- @cnnbrk
- Followers: 60,353,412
Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny is ordered to remain in custody, less than 24 hours after he was arrested on his retuâ€twitter.com/i/web/status/1…x0
- @cnnbrk
- Followers: 60,353,412
Samsung vice chairman Lee Jae-yong is going back to prison, casting the future of leadership at the massive tech coâ€twitter.com/i/web/status/1…Sf
- @cnnbrk
- Followers: 60,353,412
China's economy grew 2.3% in 2020 even as the rest of the world was upended by the coronavirus pandemic, accordingâ€twitter.com/i/web/status/1…1f
- @cnnbrk
- Followers: 60,353,412
An Army reservist who federal investigators say has secret-level security clearance and a long record of posting hiâ€twitter.com/i/web/status/1…1I
- @cnnbrk
- Followers: 60,353,412
President Trump plans to issue about 100 pardons and commutations Tuesday, his final full day in office, sources say cnn.it/3qHpsLF
- @cnnbrk
- Followers: 60,353,412
A University of Kentucky senior was charged in connection with the US Capitol riot, an FBI affidavit shows. She wasâ€twitter.com/i/web/status/1…vh
- @cnnbrk
- Followers: 60,353,412
A New Mexico man who had been wanted for his alleged role in the January 6 riot was arrested Sunday blocks away froâ€twitter.com/i/web/status/1…vt
CNN POLITICS ON FACEBOOK » | CNN POLITICS ON TWITTER »
Gates: SEALs who killed bin Laden concerned for their safety
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."
On Twitter
We had to know Bin Laden was killed and how or we would have not believed them, some still do not. Don't be afraid Nave Seals they are going after the president's grandmother. Simply put, don't be afraid of cowards.
Don't kid yourself. They are not cowards.
"BRAVO ZULU" Seal Team 6.
the story is sad but what are you going to do really?the world knows that one day there will be someone who knows someone that was involved in all this and it will surface that is the 21st media for you folks ain't nothin' a secret no more ,nothing.
The problem is and always has been our stupid politicians. They just cannot keep their mouths shut, always playiing to the camera for votes and $$$. That is all they care about.
I sat listening to Obama say how some of his closeted advisor, even the wife did not know about the raid ahead of time. I thought how stupid? How stupid is the interviewer? The President? The first rule of security is "You must have a need to know" to get access to intel reguardless of your clearance. If you don't have a NEED to know you won't know.
How many time has a congressman, or Senator revealed classified information? Yet none are brought up on charges as they should be.
That is what you get for commiting cold blooded murder against an unarmed man.
eat a$$
seriously, eat a$$
You are correct. It is sad that the military personnel believe they are defending America when what they are really doing is serving as hired guns for the elite and their masters to acquire all the wealth of the world and finish making the people their slaves. That is not what Washington, Jefferson, Adams and even John F Kennedy envisioned for America.
you too – suck one
That is what OBL gets for killing 3000+ unarmed and innocent people.
That's what he got for 9/11. Nearly 3,000 unarmed to 1 unarmed. Not a great ratio.
your an idiot
You have got to be the biggest moron to ever post.
Hey buddy, a real true American you are. Not.
IMHO, you are very pathetic to make such a stupid comment.
Stefan, your ignorance and incompetence are showing!
Stefan.. go home... I say again go home... before its too late!
Yep. Unarmed.
some hero OBL was... hiding out in a "mansion" more like a run down crack house.. that place was disgusting...and you see him sitting there like a frail little old man watching his tv with bunny ears..lmao.. wrapped in a dirty old blanket...hope he had lots of viagra for his 40 virgins... and if they looked anything like his wives....that aint no reward.. hahaha.
I really hope the fact that your hero got waxed burns your azz because that man deserved every bit of vengeance.
So, we intentionally try to control the rest of the world for its resources, not because we care anything at all about the people. Quote from a Navy Special Ops man: "Unless the country has resources we want, we don't do jack. Three tours in Vietnam, then in Grenada, Bosnia, the first iraq war and I was fooled into believing I was serving for national security. I finally wised up and figured out I was being used and abandoned afterward."
The issue is that the President went too far by authorizing the release of Operational details that should never have been made public. I understand his need to demonstrate that he did indeed authorize this OP but far too many details were released; no one should ever have identified which group executed the raid. This is not a partisan rant, just the facts from someone who was a Marine and worked in the Intelligence field. I'm afraid that by trying to "prove" the death of OBL that the President has no only jeopardized the safety of those involved (and their families) he may have also made this a PR issue as it will appear, to some, that he released details to bolster his re-election bid. Again, I have no political affiliation...but the President may have undermined both safety and his agenda by allowing this to happen. There was just too much to risk personally for the DevGru Team and politically for the President... a bad call overall.
You're right, a photo would've been much less damaging to "National Security"
Why does article mention the team by name? This is the very practice it is talking about. Thanks, CNN, for endangering out troops.
get that poof from wikileaks to shut his hole...
Like always people have their opinion on both sides but seem to not understand that the only voice out there that can't be heard are the 3000+ dead from the 9/11 attacks.
God Bless our troops and thank you Navy SEAL team 6 for carrying out your mission and ending the hunt for OBL. I don't care what people say about how we killed him I'm just glad he is dead. He deserved a worst death than he got. It was not criminal for them to kill him, it was justice......... just ask the thousands of family members that lost their loved ones on 9/11.........
Just think though OBL's in heaven with his 7 virgins , word is they're all huge hairy legged men. Have fun boys!
what is so hilarious is that seal team 6 doesn't actually exist as that name anymore? It was created under that name several years after Team 1 and 2 were formed but was actually changed into a slightly different group with new classified name.
Yes but, whatever name they now go by, their base location should NEVER have been made public.
Thier current name is "The Unit". NBC had a recurring expose on them, thier families, and thier missions on TV a few years back.
Thank you SEALs for all you do for this country. I doubt we would have heard any real details if the helicopter hadn't had that freak accident. I for one am incensed that news organizations are trying to out you. Thank you.
"Loose Lips Sink Ships". Now, that having been said, we need to put members of Congress on a ship and tell them a secret and tell them not to repeat it or the ship will sink and no effort would be mad to save anyone. That way we will know we got the right one. If we put them on the ship this morning at sunrise, it should sink before lunch time and we can start with a new congress and do the same thing with them and continue doing it until a ship does not sink. Then we will have found a congress we can work with.
I thought SEALs were tough and not scared? What happened? They are scared someone armed with kick their butts when they aren't in a group with high tech weapons fighting a single unarmed man and a few women?
YOU ARE AN UNPATRIOTIC ASS WHO ONLY KNOWS YOUR KEYBOARD. I HOPE IT PEES ON YOU. MAYBE YOU WOULD NOT NOTICE SINCE YOU SIT AROUND ALL DAY IN YOUR DIRTY UNDERWARE GETTING YOUR
FOOD STAMPS AND UNEMPLOYMENT CHECKS. YOU ARE TOTALLY DISGUSTING AND I HOPE OUR COUNTRY ABANDONS YOUR KINK.
Hey Mr. know it all, did it ever for one minute enter what passes for a brain in your head, the thought that maybe, just maybe the married Seals are very concerned about the safety of their wives and children?
And just because they are tough does not mean they want to prove it by taking an AK-47 round in the chest!
Get a life.
Lame attempt at humor
HERE YOU GO WITH OBAMA'S GRANDSTANDING, HE SHOULD HAVE KEPT HIS HALF BLACK MONTH SHUT AND NO ONE SHOULD HAVE KNOW IT WAS THE SEALS. GEE, MAYBE OBAMA AND HOLDER WILL WAKE UP AFTER THEY HAVE STRUCK THE FATAL BLOW TO OUR MILITARY.
Your caps lock in ON
yah ok...fatal blow to our military??? you got high hopes Mr... good luck with that.
Let's rejoice as Americans for our ENTIRE military family. Let's also honor the secrecy of the troops who engage in similar operations for their safety and that of their families.