US braces for blowback over Afghan war disclosures

[unhappycamper]

US braces for blowback over Afghan war disclosures
By KIMBERLY DOZIER
Associated Press Writer
Jul 27, 3:05 AM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Intelligence officials, past and present, are raising concerns that the WikiLeaks.org revelations could endanger U.S. counterterror networks in the Afghan region, and damage information sharing with U.S. allies.

People in Afghanistan or Pakistan who have worked with American intelligence agents or the military against the Taliban or al-Qaida may be at risk following the disclosure of thousands of once-secret U.S. military documents, former and current officials said.

Meanwhile, U.S. allies are asking whether they can trust America to keep secrets. And the Obama administration is scrambling to repair any political damage to the war effort back home.

The material could reinforce the view put forth by the war's opponents in Congress that one of the nation's longest conflicts is hopelessly stalemated. Congress has so far backed the war, and an early test of that continued support will come Tuesday when the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., holds a hearing on the Afghan war.

Still, the leaks are not expected to affect passage of a $60 billion war funding bill. Despite strong opposition among liberals who see Afghanistan as an unwinnable quagmire, House Democrats must either approve the bill before leaving at the end of this week for a six-week vacation, or commit political suicide by leaving troops in the lurch in war zones overseas.

[digitaln3rd]

1. Wait, what?

Record unemployment, deficit spending, people without healthcare, two wars raging on..

And Congress is going on a six-week, paid (presumably) vacation? /facepalm

I don't think there was ever any doubt about the war funding bill passing since not passing it would require Democrats to grow a spine first.

[izquierdista]

2. No scrambling

The only thing the White House should be scrambling is eggs for breakfast.

* If they "just said no" to Bush's oil wars, there would be no egg on their face for Afghanistan.

* If they "just said no" to FOX news' demand to fire personnel, there would be no egg on their face about Shirley Sherrod.

* If they "just said no" to 100 cents on the dollar for Goldman "assets", there would be no egg on their face about bonuses.

If there is any Republican they should be getting bi-partisan with, maybe it is Nancy Reagan.