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March 30, 2012
Bolton Accuses Obama Administration of Leaking Story on Israeli Plans Along Iran Border
Bolton accuses administration of leaking story on Israeli planning along Iran border
Former U.S. diplomat John Bolton alleged Thursday that the Obama administration leaked a story about covert Israeli activity in order to foil potential plans by the country to attack Iran's nuclear program.
Bolton was responding to an article in Foreign Policy magazine that quoted government sources claiming Israel had been granted access to airfields in Azerbaijan -- along Iran's northern border.
The article did not state exactly what the Israelis' intentions were, but it suggested it could point to a possible strike on Iran.
"I think this leak today is part of the administration's campaign against an Israeli attack," Bolton claimed on Fox News.
The White House did not respond to Bolton's claims Thursday.
Bolton, a Fox News contributor, noted that a strike launched from Azerbaijan would be much easier for the Israelis than a strike launched from their own country -- jets could stay over their targets longer and worry less about refueling. But he said tipping the Israelis' hand by revealing "very sensitive, very important information" could frustrate such a plan.
Speaking afterward to FoxNews.com, Bolton said he didn't have hard proof that this was an intentional administration leak to halt an Israeli attack.
But he noted widely reported comments from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in February that he thinks the Israelis could strike as early as April. If that's the case, Bolton said, then it would be "entirely consistent" for the administration to try to avoid that impending outcome.
The Foreign Policy article quoted what were identified as "high-level sources ... inside the U.S. government." It specifically mentioned "four senior diplomats and military intelligence officers."
One intelligence officer, who was unnamed, told the magazine that the U.S. was "watching" the activity and was "not happy about it."
The Foreign Policy article did not specify whether any of the information came from the White House, and there is no direct evidence that this was a coordinated leak.
"Clearly, this is an administration-orchestrated leak," Bolton told FoxNews.com. "This is not a rogue CIA guy saying I think I'll leak this out."
"It's just unprecedented to reveal this kind of information about one of your own allies," Bolton said.
Wild Thing's comment.....
I bellieve Bolton and another time we know Obama and his admin. leaked information was about the Navy Seals that captured Osama bin laden.
Posted by Wild Thing at March 30, 2012 02:50 AM
Comments
Sure they leaked the information. They also outed the SEAL's.
In the past, you never heard of SEAL Team 6 activity. If any of them ever got killed, it was always reported as a training accident, even to family. Now, we know they're operating in waters off Somalia, and in Afghanistan.
This is a long video, 23 minutes, but Dr. Manning has some interesting things to say about David Brietbart and what happened to the SEAL's who died recently when their helicopter was "shot" out of the sky. Manning was a Clinton supporter who sees Obama as the main threat to this nation.
Posted by: BobF at March 30, 2012 07:26 AM
A lot of interesting angles to this story, White House intel leaks, nothing new here. The Israelis, I'm sure, are probably practicing disinformation in their dealings with the obama anti Israel administration.
I think there are a lot of Iran's neighbors who would welcome an Israeli strike on Iran. Publically these neighboring countries and the Gulf states may advocate dislike of Israel. Secretly they may support an Israeli preemptive strike.
I hope that if Romney makes it to the Oval Office he finds a slot in his administration for John Bolton. Bolton is a no nonsense, very knowledgable guy who is also patriotic. That last trait is sorely missing from the obama bunch.
Posted by: TomR,armed in Texas at March 30, 2012 01:10 PM
I cannot wait until this thug/gangster/petty administration is convicted of treason and is locked away in solitary forever. Or there is always the guillotine. (my favorite)
Posted by: Eddie (enemy of the state) at March 30, 2012 05:50 PM
