I haven't commented on all the information coming out of the government because at some level I trusted that we weren't revealing too much. Silly me. The Department of Defense thinks the loose lips were flapping:
SEC. GATES: Well, first of all, in my comments at Camp Lejeune, I didn't single anybody out. And, I mean, in a way, you all, every one of you, probably knows the answer to this question better than I do. And my--my concern is that there were too many people in too many places talking too much about this operation. And we had reached agreement that we would not talk about the operational details, and as I said at Camp Lejeune, that lasted about 15 hours.
And so I just -- I'm very concerned about this because we -- we want to retain the capability to carry out these kinds of operations in the future. And when so much detail is available, it makes that both more difficult and riskier.
Now, with respect to the SEALs, in my meeting with them the Thursday after the operation, they did express concern, not so much for themselves but for their families. And all I will say is that we have been taking a close look at that and we will do whatever is necessary.
ADM. MULLEN: We have, from my perspective, gotten to a point where we are close to jeopardizing this precious capability that we have, and we can't afford to do that. This fight isn't over, first of all. Secondly, when you now extend that to concern with individuals in the military and their families, from my perspective it is time to stop talking. And we have talked far too much about this. We need to move on. It's a story that, if we don't stop talking, it will never end. And it needs to.
The President needs to tell his people to just shut the eff up on this topic. What happened in Abbottabad should stay in Abbottabad.
