Gates: Leaked Documents Could Have Grave Consequences

Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned Thursday that the recent release of thousands of classified military documents on the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks could put the lives of U.S. servicemen and their collaborators in jeopardy.

“The battlefield consequences of the release of these documents are potentially severe and dangerous for our troops, our allies and Afghan partners,” Gates told reporters during a briefing at the Pentagon. 

Gates characterized the revelation of hundreds of Afghan informants, whose names are included in the documents, as “one of the worst aspects” of the scandal.

“I’ve spent most of my life in the intelligence business where the sacrosanct principle is protecting your sources,” Gates, who served as CIA Director under George Bush Sr., said. “As a result of this massive breach of security, we have considerable repair work to do in terms of reassuring people and rebuilding trust.”

Gates pledged to aggressively investigate the leak and, if possible, prosecute the responsible party, adding that he has requested the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. When asked by a reporter if the Defense Department has spoken with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Gates simply said that he was not sure.

“I’m not sure why we would,” Gates added. “Do you think he would tell us the truth?”