediting student accounts at the institution), the institution must provide the notifications required by 34 cfr 668. 165 (a). for perkins loan borrowers, before making first disbursements of perkins loans each award year, the institution must also provide students with the disclosures required by 34 cfr 674. 16 (a) (1). an institution may provide these notifications and disclosures to students with a hard copy (paper) of the material or electronically .
full length version: a group of former cia spies and u. s. special forces troops on tuesday launched a political attack on president barack obama, accusing him of overseeing reckless leaks about sensitive operations. the group claims to have no partisan affiliation, but the assault mirrored claims by republican presidential challenger mitt romney' s campaign that the white house leaked classified details of the raid to kill osama bin laden. in a 22 - minute online video entitled
dishonorable disclosures
the former clandestine operatives alleged that the administration spilled secrets to burnish obama' s standing without regard for the safety of u. s. troops and agents .
intelligence and special operations forces are furious and frustrated at how president obama and those in positions of authority have exploited their service for political advantage. countless leaks, interviews and decisions by the obama administration and other government officials have undermined the success of our intelligence and special operations forces and put future missions and personnel at risk. the unwarranted and dangerous public disclosure of special forces operations is so serious - - that for the first time ever - - former operators have agreed to risk their reputations and go' on the record' in a special documentary titled
dishonorable disclosures .
its goal is to educate america about serious breaches of security and prevent them from ever happening again .
a16. for an enlistment that is voided for other than the statutory reasons listed in q & a14, the service is valid from the date of entry into active duty to the date it is voided. if the discharge is made under conditions other than dishonorable, the individual would meet the department' s definition of a veteran for title iv purposes .
a transcript of the president’s remarks on that night can be found here. the excerpt below has the text featured in “dishonorable” italicized, while the non - italicized text is that which is left out. i bold the most significant text unexcerpted. obviously, much of what is left out is where the president gives great credit to those in intelligence and on the ground for their work .
a14. an undesirable (dishonorable) discharge because of the fraudulent enlistment voids the enlistment from the beginning. this outcome occurs if the person did not have the legal capacity to contract due to being insane or the enlistment was prohibited by statute, such as in the case of a deserter or a felon. when the service is completely voided, the individual cannot be deemed a veteran for title iv purposes .
the department of justice cited an ongoing investigation into the disclosures as a reason to deny a request for information under the freedom of information act (foia). see government motion for summary judgment, manning v. u. s. dep' t of justice, no. 1: 15 - cv - 01654 (d. d. c. march 15, 2016) .
for example, the charges against the individuals allegedly responsible for the pentagon papers leak were dropped following evidence of government misconduct. see infra §
the criminal prosecution for the pentagon papers leak .
and the charges against thomas drake were reduced after it was discovered that much of the information disclosed had been previously made public. see infra §
thomas drake, nsa disclosures to the baltimore sun .
intelligence and special operations forces are furious and frustrated at how president obama and those in positions of authority have exploited their service for political advantage. countless leaks, interviews and decisions by the obama administration and other government officials have undermined the success of our intelligence and special operations forces and put future missions and personnel at risk. the unwarranted and dangerous public disclosure of special forces operations is so serious - - that for the first time ever - - former operators have agreed to risk their reputations and go' on the record' in a special documentary titled
dishonorable disclosures .
its goal is to educate america about serious breaches of security and prevent them from ever happening again. use of military ranks, titles & photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement of the dept of the army or the department of defense. all individuals are no longer in active service with any federal agency or military service .
manning pled guilty to 10 charges, including all espionage act counts, but prosecutors pursued the remaining charges against him without seeking the death penalty. 177 in 2013, manning was convicted by court - martial of all charges except aiding the enemy, and was sentenced to 35 years of imprisonment, reduction in rank, forfeiture of pay, and a dishonorable discharge. 178 on january 17, 2017, president obama commuted manning' s sentence, which now expires on may 17, 2017. 179
security officials and members of both parties in congress have sharply criticized leaks about classified operations under mr. obama, and some republicans have complained about news briefings on the bin laden raid and assistance to filmmakers making a movie about the operation. but the administration has also overseen an unprecedented number of prosecutions for press disclosures, and in june, attorney general eric h. holder jr. directed two united states attorneys to investigate leaks discussed in the opsec video .
see united states v. drake, 818 f. supp. 2d 909, 916 (d. md. 2011) (distinguishing intent requirements between disclosures involving tangible documents and those involving intangible information); united states v. kiriakou, 898 f. supp. 2d 921, 924 - 27 (e. d. va. 2012) (surveying case law and noting that a fourth circuit interlocutory appeal in the rosen case cast doubt on the district judge' s interpretation) .
the 106 th congress passed the measure as part of the intelligence authorization act for fiscal year 2001. 262 president clinton, however, vetoed it, calling it
well - intentioned
as an effort to deal with legitimate concerns about the damage caused by unauthorized disclosures, but
badly flawed
in that it was
overbroad
and posed a risk of
unnecessarily chill [ ing ] legitimate activities that are at the heart of a democracy .
263 president clinton explained his view that
the rationalizations are always handy, and they always serve their purpose, which is to prevent us from holding up mirrors to ourselves. if we’re going to keep asking why our heroes are so dishonorable, we should ask why they feel emboldened and entitled to act that way in the first place. it’s only after the ovation dies down and the next ugly story breaks, it seems, that we realize something: when the collection plate comes around or the church service ends, sometimes the best thing to do is to sit on your hands .
the proposed provision would have penalized the disclosure of any material designated as classified for any reason related to national security, regardless of whether the violator intended that the information be delivered to and used by foreign agents (in contrast to 50 u. s. c. section 783). it would have been the first law to penalize disclosure of information to entities other than foreign governments or their equivalent solely because it is classified, without a more specific definition of the type of information covered. 259 in short, the provision would have made it a crime to disclose or attempt to disclose classified information 260 to any person who does not have authorized access to such information, with exceptions covering disclosures to article iii courts, or to the senate or house committees or members, and authorized disclosures to persons acting on behalf of a foreign power (including an international organization). the provision would have amended the espionage laws in title 18 by expanding the scope of information they cover. the proposed language was intended to make it easier for the government to prosecute unauthorized disclosures of classified information, or
leaks
of information, that might not amount to a violation of current statutes. the language was also intended to ease the government' s burden of proof in such cases by eliminating the need
to prove that damage to the national security has or will result from the unauthorized disclosure ,
261 substituting a requirement to show that the unauthorized disclosure was of information that
is or has been properly classified
under a statute or executive order .
general courts - martial in the florida national guard may be convened by order of the president of the united states, the governor, or the adjutant general as delegated by the governor, and such courts may adjudge a fine not exceeding $ 500, confinement not in excess of 200 days; forfeiture of all pay and allowances; reprimand, dismissal, or dishonorable discharge from the service; and reduction to the lowest enlisted grade or any intermediate grade for enlisted personnel. any two or more of such punishments may be combined in the sentence authorized in this section .
the espionage act on its face applies to the receipt and unauthorized dissemination of national defense information, which has been interpreted broadly to cover closely held government materials related to u. s. military operations, facilities, and personnel. although cases involving disclosures of classified information to the press have not been common, it seems clear that courts have regarded such disclosures by government employees to be conduct that enjoys no first amendment protection, regardless of the motives of the divulger or the value the release of such information might impart to public discourse. 269 the question remains open as to whether the publication of unlawfully obtained information by the media can be punished consistent with the first amendment. 270 thus, although unlawful acquisition of information might be subject to criminal prosecution with few first amendment implications, the publication of that information may be protected. whether the publication of national security information can be punished may turn on the value of the information to the public weighed against the likelihood of identifiable harm to national security, arguably a more difficult case for prosecutors to make .
historically, the espionage act and other relevant statutes have been used almost exclusively to prosecute (1) individuals with access to classified information (and a corresponding obligation to protect it) who make it available to foreign agents, and (2) foreign agents who obtain classified information unlawfully while present in the united states. while prosecutions appear to be on the rise, disclosures of classified information to the press have been punished as crimes less frequently, and the government has never prosecuted a traditional news organization for publishing classified information that it received as a result of a leak .
the term veteran as defined in the hea, means any individual who, a) has engaged in active duty in the united states army, navy, air force, marines, or coast guard; and b) was released under a condition other than dishonorable. previously, the department took the position that applicants who fraudulently entered military service did not meet the definition of a veteran for title iv purposes. generally, someone who fraudulently enters active duty in the u. s. armed forces cannot be considered a veteran for title iv purposes; however, when the period of active duty service is recognized by the u. s. armed forces and the department of veterans affairs, this may not be true .
commentators frequently contrast the patchwork nature of u. s. law with the united kingdom' s official secrets act, 1989, c. 6 (u. k .), which more broadly criminalizes the dissemination and retention of numerous classes of government information. see, e. g. , david e. pozen, the leaky leviathan: why the government condemns and condones unlawful disclosures of information, 127 harv. l. rev. 512, 626 (2013); william e. lee, deep background: journalists, sources, and the perils of leaking, 57 am. u. l. rev. 1453, 1466 - 67 (2008) .
when not in the active service of the united states, the commanding officer of each major command of the florida national guard or his or her superior commander may convene special courts - martial empowered to adjudicate a bad conduct discharge from the service, subject to the procedural protections provided in 10 u. s. c. s. 819. special courts - martial with bad conduct discharge authority have the same powers of punishment as do general courts - martial, except that fines adjudged by special courts - martial may not exceed $ 300 and confinement may not exceed 100 days. special courts - martial with bad conduct discharge authority may adjudicate a bad conduct discharge from the service, but may not adjudicate a dismissal or dishonorable discharge from the service .
where first amendment rights are implicated, it is the government' s burden to show that its interest is sufficiently compelling to justify enforcement. whether the government has a compelling need to punish disclosures of classified information turns on whether the disclosure has the potential to cause damage to the national defense or foreign relations of the united states. 122 actual damage need not be proved, but potential damage must be more than merely speculative and incidental. 123 on the other hand, the court has stated that
state action to punish the publication of truthful information seldom can satisfy constitutional standards .
124 and it has described the constitutional purpose behind the guarantee of press freedom as the protection of
the free discussion of governmental affairs .
125
recent unauthorized disclosures of information concerning activities in the white house, and the publication of large quantities of classified information by wikileaks and other organizations and news outlets, have prompted congressional interest in criminal prohibitions on disclosure of classified information. while some have described recent leaks of classified information as “illegal” and “criminal, ” there is no single statute that criminalizes any unauthorized disclosure of classified information. instead, the legal framework is based on a complex and often overlapping set of statutes with provisions that differ depending on, among other factors, what information was disclosed, to whom it was given, and the intentions of the discloser. this report identifies statutory prohibitions that may be implicated by the unauthorized release of classified information, and it examines the elements necessary to secure a conviction under the espionage act and applicable statutes .
recent unauthorized disclosures of information concerning activities in the white house, and the publication of large quantities of classified information by wikileaks and other organizations and news outlets, have prompted congressional interest in criminal prohibitions on disclosure of classified information. while some have described recent leaks of classified information as
illegal
and
criminal ,
there is no single statute that criminalizes any unauthorized disclosure of classified information. instead, the legal framework is based on a complex and often overlapping set of statutes with provisions that differ depending on, among other factors, what information was disclosed, to whom it was given, and the intentions of the discloser. this report identifies statutory prohibitions that may be implicated by the unauthorized release of classified information, and it examines the elements necessary to secure a conviction under the espionage act and applicable statutes .
a violation of section 794 is punishable by imprisonment for any term of years or life, or under certain circumstances, by a sentence of death. 48 the death penalty is available upon a finding that the offense resulted in the death of a covert agent or directly concerns nuclear weapons or other particularly sensitive types of information. 49 the death penalty is also available for violators who gather, transmit, or publish information related to military plans or operations and the like during time of war, with the intent that the information reaches the enemy. 50 offenders are also subject to forfeiture of any ill - gotten gains and property used to facilitate the offense. 51 in sum, section 794 treats the transmission of national security information with intent to aid the enemy or a foreign government more severely than other types of disclosures. 52
prior to this briefing, gonzales had made two attempts to visit bases with working ancient builder race technology. goode shares that when gonzales was still staying with the inner - earth anshar (prior to this meeting with the wrangler), he and the priestess kaaree traveled to venus and a base near saturn where he was turned away by a non - living sentinel who said he lacked humility. during the venus encounter, gonzales was able to glimpse some ancient builder race technology that used a kind of holographic glass to project a series of ascending symbols on a vertical incline. after gonzales’ failed attempts to gain entry to these bases, he and kaaree returned to the anshar city, and shortly after, he was asked to leave due to his suspicious and dishonorable behavior. after goode’s meeting with him and the wrangler in the kuiper belt, gonzales was sent to the mayan breakaway group for healing .
one would think. yet thousands bought tickets to that half - baked halfcourt game anyway, confident (or at least hopeful) that iverson would put on another show. and for all the backlash that the phillies either received or anticipated in the wake of monday’s disclosures about rose, it’s worth noting how many people (based on the responses to the initial news story and to bob ford’s recent column on the matter) were content to look past rose’s alleged depravity. that willful blindness and those innocent - until - proven - guilty cries were especially rich in this situation, given that rose did not deny his relationship with the woman—his defense was that he believed her to be 16 years old—and that the relationship was revealed through publicly available documents in a lawsuit that rose himself filed. the only person who wronged rose here is rose .
the intelligence identities protection act, 50 u. s. c. section 3121, provides for the protection of information concerning the identity of covert intelligence agents. 75 it generally covers persons authorized to know the identity of such agents or who learn the identity of covert agents as a result of their general access to classified information, 76 but can also apply to a person who learns of the identity of a covert agent through a
pattern of activities intended to identify and expose covert agents
and discloses the identity to any individual not authorized to access classified information with reason to believe that such disclosures would impair u. s. foreign intelligence efforts. 77 for those without authorized access, the crime is subject to a fine or imprisonment for a term of not more than three years. 78 to be convicted, a violator must have knowledge that the information identifies a covert agent whose identity the united states is taking affirmative measures to conceal. 79 to date, there have been no reported cases interpreting the statute, but two convictions pursuant to guilty pleas have resulted from the statute. 80
at least one court has read these two elements together to require that the prosecution must prove that the defendant disclosed the information
with a bad faith purpose to either harm the united states or to aid a foreign government .
united states v. rosen, 445 f. supp. 2d 602, 626 (e. d. va. 2006). later courts confronting the intent issue have differentiated this case to conclude that the
reason to believe
standard does not require an intent to do harm. see united states v. drake, 818 f. supp. 2d 909, 916 (d. md. 2011) (distinguishing intent requirements between disclosures involving tangible documents and those involving intangible information); united states v. kiriakou, 898 f. supp. 2d 921, 924 - 27 (e. d. va. 2012) (surveying case law and noting that a fourth circuit interlocutory appeal, united states v. rosen, 557 f. 3d 192, 194 (4 th cir. 2009), cast doubt on the district judge' s interpretation) .
similarly, the case of former state department contractor stephen jin - woo kim' s disclosures to fox news correspondent james rosen generated attention when it was revealed that the department of justice subpoenaed rosen' s emails without notice. 249 in its application for the search warrant, the government characterized rosen as having acted
much like an intelligence officer would run an [ sic ] clandestine intelligence source ,
250 and it asserted in a sworn statement that
there is probable cause to believe that the reporter has committed a violation of 18 u. s. c. sec. 793 (unauthorized disclosure of national defense information), at the very least, either as an aider, abettor, or co - conspirator of mr. kim .
251 although rosen was never charged with a crime in connection with his alleged receipt of classified information, the affidavit' s language suggesting he may be charged for violating the espionage act was met with considerable criticism in the press. 252 the backlash was reported to have contributed to the department of justice' s decision to revise its policies for investigating leaks. 253 the new guidelines, issued in july 2013, provide that
members of the news media will not be subject to prosecution based solely on newsgathering activities .
254
ex - military and c. i. a. officers attack obama over bin laden leaks - the new york times
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washington — in a direct attack on one of president obama ’s political strengths, a group of former special operations and c. i. a. officers started a campaign on tuesday night accusing mr. obama of recklessly leaking information about the raid that killed osama bin laden and other security matters to gain political advantage .
the obama campaign immediately compared the effort to the “swift boat” advertisements against senator john kerry in the 2004 presidential campaign. like that effort, which attacked mr. kerry’s military record in vietnam, the opsec site goes after mr. obama’s strong points on national security — specifically his role in overseeing the military - central intelligence agency raid that killed bin laden, the founder of al qaeda, in may 2011 .
chad kolton, who was the spokesman for the director of national intelligence in the bush administration and now represents the opsec group, said that because it was classified as a 501 (c) (4) educational group under tax laws, it was not required to identify its donors. he said the group had raised nearly $ 1 million since june and intended to run television and internet ads, as well as show the video in swing states .
mr. kolton rejected the comparison with the swift boat advertisements, saying they reflected narrow differences of opinion about mr. kerry’s war record. he said the opsec group had a broader purpose in speaking out against leaks and the politicization of the navy seals and the c. i. a. , and it hoped to keep working after the election. no one who was involved in the swift boat campaign is working with the opsec group, he said .
asked whether the group was not itself bringing the seals and c. i. a. into the presidential campaign, mr. kolton said that leaks were a bipartisan concern, noting that some democrats, including senator dianne feinstein of california, chairwoman of the intelligence committee, had complained vociferously about them and called for a criminal inquiry .
of the video’s anti - obama tone and content, mr. kolton said: “i realize you see a lot of criticism directed at the obama administration. but that’s the current administration. ” he said “several dozen” former military and intelligence officers were supporting the campaign .
the opsec group shares an office suite in alexandria, va. , with a republican consulting firm, the trailblazer group. christian ferry, a partner in the firm, said that he had sublet space to opsec because it included “people i know, ” but that trailblazer had no role in the project .
among the featured former members of the elite navy special operations teams are benjamin smith, whose facebook page identifies him as a model and actor who served in iraq and later became a spokesman for the tea party express and several republican campaigns. another former seal member, scott taylor, is the group’s president and ran unsuccessfully as a republican candidate for congress in virginia in 2010 .
in a telephone interview, mr. taylor acknowledged the republican ties of some members but said, “as many or more are apolitical. ”
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“this issue is more than just politics, ” he said. “folks from this group, including me, have buried enough of our buddies. ”
in an effort to portray mr. obama as a braggart taking credit for the accomplishments of special forces and intelligence operatives, the video omits some of his remarks in announcing bin laden’s killing. in that late - night televised address, mr. obama credited 10 years of “tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, ” but that is edited out .
in a cnn interview last month, adm. william h. mcraven of the navy, who oversaw the raid as commander of the joint special operations command, said, “the president and his national security team — i’m not a political guy, but i will tell you as, as an interested observer in this — they were magnificent in how they handled it start to finish. ”
he added: “at the end of the day, make no mistake about it, it was the president of the united states that shouldered the burden for this operation, that made the hard decisions, that was instrumental in the planning process, because i pitched every plan to him. ”
asked about the opsec group, ben labolt, an obama campaign spokesman, said: “the republicans are resorting to swift boat tactics because when it comes to foreign policy and national security, mitt romney has offered nothing but reckless rhetoric. his two major foreign policy speeches never even mentioned al qaeda once, and he hasn’t outlined a plan for america’s relations with a single region of the world. ”
mr. labolt said mr. obama promised in 2008 to “end the war in iraq in a responsible way and refocus on taking out al qaeda’s leaders, and few would question that he’s kept his word. ”
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president obama addresses the nation to announce that the united states has killed osama bin laden, the leader of al qaeda .
tonight, president obama addressed the nation to announce that the united states has killed osama bin laden, the leader of al qaeda. watch his full remarks here or read his full remarks below, and learn more from the transcript of the white house briefing call afterwards .
the president: good evening. tonight, i can report to the american people and to the world that the united states has conducted an operation that killed osama bin laden, the leader of al qaeda, and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children .
it was nearly 10 years ago that a bright september day was darkened by the worst attack on the american people in our history. the images of 9 / 11 are seared into our national memory - - hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless september sky; the twin towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the pentagon; the wreckage of flight 93 in shanksville, pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction .
and yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. the empty seat at the dinner table. children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. parents who would never know the feeling of their child’s embrace. nearly 3, 000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts .
on september 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the american people came together. we offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. we reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country. on that day, no matter where we came from, what god we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one american family .
we were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice. we quickly learned that the 9 / 11 attacks were carried out by al qaeda - - an organization headed by osama bin laden, which had openly declared war on the united states and was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe. and so we went to war against al qaeda to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies .
over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we’ve made great strides in that effort. we’ve disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense. in afghanistan, we removed the taliban government, which had given bin laden and al qaeda safe haven and support. and around the globe, we worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill scores of al qaeda terrorists, including several who were a part of the 9 / 11 plot .
yet osama bin laden avoided capture and escaped across the afghan border into pakistan. meanwhile, al qaeda continued to operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world .
and so shortly after taking office, i directed leon panetta, the director of the cia, to make the killing or capture of bin laden the top priority of our war against al qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network .
then, last august, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, i was briefed on a possible lead to bin laden. it was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. i met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin laden hiding within a compound deep inside of pakistan. and finally, last week, i determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get osama bin laden and bring him to justice .
today, at my direction, the united states launched a targeted operation against that compound in abbottabad, pakistan. a small team of americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. no americans were harmed. they took care to avoid civilian casualties. after a firefight, they killed osama bin laden and took custody of his body .
for over two decades, bin laden has been al qaeda’s leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. the death of bin laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al qaeda .
yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. there’s no doubt that al qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. we must – - and we will - - remain vigilant at home and abroad .
as we do, we must also reaffirm that the united states is not – - and never will be - – at war with islam. i’ve made clear, just as president bush did shortly after 9 / 11, that our war is not against islam. bin laden was not a muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of muslims. indeed, al qaeda has slaughtered scores of muslims in many countries, including our own. so his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity .
over the years, i’ve repeatedly made clear that we would take action within pakistan if we knew where bin laden was. that is what we’ve done. but it’s important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with pakistan helped lead us to bin laden and the compound where he was hiding. indeed, bin laden had declared war against pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the pakistani people .
tonight, i called president zardari, and my team has also spoken with their pakistani counterparts. they agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. and going forward, it is essential that pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al qaeda and its affiliates .
the american people did not choose this fight. it came to our shores, and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. after nearly 10 years of service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. these efforts weigh on me every time i, as commander - in - chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who’s been gravely wounded .
so americans understand the costs of war. yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed. we will be relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends and allies. we will be true to the values that make us who we are. and on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al qaeda’s terror: justice has been done .
tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who’ve worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. the american people do not see their work, nor know their names. but tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice .
we give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. and they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that september day .
finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9 / 11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores .
and tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9 / 11. i know that it has, at times, frayed. yet today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the american people .
the cause of securing our country is not complete. but tonight, we are once again reminded that america can do whatever we set our mind to. that is the story of our history, whether it’s the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place .
let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all .
thank you. may god bless you. and may god bless the united states of america. end 11: 44 p. m. edt
seated from left, james clapper, director of national intelligence, national security advisor tom donilon, cia director leon panetta, admiral mike mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, secretary of state hillary rodham clinton, and vice president joe biden listen as president barack obama makes a statement on osama bin laden in the east room of the white house may 1, 2011. (official white house photo by pete souza )
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the group, the special operations opsec education fund inc (opsec), attacks the president for taking credit for the killing of osama bin laden and for supposedly endangering american lives by leaking high - level information to hollywood insiders .
retired cia officer fred rustmann says in the video that days after the killing of bin laden, hollywood elites were invited into the white house for a briefing on exactly how the raid took place. rustmann says the administration leaked
what kind of sources we had, what kind of methods we used, all for the purpose of making a hollywood movie .
the hollywood movie he is referring to is
zero dark thirty ,
which is directed by oscar - winning kathryn bigelow and is set to come out in december. last year, rep. peter king asked for an investigation into allegations that obama leaked classified information to the filmmakers - - allegations which the administration dismissed as
ridiculous .
as rustmann speaks, the image in the background is of bigelow receiving her oscar - - the first ever won by a female director - - from barbra streisand for
the hurt locker .
when the video discusses the supposed briefing hollywood got days after the raid, obama is shown speaking in a small theater to tom hanks, steven spielberg and others. the only problem is, that image was taken in march 2010 at the white house family theater before a screening of the hbo mini - series
the pacific ,
the hollywood reporter points out. it' s unlikely that obama is spilling secrets about how he killed bin laden - - a whole year before it happened .
retired usmc lt. colornel bill cowan says in the video ,
somewhere in this administration, perhaps at the highest levels, there are people that don’t understand… when we divulge national security information such as the identity of the organization that killed osama bin laden, we have now put all of those men, all of their families, everybody around them at some sort of risk .
obama divulged the covert information to hollywood for political gain, the retired officers in the video claim.
dishonorable disclosures is a 2012 american documentary film purporting to show that the administration of president barack obama has endangered lives by allegedly leaking information about the u.s. military raid that killed osama bin laden in 2011 . the video was produced by the special operations opsec education fund inc , a 501 ( c ) ( 4 ) group which began a political ad campaign critical of president obama and showed the video in swing states in the months leading up to the 2012 presidential election in response , the obama campaign compared the film to the " swift boat " attacks against democratic presidential candidate john kerry in 2004 . 
dishonorable disclosures is a 2012 american documentary film purporting to show that the administration of president barack obama has endangered lives by allegedly leaking information about the u.s. military raid that killed osama bin laden in 2011. the video was produced by the special operations opsec education fund inc, a 501 (c) (4) group which began a political ad campaign critical of president obama and showed the video in swing states in the months leading up to the 2012 presidential election in response, the obama campaign compared the film to the " swift boat " attacks against democratic presidential candidate john kerry in 2004.
dishonorable disclosures is a 2012 american documentary film purporting to show that the administration of president barack obama has endangered lives by allegedly leaking information about the u.s. military raid that killed osama bin laden in 2011. the video was produced by the special operations opsec education fund inc, a 501 (c) (4) group which began a political ad campaign critical of president obama and showed the video in swing states in the months leading up to the 2012 presidential election in response, the obama campaign compared the film to the " swift boat " attacks against democratic presidential candidate john kerry in 2004.