Pentagon: Release of Taliban Funeral Photo Unauthorized

Fox News ^ | 9/13/2006 | AP

[tobyhill]

KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. military said Wednesday it is looking into the unauthorized release of a photo purportedly taken by an American drone aircraft showing scores of Taliban militants at a funeral in Afghanistan.

NBC-TV claimed U.S. Army officers wanted to attack the ceremony with missiles carried by the Predator drone, but were prevented under rules of battlefield engagement that bar attacks on cemeteries.

Lt. Tamara Lawrence, a spokeswoman with the U.S. military in Kabul, said the photograph was released to the network by someone who did not have the clearance to hand it out.

[tobyhill]

While I'm all for knowing about obstacles preventing strikes that would help win the WOT I'm also for finding the a*shole that released this photo to the press and having them hung for treason! Get the damn MSM out of this war so we can finally win.

[Toespi]

"Get the damn MSM out of this war so we can finally win."

Bravo!

[billndin]

Better yet, give the leaker a medal for his A-1 guerilla war tactics. The American Revolution was begun by guerilla warriors.

[prion]

Well, prosecute all leakers as a matter of principle. But this one was about the least damaging leak to the war I can imagine.

[The South Texan]

Yep, make him/here an example to the rest of weasels in the DOD, State, CIA and FBI that are hindering our efforts.

[cripplecreek]

I'm not thrilled with leaks but I'm not thrilled with PC war either.

[Bigh4u2]

It's time to clean out the Pentagon of the 'Clinton' leftovers.

[Brilliant]

Who at the Pentagon should be fired for ordering the idiotic policy?

[Brilliant]

[TomGuy]

Gibson on FoxNews reported that the State Department is the one responsible for the policy against attacking the enemy at funerals.

That's Dr. Rice's area of responsibility. Dr. Rice, who, according to some reports, had the Israeli military going forward, going back, going forward, withdrawing during the recent Israeli-Hizbulla conflict.

Dr. Rice's State Department seems to be more and more like Colin Powell's State Department.

[mewzilla]

Judge Napolitano was on FNC a little while ago. According to the Judge, the strike was disallowed because of an agreement between Karzai and our State Department that doesn't permit strikes on cemeteries within Afghanistan. It wasn't some JAG, according to the Judge's sources, or some law. And the agreement is only with Afghanistan. The pic has probably been leaked by some CIA guy who took exception to allowing 190 terrorists to get away.

And oddly enough, I don't see the MSM coming to this whistleblower's rescue....

[flynmudd]

I heard it was the State Department.

[AmericaUnited]

What a missed oppurtunity for the filming of Whoa Dude - Take II.

For those who missed the original classic, click here Whoa Dude

[mewzilla]

Dr. Rice's State Department seems to be more and more like Colin Powell's State Department.

So was 43 apprised of this? If not, why not? If so, well, he obviously signed off on it...

[tobyhill]

I served my time in the Army honorably and when I was in leaks like this was a court martial offense and possibly treasonous if during war time. I don't believe the person who released this was interested in bringing attention to an obvious discrepancy with the rules of engagement but was more interested in embarrassing this administration because it comes on the heals of a movie that embarrassed the Clintons for not firing the shot even though the scenario is different.

[Brilliant]

This incident sort of reminds me of US General McClellan's Civil War decision to do nothing after one of his officers found a cigar wrapper discarded by one of Robert E. Lee's generals showing how the Confederate Army had been split into three parts and ordered to take separate routes through the Appalacians.

History is littered with fateful military decisions like that which could have saved lives if the idiots in charge had done something.

[ichabod1]

You can run, you'll only die tired...

[princess leah]

Anytime we miss an opportunity to rid the world of a whole bunch of terrorists, we've failed in the WOT!

[Brilliant]

OMG. What the heck is the State Dept. doing making these decisions? Fire someone. Fire a bunch of someones.

[kinghorse]

That looks like the corner in my city after the guy in the truck yells "Los trabajadores!".