AP Leak ended informant's rare opportunity, why DOJ went after AP records

[msanthrope]

2. The leaking potentially jeopardized our relationship with the UK and Saudi

intelligence services.

As I noted in my own thread on this issue, the time line on these events is this--

Covert op (a Title 50) is executed in Yemen.

The Gang of 8 is notified.

Republican leaks a title 50 covert op to reporter at the AP

Reporter calls to confirm.

CIA asks for holdoff.

AP publishes early.

Republicans blame Obama for leak.

Romney blames Obama for leak. (remember this is before he goes on his foreign/Olympic tour)

AP IS SILENT.

The AP is either in active collusion on a dirty trick, OR, they knew they got punked, and didn't out the source.

Why did this happen???? Because the Republicans were trying to make the President look bad on foreign policy on the year anniversary of Osama:

The Times also reports that there is some anger within the intelligence community that both the plot and the use of an informant were revealed by the media. The first report on the failed mission came from the Associated Press, which was asked not to report on the story by the CIA. They did hold it for several days while the agent — who media reports call a "double agent," though there is no indication he was ever a true member of al-Qaeda — and his family were moved to a safe location within Saudi Arabia. Rep. Peter King, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said there were concerns that leaks would discourage foreign intelligence services and other possible informants from working with the United States in the future, if the methods and sources for such operations were disclosed publicly.http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2012/05/latest-underwear-bomber-was-actually-cia-spy/52080/