Mitt Romney has made a strong accusation against President Obama during his speech at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Convention; he accused him of leaking confidential information about the military operation that ended with Osama Bin Laden losing his life in order to gain political support.

President Obama, who spoke at the convention on Monday, also criticized Romney; according to the NY Times he painted his political adversary as a “national security neophyte with a dangerous affinity for failed policies of the past.” Even though Obama never mentioned Romney’s name and only criticized him in an indirect way, Mitt Romney has responded with some serious accusations against Obama.

Romney’s accusation was that leaked classified information had been used in recent news reports. In the speech he stated: “Exactly who in the White House betrayed these secrets? Did a superior authorize it?”

Mitt Romney said that these leaks endanger operations in foreign countries and put many Americans at risk. He said that “This conduct is contemptible. It betrays our national interest. It compromises our men and women in the field.” Romney even referred to these leaks as a “national security crisis.”

Romney was referring to two New York Times articles that seem to have come from leaks from the White House. One is called “Secret ‘Kill List’ Proves a Test of Obama’s Principles and Will” and the other is “Obama Order Sped Up Wave of Cyberattacks Against Iran.”

Arizona Senator, John McCain, referred to these articles on June 5 in the Senate, clearly stating: “A really disturbing aspect of this is that one could draw the conclusion from reading these articles that it is an attempt to further the president’s political ambitions for the sake of his reelection at the expense of our national security.”

The White House hasn’t respond at the moment to Romney’s speech and President Obama has rejected these accusations.

Accusing an opponent of leaking information is not new for the Democratic Party, and even the Democratic leader of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Dianne Feinstein, said that it is possible that the White House has leaked some confidential information. However, she has defended President Obama by clarifying she does not think President Obama, who receives an intelligence briefing every day, is revealing confidential information for political purposes.

Obama defended the White House last month and affirmed that “The notion that my White House would purposely release classified national security information is offensive.”

Ben LaBolt , Obama’s campaign spokesman, said that Romney was using “cheap attacks” against President Obama instead of giving proposals and justifying his foreign policy agenda. Criticsm between both candidates has been a constant in this presidential campaign, from Bain issues to leaking information, and now it is president Obama’s turn to defend himself. Maybe tomorrow it will be Mitt Romney’s turn once again.

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

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About the author

Gerardo Jose Torres Montalvo
Student of Philosophy and Journalism in Universidad de Navarra, Spain. Interested in world politics, especially in Latin American issue and in political philosophy. I was born in the United States, but raised in El Salvador.

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