Obama sees leaks on Afghanistan as firing offense
President Barack Obama (L) and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates arrive for a ceremony for the signing of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 in the East Room at the White House in Washington, October 28, 2009.
Credit: Reuters/Jim Young
BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Wednesday he was furious over leaks from within his administration over deliberations on Afghanistan war strategy and considered them a firing offense.
Obama told CBS News in an interview that the strategy review involved life-and-death decisions.
"For people to be releasing information during the course of deliberations, where we haven't made final decisions yet, I think is not appropriate," he said in Beijing during a nine-day trip to Asia.
Asked whether he was as angry about the matter as Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Obama replied: "I think I'm probably angrier."
Asked whether he thought the leaks were a "firing offense," he said: "Absolutely."
(Reporting by Caren Bohan; Editing by John O'Callaghan)
