Osama bin-Laden Dead? Did Senator Harry Reid Blab Top Secret Report?

Update: It appears that the actual \audio of the Reid interview shows that he did not imply that he had been "informed" of the "bin-Laden is dead" idea; simply that he had "heard" it. Where? Through the grapevine?On the web? At the Senate barbershop? This seems to diminish the charge (written below) that Reid had somehow improperly revealed classified information gotten in some sort of "briefing."

I have frequently criticized bloggers who either just "go" with whatever the daily story is or those who simply ape the bigger bloggers who they look up to and follow like "groupies." It seems that I did the same thing with this story. I should have spent a little time confirming its accuracy. For this I apologize.

"Loose lips sink ships," they say. If that's true then some ship somewhere is filling up with water at this very moment!

The source of this leakage is none other than Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, who appears to have suffered a relapse of his seemingly chronic "Loose Lips Syndrome."

Last May he publically made use of an unverifiable reference to a confidential FBI file to damage the reputation of a Bush judicial nominee to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Now, as reported by John Fund,

Is Senator Harry Reid all that swift when it comes to U.S. Intelligence matters? Last Wednesday, the Minority Leader appeared on KRNV-TV's "Nevada Newsmakers" program and dropped a stunning revelation. He had been informed just that day that Osama bin Laden was killed in the giant Pakistan earthquake last month.

"I heard that Osama bin Laden died in the earthquake, and if that's the case, I certainly wouldn't wish anyone harm, but if that's the case, that's good for the world."

Intelligence analysts tell me that the only proper action by a top U.S. Senate leader who has been given such information is radio silence. If the report is true, such information is best released at a moment of the U.S. government's choosing. For one thing, as long as the information is tightly held, it can be used to sift out electronic intercepts that might lead to other Al Qaeda leaders. On the other hand, if Mr. Reid's public speculation proves groundless, it only embarrasses the U.S. and contributes to enemy morale....

If the Navy ever launches a USS Harry Reid I can guarantee that it will sink straight to the bottom. Glub.

ht: Michelle Malkin