The Department of Defense is looking into ways to "pump up the security" for the team of Navy SEALs who helped kill Osama bin Laden after the commandos expressed concern for their safety and the safety of their families, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday.
Gates made the comment in response to a question at a town hall meeting at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. A Marine asked what measures were being taken to protect "the identities and the lives" of the SEALs involved in the takedown of bin Laden in Pakistan a week ago, as well as other troops deployed in the region, from the threat of retaliation.
"We are very concerned about the security of our families – of your families and our troops, and also these elite units that are engaged in things like that. And without getting into any details ... I would tell you that when I met with the team last Thursday, they expressed a concern about that, and particularly with respect to their families," Gates told the audience.
"Frankly, a week ago Sunday, in the Situation Room, we all agreed that we would not release any operational details from the effort to take out bin Laden. That all fell apart on Monday, the next day."
Gates' comments offered the first insight into the mindset of the team members since they carried out the risky operation.
SEALs, short for Sea, Air and Land teams, are known as "quiet professionals." They keep a low profile because of the classified nature of their tactical operations.
The team, known as SEAL Team 6, is widely believed to have returned to American soil. But the unit is covered with such a degree of secrecy that the military won't confirm its presence.
The Marine's question underscored sentiment among military and intelligence communities that identification of the team signified an unprecedented breach of confidentiality.
Gates acknowledged the threat of retaliation against Team 6 and troops deployed in the region.
"There is an awareness that the threat of retaliation is increased because of the attacks – because of the action against bin Laden," he said. "The one thing I would tell you, though, is that I think there has been a consistent and effective effort to protect the identities of those who participated in the raid, and I think that has to continue."
A Pentagon spokesman later cautioned against interpreting Gates' response "as a criticism of any particular person or office."
"He was indeed voicing his concern about the breakdown in operational security after the killing of Bin Laden," Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Geoff Morrell said. "Anonymous sources revealing secret information about the tactics, training, and equipment of covert forces put at risk our ability to successfully mount similar missions in the future."
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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So to all of those commenting about putting an armed guard at their homes....you do realized that every one of these men of SEAL team Six are some of the most highly trained and skilled professionals in the world and their skill individually probably equates to 30 armed guards....not to mention the fact that simply putting an armed guard at their house is basically the same as putting a giant florescent sign above their house that says "SEAL lives here!".
A witness re-location type program with CIA constantly watching over their families is more likely to happen.
And to all those commenting about how they knew what danger they were getting into before they killed bin laden... these guys , as do all soldiers, expect their leadership to keep information that can compromise their safety under a very tight lid. They dont expect a toolbag politician to blab to the media of classified operational security information that impacts their security.
The best thing would be for Obama to STOP using this to garner future votes!
You have a point about the presence of armed guards being a tip-off, but even though a SEAL may be worth several armed guards, the SEAL isn't always at home or awake or with allies. Also, why in the world would it be the CIA who looked over the families? That doesn't even make sense. If anything, it would be some kind of military protection.
@DaveNYUSA Thanks for being the poster child for the dumbing down of America. I know, you probably don't even know what that means. Which is my point, you ignorant jerk.
Really? This rant is rediculous.
It stinks that the some losers in the u.s. gov had the need to attach themselves to the victory of getting bin laden. Felt the need to prove they were in the "know" by outting the seal team . All i can say is the Seal's had better make their own arraingements because you will probably find out on wiki leaks, all that is known about them . blah, what a way to treat our finest .
If you get point, why play english teacher.
dyslexia is greek in origin and is generically translated into english as "bad reading" or "saying". The medical and other professions have more specific and detailed explanations of what the generic meaning includes in their area of professionalism. english as used in america has no such guiding principle other than "commonly used' meaning which is of course why english is often an incoherent language in discussions of this type, that is, on line and anything goes.
OBAMA to Chinese ambassador to the U.S......Can we have our stealth helicopter back? Please? Pretty please.
If you get point why play english teacher. Is it so hard to stick to the story?
Thanks, CNN, for headlining a piece of information that the public does not need to know and has no control other, but will only potentially harm others. Not one of your useless readers has the capability to affect this.
It is a good call by Gates, but by the same token, your announcing it to the world in such a public forum also plants the seeds of ideas that can grow.
There is no SEAL TEAM 6. If such an organization existed it would be used as a cover for the real organization that took down UBL.
I killed Osama
I am the law
I do not know why all this fuss. I haven't seen any photo of our SEAl heroes posted on the net or the paper. So no one knows who they are. Posting guards will attract attention. I do not know why one advertised the fact that the job was done by the SEALS.
Why cannot we follow Israels example. Even when they do something they deny doing it. Well I guess our politicians need the votes.
worst president EVER
@Max Thanks for being the poster child for the dumbing down of America. I know, you probably don't even know what that means. Which is my point, you ignorant jerk.
"we all agreed that we would not release any operational details from the effort to take out bin Laden. That all fell apart on Monday, the next day."
I’m sure if it went wrong that would have been honored. Though the DOD might have done the same. Politics!
PLEASE, LETS drop this topic. Anything about them should have been TOP SECRET, but no the media has to risk their security just to get a story. Freedom of the press sometimes is our worst enemy and puts lives at stake, and they know it. Thats what I hate about our press. They don't know when to say, I better not make this public, in the publics best interest, But also the military needs to shut up about covert operations period, incuding GATES! I hope this goes away and nothing is further exposed. I am proud we have people like them, lets not make future seals think twice about doing highly classified operations, that may be leaked!
So...I have to wonder if this is just the kind of info that would find its way to WikiLeaks if PFC Manning was still out there committing treason...
@AnonymousVet Thanks for being the poster child for the dumbing down of America. I know, you probably don't even know what that means. Which is my point, you ignorant jerk.
Teason smeason- I don't care about hitmen or their families.
Hey DaveO – now that you've learned how to copy and paste, why don't you explain your post instead of just spewing hateful words. Any idiot can do that...
If they're so worried about their safety then maybe they shouldn't have murdered an unarmed man with kidney problems.
@Jason Thanks for being the poster child for the dumbing down of America. I know, you probably don't even know what that means. Which is my point, you ignorant jerk.
hey, the problem wasnt his body , it was his mental need to kill americans and an army of able bodied people ready to do his bidding. so feeble old man, yes, but a wicked,cunning and murderous old man.