Obama to Punish Leakers

Are heads about to roll in the White House? Politico is reporting that the Obama administration is frustrated by the spate of national-security leaks about Afghanistan and Fort Hood, and it “is planning a major effort to root out and punish those responsible.” Defense Secretary Robert Gates pronounced himself “appalled,” saying “If I found out with high confidence anybody who was leaking in the department, … it would probably be a career-ender.” National Counterintelligence Executive Robert Bear Bryant, meanwhile, has been ordered to come up with a strategy to stem the leaks. Pentagon General Counsel Jeh Johnson said some of the leaks were attributable to information given to journalists who said they were working on long-term book projects.