VetVoice: Congressman McHenry Violates OPSEC; Endangers Troops

[marmar]

by: Brandon Friedman
Mon Apr 07, 2008 at 05:24:29 AM EDT

In an effort to bolster his own national security credentials in the midst of "Sniper-gate," Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC) gave away intelligence information last week that could have aided Shi'ite militias and/or other terrorist organizations in targeting the Green Zone. Only two days after McHenry promoted a video of himself in the Green Zone describing in detail the effectiveness of the rocket attacks on Easter Sunday, the area was hit with a barrage that killed two U.S. soldiers and wounded 17 others. It was the deadliest attack on the Green Zone so far this year.

The information McHenry divulged in a video on his official Congressional website on Friday was critical for a number of reasons. Here it is, along with the transcript below: http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=947

McHENRY: Good morning. You see, right over my back here (points), there was a rocket attack this morning. According to our folks here, there were eleven rockets, uh, one hit just over my head, another hit a parking lot, and another hit the gym. Well, interestingly enough, I wasn't able to get into the gym this morning because I didn't have an ID that was appropriate. And so I was escorted back to the room and just a few minutes later, that's when the rocket attacks occurred. So, uh, small wonders. . .what a small blessing. . .a big blessing on Easter Sunday morning. So, thanks so much.

This quote, coupled with McHenry's comment about the "two-bit security guard" on March 29th, is not good. The bottom line is that whoever launched that strike could take the information McHenry provided and use it to kill Americans in the Green Zone. This is why professionals operating in a combat zone are trained not to reveal any battle damage after an attack. You never want the enemy to know whether or not he's been successful. In this case, Congressman McHenry very clearly broke "operations security" (OPSEC) by revealing "critical information" as defined in Army regulations.

On Saturday, I communicated with one military officer currently in the Green Zone who stated that this was "undoubtedly a violation of OPSEC." On Sunday evening, I spoke with a senior intelligence official in Washington who seemed dumbfounded by McHenry's remarks. Asked whether he considered this a breach of operations security, the official shouted over the phone at me, "Of course! He's helping to dial them in." He meant the people firing the rockets.

Unfortunately, only two days after the bellicose, yet clueless, Congressman McHenry posted the video, more rockets rained down on the Green Zone--this time killing two U.S. soldiers and wounding 17 in the most damaging attack on U.S. forces in the Green Zone since last year. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=947

[Bolo Boffin]

1. "Well, next time that two-bit security guard will let me into the gym!"

[unhappycamper]

2. There's pretty good stuff at vetvoice.com.

I try to stop in daily.

[SaveAmerica]

3. He's in deep doo-doo with the Pentagon

http://www.charlotte.com/630/story/572786.html

Pentagon: Lawmaker can't re-air Iraq video
Rep. Patrick McHenry faces accusations his video breached security
LISA ZAGAROLI
[e-mail]

WASHINGTON --
The Pentagon told an N.C. lawmaker Tuesday that he couldn't re-air a video he shot in Baghdad after accusations surfaced that he breached operational security in detailing enemy rocket attacks.

Rep. Patrick McHenry, a Republican from Cherryville, traveled to Iraq with other lawmakers for the first time on March 22.

On Friday, his Web site featured a video shot in the fortified section of Baghdad known as the Green Zone. McHenry could be seen gesturing to a building behind him and saying that one of 11 rockets "hit just over my head." Then he named two other places struck by the rockets.

On Monday, a veterans group called VoteVets.org accused McHenry of giving away intelligence information that could have aided terrorist organizations in targeting the Green Zone.