Kerry Statement Fails to Mention His Previous Concerns on Obama Administration Leaks or Ask Why OBL Raid Was Used for Partisan Attack Ad, Says OPSEC

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Sen. John Kerry issued a statement last night on behalf of the Obama campaign in response to the release of "Dishonorable Disclosures" in which he failed to restate his own concerns about the negative impact of national security leaks under the Obama administration or ask why the Osama Bin Laden raid was turned into a partisan campaign commercial.

In June, responding to concerns expressed by other U.S. senators about the unprecedented amount of leaks of classified or sensitive information, Kerry said:

"A number of those leaks, and others in the last months about drone activities and other activities, are frankly all against national-security interests," said Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. "I think they're dangerous, damaging, and whoever is doing that is not acting in the interest of the United States of America."
(The Hill, 6/5/12)

"John Kerry's partisan campaign statement last night failed to acknowledge his previous concern that leaks under the Obama Administration were dangerous and damaging," said Scott Taylor, president of OPSEC.  "John Kerry set aside his serious concerns about the impacts of security leaks on our country in order to issue a partisan campaign press release."

The Kerry statement also failed to acknowledge that the Obama campaign had used the raid on Osama bin Laden, which should have been a nationally unifying event, as the basis for a highly partisan campaign commercial on the one year anniversary of the event.

"The Obama campaign's use of the Osama bin Laden raid as the basis for a highly partisan campaign commercial demeans the service of thousands of Americans of all political views who labored for more than a decade to make the decision to launch the raid possible," said Taylor.  "John Kerry demeaned that service even further by failing to condemn in – or even mention it."

OPSEC this week announced 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.  More information about OPSEC and news about the release of "Dishonorable Disclosures" can be found at www.OpSecTeam.org.

SOURCE OPSEC