Former CIA director and retired Air Force General Michael Hayden explained to Newsmax.com how Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden's leaks caused serious damage to the U.S.
Former CIA Director Michael Hayden tells Newsmax that the most important aspect of Private Bradley Manning's conviction on multiple charges is the "deterrent effect" it might have on others with access to sensitive information.
But the retired four-star Air Force general asserts that Manning is being "horribly exploited" by those who are urging more government transparency.
And he says the intelligence leaked by former National Security Agency staffer Edward Snowden could be "the most serious hemorrhaging of American secrets" ever.
Hayden served as director of the Central Intelligence Agency from May 2006 until February 2009, shortly after Obama’s inauguration. He also served as director of the NSA from 1999 to 2005, and is now on the Advisory Board of LIGNET.com, a Washington, D.C.-based intelligence analysis and forecasting service affiliated with Newsmax.
Manning on Tuesday was acquitted of the most serious charge he faced, aiding the enemy, but he was convicted on a slew of other charges.
"Now he did aid the enemy and frankly it's very difficult for me to imagine someone in his position not understanding that if he were to do what he was planning to do and what he did do that it would not aid the enemy. But that's not the only topic that the court had to consider. It had to consider his intent at that time, his state of mind, and so that was always a very high bar.
"I'm not particularly disappointed that that charge was dismissed. I mean, being convicted on five charges of espionage, that's a nontrivial event both nationally and certainly in this young man's life.
You can read the rest of the story and watch the news clip via the below link:
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/hayden-snowden-leaks-worst/2013/07/31/id/518013
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