In order to justify the aggressive prosecution of government insiders who talked to the press—whistleblowers like Chelsea Manning and John Kiriakou–the administration has often used claims that leaking operational details related to military or intelligence matters puts US troops on the battlefield and American interests at risk.
In an about-face on Friday, however, the White House was nonchalant the day after an unnamed Pentagon official spilled key operational details about an upcoming military campaign against an Islamic State stronghold.
When asked why the Defense Department would “give your playbook to the Islamic State and make it easier for them to prepare to defend themselves against such an attack,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest held back much of the same criticism he has leveled from the podium about disclosures that reveal US government malfeasance or misconduct.
“This sort of operational planning that was discussed at the Department of Defense is something that’s done by the Department of Defense,” Earnest said, trying to tiptoe around the question.
In a Thursday background briefing with reporters, a Pentagon official gave important details about plans for an upcoming assault, led by Iraqi soldiers, on Mosul, a city currently held by the Islamic State.
The Centcom official said planning is underway for a Mosul operation scheduled to commence in the “April-May timeframe.” Speaking on a condition of anonymity, the individual then gave operational details of the upcoming campaign.
“In the attack force, there will be five Iraqi army brigades, there will be three smaller brigades that will comprise a reserve force, there will be three Pesh[merga] brigades that will help contain from the north and isolate from the west, and then there will be what we’re calling a Mosul fighting force, which will be compromised of largely police and tribal that are being put together right now of mostly former Mosul police, and then finally, a brigade equivalent of [Iraqi Counterterroism Forces],” the official said.
“That’s the large composition of what will participate,” they added.
At Friday’s White House briefing, reporters were confused by the level of candor about an upcoming military operation.
“Why detail this in advance?” asked one reporter. Another wondered if the President, or even Earnest himself, were aware that the Pentagon was planning to dish out this information.
“I don’t know that I was necessarily aware that Central Command was conducting a briefing,” Earnest said in a vaguely worded response.
Despite recent claims by the Attorney General that the administration has been lenient on leakers and whistleblowers, the administration has gone to great lengths to punish individuals who spill government secrets and have put in place stringent rules to prevent future leaks.
Speaking in May of 2013, President Obama said, “Leaks related to national security can put people at risk.”
“So I make no apologies, and I don’t think the American people would expect me as commander in chief not to be concerned about information that might compromise their missions or might get them killed,” he added.
McClatchy previously reported on internal Pentagon documents that warn, “leaking is tantamount to aiding the enemies of the United States.”
There was also discussion in the briefing room over whether or not the upcoming assault on Mosul might include US troops assisting Iraqi and Kurdish forces, as was alluded to in Thursday’s Pentagon briefing, but Earnest declined to comment further.
“You’re talking about an operation the details of which I’m unable to confirm,” he said.
