It was revealed on Monday that a national magazine editor was mistakenly included in a text exchange among top Trump intelligence staff as they traded details about airstrike plans against Yemen rebels. The airstrikes began two hours later and continued into Tuesday morning, killing at least two people.
The editor said he thought the text thread was a hoax at first, or meant to bait him into reporting false information. Luckily, he protected the details from public view. When the airstrikes on Yemen began, the editor realized he had been part of a military decision-making conversation he had no clearance to see or share.
The National Security Council on Monday said the text conversation appeared to be genuine. The U.S. Defense Secretary claims he didn’t share military specifics outside his command. The conversation included the Vice President and other top officials who debated the impact of the military action. The airstrikes are meant to curb the actions of Houthi rebels who are threatening the movement of trading ships in their area.
Many have observed that this administration has replaced top cabinet officials with individuals who have little experience or expertise in their actual jobs. It’s understandable the president wants people loyal to him to hold powerful posts. But those people should also be qualified to do their jobs, and understand the significance of what they are in charge of.
Careless handling of military information, especially direct military action, puts American soldiers in danger.
Giving away the location of any military team or their plans makes it possible for our enemies to find and intercept our troops and weapons. This is very dangerous for our men and women in uniform.
The World War II warning “Loose lips sink ships” was spread far and wide to remind soldiers and Americans to guard any talk about military locations or details. Our own government officials have failed in this basic step. There’s no room for “learning on the job” when it comes to following long-standing rules to protect our military troops stationed in harm’s way. America’s Secretary of Defense, National Security Advisor and Vice President have shown their carelessness in this most sacred duty.
