The Obama Administration's Infighting Suddenly Goes Public

A General Gets Knifed -- Shane Harris and Noah Shachtman, Foreign Policy

The Obama administration's infighting suddenly goes public.

Usually, the Obama administration does its bureaucratic knife fighting in private. Not so in the latest investigation of a national security leak.

This time the target is one of the highest profile -- and perhaps most controversial -- senior military officers in the United States, Gen. James Cartwright. The former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is now allegedly a top target in the FBI's investigation of who leaked details about the Stuxnet cyber weapon that hit Iran's nuclear program.

NBC News broke the story last night. But Cartwright saw this coming. In recent months, he believed that his communications were being monitored and that he was being watched. He knew he was a target of the investigation. And with good reason. Aside from the fact that he was identified in David Sanger's book Confront and Conceal as a mastermind of the Stuxnet project, Cartwright is also one of the most politically contentious military officers in Washington.

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Previous Post: Justice Department Investigating Ex-Vice Chairman Of Joint Chiefs Of Staff Over Critical Intelligence Leak

My Comment: I was surprised .... correction .... shocked .... when I first heard this news yesterday. It is not everyday that you read about a Four Star General .... albeit a retired one .... being investigated for an intelligence leak. By 'leaking' this investigation the White House is sending a very clear message to everyone .... no one is above the law, and if you commit an intelligence leak be prepared for the consequences.

Update: Probe of Stuxnet leak said to focus on US general. But why would he blab? -- Anna Mulrine, Christian Science Monitor